Flushing Hospital Medical Center (FHMC) employees hit a grand slam on Sunday, September 24, 2017, at their First Annual Softball Tournament and Family Day.

Over 28 departments from the hospital and upwards of 200 people, participated in playing ball, volunteering, cheerleading or just being a spectator.

The daylong event took place at Flushing Meadow Corona Park where employees and their families were treated to a delicious BBQ donated by Sodexo and color coordinated team shirts,  face painting and healthy snacks from Healthfirst.

“What I am witnessing here today really embodies the word team. Although we work together every day, we don’t always take the time to get to know each other,” stated Rob Arbitello, game organizer. “A great deal of work was put into this event and it was all worth it.”

FHMC administrators were on hand to cheer the teams that played and to meet employees’ family members. CEO Bruce J. Flanz brought his pup, Miley, who quickly became the event’s mascot and the big hit of the day. “We could not have organized this event without the support of Mr. Flanz, Mr. Robert Levine; Executive Vice President and COO, and all who donated their time and services,” Arbitello noted.

The winners of the Softball Tournament were the “Toe Taggers.”  They received trophies and took a well-deserved victory lap around the field.

The event brought a fun day of competition to everyone. It is the hope of the organizers that this will become a yearly event for the employees to unwind and have fun.

On Wednesday, September 13, 2017, Flushing Hospital Medical Center (FHMC) hosted its annual Celebration 2017 Dinner Gala, at Russo’s on the Bay in Howard Beach.

Each year, Celebration receives overwhelming support from the hospital’s administration and staff, as well as members of the community.

President and CEO, Bruce J. Flanz welcomed over 400 guests to the venue and offered his heartfelt gratitude to this year’s honorees, each chosen for their devotion and contributions to Flushing Hospital, its patients, and the surrounding community.

Celebration 2017 honorees included Mr. Michael Patti, President of Patti & Sons Inc; MaryAnn D’Agrosa, RN Administrative Nursing Supervisor and Dr. Yan Sun, FHMC’s Chief of Orthopedics.

Each honoree spoke with passion about the place Flushing Hospital holds in their hearts and what it means to be part of the Flushing Hospital family.

Mr. Flanz concluded the program by thanking all in attendance for their support. Following his remarks, guests spent the rest of the night enjoying dinner and the dance floor. A fine night was had by all.

Jamaica Hospital Medical Center is pleased to announce that it has partnered with Shape Up NYC, a program created by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, to offer a free low impact exercise class to the community.

Improving the health and wellness of the community it serves is a high priority at Jamaica Hospital. The hospital offers many free programs that provide its population with the resources needed to lead a healthy life.

Providing a free low impact total body workout offers many benefits to participants including improved balance, coordination, strength and flexibility. The program also promotes good heart health.

Classes begin on September 27, 2017, and are offered every Wednesday from 8:00 am to 9:00 am. They will take place at the hospital’s fitness center, the MediFit Gym; 134-20 Jamaica Avenue, Jamaica NY 11418, on the third floor.  All are welcome to participate.

For more information, please visit

 https://www.nycgovparks.org/programs/recreation/shape-up-nyc

Jamaica Hospital Medical Center has been named as a recipient of the prestigious National Research Corporation Health (NRC Health) Excellence Award.

The hospital, recognized at the 23rd Annual NRC Health Symposium for Patient –Centered Care on August 6th, was selected as one of several top-performing hospitals across the nation to exhibit an exceptional commitment to each patient’s and family’s care journey as well their overall satisfaction.

Jamaica Hospital received recognition in the category of Most Improved Facility among large hospitals (300+ beds) in the United States. The hospital earned the award based on receiving positive and improved scores in satisfaction from patients and their families; an accomplishment achieved by focusing on providing compassionate and quality care, as well as showing a genuine understanding of the community it cares for.

The hospital’s leadership has implemented several programs to bolster patient satisfaction as part of their goal in becoming a “High-Reliability Hospital.”   “Patient experience is very important to all levels of our staff,” shared Dr. Kathleen Scher, Vice President of Nursing.  “We are striving to become a high-reliability hospital- an institution that our community can count on to receive excellent health care.”

This level of dedication has earned the hospital several recognitions in 2017 including the NRC Health Excellence Award.  “Each year our partners inspire us with their commitment to service,” says Helen Hrdy, Senior Vice President of Client Service at NRC Health. “The individuals at these organizations show a genuine understanding for their patients, which is revealed in their extraordinary, compassionate care. It is always a special pleasure for us to honor and recognize these efforts with the Excellence Award. We congratulate Jamaica Hospital Medical Center for embodying human understanding and demonstrating a commitment to patient-centered care.”

“We are extremely proud of our recent achievements.  However we are most satisfied when we engage with our patients and their families and they express gratitude for the great care we have provided,” this sentiment expressed by Scher and the hospital’s leadership is reflective of the culture of Jamaica Hospital- To serve our patients and the community in a way that is second to none.

Jamaica Hospital and Flushing Hospital Medical Center have created an Active Shooter training program in response to recent public shooting events that have occurred around the country.  The tragedy that unfolded at Bronx Lebanon Hospital hit closest to home and prompted the hospitals’ Emergency Management and Security Departments to implement the program which had been in the works for several months.

The program teaches employees what to do in the event there is an active shooter on campus. The overall goal is to keep patients, staff and visitors safe.

The three main points that the course teaches in case of an active shooter situation are:

• Run
  • Have an escape route and plan in mind
  • Leave your belongings behind
  • Keep your hands visible when law enforcement approaches
• Hide
  • Hide in an area that is out of the shooter’s view
  • Block entry to your hiding place and lock the doors
  • Completely silence your cell phone and/or pager
• Defend
  • As a last resort and only when your life is in imminent danger
  • To attempt to incapacitate the shooter
  • Act with physical aggression and throw items at an active shooter

The classes are taught by prehospital care instructors and security personnel with law enforcement backgrounds. The first leg of the training was offered between July 25^th and August 11^th, over 1000 employees were trained at Jamaica Hospital and over 500 at Flushing Hospital.

Safety is always a top priority at the MediSys Health Network.  Implementing the Active Shooter training program and other safety initiatives helps us to create and maintain a safe environment for our patients, visitors and staff. We thank everyone for their participation and doing their part in making Jamaica and Flushing Hospital safe.

Last year over 5,000 babies were delivered at Flushing and Jamaica Hospital Medical Center. The safety of each infant is a very high priority for both hospitals. When these babies are under our care, we take many precautions to ensure they are in a safe sleep environment.

However, our dedication to their well-being extends well beyond their stay. MediSys Health Network’s commitment to infants’ safety continues after they leave as we educate parents about the importance of providing a safe sleep environment for babies.

Each year, sleep-related injuries result in the death of approximately 3,500 babies in the United States and are the leading cause of death for infants in New York City. As part of our ongoing effort to reduce this occurrence, the MediSys Health Network recently joined a city-wide safe sleep campaign dubbed “Katz’s Cradles” in honor of Queens Borough President Melinda Katz to donate free portable cribs to families in need.  The initiative was created to provide more households in Queens with a safe place for babies to sleep. The cribs are equipped with Safe Sleep Kits which include educational materials, a sleep sack and fitted sheets.

Jamaica and Flushing Hospital actively promote the importance of providing babies with safe sleep environments by offering newborn-care classes and support groups to families.  Last year, Flushing Hospital was recognized as a National Bronze Certified Safe Sleep Hospital by Cribs for Kids. The certification program recognizes hospitals that demonstrate a commitment to reducing infant sleep-related deaths.

Jamaica and Flushing Hospital are proud to participate in programs that benefit their communities and offer helpful resources and Katz’s Cradles supports a cause that each institution highly values which is patient safety. “Our hospitals serve a very diverse population; we are sensitive to their needs and committed to providing resources that improve their overall wellness and health. Teaching families how to make certain their babies have a safe space to sleep not only empowers them but insures the well-being of parents and children, “stated Bruce J. Flanz; President and CEO of MediSys Health Network.

The  Medicaid Accelerated eXchange, program, also known as the “MAX Project” is a brand new initiative designed to assist Jamaica Hospital Medical Center to identify and better manage the care of those Medicaid and dual eligible patients who have been admitted to our hospital four or more times in the past twelve months.

The main goal of this program is to reduce or avoid unnecessary admissions for these patients by enhancing the level of care provided in an outpatient setting.

Most patients identified by the MAX Project are polydiagnostic-meaning they are being managed for many different health concerns and require a carefully coordinated interdisciplinary approach. These patients are also more likely to be exposed to non-medical factors such as financial or social challenges that can affect their quality of health. The project will provide these individuals with valuable resources and trained specialists who can assist them to overcome clinical and nonclinical obstacles they may encounter.

At the inception of the MAX Project, 455 patients were identified as having been admitted four or more times within a twelve month time period.   However, since the program began this number has been reduced to 192 people.

In order to ensure that these patients’ health care needs are being properly met, a daily conference call between the heads of each clinical department takes place to discuss all options of care. There are two components to each patient’s overall evaluation. One is a root cause analysis which evaluates why this patient requires extra attention, did they receive enough attention in the past, and which providers shall manage their health. The other main component is to develop a care plan that will allow this patient to be cared for comprehensively in an outpatient capacity.

Jamaica Hospital’s leadership anticipates that the MAX Project will successfully lower the number of admissions required in the past. It will also help the hospital to meet DSRIP Initiative goals and operate more cost effectively in the long term.

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 recipient is: Reyna Chong

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

Jamaica Hospital Medical Center is pleased to announce that it has been officially awarded Baby-Friendly USA® designation.

Baby- Friendly® designation is a globally known and prestigious recognition awarded to hospitals and birthing facilities that uphold strict breastfeeding and maternal care guidelines established by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

The process of becoming a Baby-Friendly® institution is rigorous and the designation is only awarded to organizations that demonstrate a full commitment to providing the best possible support for breastfeeding mothers and ensuring a high quality of mother/baby care.

As a Baby- Friendly® facility, Jamaica Hospital, which delivered over 2,200 babies in 2016, joins an elite group of healthcare providers in New York State that has earned this recognition.

The hospital now ranks as part of the 21% of healthcare facilities in the nation to boast Baby-Friendly USA® designation. “This achievement is a reflection of our dedication to providing our community with quality care,” states Dr. Steven Inglis, Chairman of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

To achieve this monumental accomplishment, Jamaica Hospital collaborated with other health agencies including the New York City Breastfeeding Hospital Collaborative(NYC BHC) to implement initiatives aimed at improving exclusive breastfeeding rates and promoting mother-infant bonding practices.  “By encouraging breastfeeding and skin-to-skin contact immediately after birth, we are addressing health problems that may develop during infancy but can also affect a person’s health later in life” shares Paula Utilla, Lactation Consultant.

Evidence shows that babies who are fed breast milk exclusively are less likely to develop respiratory diseases such as asthma or gastrointestinal diseases.  Breastfeeding is also beneficial for a mother’s health as women who breastfeed are less likely to develop cardiovascular disease, breast or ovarian cancer.

Jamaica Hospital provides the community with several medical, social and educational services all created to offer women support during and after pregnancy; some of these services include breastfeeding education and support programs, childbirth classes, and a highly successful Centering® program.   Last year,  the hospital opened a Mother’s Nursing Room, designed to offer members of the community, hospital visitors and employees who are nursing a clean and comfortable place to feed their babies or express milk.

“We have made great strides and will continue to work diligently to create services and programs that will improve the overall health and wellness of our community, “states Marge Lilienthal, Director of Nursing.

The kids are home for the summer and parents are now challenged with providing them with healthy and nutritious snacks throughout the day. Finding the balance of between snacks that children are drawn to and snacks that are healthy can become difficult.

Sugar, high sodium, colorful packaging, fun shapes and unnatural food coloring are a few factors that make junk food enticing to children. However, parents can win the fight against junk food by making healthy food more appealing to their kid’s senses.

Here are a few tips on swapping kid favorites with healthier choices:

• Hot dogs- Instead of regular beef and pork hot dogs, purchase turkey franks with low sodium and without added nitrates. Decorate the hot dog with colorful vegetables such as cucumbers, carrots, red and yellow peppers.
• Salty cheese snacks- Make plain cheese fun by cutting it into quirky shapes or adding bright and sweet fruit. You can make cheese and fruit shish kebabs.
• French fries- Opt for baked sweet potato fries and sprinkle lightly with sea salt. Sweet potatoes are high in vitamin C, B6, and D. They are a source of Iron, magnesium and potassium.
• Ice cream- Frozen yogurt is just as tasty and contains less sugar and fat. Adding toppings such as fruit and granola is a plus.
• Popsicles- Freeze real fruit juices with bits of fruit into bars.
• Potato chips- Kale chips are rich in vitamin A and easy to make at home. Make them delicious by adding herbs and spices.
• Candy- Healthy alternatives to candy include raisins or strawberries and bananas lightly drizzled with chocolate.
• Milkshakes- Smoothies made with fresh fruit and low-fat yogurt are a healthier option.
• Macaroni and cheese-Use low-fat cheese, add Greek yogurt to make it creamy and spinach to make it nutritious.

The battle against junk food is not lost. Keep food exciting and nutritious for your family by sourcing healthy recipe websites or visiting Jamaica Hospital’s Facebook and Twitter pages for suggestions.