Jamaica and Flushing Hospital Medical Center celebrated National Nutrition Month in March by hosting a series of fun and educational activities for the community as well as staff members.

The theme for this year’s celebration was, “Put Your Best Fork Forward,” an educational campaign promoted by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The focus of the campaign was to inform the public about the importance of living a healthy lifestyle by including physical activities and well-balanced meals as part of a routine.

The Nutritional Services Department at Jamaica Hospital kicked off National Nutrition Month in the hospital’s cafeteria by interacting with guests at the Wellness Table and placing educational cards on meal trays. Each week, the department kept staff and visitors informed and engaged with activities such as contests and recipe tastings. Employees were also invited to “get moving” during ZUMBA and self-defense classes and de-stress at meditation sessions held at the hospital’s fitness center. The Nutritional Services Department also coordinated the JHMC Health Fair on March 24th which was highly successful and well received.

Throughout National Nutrition Month, Flushing Hospital’s Nutrition Department provided healthy alternative meals and recipes to cafeteria diners. The department also promoted the launch of the Walking Club; an initiative created to promote workplace wellness and encourage employees to exercise.

The highlight of the month came on National Registered Dietitian Day when New York City Councilman Peter Koo recognized Flushing Hospital dietitians for their community outreach initiatives. A representative from the Councilman’s office presented members of the Nutrition Department with a proclamation, commending them for their dedication to improving the health of the community.

Overall National Nutrition Month was a great success at Jamaica and Flushing Hospital Medical Center. Community outreach efforts were widely and positively received. The success of these events solidifies our relationship with our communities and reminds them that we are here to improve their overall health and wellness.

The week of March 12– 18 was National Patient Safety Awareness Week.  In recognition of this event, staff at Jamaica and Flushing Hospital Medical Center set up displays in the main lobbies to highlight each hospital’s safety initiatives.

The purpose of the event was to increase awareness about patient safety amongst health care professionals and the public.

Departments that participated in National Patient Safety Awareness Week included the blood bank, radiology, nursing, OR, performance improvement, pharmacy and infection control. Each department demonstrated ways they are striving to increase patient safety. Techniques which reduce patient falls, errors in prescription distribution and provide low dose CT scans were showcased to the community. Additionally, passersby learned how practicing good hand hygiene can help to control the spread of harmful germs and viruses

National Patient Safety Awareness Week was coordinated by Dr. Sabiha Raoof, Chairperson of Radiology, Chief Medical Officer and Patient Safety Officer and the Performance Improvement Department along with leaders from participating departments.

The top priority at Jamaica and Flushing Hospital is to provide high-quality care in a safe environment.

Doctors from Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s departments of Emergency Medicine and Trauma services recently received national recognition for their research.

The American Journal of Emergency Medicine published an article co-written by members of Jamaica Hospital’s Trauma and ER doctors. The article, published this January was titled “Introduction of Pan-Scan Protocol for Blunt Trauma Activations: What are the Consequences?”

Pan-scans are a wide field-of-view CT imaging. The study objective of this research was to determine if the introduction of pan-scan as a protocol during an initial assessment of blunt force trauma patients would affect missed injuries, incidental findings, treatment times, radiation exposure and cost.

The study, which observed 220 patients during a pre pan-scan screening period and 206 during a pan-scan screening period, yielded some very interesting findings. To see the full results of the publication, visit https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27773351

Congratulations to the Jamaica Hospital Women’s Health Center and Family Medicine Clinic for receiving the Certificate of Excellence from QINCA (Quality Improvement Network for Contraceptive Access). This is a great achievement as the hospital was 1 out of 10 hospitals, city-wide, chosen to participate in the program.

QINCA, a program implemented by the New York City Department of Health, aims to decrease the number of unintended pregnancies across the city by working with hospitals to provide contraceptive, family planning and primary care services to communities.   Jamaica Hospital was recognized for applying the best practices in providing these services.

The success of the QINCA program at Jamaica Hospital is due to the collaboration of multiple departments who shared the common goal of increasing patient safety and accessibility to contraceptive methods. Staff from the hospital’s Administrative, OB-GYN, Nursing, Pharmacy, IT, Finance and Ambulatory  Care departments worked together to build a sustainable patient care model and fulfill the requirements needed to be qualified as a QINCA FPBPP(Family Planning Benefit Program Provider).

The following individuals played key roles in the project’s success:

Administrative

William Lynch, Executive Vice President and COO

OB/GYN

Tamara Magloire MD

Steven R. Inglis, MD

Yafen Liang

Susan Khalil, MD

Family Medicine

Kamica Lewis MD

Nursing

Colette Forde

Marge Lilienthal

Pharmacy

William Tomasulo

IT

Michael Callaghan

Adrian Laduca

Finance

Ana Guzman

Jennifer Stevens

Ambulatory Care

Wendy Munoz

Thalita Viruet

James Villavicencio

Congratulations to everyone for working together to achieve this great accomplishment and demonstrating that teamwork produces great rewards.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), tobacco use remains the single largest preventable cause of death and disease in the United States.

In  Asian- American communities, approximately one in every eight Asian-American men smoke cigarettes and nearly one in every forty Asian-American women smoke cigarettes.

Flushing Hospital Medical Center (FHMC) is committed to reaching out to the Asian-American community in an effort to share educational material and methods to quit smoking.

The hospital was pleased to support the New York State of Health,  Affordable Care Act (NYSOH ACA) event at the Taiwan Center Association in Flushing. Members of the FHMC Smoking Cessation Team participated in the event by discussing ways to quit smoking and sharing information on what effects smoking and second-hand smoke has on the body.

Over 300 participants went home with information about treatment options, such as nicotine replacement therapies, designed to provide individuals with a safe alternative to smoking tobacco cigarettes.

Quitting smoking can be overwhelming.  Quitting is not only about breaking a powerful physical dependence on an extraordinarily addictive substance but also about significantly changing lifestyle habits and coping strategies that will ultimately improve the length and quality of life.

Flushing Hospital Medical Center offers a Freedom from Smoking Tobacco Cessation Program to help you overcome your addiction to tobacco and enjoy the benefits of better health.  For more information, please call 718-206-8494.

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women who live in the MediSys Health Network’s service area.  In an effort to reduce the number of fatalities and lessen the negative impact the disease has on our communities, our network proudly supports the American Cancer Society’s, “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer” initiative to provide breast health services and information to women.

Each year,  the MediSys Health Network’s, “Dream Believers Team,” consisting of Flushing and Jamaica Hospital Medical Center staff coordinates events to educate the community and raise funds to help the American Cancer Society fight the disease.  In addition to fundraising and educational efforts, team members further demonstrate advocacy by participating in the annual Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk.

Over the years, the team’s dedication to raising funds to fight breast cancer has been recognized by the American Cancer Society but special recognition was given several weeks ago when the MediSys Dream Believers was named a Pacesetter Team and the number one fundraising team in Queens. The team rose over $30,000 for the American Cancer Society during the 2016 calendar year.

Team co-leader, Arlette Cunningham credits this great achievement to the hard work and support of hospital staff.  Cunningham hopes that MediSys Dream Believers will once again raise more than $30,000 this year and receive even more participation. “We are anticipating an increase in our numbers of walkers and supporters,” she shared.

To learn more about the MediSys Dream Believers Team and how you can support their mission, please call 718-206-6003.

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:

*Elaina Odermatt, RN Clinical Manager

2016 was a big year for the Perinatal Care Department at Flushing Hospital Medical Center.

That’s because last year the hospital topped 3,000 deliveries – a major milestone for the department as it is the first time in over 25 years that Flushing Hospital has surpassed that mark. In fact, a total of 3,126 babies were born last year at Flushing Hospital!

Historically, Flushing Hospital has always been a destination for women in Queens to give birth. At its peak in the mid-1980’s Flushing Hospital delivered over 4,200 babies annually. That number had slowly declined to a low of only 1,500 deliveries approximately a decade ago. However, in recent years the hospital has seen a steady increase, culminating with it reaching this major milestone.

There are many reasons for the baby boom at Flushing Hospital according to Maria DeMarinis Smilios, Director of Nursing for Maternal and Child Services, “We have done many things to improve the services we provide to expectant mothers. We have made ourselves more accessible to the community by expanding our evening hours twice per week. We have also added an on-site WIC program and expanded our family planning services.  In addition, we have brought in many doctors and support staff that speak multiple languages and are reflective of the community we serve.”

Maria added, “Our staff has also worked very hard to meet the needs of each of our patients and address every request and concern they have during their perinatal experience. Their dedication to improving our patient’s satisfaction is evident as more and more women are once again choosing Flushing.”

Flushing Hospital Perinatal Care Department plans to continue the momentum and looks forward to welcoming even more babies into the community in 2017. Plans for the future include expanding the number of private post-partum rooms on the Mother-Baby Unit from two to 11, which will further enhance the patient experience.

It came as no surprise when Jamaica Hospital Medical Center volunteer Marguerite Luizzo, fondly known as “Margo,” was selected as NY1 News’, Queens Person of the Week.  The TV segment highlights individuals who make a difference in their communities by volunteering and helping others.   Luizzo has served as a volunteer at the hospital since 2012; her kindheartedness and positive attitude are some of the qualities that patients and staff have enjoyed over the years.

Margo has had a knack for helping others for as long as she can remember.  “As a child, I was always the first to grab the mercurochrome bottle when my siblings got hurt and put the Band-Aids on,” Luizzo shared with reporters.  She would continue to provide that special care to others for nearly 45 years throughout her professional career as a nurse.

Luizzo retired from Jamaica Hospital in 2012 but she knew her duty to help others could not stop there. “I like being around people and I just feel that we are put here to help one another,” she explained.   Never one to sit around; Margo decided that she would pursue a personal mission to provide community service in and around her Queens neighborhood.

Currently, Margo devotes her time to the hospital by serving as a patient liaison for the Ambulatory Surgery Unit (ASU).  Her duties include providing a supportive and caring environment for patients and their families. Her dedication and compassion are appreciated by all who have the pleasure of meeting her. Luizzo also serves as a comfort captain; training other volunteers to carry out their work efficiently.

In addition to volunteering in Jamaica Hospital’s ASU, Margo is also a co-leader for the hospital’s MediSys Dream Believers Cancer Walk team and has helped raise funds and awareness for breast cancer research and the American Cancer Society.

Congratulations Margo Luizzo for being featured as NY1 News,’ Queens Person of the Week. It is an honor that is well deserved.  Thank you for dedicating your time to the MediSys Health Network and in helping us to achieve our goal of providing quality care to the communities we serve.

WATCH news clip here: