MediSys Network News

Jamaica Hospital Opens Sleep Center

 Jamaica Hospital recently opened a brand new state-of-the-art, four-bed Sleep Center. Located on the lower level of Trump Pavilion, the Sleep Center evaluates and treats adults and children suffering from a wide variety of sleep disorders, including sleep apnea, narcolepsy, shift work sleep disorder, and pediatric sleep disorders, such as night terrors.

Boasting homelike and soundproof private rooms, each room is equipped with a queen size bed, flat screen television, and a DVD player—providing patients with a comfortable testing environment. Most patients are tested overnight, where they are set up to electrodes and continually monitored. An onsite technician specifically monitors their patient's breathing, brain waves, muscle movements, snoring, and heart rate.

“The opening of a Sleep Center in Jamaica Hospital provides the community with a much needed service,” said Dr. Mayank Shukla, Director of Sleep Medicine at Jamaica Hospital. “Being sleepy is often considered as normal—part of being a busy New Yorker. Consequently, there are too many New Yorkers unaware of the symptoms of a potential sleep-related disorder.”

Common signs and symptoms of a sleep disorder vary but typically include snoring loudly, gasping for breath while sleeping, feeling sleepy during the day, easily dozing off while engaged in daily activities, having trouble falling asleep, and experiencing tingling sensations in the legs.

According to Dr. Shukla, short sleep durations—anything less than six hours—has been linked to increased risks of psychiatric conditions, diabetes, heart problems, and obesity, as well as a decreased ability to focus.

Jamaica Hospital’s Sleep Center is open from 7:00pm to 7:00am.

Are You MAD? Well, You Should Be

 No one has ever wanted to be MAD.....until now.

In an effort to improve patient care and satisfaction, the hospital has implemented a new initiative called M.A.D. The acronym for Make a Difference, MAD provides hospital administrators with the opportunity to openly engage patients in an effort to identify any issues they might have and resolve them in a timely manner.

“I am very excited about this new initiative and what it means for Jamaica Hospital,” said Bruce J. Flanz, President and CEO. “It’s a new beginning for Jamaica Hospital and it starts with improving the experiences our patients have and ultimately, the perception the community has about us.”

Make a Difference administrators represent a wide variety of departments and are committed to conducting daily rounds on every, non-critical patient unit. In teams of three, hospital administrators speak with patients and their families about several aspects of their experience, from the friendliness of the staff to the communication between themselves and their doctor, to the cleanliness of their room. The process is not meant to mirror the HCHAP survey, but it will show patients as well as employees how dedicated administration is to improving the overall patient experience, which will eventually lead to better scores.

HCHAPS, which stands for Hospital Consumer Assessment of Health Providers and Systems, is a government survey used to measure patient satisfaction at hospitals across the country.  The survey is mailed out to patients once they are discharged from a hospital. In the past, Jamaica Hospital has maintained HCHAPS scores that fall below both New York and national averages.

The hope is that Making a Difference directly impacts the hospital’s HCHAPS score. So far, the efforts have been praised by patients and their loved ones, as well as by hospital staff.

“MAD isn’t restricted to just those who conduct daily rounds,” said Mr. Flanz. “Every hospital employee can help impact a patient’s overall experience during their hospital stay, whether making an effort to pick up trash in the hallways or asking a patient how you can assist them. Making is Difference is something we call can do.”

MediSys Health Network Hosts Annual Golf and Tennis Outing

 On Monday, May 14th, the MediSys Health Network held its 14th Annual Golf and Tennis Classic, where approximately 110 guests gathered at the Old Westbury Golf & Country Club to vie for bragging rights as the highest scoring team and/or player, or the player to score the prize winning hole-in-one. 

After enjoying the cloudy, yet, perfect day for golfing, guests attended a dinner reception, where they dined on delicious cocktails and tasty entrees. Remarks were made by Mr. Bruce J. Flanz, President and CEO of the MediSys Health Network, and the event’s honorary chairman, Dr. Cono Grasso, Chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology. After the brief program, the business of drawing the winning raffle tickets took center stage.

This year, the raffle prizes were donated by various departments at Jamaica and Flushing Hospitals. Some of these prizes included a restaurant themed basket, a vodka themed basket, a Broadway themed basket, a day after mother’s day basket, an entertainment basket, and a barbecue themed basket. Other donations included an iPad3, tickets to a Mets vs. Yankees game, a flat screen television, Kindle Fire, and much more. The grand prize was two JetBlue tickets. As a result of employee involvement, over $13,000 worth of raffle prizes were donated.

The money raised from the event will be used to renovate and modernize the cafeterias at Jamaica and Flushing Hospitals.

Flushing and Jamaica Hospitals Latches On to NYC Initiative

 Breast milk is best for babies—and Flushing and Jamaica Hospitals are not afraid to say it, or show it.

As part of New York City’s “Latch on NYC” program, a new initiative to support mothers who breastfeed their infants, Flushing and Jamaica Hospitals have made a verbal and written commitment to NYC Health Commissioner Thomas Farley to participate in the program.

By joining the initiative, Flushing and Jamaica Hospitals will no longer distribute formula, literature on formula, or other products that promote formula to new mothers—unless it is medically required or at a mother’s request.

 “Latch on NYC” is a wonderful initiative,” explained Maria Smilios., Assistant Director of Nursing-Maternal Child Services at Flushing Hospital. “Our hospital has always encouraged new mothers to breastfeed, however, we, like many other local hospitals, would provide our new mothers with go-home bags that included formula. It sent mixed messages.”

She added: “Now, we can educate mothers about the benefits of breastfeeding and feel confident that they have the information they need to make an informed decision about their infant’s dietary needs.”

New York City Health Commissioner Thomas Farley officially launched “Latch on NYC” on May 9 at Harlem Hospital, where Smilios and Josie Kirton, Clinical Nurse Manager for Jamaica Hospital’s Mother/Baby Unit were in attendance. In addition to 23 hospitals committing to the initiative, a subway and hospital poster campaign is slated to start this month.

Flushing Hospital, in particular, and its participation in “Latch on NY” is one of several efforts the hospital has recently taken to encourage mothers to breastfeed. Earlier this year, the facility received a Communities Putting Prevention to Work grant for its commitment to support breastfeeding and help reduce childhood obesity. The grant allowed staff members to become certified lactation consultants. Three employees are actually Internationally Boarded Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLC), an even more prestigious certification that the standard Certified Lactation Consultant certification. The hospital has also applied to become a “Baby Friendly” hospital, a global initiative that promotes, protects, and supports breastfeeding through ten steps to successful breastfeeding. Also, the hospital boasts an active breastfeeding support group.

Jamaica Hospital, as well, boasts certified lactation consultants, a breastfeeding class and support group, and offers a 24-hour rooming in option for new mothers and their babies. Additionally, midwives conduct daily rounds on the unit to provide new mothers with extra support.

Kirton said, “we’re very committed to promoting, protecting, and supporting breastfeeding efforts. Ultimately, our goal is to help mothers succeed at breastfeeding.”

To watch Channel 7's coverage of the press conference, please click here.