Flushing Hospital Medical Center was recently awarded the Obstetrics and Gynecology Excellence Award™. This honor is given to exceptional hospitals across the country that have demonstrated superior outcomes in women’s healthcare services.

This accolade was bestowed upon Flushing Hospital by Healthgrades, a leading online resource used by millions of consumers each year who are seeking comprehensive information about physicians and hospitals.

The Obstetrics and Gynecology Excellence Award™ recognizes hospitals for superior outcomes during and after childbirth and in surgeries that treat diseases and conditions of the female reproductive system. Any obstetric and gynecologic surgery procedure involves risks and the possibility of complications that may become serious and even life-threatening in some cases.  Women have fewer complications from their obstetric and gynecologic surgery and are more likely to survive their stay at hospitals recognized with an Obstetrics and Gynecology Excellence Award.

To help consumers evaluate and compare hospital performance, Healthgrades analyzed patient outcome data for all patients from 2014 through 2016. The data was used to identify the highest performing hospitals in women’s health, and it revealed variations in quality between hospitals that received this award and those that didn’t.

Flushing Hospital was one of only two hospitals in Queens to receive this honor and one of only four in New York City. Dr. Hajoon Chun, Chairman of Ob/Gyn and Director of Maternal-Fetal Medicine stated, “This honor highlights Flushing Hospital’s continued dedication to providing the highest quality care to the women in our community. Although we are a community hospital, we deliver the same quality of care that is attained at larger institutions. Our collaboration with many different quality initiatives in NYC and NYS promotes current evidenced-based care that is implemented in our facility.”

In an effort to improve the overall wellness of our community and employees, Jamaica Hospital Medical Center has partnered with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation’s Shape Up NYC, to offer a variety of fitness classes to our employees and members of the community. Many of the classes are taught by Jamaica Hospital’s very own, highly-qualified staff.

Currently, Jamaica Hospital is offering five separate classes, including:

• Boot Camp – Every Monday at 10:30 a.m. (bilingual)
  Instructor Laura (beginning 8/13/18)
• Zumba – Every Monday at 5:15 pm
  Instructor Frances
• Serene Stretch Yoga – Every Tuesday at 5:15 p.m.
  Instructor Joan
• Gentle Yoga – Every Wednesday at 12:15 p.m.
  Instructor Deborah
• Zumba – Every Wednesday at 5:15 pm
  Instructor Frances
• Stretch and Release – Every Thursday from 5:15 p.m. – 6:15 p.m.
  Instructor Janis

All classes are free of charge and offered at Jamaica Hospital’s MediFit gym, located at 134-20 Jamaica Avenue, on the third floor of the hospital’s Axel building. For more information or to learn about more classes, please visit the following website: https://www.nycgovparks.org/programs/recreation/shape-up-nyc

In addition, the hospital, in collaboration with LI Greenmarket, operates a Farmers Market every Wednesday from 10:00 – 4:00 p.m. The Farmers Market offers a variety of seasonal fruits and vegetables and accepts many forms of payment including WIC coupons, EBT and NYC Health Bucks.  Cooking demonstrations, free health screenings and exercise programs are also on-hand.

Dr. Ricardo Ricciardi is one of the first Urologists in New York City to be recognized for his efforts in providing a new and effective way to treat Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), a condition that affects millions of men in the United States.

BPH — also called prostate gland enlargement — is a common condition that many men experience as they get older.  The prostate is a walnut-sized gland that surrounds the urethra. When the prostate becomes enlarged it can lead to BPH, which can cause uncomfortable urinary symptoms, such as frequent or urgent need to urinate and increased frequency of urination at night. In addition to urinary problems, men living with BPH also experience interrupted sleep, loss of productivity, and depression.  Over 40 million men in America are affected by BPH and 12 million are currently under the care of a physician for the condition.

Until recently, men living with BPH were offered two treatment options – medication or surgery. Medication is often the first-line of therapy for BPH, but relief can be inadequate and temporary. In addition, many men have reported various side effects including sexual dysfunction, dizziness and headaches.  Traditionally, the alternative treatment option has been surgery, but surgical options either require cutting, heating or removing prostate tissue to open the blocked urethra. While surgery has been effective in relieving symptoms, it requires a longer recovery period and can also leave patients with permanent side effects such as urinary incontinence, erectile dysfunction and retrograde ejaculation.

Now, Dr. Ricciardi is offering the UroLift system, an FDA cleared, revolutionary treatment that provides rapid and durable relief from urinary symptoms associated with BPH. The UroLift system works by placing small, permanent implants into the prostate to lift and hold the enlarged tissue out of the way, relieving pressure on the urethra and allowing urine to flow. There is no cutting, heating, or removal of prostate tissue. This non-invasive procedure is done in an outpatient setting under local anesthesia. Patients experience rapid improvement with minimal side effects and are able to resume their normal routines quickly and no longer require medication.

According to Dr. Ricciardi, “I am privileged to be able to offer my patients the UroLift procedure, which is truly a breakthrough in the treatment of BPH. This procedure provides so many benefits and can increase their overall quality of life without any side effects.”

Dr. Ricciardi has performed over 100 UroLift procedures and his practice has recently been named as a Center of Excellence in this form of treatment. This designation recognizes that Dr. Ricciardi has achieved the highest level of training with the UroLift System and has demonstrated a commitment to providing exemplary care to men suffering from symptoms of BPH.  Less than 70 urologists in the United States have received a Center of Excellence designation and Dr. Ricciardi is the only physician in New York City to receive this honor.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Ricciardi, please call  (718) 206-7110.

Recently, The Queens Chronicle newspaper released its annual “Celebration of Queens” edition which included a salute to healthcare in the borough. Both hospitals in the MediSys Health Network were prominently featured in this publication.

Articles in the Chronicle focused on many aspects of the healthcare delivery system and services available to the community.  One particular article aimed to highlight some of the most innovative services in the borough. Both Jamaica and Flushing Hospital were spotlighted in this article, showcasing two of our most advanced forms of care.

Flushing Hospital surgeon, Dr. Noman Khan was interviewed about the hospital’s state-of-the-art division of robotic surgery and the Da Vinci surgical system.  Dr. Khan outlined the many benefits this non-invasive surgical platform offers Flushing patients.  In the same article, Jamaica Hospital Cardiologist, Dr. Zoran Lasic spoke with a reporter about the hospital’s commitment to heart health.  During his interview, Dr. Lasic revealed that Jamaica Hospital will be opening a brand-new, technologically advanced, Cardiovascular Interventional Suite to better treat patients with cardiovascular disease.

In a separate article, David Evangelista, Director of Managed Care for the MediSys Health Network was asked to discuss how residents of Queens can better navigate the health care system and obtain the proper type of health insurance. David offered tips on what insurance options are available to individuals who do not receive benefits through their employer.

Thanks to everyone who participated in these interviews, which highlighted the expert services and programs offered at both hospitals.

To read the full interviews, please click on the links below:

http://www.qchron.com/editions/queenswide/getting-insurance-doesn-t-have-to-be-too-stressful/article_b164e54f-2269-55fa-bea8-4523993df6f4.html

http://www.qchron.com/editions/queenswide/boro-hospitals-on-the-front-lines-of-innovation/article_97a789ad-1351-56f2-ac74-28902eff37a5.html

As part of Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s (JHMC) effort to provide our community with healthy nutrition and wellness alternatives, we are proud to announce our first Farmers’ Market!  JHMC has partnered with the LI Greenmarket and the Cornell University Cooperative Extension to bring fresh produce and wellness programs for everyone to enjoy!

The Farmers’ Market will be open every Wednesday, 10:00AM – 4:00PM, from June 27, 2018 through November 21, 2018.  The Market will be located at 134-20 Jamaica Avenue, Jamaica, NY 11418.

Remember, fresh is best!

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:

For many years, Jamaica Hospital and Flushing Hospital have offered our patients the opportunity to better manage their healthcare and interact with their providers, through the MyChart patient portal.

Access to MyChart accounts has always required a patient’s physician to provide them with a special access code. Now, thanks to our partnership with Experian, our patients can create their very own MyChart account without needing an access code. For patients to create an account, they simply click the link to the MediSys MyChart website: https://mychart.medisys.org and click on the “sign up now” tab.

The new Experian verification process is much easier and will give patients quicker access to their chart, allowing them to take any number of actions, including:

• Reviewing their medications, immunizations, allergies, and medical history
• Reviewing test results online
• Reviewing health education topics and discharge instructions
• Requesting prescription refills online
• Interacting with your provider via email
• Requesting an appointment
• Linking to family’s medical records

We hope that this new method of creating an account will encourage more patients to sign-up. By offering our patients easier access to their records, we feel they will become better educated and empowered to take a more active role in their heath and the health of their family, which we feel will lead to a healthier patient population.

We encourage all of our employees to share this news with their patients. For more information about the new and improved MyChart patient portal, please contact 718-206-8809.

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:

If you are sick and need to go to the hospital, it is important to know that if admitted, your hospital is dedicated to safety, and has a proven track record of preventing further illness and injury to its patients.

Healthgrades, a trusted provider of information to millions of health care consumers across the United States, recently recognized the best-performing hospitals in the country, and both Jamaica Hospital Medical Center and Flushing Hospital Medical Center received the Patient Safety Excellence Award, an accolade that recognizes hospitals that lead in the prevention of patient safety events.

This prestigious honor highlights both hospitals performance in safeguarding patients from serious, potentially preventable complications during their hospital stay.  Jamaica and Flushing Hospitals, both part of the MediSys Health Network ranked in the top 10% in the nation for patient safety.

To determine which hospitals receive the Patient Safety Excellence Award, Healthgrades reviews the results of 14 key patient safety indicators submitted by hospitals to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Some of the safety measures surveyed include pressure ulcers, catheter-related bloodstream infections, and postoperative sepsis rates.

Jamaica and Flushing are the only two hospitals in Queens and two of only four in New York City to receive this honor. The hospitals attribute their vastly improved safety rates to robust quality improvement policies and programs that were initiated over a decade ago and that are still being followed and improved upon every day.

According to MediSys Health Network President, Bruce J. Flanz, “Patient Safety is one of the top priorities at Jamaica Hospital and Flushing Hospital. We are proud to be in a position to provide our patients with a safe and trusted environment to receive high-quality care. I would like to thank the many members of our staff who are committed to this effort.”