Flushing Hospital Medical Center recently celebrated 365 Days CAUTI free, an achievement that reflects the hospital’s commitment to patient safety and reducing the risk of hospital-acquired infections.

A CAUTI or catheter-associated urinary tract infection occurs when germs (usually bacteria) enter the urinary tract through the urinary catheter and cause infection in the bladder or kidneys. CAUTIs have been associated with increased morbidity, mortality, healthcare costs, and length of stay.

A urinary tract infection (UTI) is the most common type of healthcare-associated infection, Among UTIs acquired in the hospital, approximately 75% are associated with a urinary catheter.  Between 15-25% of hospitalized patients receive a urinary catheter during their hospital stay.  The most important risk factor for developing a catheter-associated UTI (CAUTI) is prolonged use of the urinary catheter.

Flushing Hospital has implemented an interdisciplinary evidence-based CAUTI prevention program including:

• Appropriate indwelling urinary catheter use by establishing guidelines for insertion/continuation and implementation of external urinary collection devices.
• Proper catheter insertion and maintenance bundles of care provided by nurses trained through simulated return demonstration.
• Prompt catheter removal includes a nurse-driven protocol that allows the bedside nurse to practice autonomously to remove urinary catheters based on approved guidelines.
• Standardized bladder scanning and straight catheterization protocols to prevent insertion of indwelling urinary catheters.
• Daily surveillance rounds by the Infection Preventionists to monitor adherence to bundles of care and provision of just-in-time training to the care team.
• In 2023, Infection Preventionist and Physician champion rounds were implemented to provide additional interdisciplinary collaboration and promote the removal of urinary catheters.

Achieving one year without a CAUTI is a remarkable accomplishment and speaks volumes about the effectiveness of our CAUTI prevention efforts. The success of these rounds, led by the Infection Preventionists and the Physician Champion, with the support of nurses, residents, and other healthcare team members, underscores the power of collaboration and evidence-based practices in improving patient outcomes.

We would like to especially acknowledge the following for their hard work in eliminating CAUTIs for the last year: Nursing Department, Residents, Physician champion; Dr. Akbar Khan, Infection Prevention & Control Department, Infectious Disease Physicians, Quality Department, and the Network Invasive Line Task Force.

Good Catch awardees receive recognition and a certificate of excellence 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 the following employees on their Good Catch:

1. Carmen Nicodinovicci, Vascular Tech – Jamaica Hospital
2. Diana Dutes, RN Ambulatory Surgery Unit – Jamaica Hospital
3. Dr. Yan Lin, DDS, Dental Resident- Flushing Hospital
4. Emma Kim, Dental Assistant – Flushing Hospital
5. Dennise Morel, Dental Assistant- Flushing Hospital
6. Susana Perez-Registrar-Flushing Hospital

By identifying a problem before it became a patient safety issue, our awardees have helped our hospitals provide patients with excellent care. We thank them for being exemplary team members and contributing to our goal of being a high-reliability network.

The CARE Award Program recognizes employees who receive positive written remarks from patients or their loved ones after receiving high-quality and compassionate care.

The criteria for the award are:

C: Compassion- Through listening, identifying patient vulnerabilities, and conveying empathy.

A: Advocacy-Ensure quality care is given and the safety of the patients and environment is maintained.

R: Respect-Greeting or speaking to others in a kind and respectful way.

E: Engagement-Make individuals feel valued, important, and recognized.

Please join us in congratulating:

1. Irina Khayumova, RN – Jamaica Hospital

2. Myrna Escario, RN – Jamaica Hospital

3. Lilibeth Rivas, RN – Jamaica Hospital

4. Svetlana Abdurakhmanova, RN – Jamaica Hospital

5. Margarete Hoffman, RN – Flushing Hospital

6. Portia Morris – Flushing Hospital

7. Tannisha Bridgett, RN-  Flushing Hospital

8. Mildred Zapanta, RN – Flushing Hospital

9. Jessica Bochynski, RN -Flushing Hospital

We thank our employees for their contributions to making our hospitals high-reliability facilities that focus on patient-centered care.

We are pleased to share that a Jamaica Hospital Medical Center surgical team has completed the first percutaneous AV fistula procedure in Queens.

The team led by vascular surgeon Dr. Mina Guerges utilized advanced imaging and minimally invasive techniques to achieve a successful outcome.

Percutaneous AV fistulas are performed on patients diagnosed with kidney disease or kidney failure, and require hemodialysis; a type of treatment that utilizes a dialyzer (a machine that cleans the blood).

Patients undergoing hemodialysis need safe and consistent vascular access points to complete their treatments. Traditionally,  access points are created surgically.  However,  a percutaneous AV fistula creates access using non-surgical techniques that offer several advantages  to patients including:

• Small incisions
• No scarring (patients are left with a small puncture site instead of a permanent scar common with surgery)
• Reduced lifestyle interruptions
• Shorter recovery times

Lastly, one of the most important benefits of a percutaneous AV fistula is the lowered risk of complications which can include infections and aneurysm formation.

Creating a percutaneous AV fistula requires the expertise of skillful physicians. During the procedure, vascular surgeons and radiologists utilize imaging to insert a needle and guide a tiny catheter device that helps pull the walls of a vein and artery together to create a fistula, then a special tool is used to finalize the connection and create the access point desired.

While there is no one-size-fits-all approach to creating a fistula for dialysis patients, physicians at Jamaica Hospital are proud to offer the latest technology and alternative options to common surgical procedures.

Jamaica Hospital was recently recognized for its superior outcomes in surgical care. In 2023, the hospital ranked number two in New York for surgical care according to a new analysis released by Healthgrades. The recognition serves as a testament to the hospital’s commitment to delivering advanced and high-quality healthcare to patients.

Congratulations to the MediSys Health Network’s Safety Excellence in Infection Prevention (SEIP) award winners.

The SEIP award recognizes employees who contribute to the success of infection control initiatives.

The criteria for the award are:

S: Surpasses above and beyond expected job role responsibilities as it relates to infection control.

E: Enforce actions that support infection prevention best practices.

I: I do the right thing, even when no one is looking.

P: Performs awesome acts of safety related to infection prevention.

We thank the following team members for leading by example and doing their part to reduce the risk of infection transmissions:

1. Urszula Pisany, RN, CNL, SICU- Jamaica Hospital

2. Patrick Diomampo, 4N1 RN -Flushing Hospital

The MediSys Health Network cultivates a culture of safety by prioritizing infection control and prevention. All employees have an important part to play in preventing the spread of infections, and everyone’s contribution to safety is highly valued.

Good Catch awardees receive recognition and a certificate of excellence 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 the following employees on their Good Catch:

1. Yvette Tapia, LPN- Flushing Hospital
2. Radiology Techs – Flushing Hospital

By identifying a problem before it became a patient safety issue, our awardees have helped our hospitals provide patients with excellent care. We thank them for being exemplary team members and contributing to our goal of being a high-reliability network.

The CARE Award Program recognizes employees who receive positive written remarks from patients or their loved ones after receiving high-quality and compassionate care.

The criteria for the award are:

C: Compassion- Through listening, identifying patient vulnerabilities, and conveying empathy.

A: Advocacy-Ensure quality care is given and the safety of the patients and environment is maintained.

R: Respect-Greeting or speaking to others in a kind and respectful way.

E: Engagement-Make individuals feel valued, important, and recognized.

Please join us in congratulating:

1. Dr. William Nugent – Jamaica Hospital

2. Dr. Danielle Defoe – Jamaica Hospital

3. SICU Team- Jamaica Hospital

4. Dr. Mrinalini Alla – Flushing Hospital

5. Dr. Candace Wong – Flushing Hospital

6. Rajnish Kaur, RN- Flushing Hospital

7. Dr. Mathew Fakhoury- Flushing Hospital

8. Dr. Yasser El-Hennawy- Flushing Hospital

We thank our employees for their contributions to making our hospitals high-reliability facilities that focus on patient-centered care.

Jamaica Hospital Medical Center is pleased to announce that it has been named one of America’s 100 Best Hospitals for 2024, by Healthgrades.

The achievement places Jamaica Hospital in the top 2% of hospitals nationwide for overall clinical performance and serves as a testament to the organization’s unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional patient care.

This year, only seven hospitals in New York were recognized as one of America’s 100 Best Hospitals. Jamaica Hospital is proud to join the elite ranks of top providers and be counted as one of only two hospitals in Queens to receive the prestigious award. The hospital is also celebrating its advancement in the national rankings, having climbed up 150 spots on the list from its previous position as one of America’s 250 Best Hospitals, an accolade it consecutively earned from 2020 through 2024.

Hospitals ranked as one of America’s 100 Best Hospitals, by Healthgrades, a leading online resource for comprehensive information about physicians and hospitals, are nationally recognized for their high performance and quality achievements. To determine the top hospitals for 2024, Healthgrades evaluated risk-adjusted mortality and complication rates for more than 30 conditions and procedures at approximately 4,500 hospitals nationwide. Unlike other hospital studies, Healthgrades ratings are based solely on what matters most: patient outcomes.

“Healthgrades commends Jamaica Hospital for their leadership and continued dedication to high quality care,” said Brad Bowman, MD, Chief Medical Officer, and Head of Data Science at Healthgrades. “As one of America’s 100 Best Hospitals, Jamaica Hospital is elevating the standard for quality care nationwide and ensuring superior outcomes for the patients in their community.”

Jamaica Hospital’s pursuit of excellence and dedication to providing high-quality, equitable care has also yielded the following 2024 Healthgrades awards:

• America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Coronary Intervention Award
• Cranial Neurosurgery Excellence Award
• Gastrointestinal Surgery Excellence Award

These awards have distinguished Jamaica Hospital as one of the leading healthcare organizations in the country, an achievement made possible through the tireless efforts of hospital employees to deliver the best care, and the vision of leadership to provide the community with world-class services close to home.