The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Northern Westchester Hospital

Top Ten Tips for Moms-to-Be

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Courtesy of Northern Westchester Hospital

When it comes to pregnancy, sometimes it’s hard to know what’s true, and which commonly accepted “facts” are outdated, incorrect, or even harmful. While much traditional wisdom gets handed down within a family, there are facts about fertility, pregnancy, and birth that every expecting mother should know. Read on to learn from Dr. Navid Mootabar, MD, Chief of Obstetrics & Gynecology, and Director at Large of the Institute of Robotic & Minimally Invasive Surgery at Northern Westchester Hospital (NWH), the ten best tips for moms-to-be.

1. Take a prenatal vitamin.

According to Dr. Mootabar, while it’s uncertain whether women who consume a well-balanced diet need prenatal vitamins, they can be beneficial. Look for a prenatal vitamin with the proper folic acid intake of 400-800 micrograms, an iron content of 30 milligrams, 600 IU of vitamin D, and 1,000 milligrams of calcium.

2. “You don’t need to eat for two.”

While it’s important to eat a well-balanced diet, the expression “eating for two” is misleading. In fact, you only need to increase your calorie intake by 350-450 extra calories a day. The recommended weight gain for pregnancy is 25-35 pounds (15-20 pounds for overweight women). A healthy diet should include two servings of fish weekly. Choose fish high in DHA and low in mercury; avoid shark, swordfish, mackerel, and tilefish. And good news for sushi lovers: While pregnant women should avoid raw fish, according to Dr. Mootabar, “there’s no evidence to suggest that sushi prepared in a clean, reputable place poses a risk.” So enjoy your tempura and California rolls!

3. Avoid alcohol.

While some studies suggest that a small amount of alcohol may be safe, Dr. Mootabar recommends speaking with your physician first.

4. Have sex if you’re in the mood.

If you feel comfortable having sex while pregnant, there’s no reason to wait until after baby arrives. Intercourse won’t harm the baby or cause pre-term labor. Can sex induce labor at the end of a pregnancy? While some studies suggest semen contains prostaglandins that can stimulate labor, there’s no clear-cut evidence for this old wives’ tale.

5. Take a dip.

Swimming pools are fine for pregnant women as long as the water is below body temperature. However, avoid hot tubs.

6. You don’t need to give up your beauty routine.

Nail polish and cosmetics are generally safe during pregnancy. Topical creams containing salicylic acid are unlikely to pose a risk when used sparingly, as very little is absorbed through the skin. As for hair dyes, the amount of dye material that enters the body is small, so hair dye is presumed safe during pregnancy.

7. Take care of your smile.

Poor oral hygiene can lead to pre-term labor, so Dr. Mootabar recommends getting a dental cleaning during pregnancy. Pregnant women should continue their routine dental procedures, such as root canals and fillings, and can even undergo X-rays as long as the abdomen and thyroid are shielded.

8. Don’t give up your daily coffee – but DO cut back to safe amounts.

Small amounts of caffeine are fine for pregnant women, but limit yourself to two cups a day. There’s no evidence that artificial sweeteners increase the risk of birth defects, with the possible exception of saccharin. While there’s conflicting data, some research suggests this sweetener may increase the risk of bladder cancer in babies.

9. Don’t become easy mosquito prey.

Going on a babymoon or getaway before baby? Be sure to use insect repellents that have DEET. They’re safe in pregnancy and should be used in areas at high risk for the Zika virus, which spreads through infected mosquitoes and can cause birth defects.

10. Break that cigarette and vaping habit.

Smoking can cause pregnancy loss, low birth weight, stillbirth, and other serious problems. Dr. Mootabar notes that while the long-term effects of vaping are unknown, it’s not safe during pregnancy. “In fact, we’re seeing a huge increase in vaping-related illnesses and respiratory issues.” Bottom line: no smoking, vaping, marijuana or nicotine. Northern Westchester Hospital offers free smoking cessation classes. To register, call (914) 666-1868.

If you’re expecting, be sure to check out our mother/baby classes at nwhfamilycenter.eventbrite.com

Visit us at nwhc.net

Empowering Westchester Residents to Better Health at the Innovative Center for Healthy Living

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Northern Westchester Hospital (NWH) believes that health care is about getting involved in health rather than just sickness. The hospital is supporting, coaching, and empowering Westchester residents to become partners in their care. From physical therapy to weight management to the new and innovative Center for Healthy Living, the NWH services offered at Chappaqua Crossing are designed to keep the people of Westchester healthy and out of the hospital, enjoying the activities they love.

Through the Center for Healthy Living, NWH offers the community free Healthcare Navigation services. A Healthcare Navigator can work with you to understand your health and wellness needs and can connect you with experts and services that can support you best. Some people are seeking physician referrals, others are looking for specific counseling or support, and others are in search of wellness classes. The Healthcare Navigator is available to help you in these situations and many more. To learn more, contact Lauren Selsky, Healthcare Navigator at 914-666-1955 or lselsky@northwell.edu.

Rehab services at NWH’s Chappaqua Crossing site span several specialties from physical, occupational and speech therapy to cardiac and pulmonary rehab. The goal: to enhance and restore functional ability and quality of life to those with impairments, disabilities or those recovering from an accident, illness or surgery. NWH also offers a concussion management program at Chappaqua Crossing that uses a multidisciplinary approach to effectively treat adolescents and adults who have sustained concussions. Whether the goal is to speed recovery, decrease pain or return to activities –or a combination of these goals–NWH rehab services provide patients with the education, support and motivation that they need to succeed. For more information, visit nwhrehab.org

Just next door is home to NWH’s innovative new Center for Weight Management which takes a clinical, evidence-based approach to weight management and helps you identify the core reasons you’re struggling with weight loss. The Center will help you overcome these obstacles and empower you to adopt lifelong healthy behaviors.

Northwell Health Physician Partners Surgical Services can also be found at NWH’s Chappaqua Crossing Campus, offering the community access to top-notch specialty surgery including, surgical weight loss, plastic surgery and Medi-Spa services, and Vein Center.

NWH’s clinical excellence, comprehensive services and compassionate care has earned the trust of patients, their families and referring physicians. To learn more about these services and many more, visit nwhc.net.

News courtesy of Northern Westchester Hospital

LiveOnNY and TSO Honor Northern Westchester Hospital’s President and CEO, Joel Seligman

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A “Make a Difference Award” during Organ Donor Enrollment Day

Northern Westchester Hospital President and CEO Joel Seligman receives LiveOnNY’s Make A Difference award from LiveOnNY President and CEO Helen Irving.

On Organ Donor Enrollment Day, Helen Irving, President & CEO of LiveOnNY, presented Northern Westchester Hospital (NWH) President and CEO, Joel Seligman, with the Make A Difference award for his continued support of organ donation. Seligman was honored for his commitment to raising awareness, providing education and registering lifesaving donors. Assemblyman David Buchwald, Janet Ocasio from Transplant Support Organization, and Mount Kisco Mayor Gina Picinich were also on hand to show their support and appreciation.

NWH received Platinum status from LiveOnNY for four years in a row for having the largest effort to increase the number of registered donors at a community hospital.  New York State has the lowest rate of registered eligible organ donors in the country.  As part of the event, NWH hosted an organ donation enrollment table.

ABOUT LIVEONNY:

LiveOnNY is a nonprofit, federally designated organ procurement organization (OPO) dedicated to saving lives, providing comfort, and strengthening legacies through organ, eye, and tissue donation. The OPO, which was established in 1978, serves a culturally and ethnically diverse population of 13 million residents in New York City, Long Island and the lower Hudson Valley. Working closely with transplant centers and hospitals, LiveOnNY coordinates organ, eye, and tissue donation for transplant, educates the public and healthcare professionals about donation and transplantation, and promotes the importance of signing up on the New York State Donate Life Registry.  LiveOnNY works closely with 11 transplant centers, nearly 100 hospitals, and several tissue and eye banks.  LiveOnNY is accredited by the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO) and a member of the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), which oversees the organ transplant waiting list in the U.S. For more information, please visit LiveOnNY.org.

(L-R): New York State Assemblyman David Buchwald, Janet Ocasio of the Transplant Support Organization; NWH President and CEO Joel Seligman; Mount Kisco Mayor Gina Picinich; and LiveOnNY President and CEO, Helen Irving, celebrate Organ Donor Enrollment Day.

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.

Northern Westchester Hospital Earns Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation

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Patient in Northwell ED Photo credit: Northwell Health

MOUNT KISCO, NY – In recognition of excellence in care for older patients, Northern Westchester Hospital (NWH) was among Northwell Health’s 17 emergency departments across Long Island, New York City and Westchester to receive recognition from the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) for its expertise in caring for geriatric patients. Northwell is the first health system in the nation to have every ED in its network accredited.

“This achievement was made possible by the close collaboration between our emergency department teams, and geriatric and palliative care clinicians to deliver high-quality care to older adults who need a tailored approach to meet their needs during an ED visit,” said James Dwyer, MD, chief of Emergency Services at NWH. “Seniors who arrive in the emergency department need extra support and our staff recognizes it can be a challenge to navigate a complex medical system. I’m extremely proud of the teamwork demonstrated by our remarkable interdisciplinary team, and their energy and commitment in enhancing care for seniors during some of their most vulnerable times.”

The voluntary geriatric accreditation provides specific criteria and goals for emergency clinicians and administrators. The accreditation recommends more than two dozen best practices for geriatric care.  NWH was awarded a level 3 accreditation, which requires many of these best practices and geriatric education for emergency medicine staff, as well as screenings and programs focused on older adults.  Those include: geriatric-friendly equipment availability and policies regarding routine assessments for delirium, dementia or fall risk.

New York State is home to the third-largest elderly population in the country, according to the New York Academy of Medicine. Over the next decade, adults 65 years and older are expected to grow to 20 percent of the US population. Across Northwell Health, emergency departments report over 800,000 visits annually, of which nearly 30 percent of patients are 65 years and older.

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.

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

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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.