The MediSys Health Network deployed a team of six healthcare professionals to Florida on Sunday, October 16th, to provide medical assistance to communities impacted by Hurricane Ian —which caused catastrophic damage to the southwest coast of the state.

To support relief and recovery efforts, the MediSys Health Network will serve as part of a hurricane emergency response team coordinated by the International Medical Corps (IMC).

International Medical Corps (IMC) is an organization dedicated to delivering emergency medical and related services to those affected by conflict, disaster, and disease, no matter where they are, no matter what the conditions.

In the Spring of 2020, IMC sent a team of 33 healthcare workers to Jamaica Hospital and Flushing Hospital to provide much-needed assistance, as both Queens-based hospitals were inundated with critically ill patients during the height of the COVID pandemic.  According to MediSys Health Network, President and CEO Bruce J. Flanz “Our hospitals were at the epicenter of the pandemic and our brave healthcare heroes needed help. IMC provided that relief and we remain extremely grateful to them for it. Now is our time to give back and help those in need.”

The MediSys Health Network has a long history of providing disaster relief to those in need. Some past efforts include:

• Hurricane Andrew – Homestead, Florida, 1992
• Northern Country Ice Storms – Watertown, NY, 1998
• World Trade Center Attacks (9/11) – New York, NY, 2001
• Hurricane Katrina –Louisiana & Mississippi, 2005
• Hurricane Sandy – Far Rockaway, New York, 2012
• Hurricane Maria- Puerto Rico, 2017
• Earthquake Response to Puerto Rico- Guanica, Guayanilla, and Ponce, 2020

“The MediSys Health Network’s goal is to provide quality, patient-centered healthcare to all communities we serve, even to those that exist beyond our borders.  We hope that by sending our team of highly skilled and compassionate healthcare professionals, we can help the people of Florida recover from the devastating effects of Ian.”

Congratulations to the MediSys Health Network’s Safety Excellence in Infection Prevention (SEIP) award winners.

The SEIP award recognizes employees who contribute to the success of infection control initiatives.

The criteria for the award are:

S: Surpasses above and beyond expected job role responsibilities as it relates to infection control.

E: Enforce actions that support infection prevention best practices.

I: I do the right thing, even when no one is looking.

P: Performs awesome acts of safety related to infection prevention.

We thank the following team members for leading by example and doing their part to reduce the risk of infection transmissions:

1. Dan Sindo, Chief Dialysis Technician -Flushing Hospital Medical Center
2. Althea Powell, RN, ASU-Jamaica Hospital Medical Center

The MediSys Health Network cultivates a culture of safety by making infection control and prevention a priority.  All employees have an important part to play in preventing the spread of infections, and everyone’s contribution to safety is highly valued.

The Good Catch award program recognizes MediSys Health Network employees who go above and beyond to ensure the safety of our patients.

Good Catch awardees receive recognition and a certificate of excellence based on their actions in preventing accidents from occurring. These actions may include keeping our facilities safe, correcting a medication order, preventing a patient from falling, or reporting a significant change in a patient’s status.

Please join us in congratulating the following employees on their Good Catch:

• Alex Duplessy, NA, Flushing Hospital Medical Center
• Annmarie Morris, NA, Flushing Hospital Medical Center
• Yashina Chhantyal, RN,  Jamaica Hospital Medical Center

By identifying a problem before it became a patient safety issue, our awardees have helped our hospitals provide patients with excellent care. We thank them for being exemplary members of our team and contributing to our goal of being a high-reliability network.

Jamaica Hospital Medical Center has opened a new Women’s Imaging Suite that will feature digital breast tomosynthesis (3D mammography) along with state-of-the-art ultrasound and stereotactic breast biopsy, bringing all services into a convenient, private location.

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among women in the United States.  Furthermore, the New York City Department of Health reports that “Each year in New York City, about 970 women die from breast cancer and about 6,300 women are newly diagnosed.”

These statistics are alarming and Jamaica Hospital is responding by creating initiatives to lower breast cancer mortality rates. The hospital aims to provide women with the technology, services, and care needed to detect breast cancer early and fight the disease in its newly renovated Women’s Imaging Suite.

The Women’s Imaging Suite features the latest advancement in breast imaging technology: breast tomosynthesis, better known as 3D mammography. The advantages of 3D mammography are many. Unlike 2D imaging where a single image is taken in each projection, 3D mammography units rotate in an arc and take images of the breast at different angles.

In addition to 3D mammography units, the suite is equipped with new ultrasound machines. The machines are mobile and can be used in any setting to accommodate individuals with disabilities. The ultrasound machines also utilize shear wave technology that allows radiologists to perform advanced imaging procedures.

One of the most important features of the new Women’s Imaging Suite is a private waiting room. Here, patients can maintain privacy while waiting to undergo mammography or ultrasound imaging. The suite also contains a private and spacious changing room as well as a handicap-accessible bathroom.

Completion of Jamaica Hospital’s Women’s Imaging Suite was made possible in part to a $591,000 discretionary capital allocation by the office of the Queens Borough President.

Jamaica Hospital is proud to offer its community the very best imaging technologies available in the newly renovated Women’s Imaging Suite.  With the addition of 3D mammography and advanced ultrasound machines, our radiologists have the advantage of detecting breast cancer and other diseases earlier while delivering better diagnostic experiences and outcomes for patients.

Jamaica Hospital Medical Center is proud to introduce the innovative Mako SmartRobotics surgical platform to our Department of Orthopedic Surgery. This state-of-the-art advancement in joint replacement surgery transforms the way total knee, partial knee, and total hip replacements are performed, resulting in better outcomes for our patients.

Mako SmartRobotics uses 3D CT-based planning. To get a detailed three-dimensional model of the surgical area prior to surgery. This allows the surgeon to receive the most accurate images of the joint and surrounding area.  “Through the use of 3D-CT-based planning, we know more about my patients prior to surgery than ever before. This increased knowledge allows our surgeons to make fewer and smaller incisions, resulting in less soft tissue damage for some patients or greater bone preservation for others.” stated Dr. Sanjit Konda, Chairman of Orthopedic Surgery at Jamaica Hospital “Mako’s 3D CT provides me the opportunity to create a personalized plan based on each patient’s unique anatomy before entering the operating room. During surgery, we can validate that plan and make any necessary adjustments while guiding the robotic arm to execute that plan. It’s exciting to be able to offer this transformative technology across the joint replacement service line.”

According to the American Joint Replacement Registry, over 2.2 million hip and knee replacement surgeries are performed in the United States every year and those numbers are projected to increase. The most common reasons someone receives either hip or knee replacement surgery include joint destruction due to arthritis, wear and tear, or a fracture due to injury.  Unfortunately, the increase in joint replacement procedures coincides with a growing number of patients dissatisfied with the results of conventional hip and knee replacement surgery. Some of the most common complaints shared by patients are high levels of pain, increased hospital length of stay, a long rehabilitation process, and restricted flexibility. The Mako SmartRobotics surgical system addresses these issues as patients have reported experiencing less pain, less need for inpatient physical rehabilitation, shorter hospital stays, greater flexibility, and greater soft tissue protection.

The addition of the Mako system is the latest advancement for the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Jamaica Hospital. “We are proud to offer this highly advanced SmartRobotics technology in our area,” said Dr Konda. “This addition to our orthopedic service line further demonstrates our commitment to provide our community with the highest quality care.”

We proudly announce that Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s Emergency Department recently earned the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) Bronze level Pain and Addiction Care in the Emergency Department (PACED) accreditation.

PACED is a national accreditation program that identifies hospitals that seek to prevent drug addiction and improve pain management for their patients in the emergency department. PACED accredited hospitals are recognized for implementing prompt, safe, and effective pain management protocols and procedures for treating patients who are in pain or addicted to pain medication.

To receive PACED accreditation, Jamaica Hospital’s Emergency Department was required to submit an online application and supporting documentation including documentation of credentialed providers, a history of opioid prescriptions, and examples of our pain management protocols and quality improvement projects. All applications undergo a comprehensive evaluation by a team of ACEP- appointed physician reviewers.

 According to ACEP, the potential benefits of receiving PACED accreditation for patients and hospitals include:

• Improved patient outcomes and satisfaction.
• Reduced ED visits.
• Reduced hospital readmissions.

By receiving PACED accreditation, Jamaica Hospital’s Emergency Department has established the highest standards for quality care for pain and addiction management.  Most importantly, accreditation conveys to everyone that we are committed to addressing the growing issue of prescription medication addiction in our community.

Congratulations to all involved in helping Jamaica Hospital to achieve this accomplishment. 

Jamaica Hospital employees who go above and beyond to ensure the safety of our patients are recognized and awarded a certificate of excellence for their Good Catch.

Good Catch nominees receive recognition based on their actions in preventing accidents from occurring. These actions may include keeping our facilities safe, correcting a medication order, preventing a patient from falling, or reporting a significant change in a patient’s status.

Please join us in congratulating:

Abraham Resuello, RN

Lisa Fraumeni RN, ADN

Suni Mathew RN, ADN

Keshan Bisnauth

Sgt. Jafra Wilson

Katheryn Finescu

Denese Holder, RN

Jincy Joykutty, RN

Khemchand Ramlogan

Mathew Hernandez

By identifying a problem before it became a patient safety issue, our nominees have helped Jamaica Hospital provide patients with excellent care.

We thank them for being exemplary members of our team and contributing to our goal of being a high-reliability hospital.

Congratulations to Flushing Hospital’s C.A.R.E (Compassion Advocacy Respect and Engagement) award recipients.

The hospital’s Person-Centered Care Department created the C.A.R.E award program to recognize employees who received positive remarks (written and verbal) from patients or their loved ones after receiving high-quality and compassionate care.

Criteria for the award require that recipients exemplify G.R.A.C.E:

G- Gracious: Having a courteous and kind demeanor.

R- Respect: Treating others the way they want to be treated.

A- Assisting: Anticipating needs and concerns (for example wayfinding).

C- Communication: Talking to patients and family members according to their health literacy.

E- Empathy: Using the patient’s perspective, making the patient feel understood, and ensuring that their feelings are validated.

We congratulate the following employees, and thank them for their contributions to making Flushing Hospital a high-reliability hospital that focuses on patient-centered care:

1. Robert Benya
2. Gonzalo Bravo
3. Alfonzo Siu
4. Mufang Yu, RN
5. Catherine Huang, RN
6. Deborah Davis, CNA
7. Robert Campbell, CNA
8. Jeanne Barthelemy
9. Alisa Gonzalez, CNA
10. Loretta Johnson, CNA
11. John Sanchez, CNA
12. Diola Agpalo, CNA
13. Mohanchand Singh, RN
14. Regina Holmes, RN
15. Jennifer Contreras, RN
16. Fabienne Daquin, RN
17. Linda Perez
18. Alex Khaimov, RN
19. Labor & Delivery Department
20. Emergency Department
21. Medical Intensive Care Unit

Congratulations to Jamaica Hospital’s C.A.R.E (Compassion Advocacy Respect and Engagement) award recipients.

The hospital’s Person-Centered Care Department created the C.A.R.E award program to recognize employees who received positive remarks (written and verbal) from patients or their loved ones after receiving high-quality and compassionate care.

Criteria for the award require that recipients exemplify G.R.A.C.E:

G- Gracious: Having a courteous and kind demeanor.

R- Respect: Treating others the way they want to be treated.

A- Assisting: Anticipating needs and concerns (for example wayfinding).

C- Communication: Talking to patients and family members according to their health literacy.

E- Empathy: Using the patient’s perspective, making the patient feel understood, and ensuring their feelings are validated.

We congratulate the following employees, and thank them for their contributions to making Jamaica Hospital a high-reliability hospital that focuses on patient-centered care:

1. Gilene Achil
2. Stephanie Kearney
3. Rosa Rosario
4. Rory Robinson, PCA
5. Orayne Hibbert, PCA
6. Noely Diaz
7. Monique Licerio RN
8. Mariusz Baczewski
9. Margie Rodriguez
10. Dr. Luigi Tullo
11. Kamini Ramgoon, RN
12. Dr. Jeffrey Chan
13. Dr. Robert Laskowski
14. Dr. Philip Cruz
15. Dr. David Dovnarsky
16. Aziza Sharipova, RN
17. ASU Team
18. Emergency Department

Congratulations to Flushing Hospital’s C.A.R.E (Compassion Advocacy Respect and Engagement) award recipients.

The hospital’s Person-Centered Care Department created the C.A.R.E award program to recognize employees who received positive remarks (written and verbal) from patients or their loved ones after receiving high-quality and compassionate care.

Criteria for the award require that recipients exemplify G.R.A.C.E:

G- Gracious: Having a courteous and kind demeanor.

R- Respect: Treating others the way they want to be treated.

A- Assisting: Anticipating needs and concerns (for example wayfinding).

C- Communication: Talking to patients and family members according to their health literacy.

E- Empathy: Using the patient’s perspective, making the patient feel understood, and ensuring that their feelings are validated.

We congratulate the following employees, and thank them for their contributions to making Flushing Hospital a high-reliability hospital that focuses on patient-centered care:

1. Arnaldo Marasigan, Housekeeper
2. Joy Chisolm, Phlebotomist 
3. Muzzamil Khan, CAN
4. Adelaida Ramos, Phlebotomist 
5. Hanngfen Lin, CAN
6. Narchelle Philitas, RN
7. Jeanese Barriteau, CNM