This past holiday season at Jamaica and Flushing Hospital was certainly one to remember.  Both hospitals received an outpouring of generosity and good will from employees, as well as community organizations and leaders.

At Jamaica Hospital, Senator Joe Addabbo took time from his demanding schedule to play Santa and distribute several large sacks filled with toys to children on the pediatric unit.  The toys were donated by P.S. 60 in Woodhaven, who organized a very successful toy drive.  Additionally, the children at the hospital were treated to an abundance of gifts from organizations such as the New York City Department of Corrections, hospital staff,   the Hempstead Bay Power Squadron and others.

Flushing community leader Martha Flores- Vasquez organized the Three Kings event at Flushing Hospital of which over 500 children and their parents were entertained by dancers, singers and given toys donated by Healthfirst and the 109th Precinct Community Council.

To top off the bounty of generosity received by hospital guests, the songs of the holiday season echoed throughout Jamaica and Flushing Hospital campuses courtesy of the Fa La La’s,  the Jamaica Hospital Carolers and the Waldvogels. The groups traveled from building to building and sang holiday hits such as “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” to get everyone into the spirit of the season.

All of these acts of kindness are greatly appreciated. We thank everyone for their contribution in making last holiday season very special and unforgettable.

First Baby Born JHMC

Although Jamaica and Flushing Hospital Medical Center did not have the honor of delivering New York City’s first baby of the New Year, the first babies born at each of the hospitals are still extra special to us.

On January first 2016, we helped welcome into the world baby boy Ian Eduardo, born to mother Kativska Cabrera Jimenez at Jamaica Hospital at 12:24 AM. He weighed 7lbs. 10oz.  Baby boy Lamb was delivered at Flushing Hospital Medical Center at 4:21 AM to mother Gabriella Lamb. He weighed 7 lbs. 13 oz.

First Baby Born FHMC

The first MediSys babies posed beautifully for our photographer. Special thanks to our staff that assisted with these deliveries.

Congratulations to the mothers and we wish them and their families a lifetime of happiness.

For more hospital events, highlights, health and  fitness tips,visit us at

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and follow us on Twitter @JamaicaHospital or @FHMC_NYC

The Jamaica Hospital Medical Center Psychiatry Department’s annual child and adolescent symposium has become one of the most highly anticipated events in the Queens medical community. This year marked the seventh anniversary of the popular program and over 100 people filled the auditorium of the Old Trump Pavilion to discuss the topic of “Childhood Obesity: Its implication and relevance to our practice.”

The topic of Childhood Obesity was judiciously selected by doctors Vinod Dhar; Associate Chairman of Psychiatry and Madhu Rajanna; Director of Psychiatry Residency Training because obesity has become a health crisis in our nation.  The physicians had the goal of not only raising awareness of the disease’s physical implications but also shedding light on the negative effects it can have on children’s mental health.

The event commenced with opening remarks from Chairman of Psychiatry Dr. Seeth Vivek and a warm welcome from Jamaica Hospital CEO and President, Mr. Bruce Flanz. An impressive roster of speakers later followed which included Sarita Dhuper M.D. Director of Pediatric Cardiology at Brookdale Hospital and Founder of the Live Light, Live Right Obesity program, as well as Bertrand Winsberg M.D.  Child Psychiatrist for the Division of Metabolic Disorders Essex County Hospital and our own Madhu Rajanna M.D.

The speakers discussed several subjects such as:  the emerging concepts in childhood obesity, the psychological consequences of childhood obesity and anti psychotics and weight gain in children. Presentations were followed  by a dynamic question and answer session facilitated by Dr. Kamalendra Sen, Jamaica Hospital Child Psychiatrist.

Overall, the event was a great success; it left many enthralled and looking forward to next year’s symposium.

For more hospital events, highlights, health and  fitness tips,visit us on 

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and follow us on Twitter @JamaicaHospital or @FHMC_NYC

Last month the Detectives’ Endowment Association of the City of New York presented an award to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center in recognition of the high level of care given to police officers over the years. Many of whom have required  the expertise of our highly esteemed trauma team.

Jamaica Hospital’s NYS Designated Level 1 Trauma Center is renowned for delivering expert care in many specialties including emergency medicine, neurosurgery, orthopedic surgery and intensive care. It is one of the busiest in the nation because of its close proximity to JFK and many major highways.

Detective John Timpanaro presented the award to Mr.Bruce J. Flanz, President and CEO of the hospital as well as members of the trauma center.  Detective Timpanaro thanked everyone for their dedication and commitment to treating New York City’s finest and the entire community.

Jamaica Hospital was also honored earlier this year by the New York City Police Department (NYPD) and Police Commissioner William Bratton, who thanked staff for taking excellent care of the City’s police officers.

For more hospital events, highlights, health and  fitness tips,visit us on 

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and follow us on Twitter @JamaicaHospital or @FHMC_NYC

On Tuesday, December 1, 2015 Flushing Hospital Medical Center was visited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations (JCAHCO). The Joint Commission accredits and certifies over 20,000 health institutions across the United States.

Joint Commission accreditation is recognized nationally as a symbol of quality and a reflection of an organization’s commitment to meet and excel in performance standards.

It was clear to Joint Commission surveyors that Flushing Hospital’s leadership has made patient safety their number one priority, as well as finding merit in the different programs to improve patient care and employee relations such as the Team Stepps training initiative, Good Catch program, as well as the Just Culture program.

Surveyors found relatively few areas that needed improvement and staff at all levels was complimented for their active engagement and participation during the process.

Overall, hospital initiatives received positive acclaim from the survey team, especially the seven-day-per-week Safety Huddle initiative, which was suggested for inclusion in the Joint Commission’s Best Practice Library.

Dr. Michael Epstein, leader of the survey team congratulated Flushing Hospital leadership and staff for moving the hospital toward becoming a High Reliability Organization.

More than 150 people attended the 13^th annual Behavioral Health Conference at Flushing Hospital on Friday, November 13^th, 2015. The event was co-sponsored by the Department of Psychiatry and Addiction Services and the Department of Risk Management. This year’s topic was Adam and Eve: Can They Share the Apple? The Evolving Role of Relationships for Men and Women in Healthcare and the Larger Culture.

The purpose of the conference was to explore the evolving role relationships between men and women in American culture and, more specifically, in the healthcare workplace.

The conference began with welcoming remarks by Seeth Vivek, MD, Chairman of Psychiatry and introductory remarks by Anthony Maffia, LCSW, Vice-President, Psychiatry and Addiction Services.

The keynote speaker, Rosalind Barnett PhD,  a Senior Scientist at the Women’s Studies Research Center of Brandeis University discussed The New Soft War on Women: Subtle Barriers that Impede Women’s Progress in the Workplace. Special Invited speaker, Ann Marie T. Sulliva MD, Commissioner of the New York State Office of Mental Health addressed The Role of Psychiatry and the Mental Health Professions in the Evolving Cultural Roles between Men and Women. 

The afternoon session was an integrative symposium which was chaired by Ms. Carmen James, Director of  Risk Management at Flushing Hospital. It consisted of four brief presentations by MediSys Health System faculty and a round table discussion.

The presentations generated a lively and spirited discussion amongst the panel members and the audience.

Dr. Frankel, Conference Co-Chair said, “The 13^th Annual Behavioral Health Conference was a resounding success and demonstrated again by attendance and audience participation the central role that behavior and its change plays in modern healthcare.” The planning committee is looking forward to the 14^th Annual Conference in November 2016.”

Jamaica Hospital and Flushing Hospital Medical Center has taken great strides in the last few months to make our patients as comfortable as possible while they are staying with us. A hospital stay can be very stressful and also very uncomfortable.

Having some of the comforts of home has proven to make the time spent in a hospital less stressful. We understand how important it is for our patients to stay connected with their loved ones and the outside world. To help make this possible, during the spring of 2015 we began offering free Wi-Fi service to our patients and on October 1, 2015 we began offering free TV and phone service as well.

Our staff works very hard to ensure that every patient has a pleasant stay when they are in the hospital. We will continue to develop and execute initiatives to offer our patients the highest quality of services.

Last month was National Diabetes Awareness Month and in observance of this important occasion Flushing and Jamaica Hospital Medical Center participated in several events to raise awareness. On November 19^th Jamaica Hospital created displays in the main lobby that educated guests and employees about   the general facts of the disease, as well as the importance of wound care, skin care and nutrition for diabetics.   The displays were fun and interactive. They included games such as “Diabetes Jeopardy” and other trivia- based activities.  Participants were entered to win grand prizes and others won giveaways on the spot.

Flushing Hospital Medical Center sponsored a Diabetes Champion Program.  It was a full, two day, program in which staff received in-depth education and training in diabetes pathophysiology, blood glucose monitoring, oral anti-diabetic medications, Insulin, medical nutrition, as well as the importance of exercise and patient education methods. A goal of the program was for the Diabetes Champions to continue to develop their skills and work towards becoming Certified Diabetes Educators. The role of a Diabetes Educator is to improve diabetes management among our patients by addressing their questions or concerns regarding the disease.

According to the American Diabetes Association, “nearly 30 million children and adults in the United States have diabetes. Another 86 million Americans have prediabetes and are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes.” Jamaica and Flushing Hospital are proud to be a part of the movement that raises awareness and educates the public about this growing and life threatening disease.  Both hospitals take their roles very seriously and are planning future initiatives to continue to educate the communities they serve about diabetes.

For more hospital highlights,  health and  fitness tips  visit us on Facebook.com/JamaicaHospital  or Facebook.com/Flushing Hospital  and follow us on Twitter @JamaicaHospital or @FHMC_NYC

President and C.E.O of Jamaica Hospital, Bruce J. Flanz presented Dr. Cono Grasso with an award of recognition.

Last Saturday Jamaica Hospital Medical Center celebrated its 124^th Anniversary Rainbow Ball at Citi Field. The Rainbow Ball is an opportunity for supporters of Jamaica Hospital to celebrate its accomplishments and raise funds for future projects.  A guest of honor is also recognized each year for their devotion to the hospital. This year’s honoree was Dr. Cono Grasso; Chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology.

The event commenced with the singing of the national anthem followed by a warm greeting from President and C.E.O of Jamaica Hospital, Bruce J. Flanz.

Mr. Flanz later introduced Dr. Grasso to over 500 guests and presented him with the distinguished award of recognition-which Dr. Grasso graciously accepted amidst the applause and cheers from the crowd.  He thanked his family, friends and colleagues for supporting him and believing in his vision for the ophthalmology department.

For the remainder of the evening guests enjoyed a delicious spread of food and desserts, participated in mini golf challenges 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 124^th Anniversary Rainbow Ball was a great success and celebration of, as best said by our President Mr. Flanz, “a true gentleman whose dedication and compassion to our patients and the community that we serve is an inspiration to all.” Congratulations Dr. Cono Grasso on being this year’s honoree and thank you for your dedication to Jamaica Hospital.

For more pictures from this event, as well as other hospital highlights join Jamaica and Flushing Hospital on social media:

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and follow us on Twitter @JamaicaHospital or @FHMC_NYC

Jamaica and Flushing Hospital Medical Center both received very generous donations from the Queens-based pediatric charity organization, Angels on the Bay, whose mission is “to be the keepers of hope and the guardians of dreams to all children in need of a little miracle.” The money raised for Jamaica and Flushing is to assist both hospitals in our continued efforts to provide high-quality medical care to children in the community.

Flushing Hospital received the first of two annual donations from Angels on the Bay, totaling $40,000. Those contributions will be earmarked for the purchase of special equipment used to provide emergency and critical care for infants and toddlers. The $40,000 that Flushing Hospital will receive over the next two years brings the total donations made by Angels on the Bay to over $200,000.

Angels on the Bay also donated $75,000 to Jamaica Hospital over a three year period. The funds received will allow Jamaica Hospital to purchase echocardiography equipment for its pediatric department. Since 1995, Jamaica Hospital has received approximately $450,000 in contributions from Angels on the Bay.

Hospital Chief Operating Officers William Lynch and Robert Levine were present to accept the checks and offer their appreciation on behalf of Jamaica Hospital and Flushing Hospital.

Angels on the Bay is a non-for-profit organization that was founded in 1994 by Frank Russo with the goal of raising funds to benefit children and pediatric services in the area. In addition to Jamaica and Flushing Hospital, Angels on the Bay has supported numerous pediatric causes, raising millions of dollars for children in the area over the past two decades.

For more hospital events, highlights, health and  fitness tips, like us on 

Facebook.com/JamaicaHospital  or Facebook.com/Flushing Hospital 

and follow us on Twitter @JamaicaHospital or @FHMC_NYC