The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Northwell

Teens Show How to Have Fun While Social Distancing

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Mount Kisco, NY–Hoping to make a difference during COVID-19 quarantine and concerned their peers were getting antsy to get out and socialize, Northern Westchester Hospital’s (NWH)  President’s Junior Leadership Council (PJLC) produced a video encouraging teens to social distance and have fun at the same time (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0-9yp54HZU .

The video stars students at high schools throughout Northern Westchester– enjoying at home activities that include dancing, painting, playing basketball and cooking.

“We’re hoping to motivate teenagers to find interesting and enjoyable activities they can do in quarantine,” says 15-year-old Byram Hills High School sophomore Sydney Levy. “Ultimately, staying home is the answer to ending the spread of this pandemic, and it is important to physically distance whenever it is necessary to leave home.”

Wags & Whiskers
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If you want to be cool, follow one simple rule: Stay home, the video begins.  It concludes by saying, We know everyone is feeling FOMO from COVID-19 and ends with students, each in their home, holding a word to collectively spell out The Shorter It Will Be Is Up To You And Me.

“Physical distancing contributes to the safety of the community and the health and wellbeing of the doctors, nurses and staff at Northern Westchester Hospital,” says 17-year old Sacred Heart junior Madison Mezzatesta, “We hope our video inspires others in the community to find things that they love doing at home to make the most of this difficult experience.”

PJLC is currently working on more COVID 19 videos, in an effort to create a series of inspirational messages for teens.

The NWH PJLC is a leadership organization that helps high school students in northern Westchester connect to their community; promotes the health, safety and wellbeing of adolescents and young adults; and engages them on issues that matter to them and affects their lives. Its members include 50 high school students from communities served by the hospital: Chappaqua, Armonk, Yorktown, Byram Hills, North Salem, Bedford, Katonah-Lewisboro, Somers and Pleasantville.

NWH relies on the PJLC to help hospital administrators understand issues facing teens and adolescents, and the students provide input on health-related educational programming that the hospital offers at local schools. Each year, students from the PJLC identify a major health concern within their peer group and develop creative, relatable ways in which educators can inform students, parents, and the community.

News courtesy of Northern Westchester Hospital

Northwell Labs Begins Manual Testing of COVID-19 Samples

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One of nation’s largest, health system-run diagnostic labs

receives approval to perform COVID-19 testing

LAKE SUCCESS, NY – After a visit to its sophisticated, 100,000-square-foot diagnostic facility by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, Northwell Health Labs today received state and federal authorization to begin manual testing for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

Utilizing a testing process developed and approved by the New York State Department of Health (DOH), Northwell’s Lab expects to manually test 90 potential COVID-19 samples within the first full day, said Dwayne Breining, MD, executive director of the Northwell Labs. With one of North America’s largest automated testing lines, the facility processes about 20 million tests annually. Beyond the manual testing authorized today, Northwell Labs is seeking the US Food & Drug Administration’s approval to use semi-automated testing within the next week. This would give the laboratory the capability to process hundreds of tests daily, with a plan to ramp up to thousands daily in the near future.

“Over the past week, we’ve been developing the test for COVID-19, thanks to the assistance we‘ve received from New York State’s DOH Laboratory,” said Dr. Breining. “Now that the accuracy of our testing process has been validated, we can begin notifying providers and patients of their lab results and start gearing up for an automated testing process that would enable us to significantly expand the number of samples we can process.”

While the expanded ability to test patients for COVID-19 will greatly enhance Northwell’s ability to manage patients with potential infection, testing will continue to be reserved for those at risk for severe disease and who have had confirmed close contact with an infected individual.

“Only people who meet that criteria will be tested – and that testing is currently being performed at hospital emergency departments and urgent care centers,” said John D’Angelo, MD, chair of emergency medicine at Northwell, which operates 18 emergency departments throughout New York City, Long Island and Westchester County. “Even as our testing capacity increases, we will continue to screen people judiciously so we can focus our attention on those most at risk for severe COVID-19 infection who require more-immediate and intensive medical attention. All others who are concerned about exposure but who have mild or no symptoms should recuperate at home.”

Built at a cost of $60 million and opened in 2019, Northwell’s Core Lab within the health system’s Center for Advanced Medicine in Lake Success performs testing for Northwell’s 23 hospitals and 800 outpatient facilities, as well as thousands of physician offices and dozens of other hospitals, including NYC Health+Hospitals.


From left: New York State Commissioner of Health Howard Zucker, Governor Andrew Cuomo, Dr. Dwayne Breining and Northwell President and CEO Michael Dowling tour Northwell Health Labs. Credit Northwell Health.

At a news conference Sunday morning, Governor Cuomo called on the federal government to speed up its authorization process to allow more clinical laboratories to begin testing for COVID-19.  “This is one of the most technologically advanced labs in the state of New York, and one of the most sophisticated labs in the United States of America. This lab can do high-throughput automated testing, which expands exponentially the number of tests that can be done,” Governor Cuomo said.  “Let’s increase as quickly as possible our testing capacity so we identify the positive people, so we can isolate them and be successful in our containment.”

Several hours after the Governor’s news conference, Northwell received approval to move forward with the manual testing.

Northwell Health President & CEO Michael Dowling praised the Governor and state Department of Health for their leadership in responding to the coronavirus epidemic. “I thank the Governor for not only giving us the support we need to begin testing for COVID-19, but also in declaring a state of emergency that will help expedite the procurement of emergency provisions, such as testing kits and cleaning supplies,” said Mr. Dowling

To prepare its lab to begin COVID-19 testing, Northwell has invested over $2 million in recent weeks for lab supplies and equipment, part of an overall outlay of more than $5 million the health system has spent over the past seven weeks on coronavirus preparation.

Click here to see video and photos of Northwell Labs’ testing process.  

 

This news is courtesy of Northwell Health.

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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.

Magi Shower Kids with Gifts at Northern Westchester Hospital’s Annual Three Kings Day celebration

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 In honor of Three Kings Day—aka the Feast of the Epiphany—when three wise men presented gifts to baby Jesus, three elaborately costumed Magi and their assistant distributed gifts to young children as parents, and Northern Westchester Hospital pediatrician Dr. Peter Richel and chief of pediatrics Dr. Vicki Buetti-Sgouros (NWH), led the celebration. The event, a beloved, annual tradition sponsored by NWH’s Department of Pediatrics and Neighbors Link, supports both organizations’ commitment to serving the community and celebrates the cultural traditions of Westchester’s Latino residents.

 

Magi with very excited gift recipient at Northern Westchester Hospital Three Kings Day celebration.
Northern Westchester pediatrician Dr. Richel and pediatrics chair Dr. Buetti-Sgouros with young Three Kings Day celebrants.
Excited Three Kings Day gift recipient and friend.
Dr. Richel and Dr. Buetti-Sgouros with the Magi, their assistant and a young guest at Northern Westchester Hospital’s Three Kings Day celebration.
(L-R) Dr. Richel, the Magi and their assistant, and Dr. Buetti-Sgouros at Northern Westchester Hospital’s Three Kings Day celebration.
One of the Magi with mom and child at Northern Westchester Hospital’s Three Kings Day celebration.

 

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.

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.