Category Archives: Medisys Health Network

Jamaica and Flushing Hospital Receive 2020 Women’s Care Awards

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Healthgrades, a leading resource that connects consumers, physicians and health systems, recently announced their 2020 list of Women’s Care Awards recipients and this year Jamaica and Flushing Hospital Medical Center were among the hospitals honored for the superior care offered to women during labor and delivery and gynecological procedures.

Healthgrades reviews data from thousands of hospitals across the country to determine which hospitals receive awards. The awards are separated into three distinct categories:

  • The Labor and Delivery Excellence Award recognizes hospitals for superior care of women during and after childbirth.
  • The Gynecologic Surgery Excellence Award recognizes hospitals for superior outcomes in surgeries that treat diseases and conditions of the female reproductive system and correct certain conditions of the urinary tract and rectum.
  • 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.

This year, Jamaica Hospital received the Gynecologic Surgery Excellence Award and Flushing Hospital received the Labor and Delivery Excellence Award and the Obstetrics and Gynecology Excellence Award.

Only 162 hospitals from across the country received an award, and Flushing Hospital was one of only 74 hospitals to receive two or more awards. Jamaica Hospital and Flushing Hospital were the only two Queens-based hospitals to receive this honor from Healthgrades.

Congratulations to everyone involved in achieving this distinction.

 

 

Jamaica and Flushing Hospital Launch Their Patient And Family Advisory Councils

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Jamaica Hospital Medical Center and Flushing Hospital Medical Center each held their inaugural Patient and Family Advisory Council (PFAC) meetings on October 14th and 15th respectively. The PFAC meetings are a product of our collaboration with the Planetree initiative and mark a significant step in the MediSys Health Network’s path to becoming a person-centered organization.

PFAC was established to provide our hospitals with a fresh perspective, from the eyes of our patients, and use that knowledge to potentially transform how we deliver care. At these meetings, patients and their family members are asked to share their experiences while at our hospitals and provide feedback about what we are doing well as well as how we can continue to make improvements.

These dedicated individuals, known as PFAC advisors, will meet monthly with an interdisciplinary group of hospital team members. These advisors were specially selected based on the meaningful interactions they had with our team while either they or their loved ones were rendered care at our hospitals. The advisors’ insights serve as valuable information, as we look to continue to improve our patients’ experiences.

We would like to acknowledge these valuable members not only for volunteering their time but also for their passion for improving caring interactions within the walls of our institutions, which many of us call our second home.  The first two advisors to join Jamaica Hospital’s Patient and Family Advisory Council are Caridad Diaz and Lydia Guzman.  Runa Khan and Andrew Sheppard have both graciously agreed to serve as Flushing Hospital’s PFAC advisors.

The advisors meet on the second Monday of every month at Jamaica Hospital and third Tuesday at Flushing Hospital. Each of them has made a two-year commitment to the Patient and Family Advisory Council.

For more information about the PFAC program at Jamaica Hospital, please contact Emilia Escamilla-Rebaza at 718-206-8983 or email her at [email protected].

For more information about the PFAC program at Flushing Hospital, please contact Daryl Arcinas at 718-670-8930 or e-mail him at [email protected].

MediSys Celebrates Research Day at Flushing and Jamaica Hospital

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The MediSys Health Network recently showcased the academic achievements of its clinical staff during Research Day, an annual event that is celebrated at Jamaica and Flushing Hospital Medical Center.

Research Day at Flushing HospitalOn Friday, May 24th, over 30 research posters and additional published works were displayed in print and electronic forms in Jamaica Hospital’s auditoriums. The following week, on Thursday, May 30th, Flushing Hospital showcased nearly three dozen posters on the walls of the auditorium. All of the posters on display were presented at professional conferences within the last year.

Research Day at Jamaica HospitalMany passed through and admired the posters at both events, which included submissions from various departments including family and internal medicine, ob/gyn, orthopedics, pathology, pediatrics, psychiatry, pulmonology, surgery, and trauma.

Research day was organized by the Research Department.  The event demonstrated the network’s dedication to education and research.

Congratulations to all involved.

Dr. Luigi Tullo Receives Award from the United Hospital Fund

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On Monday, May 6th, Dr. Luigi Tullo received a United Hospital Fund “Tribute to Excellence in Health Care” award.  This award is presented to healthcare professionals recognized as Quality Improvement Champions across the New York Metropolitan area.

According to the United Hospital Fund, nominations were awarded to individuals who exemplified “extraordinary personal leadership to improve quality care, patient safety, and patient experience of care”.

Through Dr. Tullo’s leadership, the Outpatient Antibiotics Stewardship Initiative (OASI) at Jamaica Hospital has developed measures to improve how antibiotics are prescribed by doctors and how patients are using them. As part of this initiative, the hospital has implemented tools to assist physicians in their electronic medical records and has used teaching aids from the CDC’s “Get Smart” public education campaign to inform patients.

The Outpatient Antibiotic Stewardship Initiative has significantly improved provider prescribing practices and patient understanding of antibiotics misuse. Through this initiative, the OASI program achieved a total decrease in antibiotic prescriptions by 35.4% and a decrease in inappropriate prescriptions being given by 67.4%. Jamaica Hospital is closer to achieving its goal of reducing future antibiotic resistance in our community

It is with great pride that we recognize Dr. Luigi Tullo for his outstanding personal leadership to improve the quality of care provided to our community.

The Jamaica Hospital Volunteer Awards Ceremony and Dinner

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In April, Jamaica Hospital Medical Center celebrated National Volunteer Week by hosting its annual Volunteer Awards Ceremony and Dinner.

The theme for this year’s celebration was “Volunteers – Every Moment Making a Difference,” chosen to highlight the many hours of service dedicated by the hospital’s volunteers.

Volunteers have provided 43,600 hours of service over the last year to departments throughout Jamaica Hospital. Their high level of commitment is greatly appreciated by patients and staff alike. This sentiment was expressed by the hospital’s Executive Vice President and COO William Lynch in a powerful message of thanks. He was later joined by Arlette Cunningham, Assistant Director of the Volunteer Department, to present awards.

Over ten volunteers were selected to receive awards of distinction, including Frances Hicks, who received Jamaica Hospital’s first ever Honoring Our Patients’ Expectations (HOPE) award- specially created to recognize volunteers who exhibit a profound commitment to the hospital. Frances was lauded for devoting nine years as an Ambulatory Surgery Patient Navigator Volunteer and helping to provide a supportive environment to chemotherapy patients.

Jamaica Hospital’s 6-South nursing unit also received special recognition and was presented with this year’s Team award for providing support to the Breastfeeding Volunteer Counselor Program. This program recruits, educates and trains volunteers aspiring to become lactation consultants.

Overall, Jamaica Hospital’s Volunteer Awards Ceremony and Dinner was a success. Many deserving individuals and teams were highlighted for their devotion to the hospital and the community.

Jamaica Hospital thanks all volunteers for their continued dedication and service to our patients and community.

The MediSys Health Network Announces Collaboration With Planetree International

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Jamaica Hospital Medical Center and Flushing Hospital Medical Center are proud to be two of only 12 hospitals chosen to participate in a 24-month collaborative program that will help the MediSys Health Network reach its goal of delivering the highest level of patient-centered care.

The program, which is being funded by the NYS Health Foundation, will allow both hospitals the opportunity to work with Planetree, an international, non-profit organization that facilitates patient-centered care in a healing environment.

According to the program, over the next two years, Planetree will partner with Jamaica and Flushing Hospital by offering a full spectrum of services to help them develop a path to providing person-centered care. Planetree will be assisting the MediSys hospitals by providing assessments to better understand our organization’s culture from all perspectives and offering coaching and training to help us develop, implement and maintain a range of person-centered care strategies. At the end of the 24-month collaborative, both hospitals hope to achieve Planetree Bronze Designation.

It has been proven that hospitals that are dedicated to patient-centered care have experienced many benefits, including:

  • Higher Quality of Care
  • Improved Patient Outcomes
  • Lower Readmission Rates
  • Shorter Lengths of Stay
  • Higher Patient Experience Scores
  • Increased Employee Satisfaction & Retention
  • Improved Reputation

Planetree’s mission to “inspire caregivers to make patients true partners in their care, meeting their human needs and improving outcomes” is in perfect alignment with the goals of the MediSys Health Network as it has been our main focus over the last several years to improve the patient experience.  “We are very excited to have the opportunity to work with Planetree. We hope that this collaboration will inspire a network-wide culture change to patient-centered care excellence” states Emilia Escamilla-Rebaza, RN, Director of Person-Centered Services.

Please stay tuned for more information about the Planetree collaborative.

MediSys Celebrates National Doctors’ Day

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In 1991, President George H.W. Bush signed a proclamation that recognized physicians for the work that they do. This day, now known as National Doctors’ Day, is celebrated on March 30th and was created to thank physicians for their tireless contributions to our well-being as a society.

This year, the MediSys Health Network celebrated this national observance by hosting a special breakfast to honor our doctors. On Wednesday, March 27th, doctors at Jamaica Hospital were treated to a feast and the following day, Flushing Hospital doctors received a morning meal in their honor. Both events were hosted by Bruce Flanz; President and CEO, Dr. Sabiha Raoof; Chief Medical Officer, and many other hospital administrators who all showed their appreciation to our physicians. In addition to being treated to a delicious breakfast, every doctor at both hospitals received a gift for their hard work and dedication.

The MediSys Health Network is grateful to the hundreds of physicians who work in many different areas and contribute to the wellness of the men, women, and children in our communities.

Veterans Honored at Flag Raising Ceremony at MediSys Clocktower

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On Friday, March 22nd, a special flag raising ceremony was held at MediSys Clocktower in honor of the men and women who served bravely in the Vietnam War.

Senator Joseph Addabbo, who generously donated the flag, conducted the ceremony outside the Clocktower Building. The event was attended by Assemblyman Mike Miller, Councilmember Robert Holden, Deputy Inspector Courtney B. Nilan of the 102 Precinct, Police Officers from the 102 Precinct, Frank Gulliscio, District Manager of Community Board 6, as well as many local veterans who were grateful to be honored.

At the top of the Clocktower Building, which has been designated as a historical landmark, is a flagpole that sits at one of the highest points in the area. Since the medical center moved into the building over 20 years ago, Jamaica Hospital has been proud to have the American flag fly high above it.

The responsibility to raise the flag each time has been that of the center’s manager, Patrick Rudden. As he has done for many years, Mr. Rudden once again climbed to the top of the MediSys Clocktower Building to raise the flag to a delighted crowd’s applause.

Thanks to everyone who made this flag raising event such a special occasion.

The MediSys Health Network Welcomed Dr. Cara James to Recent Grand Rounds

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On March 21, The MediSys Health Network had the honor of welcoming a very special guest conduct a grand rounds presentation for staff at Jamaica and Flushing Hospital.

Dr. Cara James, Director of Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) Office of Minority Health as well as the co-chair of the CMS Rural Health Council shared a very valuable presentation entitled “Achieving Health Equity through Increased Understanding, Sustainable Solutions, and Collective Action.” The purpose of the presentation was to educate the audience that healthcare disparities can occur due to many different factors including race, ethnicity, age, gender, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, or disability.

Understanding and addressing these disparities is very important for the MediSys Health Network, as Jamaica and Flushing Hospital serve a very diverse patient population. According to Dr. Sabiha Raoof, Chief Medical Officer of the MediSys Health Network, “Dr. James’ presentation helped our staff understand what healthcare disparities are, what their causes are, and what kind of education and training we can provide for our staff to begin our health equity and disparity reduction journey.”

There were over 100 attendees for the grand rounds presentation at Jamaica Hospital and an additional crowd who viewed it from Flushing Hospital via a live webcast. The audience was genuinely interested in the topic and asked many questions. Dr. James was even gracious enough to stay after her presentation to participate in a “brain storming” session with hospital leadership.

Everyone involved greatly appreciated Dr. James’ presentation and we look forward to her coming back in the future.

The MediSys Health Network Celebrates National Nutrition Month.

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March was National Nutrition Month and Registered Dieticians across the MedISys Health Network participated in various educational activities for patients, employees and members of the community.

Patients and residents at Jamaica Hospital and Trump Pavilion received nutrition tips on their food trays every Tuesday and word searches to keep the mind healthy on Fridays. On March 13th the Nutrition Services Department celebrated Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Day by hosting a health fair in the main lobby.

During the day, dietitians were on hand to distribute delicious snacks while providing nutrition education to hospital employees and visitors. Throughout the month there were cafeteria lunch specials and cooking demonstrations to promote healthy eating habits. Jamaica Hospital celebrated the conclusion of National Nutrition Month with an annual fitness event led by a certified personal trainer. The staff had the opportunity to get active and receive tips on their spring fitness routine while sampling healthy snacks.

At Flushing Hospital, outpatient dietitian, Laura Wang presented the importance of reading nutrition labels at two senior centers. She also hosted a healthy snack workshop at a local elementary school.

The inpatient dietitians all held nutrition-related events on their individual floors such as a “Dress Up Your Salad” presentation and a “MyPlate” presentation for the pediatric floor.  On National Registered Dietitian Day members of the Flushing Hospital team enjoyed a lunch and presentation on a multidisciplinary approach to treating patients with diabetes. Lastly, every week throughout the month employees were treated to Nutrition Tip Tuesdays.

The MediSys Health Network appreciates the very important service provided our Registered Dieticians and our entire Food Service Departments. Their efforts not only during the month of March but throughout the year, help improve the health of our employees, patients and community.