2008 April - June

From the news archive you can review articles, press releases and other pertinent communications that St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center has released in the past.

• June, 2008
  St. Joseph's Welcomes New Physicians To Its Medical Staff
   
• June, 2008
  St. Joseph's Appoints Annemarie Czyz, RN, Chief Nursing Officer
   
• June, 2008
  New Physicians Join Heritage Family Medicine
   
• June, 2008
  St. Joseph's Hosts Free Smoking Cessation Workshops
   
• June, 2008
  St. Joseph's Hosts Recruiting Open House For Registered Nurses
   
• June, 2008
  St. Joseph's Hosts Free Smoking Cessation Workshops
   
• June, 2008
  St. Joseph's Nets More Than $354,000 At Annual Gala Fundraiser
   
• June, 2008
  St. Joseph's Hosts Recruiting Open House for Registered Nurses
   
• June, 2008
  St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center Statement Concerning Missing Stillborn
   
• June, 2008
  St. Joseph's Hosts Free Seminar On Hip And Knee Pain
   
• May, 2008
  St. Joseph's Vascular Surgeons Of CNY Sponsoring Free Vein Screening MAY 28
   
• May, 2008
  St. Joseph's Hosts Hosts Its First-Ever EMS Teaching Symposium
   
• April, 2008
  St. Joseph's Hosts Seminars On Managing Hip And Knee Pain
   
• April, 2008
  St. Joseph's Hosts Red Cross Blood Drives In May
   
• April, 2008
  St. Joseph's WINS WINS GHXcellence Award For Achievements In Supply Chain Performance
   
• April, 2008
  St. Joseph's Welcomes New Physicians To Its Medical Staff
   
• April, 2008
  St. Joseph's To Provide Practitioners With Unique Simulation Training For Treating Coronary Artery Disease
   
• April, 2008
  St. Joseph's Provides Free Community Service
   
• April, 2008
  St. Joseph's Hosts Free Seminars On Managing Hip And Knee Pain
   
• April, 2008
  St. Joseph's Awarded $25,000 Grant From Komen For The Cure
   
• April, 2008
  St. Joseph's And The Franciscan Place Host Event On Advance Care Planning
   
• April, 2008
  St. Joseph's Cardiac Surgery Team Among Best In New York State
   
• April, 2008
  St. Joseph's Celebrates One-Year Anniversary Of Its Total Joint Center
   

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June, 08
St. Joseph's Welcomes New Physicians To Its Medical Staff

SYRACUSE - The following physicians joined St. Joseph's medical staff:

• Eric Deshaies, MD Surgery
• Meyer L. Proler, MD Internal Medicine/Neurology
• Christina M. Yambo, MD Family Medicine

June, 08
St. Joseph's Appoints Annemarie Czyz, RN, Chief Nursing Officer

SYRACUSE - St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center has appointed AnneMarie Czyz, RN, to the position of chief nursing officer and vice president for clinical services, after a nation-wide search.

Czyz brings 11 years of health care experience to the position. Since December, she has served as interim chief nursing officer. Prior to that, she was director of critical care and cardiac services. She also has worked for St. Joseph's as a staff nurse on one of the cardiac care units, a staff educator and nurse manager.

Czyz earned her nursing degree from the St. Joseph's College of Nursing and completed her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from the State University of New York Upstate Medical University. She also holds a Master of Science and Clinical Nurse Specialist degree from Upstate Medical University. She is a member of Sigma Theta Tau and is certified as a medical surgical nurse.

June, 08
New Physicians Join Heritage Family Medicine

SYRACUSE - Heritage Family Medicine welcomes two new physicians to its team. Dr. John P. O'Brien will begin seeing patients July 1 at the Cazenovia location, and Dr. Stephen D. Hoag, LCDR, MC, USN, will begin seeing patients July 15 at the Fayetteville location.

Dr. O'Brien most recently worked at Verona Family Practice, and served as a staff attending physician at Oneida Healthcare Center, functioning as a hospitalist. He graduated from St. Joseph's Family Medicine Residency and earned his doctorate of medicine from SUNY Upstate Medical University. A resident of Syracuse, Dr. O'Brien is board-certified in family medicine.

Dr. Hoag is a Lieutenant Commander in the Medical Corps of the U.S. Navy. Most recently, he served as a staff family physician and faculty member of the family practice residency program at the Naval Hospital Camp Lejuene in Jacksonville, N.C. He earned his doctorate of medicine from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Md., and did his residency in family practice at the Naval Hospital Jacksonville, in Florida.

Drs. O'Brien and Hoag will also serve as members of St. Joseph's Medical Education faculty, which for more than 40 years has helped to prepare future leaders in medicine. The team of 20 plays a pivotal role in the overall success of St. Joseph's, including running the top-rated family medicine, and transitional residencies, providing post-graduate medical education, and providing 40 percent of the hospital's hospitalist coverage for inpatients. The faculty also cares for more than 25,000 patients a year in the hospital's Family Medicine Center.

September, 08
St. Joseph's Physicians Recognized As Best Doctors

SYRACUSE - St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center is proud to announce that several of its physicians have been named “Best Doctors in America” by Best Doctors, Inc. Every year, Best Doctors selects physicians based on nominations from the physicians' colleagues. “It's an honor to have our doctors continue to receive this type of recognition” said Theodore Pasinski, president of St. Joseph's.

Congratulations for their their hard work and dedication!

To see all our nominated doctors please select this link.

St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center (www.sjhsyr.org) is a non-profit, 431-bed hospital and health care network providing services to patients from Onondaga and 15 surrounding counties.Through prevention programs and the latest diagnostic treatment procedures, St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center works with patients to achieve optimum long-term health. A six-time winner of the National Research Corporation Consumer Choice award, St. Joseph’s is designated a Magnet Hospital for Nursing Excellence by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, the highest honor bestowed on a hospital for nursing care.

June, 08
St. Joseph's Hosts Free Smoke Cessation Workshops

SYRACUSE - St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center's Tobacco Cessation Center will host free smoking cessation workshops at Great Northern Mall's Community Room. Reservations are being taken for the two-part workshops on the following dates:

• June 16 and 23 from 5 to 6:30 p.m
• July 8 and 15 from 2:30 to 4 p.m.
• July 8 and 15 from 5 to 6:30 p.m

Call 458-3600, ext. 378 to register for the classes.

 June, 08
St. Joseph's Hosts Recruiting Open House for Registered Nurses

SYRACUSE - St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center is hosting an open house for experienced registered nurses on Thursday, June 19 from 4 to 7 p.m. in conference room L-100A off the hospital's main lobby. Light refreshments will be served and free parking will be available in the new Medical Office Centre parking garage off Townsend Street. All applicants will receive a $25 gas card.

Registered nurses are needed with experience in one or more of the following specialties: home care, dialysis, emergency department, operating room and the surgical intensive care unit.

Corrigan added that St. Joseph's is the region's only Magnet-designated hospital and a HomeCare Elite Top 100 agency. The hospital offers competitive pay with eligibility for a sign-on bonus. In addition, nurses control their own schedules.

For more information about working as a registered nurse at St. Joseph's, call 448-5837 or visit the website at www.sjhsyr.org, where there is further information, as well as maps and directions to the hospital.

June, 08
St. Joseph's Hosts Free Smoking Cessation Workshops

SYRACUSE - St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center's Tobacco Cessation Center will host free smoking cessation workshops at Great Northern Mall's Community Room. Reservations are being taken for the two-part workshops on the following dates:

• June 16 and 23 from 5 to 6:30 p.m.
• July 8 and 15 from 2:30 to 4 p.m.
• July 8 and 15 from 5 to 6:30 p.m.

Call 458-3600, ext. 378 to register for the classes.

St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center (www.sjhsyr.org) is a non-profit, 431-bed hospital and health care network providing services to patients from Onondaga and 15 surrounding counties.Through prevention programs and the latest diagnostic treatment procedures, St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center works with patients to achieve optimum long-term health. A six-time winner of the National Research Corporation Consumer Choice award, St. Joseph’s is designated a Magnet Hospital for Nursing Excellence by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, the highest honor bestowed on a hospital for nursing care.

June, 08
St. Joseph's Nets More Than $354,000 At Annual Gala Fundraiser

SYRACUSE – St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center hosted its annual black tie optional gala dinner dance, “A Victorian Flower Festival,” on May 30. The event, which netted more than $354,000 was held at the Turning Stone Resort & Casino. Nearly 875 reservations were taken and proceeds will be used to fund the hospital’s mission service programs. Central New York Infusion Services, LLC, was the presenting sponsor; co-chairs were Drs. Indu and Salil Gupta and Dr. Lawrence Semel and his wife, Constance.

The evening began with cocktails and continued with a live auction with prizes ranging from a spa weekend to a personal watercraft. A sit down dinner continued the evening along with music dancing. There was also a chance to win a trip for two to Hawaii.

“This year’s gala was a resounding success,” said Margaret Martin, vice president of marketing, communications and development for St. Joseph’s and organizer of the event. “St. Joseph’s mission services – our neighborhood health centers, dental office and mental health programs – are so important to the people of our community. We are pleased so many helped us support these vital services.”

Martin added that plans are under way for next year’s gala. In addition, it’s not too late to sign up for the annual St. Joseph’s Golf Classic September 5. For more information, call St. Joseph’s Foundation Office at 703-2137.

June, 08
St. Joseph's Hosts Recruiting Open House for Registered Nurses

SYRACUSE – St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center is hosting an open house for experienced registered nurses on Thursday, June 19 from 4 to 7 p.m. in conference room L-100A off the hospital’s main lobby. Light refreshments will be served and free parking will be available in the new Medical Office Centre parking garage off Townsend Street. All applicants will receive a $25 gas card.

Registered nurses are needed with experience in one or more of the following specialties: home care, dialysis, emergency department, operating room and the surgical intensive care unit.

“A warm, family-like atmosphere and a tradition of professional, compassionate care are just a few of the advantages of working at St. Joseph’s,” said Linda Corrigan, RN, director of nurse recruitment for St. Joseph’s.

Corrigan added that St. Joseph’s is the region’s only Magnet-designated hospital and a HomeCare Elite Top 100 agency. The hospital offers competitive pay with eligibility for a sign-on bonus. In addition, nurses control their own schedules.

For more information about working as a registered nurse at St. Joseph’s, call 448-5837 or visit the website at www.sjhsyr.org, where there is further information, as well as maps and directions to the hospital.

June, 08
St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center Statement Concerning Missing Stillborn

Statement from St. Joseph's Administration:

We want to thank the Syracuse Police for their cooperation and assistance with this. We appreciate their thorough review of the incident. The St. Joseph's family is absolutely devastated about this incident. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family. At St. Joseph's, we are dedicated to provide compassionate care for all we serve. The community has our commitment to that mission. Our own intensive review has shown that all of our internal protocols and regulated procedures were followed. However, we do not know for sure what happened. We may never know. We are committed to honoring the dignity of all babies and we treat them accordingly by swaddling them carefully. A contributing factor in this incident is the age of the stillborn, which may have made it difficult to distinguish. After our careful analysis, additional procedures have been implemented to assure this type of incident does not happen again. Our employees continue to be saddened by this event and we again want to extend our condolences to the family.

June, 08
St. Joseph's Hosts Free Seminar On Hip And Knee Pain

SYRACUSE - St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center will host a free informational session entitled, “Managing Hip and Knee Pain: What Are Your Options?” on Tuesday, June 10 at 6 p.m. at St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center, located at 301 Prospect Avenue in Syracuse. The seminar will take place in conference room L-100A off main lobby. Free parking is available in the Medical Office Centre garage.

A board-certified orthopedic surgeon will explain what causes joint pain, discuss treatment alternatives and rehabilitation options and review the benefits of preparing for surgery. To register, call St. Joseph's at 458-2222.

St. Joseph's has one goal: to get patients moving again as quickly and safely as possible. Comprehensive care includes prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation - all within the St. Joseph's health care network.

May, 08
St. Joseph's And Vascular Surgeons Of CNY Sponsoring Free Vein Screening MAY 28

SYRACUSE - St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center and Vascular Surgeons of CNY, PLLC, are sponsoring a free vein screening on Wednesday, May 28, from 5 to 8 p.m. Screenings will take place at St. Joseph's Medical Office Centre, located at 104 Union Avenue, in suite 1005.

To register, call St. Joseph's at 703-2140. Free parking is available.

May, 08
St.Joseph's Hosts Its First-Ever EMS Teaching Symposium

SYRACUSE - St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center will host its first-ever Emergency Medical Services Teaching Symposium on Tuesday, May 20 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. in conference room L-100 at St. Joseph's Hospital. Free parking is available in the hospital's parking garage.

The symposium will feature local experts and cover a variety of topics, including acute coronary syndrome, infectious disease, violent patient management, difficult airways and more.

"This is the first of what we hope will be annual event for the local emergency services community,” said Therese Whitt, MD, medical director for St. Joseph's emergency department. “It's an ongoing effort to stay in touch with those who work so hard for us on the street. The topics are applicable to the providers of emergency medical services at all levels.”

To register for the symposium, visit the website at www.sjhems.com. The deadline to register is May 14.

May, 08
St.Joseph's Hosts Free Seminars On Managing Hip and Pain

SYRACUSE - St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center will host a free informational session entitled, “Managing Hip and Knee Pain: What Are Your Options?” on Wednesday, May 21 at 6 p.m. at the Jewish Community Center, located at 5655 Thompson Road in Syracuse. Free parking is available.

A board-certified orthopedic surgeon will explain what causes joint pain, discuss treatment alternatives and rehabilitation options and review the benefits of preparing for surgery. To register, call St. Joseph's at 458-2222.

St. Joseph's has one goal: to get patients moving again as quickly and safely as possible. Comprehensive care includes prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation - all within the St. Joseph's health care network.

An additional sessions is planned for Tuesday, June 10 at 6 p.m. at St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center, located at 301 Prospect Avenue in Syracuse. The seminar will take place in the conference room L-100A off main lobby. Free parking is available in the Medical Office Centre garage.

May, 08
St.Joseph's Hosts Red Cross Blood Drives In May

SYRACUSE - St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center will host American Red Cross Blood drives on Tuesday, May 20, from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Wednesday, May 21, from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the College of Nursing's lower level.

To schedule an appointment, contact St. Joseph's Volunteer Office at 448-5186, or send an e-mail to Kathy.tomal@sjhsyr.org . Walk-ins are also welcome.

April, 08
St.Joseph's WINS GHXcellence Award For Achievements In Supply Chain Performance

SYRACUSE - St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center today announced it was recognized as one of the “Best 50 Integrated Delivery Networks,” by the GHXcellence Awards for achievements in improving supply chain performance. The announcement was made at a recognition ceremony in Chicago at the 8th Annual GHX Supply Chain Summit, the largest healthcare forum in the United States focused on the buy and sell side of the supply chain.

GHX and St. Joseph's have worked together since 2005 to achieve an “electronic” integration between the hospital and its vendors. Prior to the end of 2005, the hospital was electronically communicating with only one vendor. Within three months, that number increased to 51. Today, the hospital sends purchase orders electronically to more than 200 vendors and receives invoices electronically from 30 vendors.

“As we all know sharing data electronically is much more efficient than using facsimile or hard copy paperwork,” said Tracy Pileski, materials systems support manager for St. Joseph's. “It helps reduce order and invoice discrepancies and errors, as well.”

“As we all know sharing data electronically is much more efficient than using facsimile or hard copy paperwork,” said Tracy Pileski, materials systems support manager for St. Joseph's. “It helps reduce order and invoice discrepancies and errors, as well.”

The theme of the GHXcellence Awards was improved utilization of e-commerce solutions to drive growth and maximize savings. The awards were granted to those organizations that best met specific criteria during 2007, including:

• Increased use of e-commerce solutions throughout the healthcare supply chain
• The number of trading partners with whom they conduct e-commerce
• The percentage of orders transacted electronically
• The percentage of invoices transacted electronically
• Reduction in order and invoice discrepancies and errors

“This year's GHXcellence Awards honor providers and suppliers that have taken steps to maximize utilization of e-commerce solutions across their organizations,” said GHX President Bruce Johnson. “By optimizing business processes and the use of technology, these organizations are demonstrating how healthcare organizations can lower costs and improve operational performance.”

A complete list of award winners is available online at www.ghx.com under “news/media” and “2008 Press Releases.”

GHX (www.ghx.com) enables healthcare providers and suppliers in North America and Europe to reduce costs and improve margins by automating processes, reducing operating expenses and increasing knowledge-based decision making. Products and services include trading partner connectivity, order and contract management and validation, data synchronization, sales force automation and business intelligence. Equity owners of GHX are Abbott Exchange, Inc.; AmerisourceBergen Corp.; Baxter Healthcare Corp.; Braun Medical Inc.; Becton, Dickinson & Co.; Boston Scientific Corp.; Cardinal Health, Inc.; Covidien; C.R. Bard, Inc.; Fisher Scientific International, Inc.; GE Healthcare; HCA; Johnson & Johnson Health Care Systems Inc.; McKesson Corp.; Medtronic USA, Inc.; Owens & Minor; Premier, Inc.; Siemens; University HealthSystem Consortium; and VHA Inc.

St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center (www.sjhsyr.org) is a non-profit, 431-bed hospital and health care network providing services to patients from Onondaga and 15 surrounding counties.Through prevention programs and the latest diagnostic treatment procedures, St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center works with patients to achieve optimum long-term health. A six-time winner of the National Research Corporation Consumer Choice award, St. Joseph’s is designated a Magnet Hospital for Nursing Excellence by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, the highest honor bestowed on a hospital for nursing care.

April, 08
St.Joseph's Welcomes New Physicians To Its Medical Staff

SYRACUSE - The following physicians joined St. Joseph's medical staff:

• Casey Duca, MD Pediatrics
• Muhammad Hasan, MD Internal Medicine
• Lan Luo, Medical Physicist Radiology
• Ahmad Bilal, MD Psychiatry
• John Napoli, MD Psychiatry
• Joycelyn Vanterpool, MD Psychiatry

April, 08
St.Joseph's To Provide Practitioners With Unique Simulation Training For Treating Coronary Artery Disease

SYRACUSE - St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center will host the Boston Scientific Mobile Simulation Training Unit on April 29 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. to provide state-of-the-art, hands on education for its cardiac catheterization lab physicians and staff. The unit will be set up in the rear of parking lot “A” off Prospect Avenue. Media are invited to tour the unit from 10 to 11 a.m. Media contact will be Kerri Ganci.

The Mobile Simulation Training Unit replicates a cardiac catheterization lab with realistic simulation technology that enables practitioners to explore new procedural solutions and to “perform” percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) in a risk-free environment.

“Coronary artery disease (CAD) affects approximately 11 million Americans and is the single leading killer of American men and women,” said Gary Walford, MD, cardiologist and medical director of St. Joseph's cath lab. “Our interventional cardiologists strive to stay informed about the latest technology to battle this deadly disease.”

“As technologies evolve and allow us to treat more challenging cases, it is important for physicians to maintain the skill and comfort level needed to approach these high risk scenarios,” Dr. Walford continued. “Continuous training is valuable in this regard and helps us enhance the high standard of care we provide to our community.”

The Boston Scientific Mobile Training Unit is a 35-foot bus, complete with a pre-procedure patient briefing area, an area for performing interventions on a simulated patient named Simantha® and a post-procedure metric evaluation computer station. Participants will have the option of performing interventions with lesions, or blockages, in the coronary arteries that are considered “high risk” or a scenario involving the use of the latest embolic protection device to treat a patient with a diseased saphenous vein graft (SVG) that was placed during coronary bypass surgery.

Lesions that are considered to be high risk include those with blockages in the coronary arteries that are difficult to treat because of their type, location or size. Historically, these cases often required bypass surgery; however, breakthrough technologies increase the likelihood of successfully treating them with less invasive procedures. Because this is becoming more common, an increased emphasis is placed on technique and device choice.

“This kind of simulation not only gives us a unique opportunity to learn new approaches to challenging cases, but also allows us to hone our skills and technique,” said Dr. Walford. “Partnering with Boston Scientific enables hands-on training in the latest treatment methods to come right to our door, so it is accessible and convenient.”

Boston Scientific (www.bostonscientific.com) is a worldwide developer, manufacturer and marketer of medical devices whose products are used in a broad range of interventional medical specialties. Simantha® is a trademark of Medical Simulation Corporation.

April, 08
St.Joseph's Provides Free Community Service

SYRACUSE - Safe disposal of “sharps,” also known as needles, syringes and lancets, is a concern to all members of the Syracuse community. St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center provides a convenient site for the safe disposal of sharps for people with medical conditions that require at-home, self-injections, through the free Residential Sharps Collection Program. The program takes place on the first and third Saturday of every month from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at St. Joseph's Emergency Department.

St. Joseph's accepts used needles, syringes and lancets in clean, biohazard-labeled sharps containers or in clean, plastic bleach or laundry detergent bottles with a screw-on cap. Containers must be leak-proof and sealed to be accepted. People with medical conditions that require self-injections, such as diabetes, should immediately put sharps in containers after each use and keep them in a place that is safely away from children and pets. Sharps containers are accepted at St. Joseph's Emergency Department.

Improper sharps disposal is a danger to others who may be stuck accidentally, such as children, trash collectors and recycling workers, possibly exposing them to blood-borne diseases, such as Hepatitis B and C and HIV. Those wishing to drop off sharps may call St. Joseph's at 448-5173 for more information.

April, 08
St.Joseph's Hosts Free Seminars On Managing Hip And Knee Pain

SYRACUSE - St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center will host a free informational session entitled, “Managing Hip and Knee Pain: What Are Your Options?” on Tuesday, April 22 at 6 p.m. at St. Joseph's Church, located at 5600 West Genesee Street in Camillus. Free parking is available.

A board-certified orthopedic surgeon will explain what causes joint pain, discuss treatment alternatives and rehabilitation options and review the benefits of preparing for surgery. To register, call St. Joseph's at 458-2222.

St. Joseph's has one goal: to get patients moving again as quickly and safely as possible. Comprehensive care includes prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation - all within the St. Joseph's health care network.

Additional sessions are planned for Wednesday, May 21 at 6 p.m. at the Jewish Community Center, located at 5655 Thompson Road in Syracuse (free parking is available), and Tuesday, June 10 at 6 p.m. at St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center, located at 301 Prospect Avenue in Syracuse. The seminar will take place in the conference room L-100A off main lobby. Free parking is available in the Medical Office Centre garage.

April, 08
St.Joseph's Awarded $25,000 Grant From Komen For The Cure
Grant To Provide funding for Lymphedema Program

EAST SYRACUSE - St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center recently was awarded a $25,000 grant from the Central New York Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. The announcement was made at a reception Apr. 7, when CNY Komen for the Cure announced the 22 winners of its 2008-2009 STEP grants. In all, $466,866 was distributed to groups that further the Komen promise “to save lives and end breast cancer forever by empowering people, ensuring quality care for all and energizing science to find the cures.

St. Joseph's will use the funding to continue its Outpatient Physical Therapy: Lymphedema Education And Prevention from Stage 0 (LEAP from Stage 0) program to provide education about lymphedema and comprehensive treatment for this disease when it occurs as a result of treatment for breast cancer. LEAP from Stage O is the only community education and outpatient treatment program of its kind in Central New York.

Lymphedema is one of the most dreaded side-effects of breast cancer treatment. Nearly 20 percent of women who undergo treatment will deal with the effects of the disease on a daily basis. There is no known cure but prevention and management allow most women to return to a normal, active life. Through educational seminars and continuing education opportunities for medical professionals treating patients with lymphedema, St. Joseph's provides the tools needed to make treatment accessible.

In addition, LEAP from Stage 0 provides treatment for breast cancer patients admitted to the program through a doctor's referral and demonstrate self-management techniques to empower patients to resume their previous levels of activity.

“Our LEAP from Stage 0 program has made a profound difference in the day-to-day lives of many Central New York women who would otherwise face lifelong physical challenges and disability,” said Douglas Fye, PT, DPT, manager of physical medicine and rehabilitation for St. Joseph's. “By educating medical professionals on how to recognize and treat this often-overlooked disease, this program will impact patients far into the future.”

CNY Komen for the Cure has previously supported other St. Joseph's breast care initiatives, including a $25,000 award to fund breast cancer workshops for minority women, $20,000 toward a mammography machine for use in the hospital and $2,000 to provide breast self-examination instruction at The Wellness Place.

CNY Komen for the Cure grant funds were raised through individual and corporate contributions and the annual Komen CNY Race for the Cureâ, to be held this year on May 17. Up to 75 percent of the net proceeds remain in Central New York and a minimum of 25 percent is dedicated to the national Komen for the Cure Award and Research Grant Program which is used solely for non-duplicative breast cancer research.

This is the 15th year that the Central New York (CNY) Affiliate has awarded community grants in the 17 counties they serve, bringing the total granted to $3.5 million. This year, grantee organizations offer services such as free mammograms and diagnostic screenings, education programs for the early detection of breast cancer, resources for those who are diagnosed with breast cancer and support to breast cancer survivors.

April, 08
St.Joseph's And Franciscan Place Host Event On Advance Care Planning

SYRACUSE - St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center in partnership with The Franciscan Place at Carousel Center in Syracuse will host a free informational table on advance care planning on Wednesday, April 30 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Carousel Center. Tables will be located on the first and second levels near the elevators.

The information is designed to educate the public about advance care planning and answer questions people may have about making important health care decisions. Trained facilitators will be on hand to help attendees fill out necessary health care proxy forms.

“Advance care planning should not only be thought of when someone is sick or dying,” said Adam Schechter, ethics associate at St. Joseph's. “In fact the best time to think about your own health care wishes is when you are healthy and with a clear mind. Everyone needs to think about their options.”

The free advance care planning informational tables are sponsored by St. Joseph's Ethics Committee and The Franciscan Place. For more information, call 448-5883.

April, 08
St.Joseph's Cardiac Surgery Team Among Best In New York State

SYRACUSE - St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center's cardiac surgeons have been cited among the top three teams in the state for successful valve surgery and coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery by the New York State Department of Health (DOH) for the three-year period 2003 to 2005, the most recent data available. St. Joseph's risk-adjusted mortality rate of 3.68 percent was significantly lower than the statewide average of 6.26 percent.

Cited in a report released by the DOH April 14, St. Joseph's surgical team, which includes Mehdi Marvasti, MD, G. Randall Green, MD, Zhandong Zhou, MD, Ahmad Nazem, MD, and Joel Rosenberg, MD, performed 2,609 cardiac surgeries during this period.

St. Joseph's continues to be ranked among the top cardiac surgery programs in the state and nation year after year,” said St. Joseph's President Theodore M. Pasinski. “We believe our excellent performance is due to the consistency of our program, as well as the skill and dedication of our surgeons and other cardiac team members. We are pleased to provide this service to our community

Copies of the DOH report are available on its internet site at www.nyhealth.state.ny.us/statistics/diseases/cardiovascular

April, 08
CPEP Publishes Resource Directory For Local Children's Mental Health Services

SYRACUSE - The Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program's (CPEP) Children's Health Innovation Project (CHIP) recently published a 100-page directory of mental health resources for children and adolescents in Onondaga County.

The free guide includes information on family services, hospitals, outpatient clinics, psychiatrists and social workers to name a few. The directory was published to make local health care providers aware of potential referral resources for children and adolescents with mental health needs.

“We understand how challenging it can be to find children's mental health services,” said Donald Kates, senior project coordinator for CHIP. “It is our hope that this directory will help local providers and families navigate the system and better understand how to obtain the best mental health care possible for themselves and their children.”

The Directory is posted on St. Joseph's website at www.sjhsyr.org/chip hard copies are available free of charge by e-mailing at CHIP@sjhsyr.org or calling 315-448-6346.

CPEP receives federal funds for CHIP to improve the quality and availability of mental health services for children, adolescents, and their families in Central New York by providing continuing education and targeted training opportunities for primary care physicians and others, and building a system of care using an individualized, community-based, wraparound approach to service delivery.

As part of a local network of inpatient and outpatient mental health services, CPEP serves as the only provider of 24-hour emergency psychiatric services for Onondaga and Madison counties, seeing an average of 6,500 patient visits each year. CPEP serves as a customized alternative to the mental institutions of years past by providing emergency services, follow-up, and referral for the mentally ill who live independently in the community. It maintains a spirit of respect and dignity for the needs of psychiatric patients and its staff and physicians work to avoid the victimization of the mentally ill by collaborating with mental health providers and local law enforcement in the Syracuse area. 

April, 08
St. Joseph's Celebrates One-Year Anniversary Of Its Total Joint Center

SYRACUSE - St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center will celebrate the one-year anniversary of its Total Joint Center on Monday, April 14 from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. in room 4216 on the fourth floor of the main hospital. Media are invited and welcome to cover the event; the best time to cover is between 12 and 1 p.m. Tours of the Center and gym will be available.

St. Joseph's formally established the Total Joint Center in 2007 to further improve outcomes among its orthopedic surgical patients. Since then, the hospital has seen its volumes increase by six percent and length of stay is reduced almost five percent.

“We've seen lots of positive trends since we first started the Center,” said Douglas Fye, PT, DPT, OCS, physical medicine and rehabilitation manager for St. Joseph's. “For example, we've seen a positive trend of higher functioning patients going directly home. Plus, they're getting better, faster in the hospital with improved use of their new joint and are back on their feet much more quickly than in the past.”

Fye added that more patients have greater independence in walking after their surgeries while still maintaining their safety.