Being admitted to a hospital or having to undergo a procedure can be a very stressful and even scary experience for many patients and their families, and that is especially true when that patient is a child.

In an effort to reduce the stress of our pediatric patients and offer a calming distraction for them, Flushing Hospital Medical Center is now offering children an escape from the hospital environment with the help of the Samsung Applied Virtual Reality headset. This state-of-the-art, interactive tool was purchased by Flushing Hospital thanks to a grant from the Child’s Play Foundation.

This fully mobile, virtual reality technology allows Flushing Hospital’s smallest patients to leave the confinement of their treatment area by taking them on a variety of exciting journeys. Pediatric patients can now relax on a sandy beach or tranquil ocean or they can visit any number of scenic destinations across the country and around the globe, including Los Angeles, Yellowstone National Park, London, Tibet, Iceland or Machu Picchu. The VR software is constantly being updated, offering patients an ever-expanding assortment of places to go to.

The headset is easy to operate and is being used to further assist Flushing Hospital’s Child Life Specialist while they care for patients. This technology offers an entertaining distraction to children when they are receiving important, yet typically anxiety-inducing treatments, such as blood draws, IV insertions, spinal taps, dressing changes and blood transfusions.

The virtual reality headset is utilized by most patients as it requires very little movement by the patient and it has proven to be very effective in helping children cope with stress associated with a clinical environment.

Patients as young as three years old have used the Samsung headsets and thus far, it has received an overwhelmingly positive response from both our patients and their parents. Both providers and family members have expressed that this technology has resulted in increased cooperation and enhanced comfort for our pediatric patients.

Flushing Hospital’s Pediatric Department is very grateful for this generous gift made possible by the Child’s Play Foundation and the staff is equally thrilled to have another tool to help them provide a positive atmosphere for our pediatric patients.

Flushing Hospital Medical Center in conjunction with the New York Surgical Specialists (NYSS) group are proud to announce that they now offer a safe and effective, non-surgical alternative for individuals who struggle with obesity and have unsuccessfully tried to lose weight through conventional diet and exercise.

Weight loss specialists, Sanjeev Rajpal MD, Darshak Shah MD and Noman Khan MD are all excited that Flushing is one of the only hospitals in the area to offer our patients the revolutionary, Obalon weight loss system. Obalon is the first and only non-surgical, and completely non-invasive weight loss treatment option approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Patients who participate in the Obalon treatment swallow a small, coated capsule connected to a thin tube. Once the capsule is digested, it naturally dissolves and a small, lightweight gastric balloon unfolds. This balloon is then filled with medical gases via the tube before it is removed. This process is repeated two more times over a six month period. Each procedure only takes 10 minutes, requires no sedation and can be performed in the doctor’s office.

Once expanded, each to the size of a small orange, the three balloons work to facilitate weight loss by taking up space within the stomach, enabling patients to become fuller while eating less.

After six months the balloons are removed endoscopically while the patient is under light, conscious sedation.

Throughout the entire three-stage, six month process, patients will receive nutritional and exercise support from Flushing Hospital’s weight loss team.

The Obalon Weight Loss System offers many benefits to those patients, who do not qualify for, or are seeking an alternative to bariatric surgery, including:

• Obalon is clinically proven to be twice as effective as diet and exercise alone
• There are minimal risks or side effects
• No sedation is required and the entire procedure only takes 10 minutes
• Obalon is affordable as compared to other surgical weight loss options, but it is not currently covered by most insurance providers
• Patients can resume their normal daily lifestyle immediately
• The procedure is completely reversible

Not everyone is a candidate for the Obalon weight loss system. To qualify, patients must be:

• At least 22 years old
• Have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30-40
• Have not had any form of weight loss surgery
• Are actively attempting to lose weight through diet and exercise
• Are committed to maintaining a healthy lifestyle during and after treatment

To learn more information about the Obalon weight loss system, or to make an appointment with one of our highly qualified physicians, please call 718-670-8908 to schedule an appointment at Flushing Hospital or 718-408-6977 to schedule an appointment at New York Surgical Specialists.

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 free Stretch and Release classes to everyone.

The class will be taught by the hospital’s own Janis Sharkey, Clinical Nurse Manager, who specializes in holistic care.  It will focus on applying principles of the Alexander Technique and Cantienica to stretch and strengthen muscles, as well as improve balance. Postures and movements are similar to Yoga.

Stretch and Release will begin on February 1st and will take place every Thursday at 5:15 pm at the MediFit Gym at Jamaica Hospital. Employees are encouraged to attend.

Submitted by: Laura Wang, RD, CDN, CLC Women’s Health Dietitian, Flushing Hospital

Flushing Hospital Medical Center’s Food & Nutrition Department was a recipient of the first Green Your Cuisine grant from The Fund for Public Health in New York City.

The grant was created to encourage healthy eating through nutrition education and cooking demonstrations.

The hospital earned the grant as a result of its hard work in implementing many community outreach initiatives which include a series of seminars and workshops.

These events were held at local libraries, schools and various community centers throughout Flushing and Corona. Flushing Hospital Registered Dietitians Marsha Sommervil and Laura Wang educated the community about ways to incorporate fresh fruits and vegetables into their daily diet.  Cooking demonstrations were also conducted where participants learned how to prepare healthy and delicious meals.

During each event, guests received Health Bucks which are $2 vouchers that can be used at New York City Green Markets to buy fresh fruits and vegetables. The vouchers are a provision of the Green Your Cuisine grant.

The Food and Nutrition Department’s workshops have been widely successful. Participants have shown great appreciation for what they learned and have verbalized that they now have the knowledge needed to make healthy eating a part of their daily routines.

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 award goes to the MediSys Disaster Relief team which includes staff from Jamaica and Flushing Hospital Medical Center. Each team member was recognized for their volunteer efforts in providing medical and humanitarian aid to people living in Puerto Rico affected by Hurricane Maria.

On November 18, 2017, Jamaica Hospital Medical Center celebrated the important milestone of serving the community for 126 years.  The momentous occasion was commemorated at the hospital’s annual Rainbow Ball dinner- dance and fundraiser which took place at Citi Field. Over 500 guests were in attendance.

The Rainbow Ball is an opportunity for supporters of Jamaica Hospital to celebrate its accomplishments and raise funds for future projects.  Guests of honor are recognized each year for their dedication to the hospital. This year’s honorees were  Charles E. Callahan III; President of Plaza College and Thomas K. Rudzewick; President and Chief Executive Officer of Maspeth Federal Savings.

Hospital President and CEO Bruce J. Flanz commenced the evening by welcoming everyone and noting some of the hospital’s many accomplishments achieved in 2017.

For the remainder of the evening, guests enjoyed a delicious spread of food and desserts and danced to a live band.  The fun carried on during the raffle and grand prize drawing where contestants won trips, gift cards, and electronics.

In all the 126^th Anniversary Rainbow Ball was a great success and we thank those who continue to support Jamaica Hospital in our endeavors.

On Wednesday, November 15^th, the MediSys Disaster Medical Response Team (DMRT) returned from their mission to Puerto Rico. The team flew home on a chartered aircraft and was met on the tarmac at Newark Airport by a MediSys welcoming committee who embraced them with handshakes and hugs.

The following Friday, each member of the DMRT attended a debriefing meeting where they discussed their experiences and missions they supported while on the island.

Later on that day, a welcome home reception and luncheon was held in their honor.  In attendance were Bruce Flanz, President of the MediSys Health Network; Queens Borough President Melinda Katz and Mark Marino, MediSys Health Network Director of Pre-Hospital Care, as well as other key staff members.

At the event, each member of the DMRT was recognized for their humanitarian and volunteer efforts.  They were presented with three certificates of appreciation in recognition of their acts of compassion from the MediSys Health Network, the Hospital Association of New York State (HANYS) and the Borough President Melinda Katz.

The special moment was captured by several members of the media who photographed and interviewed the team about their experience on the island and helping the people of Puerto Rico.

You can read and view a few of those interviews here:

WATCH

READ

http://www.qchron.com/editions/central/queens-medics-make-hurricane-house-call/article_70cfef52-caf1-11e7-8144-0badbaa56b5e.html

http://qns.com/story/2017/11/15/whole-island-affected-queens-health-care-workers-give-aid-puerto-rico/

Jamaica Hospital’s Department of Cardiology has been recognized as being a leader in the treatment of heart patients.

The hospital recently received the Silver Performance Achievement Award from the Action Registry, which was established by the American College of Cardiology. This award recognizes Jamaica Hospital’s success in implementing a higher standard of care for heart attack patients by meeting aggressive performance measures as outlined by the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHA) clinical guidelines and recommendations.

The  Action Registry also acknowledges Jamaica Hospital’s team-based approach to consistently treat heart attack patients while adhering to national standards of care specifically with high-risk heart attack patients.

This achievement was published in U.S. News and World Report’s 2018 Best Hospital’s edition. The article lists every hospital across the nation to receive this honor, and it is with great pride that we boast that Jamaica Hospital was one of only three hospitals in New York City, and the only hospital in Queens to receive an achievement award from the Action Registry.

In addition to this honor, Jamaica Hospital’s Cardiology Department received the 2017 Get with the Guidelines Heart Failure Bronze Award. The award was given to the hospital by the American Heart Association and it demonstrates our commitment to treating heart failure patients with 85% or higher compliance to core standard levels of care as outlined by the American Heart Association for 90 consecutive days.

Both awards are reflective of the hard work and dedication of the hospital staff in caring for some of our most critically ill patients. Congratulations to all on a job well done.

Hurricane Relief Team Update

Our relief teams in Puerto Rico continue to provide much-needed medical assistance to the island’s residents.

Team 1 remains on the USNS Comfort where they are treating hundreds of patients a day. Team 2 is working with Americares on the western side of the island in Aguada. The members of this team were featured on WNBC News as they made house calls to help those in remote areas.

To view this news clip, view below or click the link

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/on-air/as-seen-on/Local-Doctors-Provide-Healthcare-in-Puerto-Rico_New-York-454860993.html

We will continue to keep you updated on both team’s efforts.