Congratulations to Jamaica Hospital’s C.A.R.E (Compassion Advocacy Respect and Engagement) award recipients.

The C.A.R.E award program was created by the hospital’s Person-Centered Care Department to recognize employees who received positive remarks (written and verbal) from patients or their loved ones after being provided with excellent 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 (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, ensuring that 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:

Dr. Firas Alawawdeh

Dr. Edward Epstein

Dr. Michael Goldman

Dr. Samir Sarkar

Dr. Aditya Mangla

Dr. William Frumkin

Ms. Mechelle Webb

Ms. Jorel Zulaikh

Ms. Caryn Sieunarine

Ms. Theresa Molinaro

Mr. Bernabe Rico

Ms. Gloria Gutierrez-Ortiz

Mr. Gavin Adams

Mr. Kener Ismael

Ms. Francess Macauley

Mr. Deochan Singh

Mr. Frank Block

On Monday, October 19th,  Schneps Media, the publisher of many local newspapers in the metropolitan area, honored healthcare heroes at an awards ceremony held at the Revel Hotel in Long Island City.

The MediSys Health Network was one of the recipients of this prestigious award which was presented in recognition of the 6,500 employees who worked bravely, tirelessly, and with great personal sacrifice to treat thousands of patients during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.

It was decided by the MediSys Network Leadership that instead of this award being given to any one individual, it should be presented to all of the employees for their hard work and dedication.

This event was held virtually in compliance with current requirements to keep indoor gatherings to a minimum number of attendees. An acceptance video was shown to attendees which included an introduction from MediSys President and CEO Bruce J. Flanz who thanked Schneps Media for recognizing the hard work and dedication of our team. After Mr. Flanz’s remarks, employees from Jamaica Hospital and Flushing Hospital had an opportunity to share their appreciation as well.

To view the acceptance video, please click here:

Jamaica Hospital Medical Center has received top honors from the American Heart Association (AHA) / American Stroke Association (ASA) “Get with the Guidelines” and “Mission: Lifeline” programs.

According to the AHA/ASA, “Get With The Guidelines®/ Mission: Lifeline® puts the unparalleled expertise of the American Heart Association® to work for hospitals nationwide. We help ensure patients receive care that’s aligned with the latest research-based guidelines supported by the latest scientific evidence.”

By complying with the strict requirements established by the AHA/ ASA, Jamaica Hospital has earned the:

• Get With The Guidelines®- Stroke Gold Plus with Honor Roll Elite and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll Achievement Award- To qualify for this recognition, Jamaica Hospital met quality measures developed with more than 90 % of compliance for 12 consecutive months for the “Overall Diabetes Cardiovascular Initiative Composite Score.”
• Get With The Guidelines-Heart Failure Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award- Qualifications for this award included meeting specific quality achievement measures for the diagnosis and treatment of heart failure patients at a set level for a designated period. These measures include evaluation of the proper use of medications and aggressive risk-reduction therapies.
• Mission: Lifeline^® Bronze Receiving Quality Achievement Award- This award was earned by implementing specific quality improvement measures outlined by the American Heart Association for the treatment of patients who suffer severe heart attacks.

Research has shown that hospitals adhering to clinical measures through the Get with the Guidelines quality improvement initiative can often see fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates.

Jamaica Hospital is proud that heart health initiatives it has implemented to care for the community have earned the recognition of the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association. The hospital upholds a high standard of excellence and makes providing patient-centered healthcare a top priority.

On September 24th, the MediSys Health Network opened its Post-COVID Care Center at our Hollis Tudors location.

The Post-COVID center was established to provide care to the thousands of patients who are still experiencing lingering symptoms associated with  COVID-19.

These patients are now being referred to as “Long Haulers.”

For long haulers, symptoms of the virus can drag on for multiple months. In interviews aired on news outlets including WPIX11 and  NY1, Dr. Alan Roth, Chairman of Ambulatory Care and Family Medicine, shared common symptoms long haulers may experience.

These symptoms can include fatigue, muscle and body pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, and headaches. In addition to these physical symptoms, many long haulers are also reporting a variety of cognitive deficits, such as difficulty concentrating or focusing (commonly referred to as mental fog). Other patients may also experience mental health issues such as anxiety and depression.

At the Post- COVID  Care Center, long haulers, as well as others experiencing post-COVID symptoms can receive specialized care from a multi-disciplinary group of qualified physicians. “We were compelled to help those in our community who are still dealing with the effects of the virus” stated Dr. Roth, who added “Queens was considered the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic in March and April. During that time we treated thousands of patients. While the situation in our community has greatly improved recently, we know that there is still work to be done, including continuing to treat patients living with long-term symptoms.”

The MediSys Health Network’s Post-COVID Care Center provides patients with personalized, comprehensive care, coordinated by a primary care physician, who will work with other on-site specialists, including pulmonologists  and psychiatrists, all dedicated to helping our patients better manage their condition.

The network is encouraging everyone who is experiencing the long-term effects of COVID to seek mental health support or utilize the medical services that are being offered to treat symptoms.

For more information about services provided, or to make an appointment at our Post-COVID Care center, please call  718-736-8204.

Flushing Hospital Medical Center embarked on a journey into robotic surgery after acquiring the da Vinci Si Robot in 2014. The hospital’s first robotic surgery case was performed on August 20^th  of that year.

Since then, the volume of robotic cases has grown exponentially. Surgical representatives from Intuitive, the company that manufactures da Vinci robots, have said that Flushing Hospital’s first year of growth was faster than most other hospitals.

Over the years, Flushing Hospital’s robotic program developed a stellar reputation highlighted by excellent patient safety and satisfaction. The hospital’s track record for providing quality surgical care has earned the recognition of several renowned leaders in healthcare. This includes the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP) which designated Flushing Hospital as a “Bariatric Center of Excellence” in 2018.

In March 2020, Flushing Hospital further demonstrated its commitment to being a leader in robotic surgery by purchasing the da Vinci Xi system, the 4th and most recent generation of robots. The new model has many advancements over its predecessor. The laser targeting system now allows easier docking, a boom-mounted system with a flexible and mobile platform provides better anatomic access in multi-quadrant surgeries, and the thin arms and instruments offer a greater range of motion. Additionally, the robot’s high-resolution 3D camera, 7-degree endo-wrist movement, and stable console make it easier for surgeons to perform fine dissection in deep and narrow working spaces.

With the acquisition of the da Vinci Xi, Flushing Hospital surgeons are able to operate even more precisely, faster and safer than in the past. By utilizing this advanced, minimally invasive technology, patients are offered several benefits including faster recovery times, less pain and discomfort.

The first case performed using the da Vinci Xi was successfully completed in June 2020, after a months-long suspension of elective surgeries due to the pandemic. Now that all surgeries have fully resumed, Flushing Hospital hopes to continue providing patients with excellent surgical care.

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 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:

Pryia Wells- PI Administrative Assistant

Ralph Andal- PI Systems Admin

Arlette Cunningham- Assistant Director, Volunteer Services

Seydou Ndiaye- Captain, Security Department

Gerry McSloy- Chief Engineer, Engineering Department

Gloria Flatherty- Transporter

Alecia Dawson Primus- PCA

Trudy-Anne Curate -RN, Psychiatry

Amarita Bhoge -MS, R.Ph.Department of Pharmacy

Mendy Tan-  RN 3 North

Karen Knight- PCA 3 North

By identifying a problem before it became a patient safety issue, our nominees have helped Jamaica Hospital to provide patients with excellent care.

To our Good Catch recipients, thank you for being exemplary members of our team and contributing to our goal of being a High-Reliability Hospital.

Displayed on a wall in Flushing Hospital’s ER and Jamaica Hospital’s main lobby are murals that pay tribute to healthcare workers.

The large, 4’x8’ paintings were sponsored by Maspeth Federal Savings and created by several artists from the non-profit organization Splashes of Hope to thank our hospital frontline workers for their sacrifice in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

Painted in vibrant colors, each piece beckons visitors to stop and admire artistic portrayals of frontliners as superheroes.

The murals which took two months to complete also features the words “Thank You” in 13 different languages, a rainbow to symbolize unity, and a cardinal to honor the lives lost to the pandemic.  In the background stands the Queens Unisphere, one of the most iconic and beloved structures in our borough.

The MediSys Health Network is incredibly grateful to have received these beautiful murals. We thank Maspeth Federal Savings and Splashes of Hope for honoring our staff and celebrating their courage.

As our community moves forward, the murals will serve as a reminder of one of the most challenging times in history. However, they will also remind us how Jamaica and Flushing Hospital’s superheroes bravely confronted those challenges to care for many lives affected by the outbreak.

At Jamaica and Flushing Hospitals, the month of June is typically filled with graduation ceremonies celebrating the academic and career milestones of residents and fellows.

In previous years, these celebrations were held in large events spaces with many people in attendance. However, this year due to Covid-19 restrictions, ceremonies could not be conducted in person, and instead were done virtually. Included in the virtual graduation were messages from Mr. Bruce J. Flanz, President and CEO, Dr. Sabiha Raoof, Chief Medical Officer and Lourdes Goldenberg, the Director of Graduate Medical Education. Most of the celebrations took place between June 9^th and the week of June 22nd.

At Jamaica Hospital Medical Center we had 70 graduates

• Dental General Practice Residency = 11 graduates
• Dental Pediatric Residency Program = 2 graduates
• Podiatry = 2 graduates
• Consultation Liaison Fellowship Program = 1 graduate
• Psychiatry Residency Program = 5 graduates
• Ophthalmology Residency Program = 2 graduates
• Hospice & Palliative Medicine Fellowship Program = 6 graduates
• Internal Medicine Residency Program = 25
• Pulmonary Fellowship Program = 2
• Family Medicine Residency Program = 10
• OBGYN Residency Program = 3 Categorical and 1 Prelim Resident

At Flushing Hospital Medical Center we had 50 graduates.

• • General Surgery Residency Program = 4 graduates
  • OBGYN Residency Program = 4 graduates
  • Pediatrics Residency Program = 9 graduates
  • Internal Medicine = 14 categorical and 11 Prelim Residents
  • Dental Residency Program = 8 graduates

In addition to the Residency programs listed above, there’s a Psychology Training Program where they graduate four residents each year.

As we bid farewell to the residents who graduate from all of our programs we also welcome a total of 170 residents and fellows.

We congratulate our graduates on their achievements and we wish them all great success.

Martin Ehrlich, M.D.

Jamaica Hospital Medical Center is proud to announce that our Integrative Health Program has made tremendous strides in recommencing its operations. In order to reintroduce the importance of this field to our community, the upcoming Integrative Health Grand Rounds will focus on the philosophy of integrative health and its scientific basis.

This presentation will be led by Martin Ehrlich, M.D. who recently joined the hospital staff. Dr. Ehrlich is a general internist who practices within the fields of primary care, palliative medicine, and pain management. In addition to his extensive training in these fields, Dr. Ehrlich also possesses profound expertise in the subject of integrative medicine; and this knowledge will help the hospital advance the implementation of its Integrative Health Program.

Integrative Health is a progressive approach to healthcare in which Western scientific medicine is combined with a comprehensive understanding of the nature of illness, healing, and wellness. Rather than relying solely on conventional medicine to manage chronic health conditions, alternative therapies such as acupuncture, massage therapy, yoga, and other complementary treatment options are employed in conjunction with it to address existing chronic conditions, prevent the onset of new illnesses, and promote overall wellness.

The communities Jamaica Hospital serves are incredibly diverse, and each patient treated at our hospital is accompanied by their own unique values, beliefs, and needs. The Integrative Health Program seeks to equip our physicians with ample integrative care strategies to determine what truly matters to our patients, align care plans with each individual’s goals for life and healing; and help our patients derive the most value from the treatment we offer.  Dr. Ehrlich will help providers best apply these strategies in their own practices.

Jamaica Hospital plans include the development of a state-of-the-art Integrative Medicine Center. Dr. Ehrlich’s experience in the field will help the hospital reach this goal, which will ultimately benefit our community.

To learn more about the integrative care approach, please attend Dr. Ehrlich’s hybrid grand rounds presentation, Integrative Health, and Wellness: A New Paradigm on Thursday, July 30 at 8:00 a.m.