Dr. Rick Conetta and TV Host Dr. Alexander van Tulleken

During the summer of 1999, Queens became the epicenter of the first West Nile Virus outbreak in the United States.

The chain of events began when patients were taken to Flushing Hospital with unusual symptoms that alarmed staff and prompted them to conduct a medical investigation that is still described by many as a superb case of medical sleuthing.

The findings from the investigation submitted by the hospital’s team of doctors which included the late Dr. Deborah Asnis, Dr. Rick Conetta and others helped the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other health agencies to solve one of the most renowned medical mysteries of that time.

Although the events that led to this discovery occurred several years ago, many are still intrigued and continue to share the story to this day.

In fact, this summer, a production company associated with MSNBC TV visited Flushing Hospital to film a documentary about solving medical mysteries.  The host, Dr. Alexander van Tulleken, best known for his work during the Ebola outbreak, interviewed Dr. Rick Conetta, Flushing Hospital’s Director of Critical Care about the significant role the hospital played in discovering the West Nile virus.

Dr. Conetta later invited the TV host to take a supervised tour of the units and facilities in the hospital that served as the locations in which the mystery illness was first observed, researched, treated and reported.  This included the Three West Nursing Station, the Medical Library and the hospital’s laboratory.

The two wrapped up the interview with the notion that if not for the diligence of the staff at Flushing Hospital, it was quite possible that the symptoms of the West Nile virus would not have been identified as quickly and the disease could have spread more widely. Their quick actions saved many lives.

The show is still in its productions stages but is scheduled to air next year and is tentatively titled, “The Chain.” The Department of Public Affairs will provide updates about possible air dates.

Over the years Flushing Hospital has built a reputation in the community for being sensitive to the needs of patients and going above and beyond to provide quality medical care.  The dedication of the hospital’s staff resonates in achievements such as serving as the epicenter for the discovery of the West Nile virus to making certain that each day; all patients who enter our doors receive quality health care.

On August 12, Jamaica Hospital Medical Center held a special ceremony to mark the major achievement of receiving a deficiency-free score following an intensive trauma verification and review process conducted by the American College of Surgeons (ACS).

According to the ACS, each assessment is based on “commitment, readiness, resources, policies, patient care, performance improvement, and other relevant features of the program as outlined in Resources for Optimal Care of the Injured Patient.”

The American College of Surgeon’s verification affirmed the hospital’s ability to provide first-rate care to trauma patients of all levels. “ACS standards require a hospital to have the best of the best in critical care,” explained Trauma Medical Director; Dr. Geoffrey Doughlin.

While validation from accredited organizations such as the American College of Surgeons is very important to the hospital’s leadership and staff, the experiences of patients are as equally valued.  Each year the trauma team treats over 1,700 patients and on countless occasions has saved the lives of many.

One of the many patients treated includes New York City Police Officer Kenneth Healey, who attended the verification ceremony and was happy to attest to Jamaica Hospital trauma team’s high level of performance and commitment to positive patient outcomes.

Healey shared his testimony with several news outlets as to how the trauma team saved his life. “I feel lucky to be standing in front of you today,” the Officer told reporters. “I had all my needs met and it’s all thanks to the doctors and nurses that were by my side.”  In 2014, Officer Healey was viciously attacked and struck in the head while on duty; he was rushed to Jamaica Hospital where he received life-saving care. During the ceremony, Healey reunited with the team that treated him, this included surgeon, Dr. Harrison Mu.

Jamaica Hospital has been providing trauma care since 1985 and over the years has developed a reputation for experience and expertise in the field.  The hospital is a destination of choice for doctors to train and is actively engaged in trauma research to enhance patient outcomes.

The trauma division’s initiatives also include community outreach, implementing educational programs and embracing plans such as Vision Zero, to help in the prevention of trauma-related injuries and death.

Jamaica Hospital is proud to continue to serve the community and as demonstrated by the recent ACS verification, continue to save lives every day, even under the most extreme circumstances.

Overall, the Trauma Verification ceremony was a tremendous success and has been covered by several news outlets, here are a few:

NY1

https://youtu.be/Ew8uHBC_26o

New York Daily News 

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/queens/survived-hatchet-slash-returns-jamaica-hospital-article-1.2749218

Queens Chronicle 

http://www.qchron.com/editions/queenswide/jamaica-hospital-mc-to-upgrade-hospice/article_dacf9299-89b9-5554-a92e-ebbcb5414076.html

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 simple acts of courtesy, team spirit, kindness and professionalism.  This month’s G.E.M recipients are:

Adrian St. Hillaire, Volunteer – Volunteer Department

Michael Rios, File Clerk – Medical Records

Sookdei Nandkishore, Front Desk Coordinator – TJH 

Jamaica Hospital Hospice Renovation Fundraising Bake Sale

Jamaica Hospital Medical Center has announced plans to completely renovate and expand its hospice care unit.

The hospital has provided inpatient hospice care services since 2010 and in that time has provided compassionate, comfort care to countless patients facing end of life. “As a community-based hospital we have made a commitment to provide the highest quality hospice care services to all those who need it,” stated Jamaica Hospital President and CEO; Bruce J. Flanz.

The organization’s commitment to the community was the inspiration to conceptualize what will be the newly developed Ferrara Family Center for Hospice Care.  The unit’s redesign will provide patients and loved ones with a home-like environment that promotes privacy and serenity. The new unit will offer many upgrades and amenities including family meeting rooms as well as a relaxing lounge that offers families a space to gather, decompress or reflect.

“Every detail from the lighting to the tranquil artwork will be carefully considered to offer our patients and families a sense of peace” said Chairman of Family Medicine and Palliative Care, Dr. Alan Roth.  He continued, “As hospice professionals, we understand how important a comfortable environment is during what can be a difficult time.”

https://youtu.be/nNkcW6-qyFg

To achieve the goal of completing the new Ferrara Family Center for Hospice Care, Jamaica Hospital has embarked on a $1,000,000 capital fundraising campaign.  Numerous supporters of the hospital have already made generous contributions through naming opportunities and by purchasing memorial plaques.

Last week, the hospital hosted a bake sale to raise funds as well as awareness for the hospice renovation.  The event was highly supported and a great success.  Many employees and visitors were in attendance to buy the baked treats and show their support.

The plans for renovating the hospice unit at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center have been enthusiastically received. Hospital leadership, staff and supporters are excited about the future of The Ferrara Family Center for Hospice Care, which is set to begin construction this fall.

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 simple acts of courtesy, team spirit, kindness and professionalism.  This month’s G.E.M recipients are:

*Joel Cupid- Guard, Security
*Joe Green- Administrative Assistant,Nursing Home and
Rehabilitation
*Abel Rosario- Maintenance Worker, Engineering
*Oscar Bermudez- EMT, Pre-Hospital
*William Miller- EMT NYFD
*Francis Block- Guard, Security

We congratulate the honorees on a job well done and thank you for your dedication.

According to the most recent data from the American Diabetes Association, nearly 30 million Americans are living with diabetes, many of whom are undiagnosed.

Diabetes is a serious condition that if not managed properly can lead to a variety of health problems and it is the seventh-leading cause of death in the United States.

For many diabetics, living with the disease means juggling medical appointments with various specialists to help them manage their condition. To help those living with diabetes in our community properly maintain their health, Jamaica Hospital has coordinated many services under one roof. The hospital’s MediSys Family Care Center in St Albans recently added ophthalmology, podiatry, and nutritional counseling to its list of services and a schedule was created so that each service would be available on the same day, allowing patients to easily go from one appointment to the next without leaving the building.

“We are happy to provide all of these services to our diabetic patients under one roof, especially on the same day” stated Dr. Nicholas Pantaleo Medical Director of the site. “By creating this comprehensive range of services, we are helping those living with diabetes better maintain their health. Our goal is to improve the health of our community and we hope that this coordination of services helps us achieve that goal.”

For more information about the full range of diabetes services at Jamaica Hospital’s MediSys St Albans Family Care Center, including hours of operation, please call 718-206-9888.

Prevention Partners has awarded Jamaica and Flushing Hospital Medical Center with the top award for reaching the highest standards in tobacco cessation systems for inpatients and outpatients.

Both hospitals achieved this award by earning all A-grades in the Patient Quit-Tobacco System assessment, a Prevention Partners initiative addressing tobacco use for patients.

Jamaica and Flushing hospital were recognized for their commitment to patient health and initiating comprehensive systems for identifying tobacco-using patients and linking them with smoking cessation resources. Additionally,  the hospitals earned the Gold Star Recognition from the New York City Department of Health’s- NYC Tobacco-Free Hospitals Campaign for their excellence in developing inpatient and outpatient tobacco cessation systems.

Both hospitals have partnered with the American Lung Association to offer Freedom from Smoking, a comprehensive and successful group-based smoking cessation program.  The program provides a series of sessions facilitated by trained professionals in a small-group setting. Participants can learn how to overcome tobacco addiction and enjoy the benefits of better health in a fun and interactive environment.

“Jamaica and Flushing Hospital set a high bar in their commitment to providing comprehensive patient care,” says Meg Molloy, President and CEO of Prevention Partners. “I applaud this great effort and the commitment of the hospitals’ leadership to ensure the highest standards in patient health.”

For more information or to register for the Freedom from Smoking Program at Jamaica or Flushing Hospital, please call 718-206-8494.

While there is no single way to eliminate  healthcare-associated infections, improving hand hygiene compliance can have a significantly positive impact.  Eighty percent of infections are spread by dirty hands.  In fact, washing hands is often the single best defense against illness.

Flushing Hospital Medical Center‘s (FHMC) journey to become a high-reliability organization has made prevention of hospital-acquired infections one of its priorities.  To realize this goal, FHMC embarked on a campaign to improve hand hygiene, which began earlier this year and has resulted in some promising advancements.

The hand hygiene campaign used a multi-prong approach that involves increasing awareness, education and monitoring. Specific steps include placing alcohol-based hand sanitizers in easy-to-access locations, displaying posters that ask,” Have you washed your hands today,” education on the correlation between infectious rates and hand hygiene and active surveillance of employee adherence.

Administrators personally visited with staff on each unit to raise awareness for this important campaign. Hospital personnel were asked to take a pledge to actively engage in infection prevention through adherence to hand hygiene.  Currently, the hospital has a 92%  hand hygiene compliance rate.

Flushing Hospital will continue to make strides in infection prevention efforts and strive to sustain hand-hygiene practice improvements.  The organization will continue to motivate employees to be supportive of and committed to proper infection control practices. Jamaica Hospital has also required its staff to take the Hand Hygiene Pledge and has taken steps to raise awareness of the importance of washing hands to prevent infections and the spread of germs.

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 simple acts of courtesy, team spirit, kindness and professionalism. This month’s G.E.M recipients are:

*Frank Filloramo – Paramedic – Pre-Hospital Care
*Florence Johnson, RN – Radiology
*Jonathan Sanchez,ASL – Language Assistance Program

Dr. Raoof visiting patients during MAD Rounds with administrator James Villavicencio.

Dr. Sabiha Raoof; Chairwoman of Radiology for Jamaica and Flushing Hospital Medical Center was featured in last month’s edition of  the American College of Radiation’s  publication, the ACR  Bulletin.

Dr. Raoof was interviewed for an extended article titled “A Combined Approach”, which highlighted radiologists who are ‘working with their colleagues to improve the patient experience through initiatives big and small.’

The article delved into the importance of optimizing the patient experience, by simply finding out what patients want.  Methods used to obtain this type of information typically include extracting opinions and data from electronic surveys.

Dr. Raoof was recognized for her unique approach to finding out what patients want by meeting with them directly.  She initiated the MAD (Making a Difference) Rounds project at Jamaica Hospital, which was created along with the help of hospital leaders to ensure that patients receive the best quality care during their stay.   The project, later adopted at Flushing Hospital, involves the participation of nearly 100 clinicians and administrators who make rounds each day, asking patients how they are feeling and if they need anything. “The MAD team’s goal is to solve any issues a patient has immediately,”Dr. Raoof explained.  She went on to say “We want patients to feel empowered to ask questions and tell us how we can make their health care experience better.”

Jamaica and Flushing Hospital Medical Center are taking steps to becoming “High-Reliability Hospitals.” The MAD program is one of several initiatives that have been created to increase patient satisfaction.  Hospital leaders and staff are continuously exploring ways to make time spent at both campuses a positive experience for all.