The MediSys Health Network, comprised of Jamaica Hospital Medical Center and Flushing Hospital Medical Center deployed a team of medical personnel to Puerto Rico to help provide much-needed healthcare services to the areas devastated by Hurricane Maria.

Both facilities are the first Queens-based hospitals to send their staff to the island.

The 20-member volunteer team of largely bi-lingual employees, including physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, emergency medical technicians, paramedics and administrators were deployed on the morning of Tuesday, October 24^th.

As reported, much of Puerto Rico’s infrastructure has been decimated and most of the island’s healthcare facilities have been compromised. The MediSys team will deliver urgent medical care in an extremely difficult situation by supplementing staffing for the ongoing Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT) missions or providing assistance to Federal Medical Shelters (FMS).

When details of the hurricane destruction emerged, Over 100 individuals offered to provide assistance.  Additionally, the Network’s Board of Trustees, medical staff and employees set a fundraising goal of $100,000 to support relief efforts. To date, half of that goal has been achieved.

The MediSys Health network has a long history of providing disaster relief to those in need. Some past relief efforts of the MediSys Health Network include:

• Hurricane Andrew – Homestead, Florida, 1992
• Northern Country Ice Storms – Watertown, NY, 1998
• World Trade Center Attacks (9/11) – New York, NY, 2001
• Hurricane Katrina –Louisiana & Mississippi, 2005
• Hurricane Sandy – Far Rockaway, New York, 2012

According to Bruce J. Flanz, President & Chief Executive Officer of the MediSys Health Network, “It has always been our mission to provide relief to those in need. We believe our experience in responding to disasters and exporting our talents where they can be utilized is something that we are proud to do and will continue to offer whenever it is needed.”

New York State ranks last in the nation in the percentage of residents registered as organ donors, and as a result, every 18 hours someone in New York dies while waiting for a life-saving organ. 

As part of an effort to bolster the number of organ donors and reduce the number of people on the organ transplant waiting list, New York has adopted October 4^th as Organ Donor Enrollment Day.

Jamaica and Flushing Hospital Medical Center joined this statewide initiative to increase the number of donors by collaborating with LiveOnNY to host donor registration events in their main lobbies.

During the course of registration, people were given informational brochures that debunked myths that would have kept them from becoming an organ donor in the past. With the help of dedicated staff and volunteers which included Flushing Hospital’s Mary Fischer and her daughter Lauren Fischer (pictured)-a double lung transplant recipient; approximately 80 new organ donors were registered.

Jamaica and Flushing Hospitals thank all who signed up and those who took information to decide at a later date.

If you have not done so already, please consider becoming an organ donor. It is truly a gift that only one person can give to another.

To find out how you can register as organ, eye and/or tissue donor please visit http://www.liveonny.org/

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 recipients are:

• Evelyn Loli, ACR, Emergency Department
• Giselle Byjoo, Sr. Accounting Clerk, Patient Financial Services
• Ana Pacora, ACR, Emergency Department

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

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.