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.”

U.S. News & World Report, a global authority in hospital rankings and consumer advice, has named Jamaica Hospital Medical Center as a 2022-2023 High Performing Hospital in recognition of its excellence in treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes, heart failure, and stroke. This is the highest award a hospital can earn for U.S. News’ Best Hospitals Procedures & Conditions ratings.

In arriving at these ratings, U.S. News evaluated over 4,500 hospitals across 15 specialties and 20 procedures and conditions. Fewer than half received High Performing ratings.

Qualifying hospitals were selected based on their level of performance in treating various medical conditions and according to U.S. News, providing “care that was significantly better than the national average, as measured by factors such as patient outcomes.” Other metrics used by U.S. News to evaluate hospitals included patient experience and success in transitioning patients to life at home after discharge.

“When patients are considering their options for care, the Best Hospitals ratings are designed to help them identify hospitals that excel in the kind of care they may need,” said Ben Harder, chief of health analysis and managing editor at U.S. News. “A hospital that’s earned a High Performing rating in a service may be a good option for patients in need of that service and their medical professionals to consider.”

Jamaica Hospital is proud to be recognized as a U.S. News & World Report High Performing Hospital. The hospital has earned this prestigious recognition and others due to its core value of providing high-quality, patient-centered healthcare.

From August 1^st to 7^th each year, Jamaica Hospital highlights its support for pregnant and nursing mothers in celebration of World Breastfeeding Week.

World Breastfeeding Week began 30 years ago as an initiative by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) to shed light on the many benefits of breastfeeding for newborn children and their families, including food security, nutritional benefits, and poverty reduction.

According to the WABA, this year’s main goal for World Breastfeeding Week is to strengthen the capacity of health systems, governments, communities, and other groups “to provide and sustain breastfeeding-friendly environments for families in the post-pandemic world.”

When it comes to supporting pregnant and nursing mothers with a healthy environment for breastfeeding, this year is also an important one for Jamaica Hospital in particular.

Jamaica Hospital currently in the Re-Designation Phase for the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI), a UNICEF program that recognizes hospitals and birthing centers that offer an optimal environment and meet high standards of care for breastfeeding. The Baby-Friendly USA designation is provided to care centers that recognize and promote breast milk as the standard for infant feeding.

The process runs from January 2021 through December 2022. To demonstrate compliance with the BFHI’s standards, Jamaica Hospital is assisting staff in developing their expertise and caregiving capacity for mothers and infants.

In addition to equipping care providers with the information they need to maintain a high level of care for breastfeeding mothers and infants, Jamaica Hospital offers a variety of programs to support both patients and staff. These include:

• Breastfeeding classes
• A lactation room for patients, visitors, and staff
• A milk depot for infants who are born prematurely or whose mothers cannot produce milk on their own
• Frenectomies for babies who face breastfeeding difficulties due to tongue tie

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

The Hospital Association of New York State (HANYS) recognizes member hospitals and health systems across New York that invest in forward-looking initiatives that strive to improve health outcomes and care quality outcomes. The HANYS member spotlight categorizes these initiatives into three categories, Innovation, Community Health, and Commitment to Excellence.

The MediSys Health Network was highlighted recently for Innovation for placing a priority on employee well-being. In the spring of 2022, the network creatively adapted and provided much-needed care for its healthcare team. This initiative was created in response to the extraordinary impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on the mental health and well-being of healthcare workers which could have potentially threatened the quality of care to our patients.

MediSys implemented a multi-faceted approach to provide increased support for its team’s mental and emotional well-being. This program continues to grow as the pandemic persists.  The programming includes:

• Staff wellness stations – physical spaces set up to facilitate relaxation and access to verbal and non-verbal therapeutic modalities
• Wellness Rounds – therapists walk through medical units to briefly check in with staff and other support.
• Aromatherapy and handmade affirmation cards
• Wellness groups – therapeutic art groups facilitated by licensed creative arts therapists
• Wellness sign-outs that focus on guided meditations and discussions
• Individual phone calls to offer wellness resources to all frontline team members
• Individual wellness sessions – therapists provide short-term, confidential emotional support to staff experiencing difficult life circumstances

Congratulations to all involved, specifically Karen Codd and Deb Brass for their hard work and dedication to the overall wellness of the MediSys Health Network team.

For more information, contact Karen Codd, MPS, LCAT, ATR-BC, DAT-c, Jamaica Hospital senior wellness coordinator, at [email protected], or Deb Brass, MS, LCAT, ATR-BC, Flushing Hospital senior wellness coordinator, at [email protected]. 

Flushing Hospital Medical Center is the proud recipient of the New York State Obstetric Hemorrhage Project 2021 Quality Improvement Award.

The award recognizes Flushing Hospital’s participation and dedicated work in the New York State Obstetric Hemorrhage Project which was created by the New York State Perinatal Quality Collaborative (NYSPQC) to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality associated with obstetric hemorrhage.

Maternal morbidity is defined by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as, “any short- or long-term health problems that result from being pregnant and giving birth.”  While maternal mortality, “refers to the death of a woman from complications of pregnancy or childbirth that occur during the pregnancy or within 6 weeks after the pregnancy ends.”

Both issues have been causes for concern nationally as data shows that maternal morbidity and mortality rates in the U.S. have been inclining steadily.

In November of 2017, the NYSPQC initiated the NYS Obstetric Hemorrhage Project in collaboration with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the Healthcare Association of New York State, and the Greater New York Hospital Association with the support of the National Institute for Children’s Health Quality to address this problem.

Flushing Hospital joined the project as part of its ongoing efforts to provide patients and their families with the best, safest, and most equitable care.

As a participant, Flushing Hospital has met or exceeded the project’s goal of assessing at least 85% of patients for risk of obstetric hemorrhage upon admission and during the postpartum period. The hospital also implemented measures to improve readiness to respond to obstetric hemorrhage.

“This project involved a multidisciplinary approach with monthly webinars and in-person meetings in Albany. Together, we worked on updating our policies, acquired a hemorrhage cart, and updated our hemorrhage kit.  We also performed simulation drills and devised a hemorrhage assessment for patients antepartum, upon admission to Labor and Delivery, and postpartum. Our team has been educated and trained on all changes to ensure the delivery of quality care,” explained Maria Smilios, Director of Nursing Maternal and Child Services at Flushing Hospital.

Flushing Hospital was commended for its dedication and “exemplary work” by the New York State Perinatal Quality Collaborative. The hospital will continue to focus on improving maternal morbidity and maternal rates in its community to ensure a healthier future for all.