Bacteria - Faxton St. Luke`s Healthcare

Transcription

D e c e m b e r 2 0 11
C a m pa i g n f o r Q u a l i t y C e l e b r at e s 10 t h A n n i v e r s a r y Pa g e 13
Employee News + Lifestyle Magazine
The
War on
Bacteria
and HospitalAcquired Infections
Bariatric Center
of Excellence
Recognized #1
FSLH’s OB
Care Center
Welcomes Laborists
PG 8
PG 18
Technology Helps
Local Marine See
Daughter’s Birth
PG 22
A Message From the CEO
Contents
Vice President of Communications
and Marketing
Debra Altdoerffer
Our entire healthcare team has been
waging a war against bacteria and
hospital-acquired infections.
Communications Specialist
Erin Gigliotti
Graphic Designer
Justin Palmer
Webmaster
Stephanie Barone
Web Content Specialist
Jacquie Klotzbach
Keeping our patients and residents safe is what we do. This past year we initiated ‘Safety First.’
As you enjoy this publication of Healthcare Happenings you will see some of the ways our
dedication to safe care is changing the organization.
Our entire healthcare team has been waging a war against bacteria and hospital-acquired
infections. For those of you who have been in the hospital lately, as a patient or a visitor, you
may have noticed our practice of having caregivers and family members wear gowns, gloves
and sometimes face masks when caring for patients with bacterial infections. Read on to learn
more about our actions and the excellent results. Just the simple task of good hand washing makes a difference in the spread of germs. To spread the message about the importance
of hand hygiene, FSLH’s creative team including Aspiring Leaders participants developed a
video called ‘Spread the Word, Not the Germ.’ Yes, we are on YouTube with our story!
Also under our safety initiative are the bariatric surgery and breast imaging programs.
We are pleased to report that we have been recognized by HealthGrades as the number one
Bariatric Surgery Program in New York State. That designation is a testament to the expertise
and commitment of our surgeons, nurses and support team. The same applies to our radiologists, mammographers and their team who worked diligently to receive the American College
of Radiology (ACR) designation as the area’s only ACR Breast Imaging Center of Excellence.
As we enjoy this holiday season we are reminded of loved ones who can’t be home to
celebrate with family and friends. Our story about the birth of a beautiful baby girl and the opportunity our staff created for her father, who was stationed in Afghanistan, to be present via
Skype at her birth, shows how technology can bring families together.
Wishing you a happy holiday season and a healthy new year,
Healthcare Happenings is a
publication of the Communications
and Marketing Department of
Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare.
This publication is for informational
purposes only and should not be relied
upon as medical advice. It has not been
designed to replace a physician’s medical
assessment and medical judgment.
Always consult first with your physician
about anything related to your health.
8
Faxton St.
Luke’s Healthcare’s
Bariatric Center
of Excellence
recognized as number
one in New York State
by HealthGrades
in 2011.
By Aida Mariani
Check us out at
www.faxtonstlukes.com
Our Mission: To provide the highest
quality health care in our region.
More than 460 physicians, healthcare
workers, students and community members
from across New York State attended this
educational event.
By Erin Gigliotti
15 The Area’s Only ACR Breast
Imaging Center of Excellence
FSLH also offers a Breast Patient Navigator
program to patients.
By Erin Gigliotti & Aida Mariani
18 OB Care Center
Welcomes Laborists
OB/GYN Hospitalist Program provides 24/7
support for Labor and Delivery Unit and OB
Care Center.
By Jacquie Klotzbach
Marine See Daughter’s Birth
By Aida Mariani
24 The Patient’s Journey Home
Feature Story
4
The War on Bacteria and
Hospital-Acquired Infections
This year, Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare initiated ‘Safety
First’ to create a greater awareness of patient safety.
Begins with Subacute
Rehabilitation at St. Luke’s Home
For many who suffer an unexpected illness
or injury, they are left wondering if their life
will forever be changed. It’s not until they
come to Subacute Rehabilitation at St. Luke’s
Home that returning home is a reality within
their reach.
Safety First isn’t a campaign or a slogan; it is how
we care for our patients.
By Erin Gigliotti
Scott H. Perra, FACHE
President/CEO
Celebrates 10th Anniversary
22 Technology Helps Local
Send correspondence regarding
address changes to:
Communications and
Marketing Department
Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare
1676 Sunset Avenue
Utica, NY 13502-5475
If you do not wish to receive this
publication or have questions,
please contact Debra Altdoerffer
at 315.624.5716 or e-mail at
[email protected].
13 Campaign for Quality
In Every Issue
26 Medical Staff Announcements
30 Patient Letters
2
Healthcare Happenings Magazine
WAR
The
on
Bacteria & Hospital-Acquired Infections
This year, Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare initiated ‘Safety First’ to create a
greater awareness of patient safety. Safety First isn’t a campaign or a slogan;
it is how we care for our patients.
By Erin Gigliotti
Imagine if police in your neighborhood
were trying to locate a suspect, but the
suspect was invisible. This would make
the job nearly impossible and you probably wouldn’t be able to fall asleep at night
feeling secure in your home. Well this is
what Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare (FSLH)
employees do on a daily basis when trying to keep bacteria such as Clostridium
Difficile (C. diff ) and Methicillin Resistant Staph Aureus (MRSA) out of patient
4
rooms. It’s not an easy job, but with a
number of precautions our employees
and medical staff have been taking, we
have been able to reduce C. diff and
MRSA rates and keep our patients,
visitors, employees and providers safe.
C. diff and MRSA are bacteria that
can be spread easily from an infected
patient by the hands of healthcare workers or by equipment that is contaminated
with the bacteria. In January of 2011, the
hospital made it mandatory for anyone entering a patient’s room that is on
contact precautions to wash their hands,
wear an isolation gown and put on gloves,
even if they do not come in contact with
the patient.
“It only takes one person not wearing
a gown and gloves to pass bacteria such
as MRSA or C. diff from one patient to
another,” said Mary Beth Dowling, BSN,
RN, nurse manager for ICU/CCU and 2
West. “Requiring everyone to wear gowns
and gloves protects everyone. It supports
our hospital’s safety and quality goals by
keeping patients safe.”
Spread the Word, Not the Germ
According to Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC), the number one
way to prevent the spread of infections is
to practice good hand hygiene. To emphasize the importance of hand washing no
matter where you are or what you’re doing
in the hospital, members of FSLH’s Aspiring Leaders put together a music video
titled “Spread the Word, Not the Germ.”
The video, which can be seen on
www.youtube.com/faxtonstlukes, encourages everyone to either use an alcoholbased sanitizer or soap and water for 15
seconds to wash their hands. The message
is brought to life with dancing, smiles,
and even a show-stopping conga line to
demonstrate how easy it is to prevent the
spread of infection simply by washing
your hands and doing it often, making it
a routine.
“I have young children at home so I
know how important it is to properly wash
my hands to prevent bringing any germs
home, or bringing any of their germs to
work with me” said Jerry Plows, Relationship-Based Care coordinator, who worked
closely with the group of Aspiring Leaders
5
Environmental Services Hard at Work
(Above) Dr. James Bramley, Infection Prevention officer, washes his hands and
puts on a gown and gloves before entering a patient room.
No matter how many private patient rooms we have, they are not
effective if the rooms aren’t kept clean with the proper disinfectants and equipment. Environmental Services staff is extra
careful about cleaning patients’ rooms, making sure to hit every
high-touch area and use bleach when necessary since bleach is
the preferred product for killing C. diff spores.
“Our Environmental Services team takes their jobs very
seriously because they know the important role they play in
the Safety First initiative at FSLH,” said Jordan Little, general
manager of Hospitality Services at FSLH. “In fact, many of our
staff members had to buy new work shirts because their shirts
got ruined from all of the bleach they have been using to sanitize
patient rooms. We work diligently with the nursing floors to keep
our hospital clean and infection-free.”
Soap and Water is Sometimes Best
to see this project go from idea to reality. “Aspiring Leaders and
FSLH’s purpose is to not only serve the patients, but ourselves,
co-workers and medical staff. This video inspires anyone who
sees it!”
More Private Patient Rooms
In recent months, FSLH has had the opportunity to restructure
our delivery of inpatient care including the addition of more
private patient rooms.
Private patient rooms help reduce the risk of infection
because patients are no longer cohorted with another patient.
It creates a better patient experience for the patient, their family,
providers and employees. With the new configuration we move
from 41 percent private rooms to 67 percent.
It even comes down to the little things such as posting a sign
on the hand sanitizer dispensers in each C. diff room encouraging staff and visitors to use soap and water instead of hand
sanitizer since that is the best way to rinse away C. diff spores.
Sarah Bugbee, RN, BSN, nurse clinician, along with the staff on 2
West, started this initiative that has been rolled out to the entire
hospital to remind staff and visitors that soap and water is best in
certain situations.
“Our hospital staff on every unit has done a great job owning
the safety initiatives we have put in place to make sure we are
providing the best quality care possible to patients,” said Scott
H. Perra, FACHE, president/CEO of FSLH. “By being consistent,
taking ownership and not being afraid to remind someone to put
on a gown and gloves or wash their hands, it becomes second
nature for physicians and employees to take precautions when
entering a patient room.”
Reducing Hospital-Acquired Infections
As a result of all the hard work our staff has done to reduce the
spread of bacteria and hospital-acquired infections, our Stool
NIMs (the marker for hospital acquired C. diff ) rates from March
to September 2010 were compared to October 2010 to September 2011 and our hospital has seen a 31 percent decrease in
Stool NIMs from baseline to active. This means that during this
timeframe, 67 patients were prevented from acquiring C. diff,
more than $278,700 was avoided in additional direct costs and
516 hospital days were prevented. And not only are we saving
money, but we are earning extra reimbursement as well. Because
our Stool NIMs rates have dropped, FSLH has made Quality
Leaders status with Excellus BlueCross BlueShield. This means
that our hospital will receive approximately $10 in additional
reimbursement per each Excellus patient we care for
throughout 2012.
“From October 2010 though September 2011 we’ve seen a
reduction in the number of patients colonized or infected with
resistant organisms such as MRSA or C. diff,” said Dr. James
Bramley, Infection Prevention officer. “We believe that mandatory isolation gowns, gloves and hand washing may be contributing to this improvement. It is important that we continue to
follow these safety initiatives in order to improve outcomes for
patients. It’s all about Safety First.”
Our ability to provide an exceptional patient experience is
greatly enhanced by the safety changes we are making. These
changes, and how we set up our plan of care, help us to continually provide a safe environment that delivers quality care by
an experienced and compassionate team. FSLH’s mission is to
provide the highest quality health care in our region and based
on our C. diff statistics, we are headed in the right direction. 
“By being consistent, taking ownership and not being afraid to remind someone to put on a gown
and gloves or wash their hands, it becomes second nature for physicians and employees to take
precautions when entering a patient room.” - Scott H. Perra, FACHE, president/CEO of FSLH
The Infection Prevention Team recently attended the New York Organization
of Nurse Executives (NYONE) Annual Leadership Conference in Tarrytown,
New York. At the conference, which took place November 6 through 8, 2011,
they were awarded a best practice award in the Central New York category
for their Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections Reduction Team. Since
(Left to right) Heather Bernard, Barb Folger and Mary
Boyd, with the poster they presented at the New York
Organization of Nurse Executives (NYONE) Annual
Leadership Conference.
6
implementing this team, FSLH has seen a 25 percent overall reduction of UTIs
facility wide and the rate continues to decline.
7
Recognized as number one in New York State
by HealthGrades in 2011
By Aida Mariani
Sixty-two-year-old Linda Glennon’s weight had contributed to a host of health problems including high blood
pressure, diabetes, depression, uterine cancer, asthma, high cholesterol, acid reflux and sleep apnea.
“I wasn’t sleeping through the night, was on a lot of medications and couldn’t even work in my garden
without getting out of breath or tired,” she said.
Obesity is a serious, chronic disease affecting more than 93 million Americans, with more than 15 million
of those being morbidly obese, says Jennifer Pekola, RN, bariatric coordinator of Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare’s
Bariatric Center of Excellence. “Every day more than 1,000 people in the United States will die from obesity
and its health-related conditions,” she adds.
After much research and soul searching, Glennon decided it was time to take her health into her own
hands and opted for a Laparoscopic Roux Y Gastric Bypass performed by Dr. William Graber, the medical
director of the Bariatric Surgery Program at FSLH. 
8
9
Dr. Graber is a board certified surgeon specializing in
minimally invasive surgery, and has performed more than 3,000
gastric bypasses. Glennon was in and out of the hospital in
days, and her whole life was about to change.
FSLH is the number one ranked bariatric hospital in New
York State in 2011 and is among the top five percent of hospitals in the nation for its Bariatric Surgery Program with a 5-star
rating by HealthGrades in 2011. FSLH is also a recipient of the
HealthGrades Bariatric Surgery Excellence Award for the fourth
consecutive year (2007-2011).
HealthGrades notes that bariatric surgery patients have a
nearly 70 percent lower risk of experiencing an in-hospital complication at a top-rated hospital such as FSLH after analyzing
193,518 bariatric surgery patients from 2007 to 2009.
“We are very proud of this accomplishment,” said Scott
H. Perra, FACHE, president/CEO of FSLH. “Our physicians,
surgical team, nurses and support team have worked hard to
achieve a successful and safe Bariatric Surgery Program for our
patients.”
The successful program at FSLH has helped Glennon begin
a new chapter in her life.
“I started my new life journey at 62 and haven’t looked
back,” she said. “People tell me I smile a lot these days. I have a
whole new life, free of extra weight and pain; my diabetes and
sleep apnea have gone away.”
Today, Glennon is only four pounds from her goal weight.
She has gone from a size 22 to a size 14. “I’m enjoying the
questioning looks on people’s faces who aren’t quite sure if they
know me or not...and then their smiles when they say ‘My gosh!
Linda?’,” she said.
Despite her success, Glennon maintains a realistic perspective of what it means to achieve a healthy weight. She still
enjoys going out to eat with her husband, but now brings home
leftovers, and she exercises by doing things she enjoys, like
working in her garden. “I was able to plant my huge vegetable
garden this year without once groaning,” she said. “Since the
surgery, I live more comfortably with myself.”
And her future looks bright. She is already planning to run
or walk in a race in 2012 and is anticipating the day when she
can begin to ride horses once again.
“I have tons of energy now – I plan to use it!” said Glennon.
Bariatric Surgery Program
Founded in 2002, the Bariatric Surgery Program located at the
St. Luke’s Campus of FSLH performs an average of 60 procedures a month. The hospital is a designated Center of Excellence by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric
Surgery (ASMBS).
“Bariatric surgery is a life-changing procedure,” said
William A. Graber, MD, FACS, founder of the Bariatric Surgery
Program at FSLH who practices along with Dmitri V. Baranov,
MD, PhD. “Candidates are evaluated on multiple health factors,
including physical and emotional well-being. Informed and
dedicated patients have the greatest chance for success.”
10
FSLH’s Bariatric Surgery Program offers:
 Nurses, social workers, therapists, pharmacists, case managers
I started my new life journey at 62 and
haven’t looked back. People tell me I
smile a lot these days.
and other clinical experts who specialize in the care of weight
loss surgery patients
 Registered dietitians who provide pre-operative and post operative diet education and counseling
 Education and support in which family and friends can
participate in individual educational sessions
I have a whole new life, free of extra
 Physical and occupational therapists that provide education
weight and pain.
regarding exercise tolerance, improving mobility, work and
leisure activities and assistive devices as needed
 A comprehensive patient guide for patients to follow from
pre-operative consultation through the post-operative period
 A support group where you can share your experiences with
other weight loss surgery patients.
Types of Weight Loss Surgery
FSLH doctors perform both gastric bypass surgery and adjustable gastric band surgery, two of the most widely practiced types
of weight loss surgery.
During gastric bypass surgery, the stomach is stapled in
two sections, creating a small pouch that serves as the “new”
stomach. The new stomach limits the amount of food intake and
provides patients with the familiar feeling of fullness. The pouch
is connected directly to the small intestine.
In adjustable gastric band surgery, a silicone band is placed
around the upper part of the stomach, creating a small pouch.
The pouch fills after consuming only a few small bites of food.
The silicone band is connected to a port that is placed just under
the skin in the abdominal wall. Adjustments can be made to the
band through this port. Saline solution is added or removed to
the band’s inflatable inner surface to adjust its tightness.
About HealthGrades
HealthGrades is America’s most trusted, independent source of
physician information and hospital quality outcomes. HealthGrades online properties are the nation’s leading destination for
physician search and empower more than 200 million consumers annually to make informed health care decisions. 
11
Patients Now One Click Closer to Achieving
Weight Loss Goals
Visit the new www.bariatricexcellence.com
to learn more about FSLH’s award winning
Bariatric Surgery Program. Find out why
quality matters when choosing a weight loss
surgery facility and the reasons FSLH was
named HealthGrades’ #1 weight loss program
in New York State for 2011. Tour the site to
meet our surgeons and support staff, use
interactive tools to see if surgery is an option
for you or contact us directly through the
site to schedule a consultation. It’s easy to
see why FSLH is the patient’s best choice for
success. 
C
e
l
eb
r
a
t
e
s
Bariatric Patients Breathe Easier with CPAP Therapy
Bariatric patients prone to sleep apnea syndrome
can now rest easier following surgery. FSLH recently
purchased 19 new i-Sleep Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) units. These machines provide
“forced” airflow at a given pressure to patients’
airways keeping the airway open to prevent collapse
while sleeping.
“The i-Sleep machines are able to detect and
monitor the patients’ needs for more or less airway
pressure and self-adjust accordingly,” said Gerald
Vallese, BS, RRT, registered respiratory therapist
for FSLH.
CPAP therapy is especially important for postbariatric surgery patients because their risk for sleep
apnea is increased by the influence of anesthesia
and certain pain medications.
“The most common question patients ask is ‘Do
I really need this?’” said Vallese. “And the answer is
yes! The benefits of CPAP therapy far outweigh the
mild discomforts associated with use.”
12
A
n
n
i
v
e
r
s
a
r
y
More than 460 physicians, healthcare workers, students and community members
from across New York State attended this educational event.
By Erin Gigliotti
13
Campaign For Quality committee members James Frederick, MD (left) and
Daniel Kopp, MD (right) with speakers Kenneth Sands, MD (second to left)
and Jack Silversin, DMD, DrPH (second to right).
“Through programs
like Campaign For
Quality, we are able
to support a future
where lifelong education, excellence
in healthcare and
maintaining good
health endures.”
- Dr. Daniel Kopp,
chief medical
officer for FSLH
14
Keynote speaker Scott Griffith presents “The Price We Pay for Expecting Perfection– How a
‘Blame and Shame’ Culture Harms Our Patients” on Saturday at Campaign For Quality.
On October 14 and 15, 2011, FSLH’s Campaign For
Quality celebrated its 10th anniversary with more
than 460 physicians, healthcare workers, students and
community members from across New York State. This
popular program held at Hamilton College in Clinton,
New York, featured national and local experts who presented on current trends in healthcare, quality improvement topics and patient safety initiatives.
Our community’s health is a shared responsibility, shared by patients, their families, providers, our
hospital staff and caregivers. This year’s Campaign For
Quality gave participants an understanding of how we
can all work together for the benefit of a healthy community and provided information about what other
organizations and communities are doing to improve
patient care and safety.
“This was our most successful Campaign For Quality to date,” said Dr. Daniel Kopp, chief medical officer
for FSLH. “First-rate speakers from national and regional speaking circuits shared up-to-date information
that will directly impact the quality of health care in our
community. Through programs like this one, we are able
to support a future where lifelong education, excellence
in healthcare and maintaining good health endures.”
On Friday, October 14, keynote speaker Linda Kenney presented her story “Patient Safety From a Patient
Perspective.” After nearly losing her life as the result of
an adverse medical event, Linda Kenney spoke about
the need for support for patients, family members
and clinicians after a medically induced trauma occurs. Throughout the day, 15 one-hour sessions were
offered. Participants selected the sessions they attended based on their interests. Topics included heart
disease; horizontal violence; CPR; stroke management;
prostate cancer management; infection prevention;
nutrition; hyperglycemia, and one person’s journey
and triumph over tongue cancer.
Speakers on Saturday included keynote speaker
Scott Griffith, who’s presentation “The Price We Pay
for Expecting Perfection – How a ‘Blame and Shame’
Culture Harms Our Patients” discussed the need for a
Just Culture in hospitals. Jack Silversin, DMD, DrPH,
talked about how engaging physicians can transform
healthcare and Kenneth Sands, MD, presented on what
hospitals and employees can do to eliminate preventable harm.
Campaign For Quality is coordinated by the
KAF Center for Continuous Learning at FSLH and is
sponsored by FSLH, FSLH Medical Staff, St. Elizabeth
Medical Center Medical Staff, Iroquois Healthcare, the
American Heart Association, Go Red for Women and
Slocum-Dickson Foundation.
For information about the event and speaker
presentations, visit www.campaignforquality.com. 
The Area’s Only ACR Breast Imaging
Center of Excellence
FSLH also offers a Breast Patient Navigator program to patients
By Erin Gigliotti & Aida Mariani
15
There is strength in numbers and at
Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare’s Regional
Cancer Center, a team approach is taken
to care for patients. We offer a full array
of breast care services including digital
mammography, surgery, medical and
radiation oncology services and support
through our Breast Patient Navigator program. We are also pleased to announce
our designation as a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College
of Radiology (ACR).
Breast Imaging Center of Excellence
FSLH is the only Breast Imaging Center
of Excellence in the Mohawk Valley and
one of a few in the upstate region. For
hospitals and health systems, earning
breast imaging accreditation is not easy.
The ACR bases the designation on several
factors and the healthcare facilities must
pass rigorous, though voluntary, breast
imaging accreditation programs and
modules.
“As a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence, we offer the highest quality of
standards to diagnose breast cancer,” said
Sean Whip, RT(R), CT, director of Medical
Imaging at FSLH. “Our technologists have
been trained by a world-renowned mammographer and our radiologists are the
only physicians in the Mohawk Valley that
have specialized advanced breast imaging
training. Our staff is committed to providing exceptional care to our patients and
our work to be named a Breast Imaging
Center of Excellence demonstrates that.”
By awarding facilities the status of a
Breast Imaging Center of Excellence, the
ACR recognizes breast imaging centers
that have earned accreditation in mammography, stereotactic breast biopsy and
breast ultrasound (including ultrasoundguided breast biopsy). Peer-review evaluations, conducted in each breast imaging
modality by board-certified physicians
and medical physicists who are experts in
the field, have determined that FSLH has
achieved high practice standards in image
quality, personnel qualifications, facility
equipment, quality control procedures
and quality assurance programs.
The ACR is a national professional
organization serving more than 34,000
16
Suzy Burns, RN, breast patient navigator, is an expert guide in all aspects of breast care.
“Our goal is to offer seamless coordinated care so patients and their
families can focus their energy on
getting well - not just on difficult
details of a cancer diagnosis and
its treatment that can be so
overwhelming.” - Suzy Burns, RN
diagnostic/interventional radiologists,
radiation oncologists, nuclear medicine
physicians, and medical physicists with
programs focusing on the practice of
medical imaging and radiation oncology and the delivery of comprehensive
health care services.
Breast Patient Navigator Program
Each day Suzy Burns, RN, is building
relationships with breast cancer patients.
As a breast patient navigator and
registered nurse at The Regional Cancer
Center, she is specially trained to coordinate the clinical, educational and
supportive needs of patients who are
either facing a possible breast cancer
diagnosis or are newly diagnosed with
breast cancer.
“Breast cancer is a complex disease,”
Burns said. “You have several courses
of treatment with multiple physicians
that will care for you. You may need to
decipher clinical language that is commonly used, and will need to coordinate
numerous appointments. It’s my job to
assist with the plan of care and serve as
a resource that patients can always connect back to. Our goal is to offer seamless
coordinated care so patients and their
families can focus their energy on getting
well - not just on difficult details of a cancer diagnosis and its treatment that can
be so overwhelming.”
Burns is located at the Faxton Campus at The Comprehensive Breast Care
Center and she serves as an expert guide
in all aspects of breast care. From the
time of an abnormal mammogram, she
is available providing education, support
and assistance in comprehensive breast
care all at no charge to patients in the
community.
For more information about the
Breast Patient Navigator program at The
Regional Cancer Center please call
315.624.5764. 
17
OB
Care Center
Welcomes Laborists
OB/GYN Hospitalist Program provides 24/7 support for Labor and
Delivery Unit and OB Care Center
The Birthplace has launched an OB/GYN Hospitalist Program, frequently referred to as a Laborist Program.
The program will provide care for the nearly 1,700 women followed in the OB Care Center (OBCC) and
assist private practice OB/GYN physicians whenever needed.
Five laborists will share 24/7 in-house coverage on the Labor and Delivery Unit, serving the OBCC and
unassigned patient populations, as well as covering the Emergency Department.
The coverage enhances patient safety and provides greater stability to a busy practice. Patients won’t have
to wait for a physician to arrive from home, or his or her office.
“The laborists will give patients in the OB Care Center easier access to consistent care throughout their
pregnancy,” said Kathleen Dean, RN, in the OBCC. “It’s comforting for patients to know there is always
someone available to care for them.”
The Hospitalist Program movement has grown over the past 15 years. Physicians are specializing in inpatient care across a number of specialties, including internal medicine, orthopedics and now obstetrics and
gynecology. FSLH instituted a general Internal Medicine Hospitalist Program in 2005 and recently expanded
the program to include an orthopedic surgeon as well.
For information about our OB Care Center and services please call 315.624.6241. 
18
18
19
F
axton St. Luke’s Healthcare’s
‘Safety First’ initiative supports
greater awareness and practice
of patient safety throughout the
organization. The Operating Room (OR)
is one of the most critical areas for patient
safety, where Surgical Services take center
stage to promote Safety First.
This year’s Annual Giving Campaign
gives you a ‘back stage pass’ to Surgical
Services, where skill, technology and our
commitment to patient care changes lives
every day. The campaign offers a behindthe-scenes look at what your gift will
provide, including:
A
n
n
u
a
l
• High definition imaging in the OR
• Tracking monitor for families with
minute-by-minute status on patients
undergoing surgery
• Calm, relaxing environment for patients
entering surgical areas
20
Chuck Williams, director of Central Sterile and Mark E. Williams, MD, FACS, chairman of Department of Surgery, FSLH
• Specialized equipment upgrades and
enhancements in surgical areas.
Your contribution helps to advance the
ever changing needs of Surgical Services, a
program that uses both high tech and high
touch to care for patients.
“Helping our patients be more comfortable and to heal without complication
is everyone’s goal,” said Dr. Mark Williams,
Department of Surgery chairman. “This
is a service we can give to our community
by having the most up-to-date technology
possible in our surgical suites.”
“Our patients deserve great care and
this campaign provides amazing support
for Surgical Services,” said Chuck Williams,
director of Central Sterile. “In Central
Sterile, we routinely work with instrumentation, equipment and supplies required
in our operating room suites. Whether it’s
something as routine as a scalpel or complex technology, our patients get the very
best we have to offer. We constantly look
ahead to see what’s on the horizon with
new surgical technology and training.”
Help put Safety First by supporting the
Annual Giving Campaign. To make a
donation, please call 315.624.5600 or visit
www.faxtonstlukes.com/foundation. 
21
(Above) (Left to right) Kathy Surawski, RN, Nursery, Debbie Mahoney (Meghan’s
mother and a medical transcriptionist for FSLH), Meghan Olsen who is holding her
daughter Brayana, and Jill Neal, RN, (Meghan’s sister and a RN in Interventional
Radiology at FSLH).
(Left) Pictured are Brandon and Meghan Olsen in the delivery room during the
birth of daughter Brayana, assisted by Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare Registered Nurse
Kathy Surawski.
Technology Helps Local Marine
See Daughter’s Birth
By Aida Mariani
22
A
lthough separated by nearly 7,000 miles, Brandon
Olsen was able to see his wife Meghan as she delivered
their first child at The Birthplace at Faxton St. Luke’s
Healthcare. He felt like he was in the room beside her thanks to
modern technology and a compassionate team of nurses and
doctors.
On Friday, July 8, 2011, the Whitesboro family welcomed
daughter Brayana into the world. After two days of labor, her
mother, Meghan, was told a C-Section would be required and she
was brought to the surgical suite in Labor and Delivery.
Although Meghan knew she would be in good hands with
the skilled nurses and physicians present including Drs. Daniel
Horth, William Jorgenson and Ashraf Aly, she was missing a very
important person in her life, her husband Brandon.
He had been deployed and was serving in Afghanistan for the
United States Marine Corps.
“I knew he wasn’t going to be able to be home when our
daughter was born but it was still difficult when the time came,”
Meghan said. “When the nurses and doctors made it possible for
him to witness her birth, I was overwhelmed with happiness.”
While doctors delivered Brayana, the nurses and administration arranged for Brandon to Skype through a laptop computer
in the surgical suite.
“This was so special for obvious reasons,” said Rayanne
Schoonover, RN, maternal/child services clinician at FSLH. “The
staff embraced the opportunity to make this happen for Meghan
and her family.”
Schoonover said that the computer was placed on a table
with wheels that staff kept bringing back and forth to Meghan
and then the baby as she was delivered. “That is what every new
dad does…pace between the mom and the baby so it really was
like he was there in the room with her,” Schoonover said.
“I was so excited I was almost in shock,” Brandon said of
the experience. “And what was even better was that I was able to
hear her (Brayana) cry and was the first to see her as soon as she
was delivered.”
Today Brandon has returned from his tour overseas and enjoyed time with his daughter and wife before returning to North
Carolina for the Marines.
“We are so thankful for having the experience of the birth
of our daughter together. I just never imagined that they (the
nurses and doctors) would have been able to make that happen
for us,” Meghan said. “It’s a cherished memory that we can be
thankful we both were able to share.” 
23
“Patients need to have confidence
and trust in their bodies, as well as
Journey
The Patient’s
Home Begins Here ...
Subacute Rehabilitation at St. Luke’s Home
I
t’s another blustery morning in Central New York as you make your way down the unshoveled
front walk to the snow covered car parked in the driveway. As forecasted, a fresh layer of snow
was sprinkled about over night. But you’re not thinking about the weather conditions; instead
your thoughts wander to the laundry in the washing machine and the neighbor’s dog barking in
the distance.
Just as you reach into your pocket for the car keys, the patch of ice beneath your feet breaks your
stride and gravity pulls you to the ground. The searing pain radiating throughout your leg overtakes
your thoughts and your only concern now is how to make it stop.
No one expects to slip on ice and break a bone or suffer a stroke, but it happens. And when it
does, it’s sometimes difficult to imagine being able to return to the life you had before.
The Subacute Rehabilitation Team at St. Luke’s Home knows that recovery takes time and is dedicated to helping patients return home quickly and safely.
After a hospital stay, many patients lack the strength or support to care for themselves. For those
who require less intensive therapy, a short-term stay in Subacute Rehabilitation offers a therapeutic
environment for assisted recovery.
The 41-bed unit provides patients with 24-hour skilled nursing, rehabilitation services and an
interdisciplinary team that puts the patient at the center of care.
Discharge planning is initiated as soon as the patient arrives at St. Luke’s Home. A social worker
meets with the patient and his or her family to set goals for recovery and establish a plan for
achieving them.
24
their caregivers. Whether we have to
come in early or stay late, we make
sure everyone has the individual
time they need to do just that.”
- Tim Salamon, Physical Therapist
“As patients make progress, we keep
updating their goals and plans,” says Aaron
Rooney, a social worker at St. Luke’s Home. “I
know it’s a bumpy road, but I tell patients to
‘keep their head up’ because this is the last
step before home.”
Goals are achieved through exercises
and therapy that take place throughout
the day. Therapy sessions are reinforced by
certified nursing assistants (CNAs) who work
with patients on daily living activities.
“Overtime patients progress from
depending solely on us to being able to do
things on their own,” said Angeline Papa, a
CNA on the Subacute Rehabilitation Unit.
Progress isn’t always easy to achieve and
is often inhibited by the patient’s fear of falling or failing.
“I can’t do it” is a common response patients give when asked to try new activities.
Usually, the patient is physically capable but
afraid to attempt it. “Patients get frustrated
sometimes but you just have to keep pushing them,” says Papa. “When they are able to
do things for themselves, they see why it was
so important for us to push them.”
“Patients need to have confidence and
trust in their bodies, as well as their caregivers,” says Physical Therapist Tim Salamon.
“Whether we have to come in early or stay
late, we make sure everyone has the individual time they need to do just that.”
Salamon believes that the team approach to patient care at St. Luke’s Home
is critical to a patient’s success. “Recovery
involves all aspects of patient care,” he says.
“It’s a relief for patients to know that someone from Housekeeping will have made their
bed for them by the time they return from
therapy.”
Working together, the Subacute Rehabilitation Team helps patients safely return
home to continue their recovery on an
outpatient basis. Saying good-bye to patients
can be bittersweet, but the feeling of having
helped someone achieve their goal far outweighs the sadness.
For many, their unexpected journey
begins with an accident that leaves them
wondering if their life will forever be
changed. It’s not until they come to St. Luke’s
Home that returning home is a reality within
their reach. And looking back on thoughts of
laundry and the neighborhood pup, it’s hard
to believe anyone could take these
for granted. 
25
Medical Staff
Announcements
Local Surgeons Join Faxton St. Luke’s
Healthcare’s Adirondack Community
Physicians Surgical Group
Jorge Ferreiro, MD, John Sperling, MD,
Robert Wasiczko, MD, and Mark Williams,
MD, general and vascular surgeons, have
joined the hospital’s Adirondack Community Physicians (ACP) surgical group.
The practice is located at Faxton St. Luke’s
Healthcare, St. Luke’s Campus, Professional Office Building, Suite 335 - Third
Floor, 1656 Champlin Avenue, Utica.
The surgeons are accepting new patients
and can be reached at 315.624.4090.
Dr. Ferreiro received
his bachelor’s degree
in Microbiology from
University of South
Florida and his
medical degree from
the Universidad Autonoma de Barcelona
in Spain. He completed his residency in
general surgery at New York Medical
College in Bronx, New York and has been
on the medical staff at Faxton St.
Luke’s Healthcare since 1986. He is
board certified by the American Board
of Surgery.
26
Dr. Sperling, a Commander, in the US
Navy Reserves, recently returned home
from deployment to
Camp Bastion in the
Helmand Province, Afghanistan. He
served with British and American troops
at the Role 3 Hospital.
Dr. Sperling earned his bachelor’s
degree in Environmental Studies/Biology from Alfred University in Alfred,
New York, and received his medical
degree from Georgetown University
in Washington, DC. He completed his
internship and residency in general
surgery at Monmouth Medical Center in
Long Branch, New Jersey. Prior to joining FSLH, Sperling was a staff surgeon
and director of Emergency Services at
Griffiss Air Force Base. He has been on
the medical staff at FSLH since 1991.
Dr. Wasiczko received
in Chemistry from
Stevens Institute of
Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey, and
his master’s degree in Chemistry from
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy,
New York. He earned his medical degree
from Albany Medical College, where he
also completed his internship and residency
in general surgery. Dr. Wasiczko is board
certified by the American Board of Surgery
and serves as vice chairman for the Department of Surgery at FSLH. He had served on
the FSLH medical staff from 1996 to 2001,
and returned to the community to practice
in January 2006.
Dr. Williams received his
bachelor’s degree in Biology from The City College
of The City University of
New York and earned his
medical degree from The State University
Health Science Center at Brooklyn. He
completed his residency in general surgery at Staten Island University Hospital in
New York. Board certified by the American
Board of Surgery, he has served on the FSLH
medical staff since 2000. He is currently the
chairman of the Department of Surgery for
New Providers With our Adirondack
Community Physicians Group
Michael Attilio, MD,
has joined the Adirondack
Community Physicians
(ACP) Barneveld Medical
Office as a family practice
physcian.
Dr. Attilio received his bachelor’s
degree from the University of Delaware
and completed medical school at Drexel
University College of Medicine in Philadelphia. He completed his internship and
residency at Tripler Army Medical Center
in Honolulu, Hawaii, and is board certified
in family medicine.
Prior to joining FSLH, Dr. Attilio was
the medical director for Bennett Health
Clinic in Fort Hood, Texas, where he was
the staff family physician for the Department of Family and Community Medicine
at Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center.
Prior to that, he was a medical officer in
Afghanistan with the 1st Battalion, 12th
Infantry Regiment supporting Operation
Enduring Freedom and an officer in charge
at Monroe Health Clinic in Fort Hood,
Texas. Dr. Attilio has earned many honors
and awards from his work with the Army
from 2005 through 2011. He is a member
of the American Academy of Family
Physicians.
Dr. Attilio is accepting new patients at
the office located at 7980 State Route 12,
Barneveld. To schedule an appointment,
please call 315.624.8440.
Elizabeth Cooley, MD,
has joined the Adirondack Community Physicians (ACP) North Utica
Medical Office as a family practice physician.
Dr. Cooley received her Bachelor of
Arts from Middlebury College in Vermont
and her Doctor of Medicine from the
University of Vermont College of Medicine. She completed her family medicine
residency at St. Joseph’s Hospital Health
Center and an internship in Obstetrics and
Gynecology at SUNY
Upstate Medical University. She is a
member of the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Family
Physicians.
Dr. Cooley is accepting new patients
at the office located at 35 Riverside Drive,
Utica. To schedule an appointment, please
call 315.624.8400.
Irena Kokot, MD, has
joined the Adirondack
Community Physicians
(ACP) New Hartford
Medical Office as a family practice physician.
Prior to joining FSLH, Dr. Kokot
completed the Family Medicine Residency
Program at St. Elizabeth Medical Center
where she served as a chief resident.
Dr. Kokot earned her doctor of medicine degree from Danylo Halytsky Lviv
National Medical University in Ukraine,
where she completed her residency in
psychiatry.
Dr. Kokot began her career as a board
certified psychiatrist at Lviv Regional
Psychiatric Clinic in Ukraine. She is also
interested in ophthalmology and was a
certified ophthalmic assistant at Eye
Associates of Utica.
She is a member of the American
Academy of Family Physicians, American
Medical Association and the Medical
Society of the State of New York.
Dr. Kokot is accepting new patients
at the office located at 4301 Middle
Settlement Road, New Hartford. To
schedule an appointment, please call
315.624.8500.
Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare and St.
Elizabeth Medical Center, in a collaborative initiative, welcome Yannick Grenier,
MD, to their organizations. She has joined
the neurosurgical practice of Clifford B.
Soults, MD, and is on active staff at
both hospitals.
Dr. Grenier is a native
of Montreal, Canada,
where she earned her
bachelor’s and master’s
degrees in Neurobiology
from McGill University. She earned her medical degree from
Pritzker School of Medicine in Chicago
and completed her residency at Northwestern Hospital, also in Chicago. She
then went on to complete a fellowship in
Pain and Movement Disorders at Stanford
University.
Dr. Grenier is board certified in
Neurological Surgery. She has practiced
in the Midwest for several years, most
recently at Gundersen Lutheran Health
System in LaCrosse, Wisconsin. She
currently resides in Clinton, New York.
Dr. Grenier is accepting new patients
and her office is located at 2206 Genesee
Street, Utica. The office phone number is
315.792.7629.
Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare is pleased to
announce that Maria Gesualdo, DO, has
joined its 2011 Board of Directors.
Dr. Gesualdo is an
attending pulmonary/
critical care physician
and medical director
at Slocum-Dickson
Medical Group, where
she also serves on the Board of Managers
and is director of the Pulmonary Function Testing Laboratory. Prior to joining
Slocum-Dickson, she was an attending
pulmonary/critical care physician at
Bethlehem Pulmonary Associates in
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
Dr. Gesualdo earned her medical
degree at New York College of Osteopathic
Medicine in Old Westbury, New York, completed her fellowship in pulmonary, allergy and critical care medicine at Penn State
Health System in Hershey, Pennsylvania,
and completed her residency in internal
medicine at St. Luke’s Hospital in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. She is board certified
in pulmonary and critical care medicine
and currently serves on the Pharmacy and
Therapeutics Committee and Critical Care
Committee at FSLH. She has also served
on the High Alert Medication Committee
and the Computerized Physician Order
Entry Taskforce at FSLH.
Dr. Gesualdo’s office is located at
Slocum-Dickson Medical Group,1729
Burrstone Road, New Hartford, and she
can be reached by phone at 315.798.1658.
27
Medical Staff Announcements
28
Randolph Landgrave Snow, DO, MBA,
PhD, has joined Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare as a consultant in the Palliative Care
Program at The Regional Cancer Center.
Dr. Vallem is accepting new patients
at the Mohawk Valley Orthopedics office
located at 1903 Sunset Avenue, Utica. The
office phone number is 315.797.1212.
Dr. Snow is a 2011 graduate of the St. Elizabeth
Family Medicine Residency Program.
Dr. Snow received
from Utica College, PhD at SUNY-Health
Science Center in Syracuse, MBA at Pennsylvania State University, and DO from
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Dr. Snow serves as a medical director
for Hospice and Palliative Care, Inc. and
is a primary care physician at the Utica
Community Health Clinic on Oneida
Street, Utica.
Dr. Snow has earned honors and
awards for his teaching, scientific and
clinical work from 1989 through 2011 and
has lectured widely in the areas of
neuroscience, gross anatomy, histology
and public health.
The Palliative Care Program is part of
The Regional Cancer Center, 1676 Sunset
Avenue, Utica. To request a consult, please
call 315.624.5555.
Ashish V. Regulagadda, MD, has joined
Mohawk Valley Nephrology Associates, LLP,
as a nephrologist.
Dr. Regulagadda earned
a bachelor’s degree in
Medicine and Surgery at
Sri Venkateswara Medical College in India. He
received his master’s
degree in Public Health (Environmental
Health) at Western Kentucky University in
Bowling Green, Kentucky.
Dr. Regulagadda completed his
residency in Internal Medicine as well
as his fellowship in Nephrology at SUNY
University of Buffalo. He is board certified
in Internal Medicine and is board eligible
in Nephrology.
Dr. Regulagadda is accepting new
patients at Mohawk Valley Nephrology
Associates, LLP, 555 French Road, Suite
103, New Hartford. To schedule an appointment, please call 315.735.3541.
Madana Mohana Reddy Vallem, MD, has
joined Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare as an
orthopedic surgeon.
John Vakios, MD, radiation oncologist
with 21st Century Oncology, has joined the
Radiation Oncology Department at
Dr. Vallem earned his
medical degree from
Osmania Medical
College in Hyderabad,
India, where he also
completed his residency
in orthopedics at Gandhi Medical College.
He completed a fellowship in orthopedic
hand surgery at Beth Israel Medical Center
in New York City, an adult joint reconstruction fellowship (primary and revision
total hip and knee replacement surgeries)
at University of Virginia Medical
Center in Charlottesville, Virginia, and
an orthopedic trauma fellowship at
Virginia Commonwealth University in
Richmond, Virginia.
Dr. Vakios completed
his undergraduate
education at Franklin &
Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and
received his medical degree from the University of Medicine and
Dentistry of New Jersey. He completed an
internship in surgery at Graduate Hospital
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a neurosurgery residency at Abington Memorial
Hospital in Abington, Pennsylvania, and an
internal medicine internship at Mountainside Hospital in Montclair, New Jersey.
Dr. Vakios began his professional
career as a radiation oncologist at Greater
Pittsburgh Cancer Center in Bridgeville,
Pennsylvania, followed by work as a staff
radiation oncologist at The Brooklyn Hospital Center in New York. While at Brooklyn
Hospital, he was a clinical instructor of
Radiation Oncology at Weill Medical College of Cornell University. Prior to joining
FSLH, Dr. Vakios was chairman of Radiation
Oncology at the Guthrie Clinic at Robert
Packer Hospital in Sayre, Pennsylvania,
which is an American College of Surgeons
Commission on Cancer approved cancer
program. Dr. Vakios is board certified by the
American Board of Radiology and is a member of the American Society for Therapeutic
Radiology and Oncology.
Dr. Vakios is accepting new patients
and may be reached at The Regional Cancer
Center at 315.624.5300.
Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare welcomes
the following physicians to the Laborist
Program. This program provides care to
women followed in the FSLH OB Care
Center (OBCC) and assists private practice
OB/GYN physicians whenever needed.
Kwaku Amankwah, MD,
FACOG, received his
bachelor’s degree and
his medical degree from
Stony Brook University in
Stony Brook, New York.
He completed an internship in Obstetrics
and Gynecology at the University of
Medicine and Dentistry at Robert Wood
Johnson Hospital in Piscataway, New
Jersey, and his residency in Obstetrics and
Gynecology at Drexel University College of
Medicine at St. Peter’s University Hospital
in New Brunswick, New Jersey.
Dr. Amankwah is an OB/GYN with
Slocum-Dickson Medical Group and is
board certified by the American Board of
Obstetrics and Gynecology. He is a fellow of
the American College of Obstetricians and
Gynecologists and a member of the
American Society for Reproductive
Medicine and the American Medical
Association.
Susan Sterlacci, MD,
FACOG, received her
bachelor’s degree in
Biology from SUNY
Binghamton and her
medical degree from
Albert Einstein College of Medicine in
Bronx, New York, where she also completed
her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology. She is board certified by the American
Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Dr. Sterlacci has worked as an OB/
GYN at numerous hospitals and medical
offices in New York, Arizona and Virginia,
and was most recently employed with
the OB Hospitalist Group. She is a fellow
of the American College of Obstetricians
and Gynecologists and is a member of the
American Medical Association, the
American Medical Women’s Association
and the American Association of Gynecological Laparoscopists.
M. Robert Neulander, MD, FACOG,
earned his bachelor’s degree from
LeMoyne College and his medical degree
from SUNY Upstate Medical University,
where he also completed his residency in
Obstetrics and Gynecology. He completed
his fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinol-
ogy and Infertility at Stony Brook University Medical Center, in Stony Brook, New
York. He is board certified by the American
Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Dr. Neulander is currently an attending and senior physician at Crouse Irving
Memorial Hospital and Upstate Medical
University Hospital. He also holds clinical assistant professorship and faculty
positions at Upstate Medical University,
LeMoyne College and SUNY Stony Brook.
He is a fellow of the American College of
Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the
American College of Laparoscopists and is
a member of the American Medical
Association, the State of New York Medical
Society, the North American Menopause
Society, the American Institute of Ultrasound Medicine and the American College
of Colposcopy and Clinical Pathology.
Tanya D. Mays, MD,
FACOG, received her
bachelor’s degree from
Barnard College of
Columbia University
in New York, New York,
and received her medical degree from Albert Einstein College of Medicine in Bronx,
New York. She completed her residency in
Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University
of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. She
is board certified by the American Board of
Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Dr. Mays has been named a Top Doctor in
Obstetrics and Gynecology by Castle Connolly
each year since 2006 and is also a fellow
of the American College of Obstetrics and
Gynecology.
Sheila Elaine Brown, MD, received her bachelor’s degree from Duke University in Durham,
North Carolina, and her medical degree from
Wake Forest School of Medicine in WinstonSalem, North Carolina. She completed an
internship in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the
University of Arizona Health Sciences Center
in Tucson, Arizona, and her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Kansas University Medical Center in Kansas City, Kansas.
Dr. Brown was most recently employed
as a locums physician at Geisinger Medical
Center in Danville, Pennsylvania, and has been
employed as a physician at several hospitals
and medical centers located in Maryland,
New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Missouri. She
is board certified by the American Board of
Obstetrics and Gynecology. 
29
Patient
letters
Dear Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare,
did it. I kept apologizing for wasting her
patient here, it makes me proud to say I
I am writing to inform you of the care I
time and she only reassured me that there
work at Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare. Not
received at The Birthplace. My second
was no need to apologize and that this
only do we talk about Relationship-Based
daughter was born this past May and my
was something I COULD do.
Care, but I was able to see it working
experience was just as excellent as it was
Thanks to Christy, I was able to get
first-hand. Even during these challenging
when my first daughter was born. Every
over my fear in order to receive the treattimes for our facility, your staff is continuemployee that cared for me while I was in
ment I needed and my mind was more at
ing to put the needs of the patients first
Labor and Delivery and Maternity - nurse,
ease. Her kind, down-to-earth demeanor
and provide superior and compassionate
aide, doctor - was kind, compassionate,
made me feel very comfortable while I
care. Thank you to everyone who helped
professional, and knowledgeable.
was in the hospital. My time at The Birthmake my stay as enjoyable as possible.
I would like to mention one careplace was an extraordinary experience in
giver in particular, as the care I received
my life and it was made more positive by
Sincerely,
from her really touched my heart. This
the care I received.
Jennifer Enjem
special person was my maternity nurse,
Sauquoit, New York
Christy. She helped me in all of the usual
Sincerely,
ways - taking my vitals, checking on me
Margaret Tallman
periodically, taking any requests for food
Utica, New York
I just wanted to share my appreciation
or drink I had, and instruction regarding
for your staff at Urgent Care. In July, Sue
my post-delivery care. Christy possessed
Colb, RN, and Dr. Cimo pretty much met
all four traits I mentioned earlier - kindI am writing to commend your staff on
us at the door when I walked in with my
ness, compassion, professionalism, and
the excellent care I recently received when
5 year old son with a very bad laceration
knowledge.
I was admitted to the St. Luke’s Campus
to his top lip. After a brief evaluation, Dr.
The day
Cimo made
after my
the decision
daughter was
that he
I was comforted and encouraged by their reassuring touches, smiles and needed a
born, I was
tested for and
plastic surkind words. Not only did they take care of me, but they also made sure
diagnosed
geon, and
with a superfiimmediatethat my family was taken care of and comfortable throughout my stay.
cial blood clot
ly got on the
in my leg. Dr.
phone with
Beattie (whom
Dr. OrlanI might add
do’s office to
is an excellent doctor, both caring and
for an unexpected surgery. The compasset up the referral. They were prompt, very
knowledgeable) went to great lengths to
sionate care that I received from everykind and made us feel very comfortable.
confer with the hematologist at FSLH and
one I encountered helped to make this
Urgent Care nurse manager Tom Zinger
a specialist at Yale University regarding
emotionally difficult time, a little more
was very kind as well, allowing my son
my situation. Upon review, Dr. Beattie
bearable. Everyone was superb; from the
to sit with him while I got him registered
decided I ought to be treated with daily
patient registration department, to the
and Dr. Cimo set up the referral. Our total
Heparin shots, which I would need to
medical imaging staff, to the great care
visit took only 20 minutes. Dr. Cimo, Sue
give myself. The thought of having to give
attendants and nurses on the ambulaColb, RN, and Tom Zinger were absolutely
myself shots brought me to tears and gave
tory surgery unit, to the surgical team in
outstanding. I just wanted to say thank
me great anxiety. Christy came not long
the OR. I was comforted and encouraged
you for having such wonderful staff at this
after the doctor gave me the news to inby their reassuring touches, smiles and
facility. It makes patients and their family
struct me on how to give myself the shot
kind words. Not only did they take care
members more comfortable knowing that
and to observe me administer my first
of me, but they also made sure that my
there is a reliable facility nearby where
one. I was in tears, a little shaky, and very
family was taken care of and comfortable
they can get the care that they need.
hesitant. I hate to admit she was by my
throughout my stay.
side for roughly twenty minutes. It went
I would especially like to thank my
Thank you,
something like this: “OK, here we go, on 3.
physician, Dr. Papandrea, and my nurse
Lori C. Winston
One, two…” “No, wait!!! I can’t do this!”
on ambulatory, Sue D., for their fantastic
Utica, New York
Christy brought her humor and compascare. As a fellow employee of the organizasion and helped me along until finally I
tion, and being my first experience as a
31
PO Box 479
Utica, NY 13503
Happy
Holidays
from Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare!
Nicholas Page, Whitesboro, NY
Miracle Child, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Utica, NY
Permit No. 60

Bacteria - Faxton St. Luke`s Healthcare

Transcription

Similar documents

InBody720 Spec Sheet

Do you have joint pain? It could be Rheumatoid Arthritis.

CapnalOne" healthcare finance"

about take command health

special package for international students studying at a

Count on St. Bernardine`s Experience and Expertise

2014 Health Industry Threat Landscape Briefing

Abdominal Sacrocolpopexy with possible removal of ovaries

Understanding and Managing High Blood Pressure

Ambrotose® Products—