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Northern Westchester Hospital to Honor Joel Seligman and Seema Boesky At 2019 Gala

August 21, 2019 by The Inside Press

Joel Seligman – photo credit: Todd Shapera

Mt. Kisco, New York— Northern Westchester Hospital (NWH) will honor outgoing President and CEO Joel Seligman and philanthropist Seema Boesky at the hospital’s annual gala on Saturday, November 2, 2019 in a spectacular tent on the Hospital’s campus. The event is co-chaired by Brenda and Victor Khabie, MD.

The announcement was made by Keeva Young-Wright, President of the NWH Foundation and Vice President of External Affairs at NWH.

“We are delighted to honor Joel Seligman, who is retiring from his position as President and CEO of Northern Westchester Hospital after nearly two decades of extraordinary service and leadership, and Seema Boesky for her many years of generosity and support of Northern Westchester Hospital,” she said. “Joel has worked tirelessly to ensure Northern Westchester Hospital is a leading provider of innovative, evidenced-based patient-centered care. Seema has supported Joel’s vision and NWH’s mission, and through her philanthropic generosity, she has helped NWH bring advanced surgical and emergency care to our region.”

Mr. Seligman passes the torch after guiding Northern Westchester Hospital through some of its most transformative years. Since joining the hospital in 2001, he has been a powerful and effective advocate for clinical excellence, improved quality, strong financial stewardship, patient engagement and expanded community outreach.

Mr. Seligman announced his retirement plans earlier this year and will remain through the end of the year to work closely with Derek Anderson, the hospital’s new executive director, through the transition.

Under Mr. Seligman’s leadership, NWH has become a top destination for robotic surgery, orthopedics, cancer and breast care, as well as surgical weight loss, physical therapy and rehabilitation. In 2007, NWH became one of the first Planetree-designated hospitals in the US for exceptional patient-centered care. After the hospital was re-designated with distinction by Planetree and received Magnet designation — the gold standard for nursing care — from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, Northern Westchester became the only hospital in the country to achieve both accolades. Planetree honored Mr. Seligman with its Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017.

When NWH became a member of Northwell Health in 2014, Mr. Seligman managed the hospital’s successful integration process for its clinical and support programs. He has also played an active role in health policy, serving as a state delegate of the American Hospital Association’s regional policy board, chair of the Northern Metropolitan Hospital Association and treasurer of the Healthcare Association of New York State’s (HANYS) Board of Governors. He is currently a member of the HANYS Executive Committee.

Mr. Seligman is a resident of Pound Ridge.

Seema Boesky – photo credit: Jim D’Angelo

Seema Boesky, community member, philanthropist and long-time supporter of NWH and several local organizations, is co-honoree along with Mr. Seligman. By the age of 13, Seema and her sister were co-owners of the Beverly Hills Hotel, the crown jewel of her father’s vast real estate holdings. By her early 20s, she was on the hotel’s board, and eventually took control of all her family’s properties. In 1987, she sold the Beverly Hills Hotel for a record-breaking price, and in the 1990s, she liquidated the family’s Northview Corporation and remaining businesses in order to pursue her philanthropic interests.

Since then, she has dedicated herself to philanthropy, immersing herself in understanding the needs of others and the role she can play in addressing unmet needs. She was a founding member of the Eagle School, the school for international Studies at Princeton, the Family Center in Somerville, MA, and a founder of the American Russian Youth Orchestra. In addition, she honored her mother’s memory by establishing the Gertrude Silberstein Pain Clinic at Ford Hospital in Detroit. She also serves as president of the Silberstein Boesky Family Foundation focusing on enhancing the lives of underprivileged children. Her Charitable Trust supports a variety of interests, including saving lives, curing depression, and preserving art.

In addition to providing financial support for charitable institutions, Ms. Boesky gives her time. Locally, she served as a board member and honoree at the Caramoor Music Center; the Boys and Girls Club of Northern Westchester, where she completed two capital campaigns totaling $16 million; the Westchester Land Trust; Northern Westchester Hospital; and the Waterkeeper Alliance. She also served on the Board of the Women’s Forum, an international organization that mentors women worldwide.

In 1988, she received a Peabody Award as the producer of Claude Lanzmann’s iconic Holocaust documentary Shoah. She was interviewed by Barbara Walters in 1991, and in 2005 published Seema Says, Selected Columns from the Westchester Wag, the monthly column she authored for eight years.

Ms. Boesky was born and raised in Detroit, and received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Michigan State University. In 1978, she relocated her family from New York City to Westchester where she still resides and continues her philanthropic endeavors, develops high-end residential real estate and spends time with family and friends.

The NWH Gala begins with cocktails at 6:30 p.m., a program and dinner at 8 p.m., and dancing at 9:30 p.m. The theme is Art as Inspiration and Art as Transformation. It is expected to draw record attendance of over 800 guests. To learn more or purchase tickets, visit www.nwhconnect.org/2019Gala.

About Northern Westchester Hospital

Northern Westchester Hospital (NWH), a member of Northwell Health, provides quality, patient-centered care that is close to home through a unique combination of medical expertise, leading-edge technology, and a commitment to humanity. Over 650 highly-skilled physicians, state-of-the-art technology and professional staff of caregivers are all in place to ensure that you and your family receive treatment in a caring, respectful and nurturing environment. NWH has established extensive internal quality measurements that surpass the standards defined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Hospital Quality Alliance (HQA) National Hospital Quality Measures. Our high-quality standards help to ensure that the treatment you receive at NWH is among the best in the nation. For more information, please visit www.nwhc.net and connect with us on Facebook.

About Northwell Health
Northwell Health is New York State’s largest health care provider and private employer, with 23 hospitals, about 750 outpatient facilities and more than 13,600 affiliated physicians. We care for over two million people annually in the New York metro area and beyond, thanks to philanthropic support from our communities. Our 70,000 employees – 16,000-plus nurses and 4,000 employed doctors, including members of Northwell Health Physician Partners – are working to change health care for the better. We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We’re training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Graduate Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies. For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

News courtesy of Northern Westchester Hospital, Northwell Health.

Northern Westchester Hospital Receives The Healthgrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award ™ 2019

June 4, 2019 by The Inside Press

Mt. Kisco, New York— Northern Westchester Hospital has received The Healthgrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award™ 2019, which recognizes hospitals for outstanding performance in delivering a positive experience for patients during their hospital stay. The annual award given by Healthgrades, a leading online resource for information about physicians and hospitals, recognizes hospitals around the country that make patient safety a top priority and provide an outstanding patient experience.

“We are delighted to be recognized with this important award,” said Maria Hale, PsyD, MBA, Associate Executive Director at NWH. “As a teaching hospital and nationally recognized leader for patient-centered care, NWH is committed to creating innovative programs and services that are fundamentally attentive to the needs of our patients and their families.

Our patients’ health and well-being is our top priority, and we strive to provide our patients and their families with the best possible experience. We have a number of programs in place including the Ken Hamilton Caregivers Center, the Aranow Art Cart, our Food is Care program, Pet Therapy and Integrative Medicine, which support the delivery of patient-centered care, which we believe is essential in ensuring the best outcomes for our patients and their families.”

In 2019, 434 hospitals received The Healthgrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award™, representing the top 15 percent of hospitals in the nation for patient experience. As part of the analysis, Healthgrades evaluated 3,449 hospitals that submitted at least 100 patient experience surveys to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), covering admissions from January 2017 through December 2017 to identify hospital performance in this area.

“Consumers are becoming more involved in their own health care, and are spending more time researching and selecting the right provider and hospital for their specific needs. Healthgrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award™ highlights the hospitals that are making patient experience a priority and will help patients feel confident to make more informed decisions about their health care,” said Brad Bowman, MD, Chief Medical officer, Healthgrades.

Healthgrades evaluated hospital performance by applying a scoring methodology to nine patient experience measures, using data collected from a 32-question patient experience survey of the hospital’s own patients. The survey questions focus on patients’ perspectives of their care in the hospital, ranging from cleanliness and noise levels in patient rooms to factors such as provider communication. The measures also include whether a patient would recommend the hospital to friends or family.

Healthgrades found that 81 percent of patients would recommend Northern Westchester Hospital, 11 percent higher than the national average. It also found that 79 percent of patients gave the hospital a rating of nine or 10, 10 percent higher than the national average.

This is the third year that Northern Westchester Hospital was awarded Healthgrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award ™. It also received Healthgrades Stroke Care Excellence Award in 2019, 2018 and 2017.

For more information about Patient Centered Care and Innovation at NWH, visit https://nwhc.net/about-us/patient-centered-care.

About Northern Westchester Hospital

About Northwell Health

Northwell Health is New York State’s largest health care provider and private employer, with 23 hospitals, about 750 outpatient facilities and more than 13,600 affiliated physicians. We care for over two million people annually in the New York metro area and beyond, thanks to philanthropic support from our communities. Our 69,000 employees – 16,000-plus nurses and 4,000 employed doctors, including members of Northwell Health Physician Partners – are working to change health care for the better. We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We’re training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Graduate Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies. For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu.

Look Back at the 125th Anniversary White Plains Hospital Gala

October 13, 2018 by The Inside Press

The Friends of White Plains Hospital hosted the 125th Anniversary Gala of White Plains Hospital on Saturday, September 29th. The sold-out evening at the Sleepy Hollow Country Club, the site of the Hospital’s first gala in 1956, raised $1.7 million for Hospital programs and services. 800 guests enjoyed a historical video tribute showcasing the Hospital’s remarkable longevity in the community, followed by dinner, dancing, a silent auction, and fireworks display.

Betsy Gordon and Dr. Mark Gordon, of Armonk; Dr. Julianne Dunne, of White Plains

Seth Lerner, MD; Helen Jhang, MD; Frances Bordoni; and Fred Berardinone, all of Armonk

Dr. Randy Stevens of Scarsdale, Dr. Bradley Adler and his wife, Lauren, of Chappaqua

Being Grateful & Giving Back: The Wonderful Volunteers of Northern Westchester Hospital

October 22, 2017 by Janine Crowley Haynes

In the spirit of giving thanks and giving back, it’s only appropriate to shine a spotlight on volunteers who give their time, personal experience, and expertise. We turned to Northern Westchester Hospital (NWH) and their volunteer programs and met with six of these inspirational volunteers serving NWH and our community.

Director of Volunteer Services Ellen Muentener oversees approximately 250 volunteers at the hospital. From high school and college students to senior citizens, NWH volunteers are passionate about what they do. Volunteers enhance the lives of others without the need for fanfare. Yet with each individual I met, the overwhelming consensus was that volunteering gives them much more than they give. However, volunteering is not for the faint of heart. You have to be tough while being kind, emotionally strong while being compassionate, and tireless while being tested.

Aside from the obvious benefits, what makes an individual want to volunteer?

In an article in Psychology Today, Dawn Carr, MGS, PhD, lists five benefits to volunteering. One benefit, in particular, stands out–volunteering gives you a sense of purpose. Volunteers live longer too. Volunteering also helps you to step outside yourself and your own life challenges and gives you a fresh, new perspective.

Let’s meet just a few of these impressive NWH volunteers:

Judy McGrath

Judy McGrath, is a 12-year volunteer and former president of Twigs-Thriftree Shop located at 449 Lexington Avenue in Mt. Kisco. Judy is a Chappaqua resident and an active member in the community including being involved with the New Castle Historical Society, the Chappaqua School Foundation, the PTA, and the Girl Scouts.

“I believe it’s so important to give back to the community,” says Judy.

Twigs of NWH was formed in 1945 and, currently, has 160 members split up into nine groups. However, its humble roots date back to 1887, where a small group would get together to hem hospital table napkins for Rochester City Hospital. The group started to grow, and Twigs groups began to crop up in hospitals all around the country.

Twigs is a not-for-profit organization set up exclusively to support Northern Westchester Hospital. “We are so fortunate to have such a great hospital right here in our community,” says Judy. Over the last 12 months, Twigs donated 78,500 volunteer hours. It’s impressive that a little thrift shop in Mt. Kisco could make such an impact benefiting the hospital. To date, Twigs has donated $3,300,000 to NWH. The shop offers a variety of items for sale like clothing, books, jewelry, household items, etc. In addition, Twigs volunteers put together layettes for the Prenatal Care Clinic that provides comprehensive care to underinsured and uninsured pregnant women in Westchester and Putnam Counties, helping to ensure healthy pregnancies and healthy babies. Twigs also provides unique items such as cough pillows and tray favors to patients during the holidays.

This year, Twigs presented a check to NWH for $100,000. Each of the following NWH programs will receive $25,000: The Ken Hamilton Caregivers Center (KHCC), where family caregivers find respite and support; The Bruce and Andrea Yablon Cancer Health and Wellness Program, created to empower patients diagnosed with cancer to live a healthy lifestyle in ways that powerfully touch mind, body and spirit; the Community Health Education and Outreach Program, which partners with schools and local groups to build a healthier community; and the Integrative Medicine Program, dedicated to enhancing patients’ health and wellness.

You can find a Twigs Serenity Garden inside the Cancer Health and Wellness Center and the Twigs Healing Garden outside the Emergency Department.

Each year, Twigs members get together and decide which areas and/or programs Twigs would like to support. Whether you volunteer, donate items to the shop, or shop at Twigs-Thriftree, you will be making your own generous contribution to NWH.

Jo Cherubini

Jo Cherubini, at 83 years old and a 50-year Mt. Kisco resident, is a vibrant, tireless volunteer in the Westchester community. In addition to being a 20-year volunteer at NWH, Jo volunteers twice a week at the Rosary Hill Home, an end-of-life facility based in Hawthorne. She is also involved with the Mount Kisco Interfaith Food Pantry.

At NWH, you can usually find her on Wednesdays at the front desk of the Wallace Pavilion, but she also takes on other roles. “I feel a volunteer should go where they are needed,” says Jo. Whether it’s helping with blood drives, stuffing envelopes, delivering greeting cards to patients, or making sure wheelchairs are accessible at the front entrance–Jo is on it. Working at the front desk is not without its challenges. “Typically when people walk into the hospital, it’s not on the best of circumstances…unless they’re visiting the maternity ward,” says Jo. “They need to be received and guided with patience,” she adds.

Jo with Ellen Muentener PHOTO BY JANINE CROWLEY HAYNES

Jo is the recipient of the 2017 Mary B. Robbins Beacon of Light Award which is given by NWH to the volunteer of the year. In lieu of the personal gifts she would have received from NWH, Jo asked if it could be in the form of a monetary donation to be split up between two of her charities—Rosary Hill Home and the Mount Kisco Food Pantry.

“I love this hospital and its mission to provide quality care to the community,” says Jo. “The people who work here are open and receptive. It’s a family atmosphere and that makes for a pleasant experience,” she adds.

In addition to all of her volunteer activities, Jo finds the time to knit and crochet blankets for children with cancer. She’s made over 1,000 blankets so far. Jo has also made hundreds of hats for infants that have been born at NWH.

If you would like to donate some yarn for her projects, please feel free to leave it at the front desk of the Wallace Pavilion. She would greatly appreciate it.

Idelle Skriloff

Idelle Skriloff volunteers at the Ken Hamilton Caregivers Center (KHCC) located in the Wallace Pavilion of the hospital. KHCC was founded by Armonk resident Marian Hamilton in loving memory of her husband, Ken Hamilton. Marian was the primary caregiver to her husband when he was sick. The experience was stressful and, at times, isolating. After her husband passed away, Marian founded the KHCC, the first in-hospital facility of its kind in the entire New York Metropolitan region. Named in memory of her husband and inspired by her experience caring for her husband through his illness, while juggling her role as a mother to two teenage daughters, gave her a firsthand understanding that hospitals are often not equipped to help caregivers in a meaningful way. With a vision to support family caregivers, Marian approached Northern Westchester Hospital. Since its inception, the KHCC has had over 60,000 family interactions, demonstrating the vast need for caregiver support.

For ten years, Idelle Skriloff has been one of over 30 volunteers at KHCC. “I wanted to do something meaningful to give back to the community,” she says. “At times, my husband and I have been patients at NWH, and we received such great care.” What makes Idelle well-suited for this particular type of volunteer work is her kind, compassionate spirit that comes along with being a retired special education teacher from Fox Lane. Idelle volunteers once a week seeking caregivers on the floor to engage in conversation and offer appropriate support as needed. “We let them know we are there for them if they have any questions or need information, and we invite them to the center to relax and unwind,” says Idelle. “Sometimes caregivers just need emotional support. Sometimes they need information and resources.”

KHCC’s volunteer training is intensive. Trainees will shadow a seasoned volunteer for three to six months and are also expected to make a long-term commitment to the center.

KHCC has extended their services with a ‘Stay in Touch’ program where volunteers reach out to caregivers after discharge via telephone. Idelle describes her volunteer experience as uniquely rewarding: “I am so grateful to have a hospital like NWH in our community. Volunteering gives me so much more than I give.”

Joanna Cirasella

Joanna Cirasella, Briarcliff resident and a massage therapist at the Chappaqua Wellness Center, volunteers her time at NWH twice a week. She and her 10-year-old pet therapy Norfolk terrier, Mandy, make their rounds at the hospital. For Joanna, her mission is personal. She is a 5-year breast cancer survivor. Joanna wanted to give back to the hospital that took great care of her. “They’re like family to me,” says Joanna. Mandy and Joanna typically visit the Cancer Center, the Breast Institute, and the Women’s Imaging Center. They also make visits to the oncology inpatient units. “Mandy opens the door. Once you say to a patient ‘I sat in that same chair,’ a whole other dialogue happens.”

For her service, Joanna received the prestigious International Pet Therapy Team Planetree Award. In addition to visiting patients, Joanna is on the Cancer Patient Advisory Council, designed to be the voice of the patient by providing ongoing insight into actual patient and family experiences.

Joanna is also involved with NWH’s Living with Cancer Support Group. She’s held fundraising events at Le Jardin du Roi with proceeds going to the NWH Cancer Health & Wellness Program. Joanna is also an accomplished photographer. You can also find several of her photographs hanging in the Cancer Center.

Sophie Peterfreund

Sophie Peterfreund, a Bedford Hills resident, has been volunteering in the Emergency Department at NWH for six years and was a member of the NWH President’s Junior Leadership Council during her sophomore, junior and senior years at Fox Lane. The President’s Junior Leadership Council is made up of high school students in Northern Westchester. PJLC members develop projects that are meaningful to them about health issues affecting their peers.

Whenever she is home, you can find her in the Emergency Department helping out at the security desk at NWH helping out at the security desk and checking in patients. She is passionate about the hospital and loves tapping into its spirit and energy. The fast-paced atmosphere of urgent care is well-suited to her particular skill set. “It may sound strange, but ever since I was young, I loved going to the doctor,” says Sophie.

Sophie is a junior at Stony Brook University and hopes to attend physician’s assistant school after she graduates. Sophie is also an EMT in her town.

If you’re interested in volunteering at NWH, please contact Ellen Muentener, Director, Volunteer Services emuentener@northwell.edu.

White Plains Hospital Urgent Care Center in Armonk

December 1, 2016 by Andrew Vitelli

whiteplainshosptial_image-2 — The team at White Plains Hospital Medical and Wellness in Armonk.

Since last fall, Armonk residents have had one of the region’s top urgent care centers right outside their doors.

White Plains Hospital Medical and Wellness, a 24,000-square-foot facility on Armonk’s Business Park Drive, opened last November and has served thousands of patients from northern Westchester and Connecticut.

“What people will find in Armonk is urgent care that goes well beyond basic services,” says Frances Bordoni, Senior Vice President of Ambulatory and Physician Services and Business Development at White Plains Hospital. “Our physicians are able to diagnose and treat a wide variety of conditions. They have access to the Hospital’s extensive clinical resources, and they can support patients after an urgent care visit, right here in the community, through referrals to and communication with our extensive physician network.”

The urgent care center is geared towards patients with injuries or illnesses that require immediate medical attention but aren’t necessarily serious enough to merit a trip to the emergency room. This includes sore throats, the flu, or common sprains.

“As one of only two hospital-operated urgent care centers in New York State, we are able to provide a higher level of care than most urgent care centers that offer only basic labs, basic x-rays,” says Farrukh Jafri, M.D., Co-medical Director of Urgent Care. “Here you’ll always be seen by an Emergency Medicine physician. We also have on-site imaging, and we can analyze blood work and labs in real time.”

The center is open seven days a week, from 3 to 11 p.m. on weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends, while a full-service Diagnostic Imaging Center is open weekdays from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. and weekends from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. For more information, the public is invited to call 914-849-7900 or visit www.wphospital.org. The center is located at 99 Business Park Drive in Armonk.