Recently the Medisys Health Network launched a website called “MedisysCares”.  This site highlights eight medical conditions that are commonly found in our community and include:

• Breast Cancer
• Cervical Cancer
• Colon Cancer
• Hepatitis B and C
• Human Papilloma Virus
• Lung Cancer
• Prostate Cancer
• Smoking Cessation

The objective of this website is to reduce the incidence of these diseases in our community by promoting healthy lifestyle choices and to encourage people with these health conditions to manage their healthcare through routine follow-up and compliance.

The website can be found at www.medisyscares.org

The Laundry and Linen Department at Jamaica and Flushing Hospital Medical Center recognized Linen Awareness Day.  Both hospitals hosted the event in collaboration with Unitex, the laundry services company utilized by the MediSys Health Network.

The purpose of the event was to educate hospital staff about how the Laundry and Linen Department operates. Displays were presented in the lobbies at each hospital to demonstrate the importance of linen conservation and the costs associated with it.

The Laundry and Linen Department is responsible for the distribution and cleaning of all towels, patient gowns, bed sheets, wash cloths, underpads, blankets and employee uniforms. Each month Jamaica Hospital processes approximately 154,000 pounds of laundry per month at an annual cost of over $1,090,000 and Flushing Hospital processes over 63,000 pounds of laundry per month at an annual cost of $530,000, inclusive of linens and a combined total of 2,500 uniforms.

Proper linen utilization management can reduce these costs significantly. Jamaica Hospital, Flushing Hospital and our laundry services provider are working together to develop solutions to increase efficiency.

Jamaica Hospital Medical Center is excited to introduce Frankie, our newest employee.

Frankie (a Golden Retriever) is a therapy dog. Together, with her mom/owner Julia, Frankie provides pet therapy to hospital patients.

Through the Alliance of Therapy Dogs, Jamaica Hospital’s Nursing Department was able to connect with Julia and Frankie, who generously volunteer their services to hospital patients and nursing home residents in the area.

The benefits of pet therapy are numerous. Most experts agree that pets excel as therapeutic agents and that dogs are an antidote to depression. Studies have also shown a decrease in both blood pressure and stress levels during therapy dog visits. Most importantly, therapy pets bring joy to patients and help distract them from their concerns.

Frankie’s first visit was to Jamaica Hospital’s Pediatric Unit where she was greeted warmly by both patients and staff. She plans to return monthly to spend time with patients throughout the hospital.

Jamaica Hospital looks forward to offering our patients with the many benefits associated with pet therapy.

Every month, employees at Jamaica Hospital who go above and beyond to help coworkers, patients and visitors are nominated for the G.E.M award.  G.E.M stands for Going the Extra Mile and recipients are recognized for their hard work, team spirit, kindness and professionalism.  This month’s G.E.M recipients are:

*Cheryl Gallotta-DiMassi, RN – Clinical Manager Nursing

Congratulations to you both. Keep up the excellent work in helping us to serve our community.

The week of March 12– 18 was National Patient Safety Awareness Week.  In recognition of this event, staff at Jamaica and Flushing Hospital Medical Center set up displays in the main lobbies to highlight each hospital’s safety initiatives.

The purpose of the event was to increase awareness about patient safety amongst health care professionals and the public.

Departments that participated in National Patient Safety Awareness Week included the blood bank, radiology, nursing, OR, performance improvement, pharmacy and infection control. Each department demonstrated ways they are striving to increase patient safety. Techniques which reduce patient falls, errors in prescription distribution and provide low dose CT scans were showcased to the community. Additionally, passersby learned how practicing good hand hygiene can help to control the spread of harmful germs and viruses

National Patient Safety Awareness Week was coordinated by Dr. Sabiha Raoof, Chairperson of Radiology, Chief Medical Officer and Patient Safety Officer and the Performance Improvement Department along with leaders from participating departments.

The top priority at Jamaica and Flushing Hospital is to provide high-quality care in a safe environment.

Doctors from Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s departments of Emergency Medicine and Trauma services recently received national recognition for their research.

The American Journal of Emergency Medicine published an article co-written by members of Jamaica Hospital’s Trauma and ER doctors. The article, published this January was titled “Introduction of Pan-Scan Protocol for Blunt Trauma Activations: What are the Consequences?”

Pan-scans are a wide field-of-view CT imaging. The study objective of this research was to determine if the introduction of pan-scan as a protocol during an initial assessment of blunt force trauma patients would affect missed injuries, incidental findings, treatment times, radiation exposure and cost.

The study, which observed 220 patients during a pre pan-scan screening period and 206 during a pan-scan screening period, yielded some very interesting findings. To see the full results of the publication, visit https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27773351

Congratulations to the Jamaica Hospital Women’s Health Center and Family Medicine Clinic for receiving the Certificate of Excellence from QINCA (Quality Improvement Network for Contraceptive Access). This is a great achievement as the hospital was 1 out of 10 hospitals, city-wide, chosen to participate in the program.

QINCA, a program implemented by the New York City Department of Health, aims to decrease the number of unintended pregnancies across the city by working with hospitals to provide contraceptive, family planning and primary care services to communities.   Jamaica Hospital was recognized for applying the best practices in providing these services.

The success of the QINCA program at Jamaica Hospital is due to the collaboration of multiple departments who shared the common goal of increasing patient safety and accessibility to contraceptive methods. Staff from the hospital’s Administrative, OB-GYN, Nursing, Pharmacy, IT, Finance and Ambulatory  Care departments worked together to build a sustainable patient care model and fulfill the requirements needed to be qualified as a QINCA FPBPP(Family Planning Benefit Program Provider).

The following individuals played key roles in the project’s success:

Administrative

William Lynch, Executive Vice President and COO

OB/GYN

Tamara Magloire MD

Steven R. Inglis, MD

Yafen Liang

Susan Khalil, MD

Family Medicine

Kamica Lewis MD

Nursing

Colette Forde

Marge Lilienthal

Pharmacy

William Tomasulo

IT

Michael Callaghan

Adrian Laduca

Finance

Ana Guzman

Jennifer Stevens

Ambulatory Care

Wendy Munoz

Thalita Viruet

James Villavicencio

Congratulations to everyone for working together to achieve this great accomplishment and demonstrating that teamwork produces great rewards.

Every month, employees at Jamaica Hospital who go above and beyond to help coworkers, patients and visitors are nominated for the G.E.M award.  G.E.M stands for Going the Extra Mile and recipients are recognized for their hard work, team spirit, kindness and professionalism.  This month’s G.E.M recipients are:

*Elaina Odermatt, RN Clinical Manager

2016 was a big year for the Perinatal Care Department at Flushing Hospital Medical Center.

That’s because last year the hospital topped 3,000 deliveries – a major milestone for the department as it is the first time in over 25 years that Flushing Hospital has surpassed that mark. In fact, a total of 3,126 babies were born last year at Flushing Hospital!

Historically, Flushing Hospital has always been a destination for women in Queens to give birth. At its peak in the mid-1980’s Flushing Hospital delivered over 4,200 babies annually. That number had slowly declined to a low of only 1,500 deliveries approximately a decade ago. However, in recent years the hospital has seen a steady increase, culminating with it reaching this major milestone.

There are many reasons for the baby boom at Flushing Hospital according to Maria DeMarinis Smilios, Director of Nursing for Maternal and Child Services, “We have done many things to improve the services we provide to expectant mothers. We have made ourselves more accessible to the community by expanding our evening hours twice per week. We have also added an on-site WIC program and expanded our family planning services.  In addition, we have brought in many doctors and support staff that speak multiple languages and are reflective of the community we serve.”

Maria added, “Our staff has also worked very hard to meet the needs of each of our patients and address every request and concern they have during their perinatal experience. Their dedication to improving our patient’s satisfaction is evident as more and more women are once again choosing Flushing.”

Flushing Hospital Perinatal Care Department plans to continue the momentum and looks forward to welcoming even more babies into the community in 2017. Plans for the future include expanding the number of private post-partum rooms on the Mother-Baby Unit from two to 11, which will further enhance the patient experience.

Last month, Joseph Ferrara, member of the Jamaica Hospital Medical Center Board of Trustees, officially kicked off the construction of the new Ferrara Family Center for Hospice Care.

Ferrara ceremoniously demolished a wall with the sledgehammer that was previously presented to him at the hospice center’s unveiling event.

Mr. Ferrara started the process of building what will be the premiere hospice unit in the region, an effort that he has championed since day one.

The campaign to build a new hospice unit was one that took a great deal of time, effort and money.  Thankfully, through the support and generous donations made by Mr. Ferrara as well as others, the Ferrara Family Center for Hospice Care is now taking shape and is scheduled to open this spring.

The new, ten-bed Ferrara Family Center for Hospice Care will replace the existing hospice unit on the fourth floor of the hospital’s ‘C” building and will enable Jamaica Hospital to offer patients facing end-of- life and their families every comfort and convenience during a very difficult time in their lives. The unit will feature oversized private rooms and a family lounge. Once complete, Jamaica Hospital will have a unit to match the high level of compassionate care that the hospice staff has always provided to their patients.