Health

Flushing Hospital Medical Center is the proud recipient of the New York State Obstetric Hemorrhage Project 2021 Quality Improvement Award.

The award recognizes Flushing Hospital’s participation and dedicated work in the New York State Obstetric Hemorrhage Project which was created by the New York State Perinatal Quality Collaborative (NYSPQC) to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality associated with obstetric hemorrhage.

Maternal morbidity is defined by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as, “any short- or long-term health problems that result from being pregnant and giving birth.”  While maternal mortality, “refers to the death of a woman from complications of pregnancy or childbirth that occur during the pregnancy or within 6 weeks after the pregnancy ends.”

Both issues have been causes for concern nationally as data shows that maternal morbidity and mortality rates in the U.S. have been inclining steadily.

In November of 2017, the NYSPQC initiated the NYS Obstetric Hemorrhage Project in collaboration with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the Healthcare Association of New York State, and the Greater New York Hospital Association with the support of the National Institute for Children’s Health Quality to address this problem.

Flushing Hospital joined the project as part of its ongoing efforts to provide patients and their families with the best, safest, and most equitable care.

As a participant, Flushing Hospital has met or exceeded the project’s goal of assessing at least 85% of patients for risk of obstetric hemorrhage upon admission and during the postpartum period. The hospital also implemented measures to improve readiness to respond to obstetric hemorrhage.

“This project involved a multidisciplinary approach with monthly webinars and in-person meetings in Albany. Together, we worked on updating our policies, acquired a hemorrhage cart, and updated our hemorrhage kit.  We also performed simulation drills and devised a hemorrhage assessment for patients antepartum, upon admission to Labor and Delivery, and postpartum. Our team has been educated and trained on all changes to ensure the delivery of quality care,” explained Maria Smilios, Director of Nursing Maternal and Child Services at Flushing Hospital.

Flushing Hospital was commended for its dedication and “exemplary work” by the New York State Perinatal Quality Collaborative. The hospital will continue to focus on improving maternal morbidity and maternal rates in its community to ensure a healthier future for all.

All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.

This month, we are proud to shine our Employee Spotlight on Ivy Gosine RN, the Clinical Nurse Manager for the Mother/Baby and Labor & Delivery Unit at Flushing Hospital Medical Center.

Ivy has been at Flushing Hospital for ten years. She is a native of Queens, having grown up in the Corona and Briarwood communities of the borough. She attended elementary school at P.S. 143 and is a graduate of Flushing High School. Ivy attended the CUNY Graduate Center and graduated with a degree in Psychology of Women and Children. She then went on to obtain her RN degree.

Ivy currently lives on Long Island in Suffolk County. She has two children, a son who is in high school and a daughter who will attend middle school in the fall.  She also has a three-year-old Goldendoodle named Kobe. Family is very important to Ivy and spending time with them is a priority.

In her free time Ivy enjoys gardening, cooking, entertaining at home and also likes watching sports. Whether cooking at home or when she goes out, she enjoys all types of cuisine. Her taste in music varies and ranges from classical, to soca, including whatever is new and exciting today.

Ivy enjoys traveling to places in the Caribbean that have warm weather and beautiful beaches. One of her favorite places to go on vacation is to the island of Aruba.

Working at Flushing Hospital has been a great learning experience for Ivy.  Everyone at the hospital is very supportive of one another. She enjoys being able to educate patients on how to care for themselves and their newborns during their stay. She also takes great pride in the fact that the hospital serves such a diverse community.

We are very proud of the contributions Ivy makes to Flushing Hospital and we look forward to her continuing on with us for many more years.

All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.

June is recognized as Cataract Awareness Month. The purpose of this recognition is to bring attention to an eye condition, which is the leading cause of blindness in the United States.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that approximately 30 million people in the United States today have cataracts and that by the year 2032 this number will grow to 39 million.

A cataract occurs when the lens of either one or both eyes become cloudy. The symptoms include blurry vision, faded vision, or a halo effect around lights.

The most commonly used technique to correct a cataract is the surgical removal of the affected lens and replacing it with an artificial lens.

If you are experiencing vision problems, you should schedule an appointment with an eye doctor as soon as possible. You may schedule an appointment with an eye doctor at Flushing Hospital Medical Center by calling 718-670-5486.

All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.

Since 1987 the World Health Organization has recognized May 31st as a day to bring awareness around the world of the harmful effects of tobacco.

The risks of using tobacco are well documented, however many people around the world are not fully aware of the dangers.  There is a very strong link between tobacco use and heart disease, circulatory problems, and stroke.

Coronary vascular diseases are one of the world’s leading causes of death.  Tobacco use is the second leading cause of these types of diseases, hypertension being the leading cause.

With all of the knowledge we have about the harmful effects of tobacco use, there are still some who have not received the message and as a result, more than 7 million people die each year from the effects of tobacco.

A few of the initiatives that the World Health Organization is trying to implement to inform people about tobacco’s harmful effects are:
• Increase public knowledge of the risks of smoking and secondhand smoke
• Encourage healthcare providers to speak to their patients about the hazards of tobacco
• Encourage governmental  support for educational programs
• Seek ways to promote smoke-free zones in buildings and public spaces
• Increase taxes on tobacco products
• Make it more difficult to purchase tobacco products
• Ban tobacco advertising

If you are interested in quitting smoking, you can contact the Flushing Hospital Medical Center’s Smoking Cessation Navigators. Call 718-670-3146 for more information.

All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.

This month we are proud to shine our employee spotlight on Pedro Degante, mailroom coordinator. Pedro has been working at Flushing Hospital Medical Center for 13 years and is a very familiar face around the hospital.

Pedro is a native of Brooklyn, New York. He grew up in the Williamsburgh section of the borough and currently resides in the Bedford Stuyvesant neighborhood. He attended Eastern District High School. and Washington Irving High School.  Pedro then went on to attend the Borough of Manhattan Community College.

In his free time, Pedro likes to ride his bicycle around the city, especially on the West Side Highway in Manhattan. He enjoys listening to different types of music, especially dance music. He also enjoys going to the beach at Coney Island in nice weather. Pedro enjoys all types of food, his favorite dishes are shrimp parmigiana and lobster. His family is very important to him and he enjoys visiting his relatives  that live in North Carolina. Baseball and basketball are the two sports that he enjoys playing when he gets the opportunity.

Pedro likes working at Flushing Hospital because the people are all supportive of one another. It is a great place to come to every day. We are very happy to have Pedro as a member of our team and we look forward to him working with us for many more years.

All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.

In collaboration with hospitals across the state, the MediSys Health Network (Jamaica and Flushing Hospital Medical Center) is conducting a Community Health Needs Assessment survey to determine the most important health concerns of the community, and we would greatly appreciate your input.

The Community Health Needs Assessment survey will assist in the development of a plan that involves many community partners to improve the health of our community. The results of this survey are very important as they can also impact funding, spending, and other wide-reaching decisions about healthcare delivery systems.

The survey is open to all community members residing in New York. To access it, please click here, and share what issues matter to you most.  Please share the survey with family, friends, and others so that their input can be heard. All responses are confidential.

Thank you for your time and for helping us gain valuable insights into the needs of the community.

All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.

Osteoporosis is a disease that weakens the bones, making them more susceptible to breaking. Approximately 10 million Americans have osteoporosis and another 44 million have an increased risk due to poor bone density. In fact, one in two women over 50 years of age will develop osteoporosis  and one in four men will too.

To raise awareness about this disease, May has been designated as National Osteoporosis Month by the Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation (BHOF).

According to the BHOF, one of the ways to combat osteoporosis is through bone-strengthening exercise. Additional diet and lifestyle recommendations for maintaining bone strength are:

• Getting plenty of calcium and vitamin D in your diet
• Quitting smoking and limiting alcohol consumption

To schedule an appointment with a physician at Flushing Hospital Medical Center to discuss osteoporosis, please call 718-670-5486.

All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.

The liver plays an essential role in helping our bodies to digest food, maintain healthy blood sugar levels, manage the clotting of blood, and remove harmful chemicals from the blood.

When our liver is damaged or not functioning properly it can lead to complications such as liver disease, which can potentially become life-threatening.

People with early-stage liver damage or disease may not experience symptoms. However, as time progresses, the body may send warning signs to let us know that the liver is not working the way it should.

Paying attention to these signs and receiving timely treatment can reduce the risk of serious illnesses. Here are five signs you should not ignore:

1. Itchy skin
2. Jaundice (Yellowing of the skin and eyes)
3. Edema (Swelling in the arms and legs)
4. Bruising easily
5. Nausea and vomiting

Treatment for liver disease may include medications, lifestyle changes, or in some cases, liver transplantation.

There are steps you can take to prevent certain types of liver disease. This includes eating less red meat, maintaining a healthy weight, limiting or avoiding the consumption of alcohol, exercising, and getting the hepatitis  A and B vaccine if you are at risk.

All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.

May 5^th has been designated as World Hand Hygiene Day by the World Health Organization (WHO). The slogan for this year’s campaign is “Unite for safety: clean your hands.” This year’s theme focuses on  recognizing that we can all contribute to healthcare facility’s culture of safety and quality by cleaning our hands.

Practicing good hand hygiene helps with infection prevention and control. This is why the WHO is encouraging people to clean their hands at the right time and with the right products. Furthermore, healthcare workers at all levels and all others who visit healthcare facilities must unite by cleaning their hands, not just on World Hand Hygiene Day, but every day.

All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.