In Good Health: CNY #269 - May 2022 by In Good Health: CNY's Healthcare Newspaper

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MAY 2022 • ISSUE 269

UPSTATE-CROUSE

Upstate Medical University plans to acquire Crouse Health. But is the move good for patients? Local experts help us understand what’s behind the plan. P 12

AGE IN PLACE Physician David G. Heisig, medical director of PACE CNY, explains how his program helps people age in place. P4

HOW TO CREATE A PERFECT DAY P. 10 Cream cheese: the good, the bad, and the lovely P. 15

CELEBRATING AREA NURSES National Nurses Week is in May; a great time to thank nurses for their incredible, dedicated and continued work.

ALSO INSIDE WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A NURSE, P. 17 LONG-TERM NURSES LEAD WITH EMPATHY, NURSES AND THEIR HOBBIES, P. 19

P. 16

Half of World’s People Suffer From Headaches

f you suffer from headaches, you have plenty of company. Headaches afflict half of the world’s population, and women are more likely to get them than men, a new paper says. “We found that the prevalence of headache disorders remains high worldwide and the burden of different types may impact many. We should endeavor to reduce this burden through prevention and better treatment,” said study lead author Lars Jacob Stovner, of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. The researchers reviewed 357 studies published between 1961 and the end of 2020. They found that 52% of people have a headache within a given year, including 14% with migraine, 26% with a tension-type headache and about 5% with a headache for 15 or more days a month. On any given day, almost 16% of people worldwide have a headache and nearly half (7%) have a migraine, according to the findings. The results were published April 12 in the Journal of Headache and Pain. All types of headache are more common in women than men, especially migraines (17% in females vs. about 9% in males) and headaches on 15 or more days a month (6% in females vs. less than 3% in males). “Compared to our previous report and global estimates, the data does suggest that headaches and migraines rates may be increasing. However, given that we could explain only 30% or less of the varia-

tion in headache estimates with the measures we looked at, it would be premature to conclude headaches are definitively increasing,” Stovner said in a journal news release. “What is clear is that over-

all, headache disorders are highly prevalent worldwide and can be a high burden. It may also be of interest in future to analyze the different causes of headaches that varied across groups to target preven-

Opening a New Door to Addiction Treatment Addiction affects all, regardless of background, race, ethnicity, gender, religion or socio-economic status. In recent years, communities across our nation — including Central New York — have experienced alarming increases in the number of people needing addiction treatment services. As the longest running treatment program in the region, Crouse Health’s Addiction Treatment Services remains committed to our mission to expand access to care and ensure delivery of high-quality addiction and mental health treatment in our community. We are proud of our new facility that matches the caliber of our staff and provides a nurturing, safe and uplifting environment that is already greatly enhancing our focus on holistic patient care: The Bill & Sandra Pomeroy Treatment Center at Crouse Health. If you, a loved one, friend or colleague is in need of treatment for substance use disorder, please contact us at 315-470-8304 or visit crouse.org/addiction. Bill & Sandra Pomeroy Treatment Center in Syracuse. The two-story, 42,000 square-foot facility at 2775 Erie Blvd., East, replaces the 100-year-old former location of Crouse’s outpatient treatment services at 410 South Crouse Avenue.

Page 2 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • May 2022

tion and treatment more effectively,” he added. Most of the studies in the analysis included adults aged 20-65, but some also included adults older than 65 and children as young as age 5.

“My wife knew that I was mixing things up at work.” — Mario, living with Alzheimer’s

When something feels different, it could be Alzheimer’s. Now is the time to talk. Visit

alz.org/ourstories to learn more

May 2022 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • Page 3

Meet

DRIVERS WANTED IN OSWEGO COUNTY In Good Health newspaper is expanding its distribution and is recruiting one or two drivers to distribute copies of this paper and other publications in Oswego County. Ideal for active retirees or stay-at-home moms. Work 2–3 days a month. $13.20 per hour plus 30 cents mileage reimbursement. CALL KATE AT 315-342-1182

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Your Doctor

By Chris Motola

David G. Heisig, M.D.

Medical director of PACE CNY explains how his program helps people age in place. “If you join our program, we basically take care of you,” he says Q: What does “all-inclusive” mean in the context of elderly care? A: PACE [Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly] is a program that’s been in effect since the early ‘80s. And the concept began in San Francisco in the 1960s. What we do is provide a series of comprehensive healthcare services for the elderly. Elderly is defined here as 55 and older. The program is largely sponsored by the federal government through Medicare and Medicaid. What we provide is primary care, clinic nursing, home care nursing as needed, physical therapy, occupational therapy, recreational therapy, dietitians and transportation appropriate to healthcare, i.e., to our clinics, specialists or labs. We also cover dentistry and podiatry within our own system. And we have consultants in the community as well if our clinics are full. We also have social workers. So if you join our program, we basically take care of you. Q: What’s not covered? A: We don’t take care of housing you. We don’t pay your rent. We don’t necessarily take care of feeding you, although you will be given a meal at our day centers if you come. And we won’t clothe you, per se. We are a full spectrum healthcare delivery system designed for older folks who need that kind of comprehensive service. Q: So it’s mainly to support people still out in the community? A: That’s a great question. We’re designed to essentially help people age in place. So this service is largely designed for patients who are in their own home, in their family home or in senior living. But we do also take care of people in facilities, including skilled nursing facilities if necessary. But the bulk of our patients and the focus of our program is to help folks stay in their homes or with their family members and to avoid having to move into facilities. Q: On that note, you recently published a piece in In

Page 4 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • May 2022

Good Health on helping families make the decision to seek senior services for their elder family members. What are some of the considerations families should make, and why are they so difficult? A: If you look at the cycle of life, when people are young, you see growth and the promise of the future, even when you’re cleaning up after them. Towards the end of life, when people become more frail and need assistance, it’s not as charming. It’s not as hopeful. It’s depressing and sad at times. So as we deal with our loved ones aging and needing more support, we work through those difficult decisions to help people meet those needs throughout the remainder of their loved ones’ lives. You might have someone who is relatively healthy, relatively independent, but can’t do all their cooking and cleaning. We may be able to set them up in their own home with support, and they can live the rest of their lives there very happily. On the other hand, you may have a more extreme situation where someone isn’t able to self-toilet, feed themselves or do anything like that at all. And if they don’t have a family support network, they might end up in a skilled nursing facility. So we deal with that full spectrum. Each individual person needs a very comprehensive assessment to see what they have, what resources they bring to the table, what family support they have, and to work through that process to help them come up with a decision that best suits them. Some-

times there have to be compromises. Sometimes wish and need align, and sometimes they don’t. When I talk about the extreme of someone having to enter a nursing home, when we talk about safety and stability and good medical care. If someone is home alone with no support and wanders, turns on the oven, or falls or burns themselves, we have to think about supervision. On the other hand, if the person just can’t buy their own groceries, can’t mow their lawn or needs a reminder to take their medication, those people can be great candidates for living in the community with support. Q: How far ahead should people plan for this kind of thing? A: Plan ahead. Most of us will age. Most of us will require some support as we age. The better families plan ahead, the better things generally turn out to be. Q: You mentioned the services can kick in as young as 55. How do you do with the broad range of ages you serve? A: PACE and Loretto look at the individual. The people joining our programs at 55 are generally people who have multiple medical problems and need significant support. Many people at 55 are healthy, working and do not need PACE services. For that matter there are people who are 85, working and don’t need us. So the program was initially designed by the government to use 55 as the early cut-off point. That number’s up for debate. It could one day be lowered to a younger age. The patients that we see are not healthy in general. So it’s not so much the diversity of age, but people who are older by illness. So we try to provide help in a more universal way. Do you need help paying your bills? Do you need help remembering to take your medication? Do you need transportation? Do you get bored alone? Those are the sorts of things we provide in a PACE program. Q: We’re coming oﬀ of a period of extreme isolation on a societal level. How do you help seniors who are struggling from having been isolated? A: During normal times we have active day centers where people can socialize, see their physician, social worker, get a shower, a meal, have their clothes washed. When COVID-19 struck, we started doing a lot more telehealth, including recreational therapy. Or we’d use mobile care units rather than having people congregate in a central location. That will get better, hopefully very soon. Then we’ll start bringing people back to our day centers and the resocialization can begin.

Lifelines

Name: David G. Heisig, M.D. Position: Medical director of PACE CNY Hometown: Quaker Street (Schenectady County) Education: Albany Medical College (1979–1983); resident in medicine, SUNY Health Science Center (19841986); fellowship in gastroenterology, SUNY Health Science Center (1989– 1991) Organizations: American College of Physicians; Onondaga Medical Society; Medical Society of the State of New York Family: Wife

MEET THE UPSTATE UROLOGY TEAM Chairman Urologic oncology; robotic and laparoscopic surgery of prostate, kidney, bladder and adrenal

General urology, andrology

GENNADY BRATSLAVSKY, MD ZAHI N. MAKHULI, MD

Male infertility, erectile dysfunction, andrology, general urology, prosthetics, and Peyronies

OLEG SHAPIRO, MD

Pediatric urology, treatment of hernias and hydroceles, robotic surgery, urinary tract infections, penile abnormalities

MATTHEW D. MASON, MD

JC TRUSSELL, MD

General urology, female and reconstructive urology

ELIZABETH FERRY, MD

General Urology, Endourology and Laporoscopic Surgery

EDWARD IOFFE, MD

Urologic oncology and endourology, robotic and laparoscopic surgery of prostate, kidney, bladder and adrenal; kidney stones

General urology, male health, urologic oncology, enlarged prostate, kidney stones At Upstate Urology of Auburn.

RYAN SIDEBOTTOM, DO

Reconstructive urology; incontinence, prosthetics, urinary fistula, neurogenic bladder, urinary diversion. Robotic surgery.

Urologic oncology; robotic and laparoscopic surgery of prostate, kidney, bladder and adrenal

RUBEN PINKHASOV, MD, MPH Pediatric urology, treatment of hernias and hydroceles, robotic surgery, urinary tract infections, penile abnormalities

ANTHONY J. TRACEY, MD, MPH, FAAP

DMITRIY NIKOLAVSKY, MD

IMAD NSOULI, MD

Female and reconstructive urology, urinary incontinence in women, pelvic floor treatment and neurourology

NATASHA GINZBURG, MD Urologic oncology; robotic and laparoscopic surgery of prostate, kidney, bladder and adrenal

NICK LIU, MD Urologic Oncology; robotic and laparoscopic surgery of prostate, kidney, bladder, and adrenal

Urologic oncology; robotic surgery of prostate, kidney, bladder

Kidney Stones, Minimally Invasive Kidney Surgery, Enlarged Prostate

TOM SANFORD, MD

Pediatric urology, treatment of hernias and hydroceles, robotic surgery, urinary tract infections, penile abnormalities

JEFF VILLANUEVA, MD

TIMOTHY K. BYLER, MD

General urology, male health, urologic oncology, enlarged prostate, kidney stones , and robotic surgery

MAHMOUD CHEHAB, MD

SCOTT WIENER, MD

MRI fusion, male health, prostate cancer and kidney stones

General urology

Urologic oncology; robotic and laparoscopic surgery of prostate, kidney, bladder and adrenal

JOSEPH JACOB, MD

STEPHEN BLAKELY, MD

Incontinence, urethral stricture disease, vesicovaginal fistula, reconstructive surgery, transgender care

HANAN GOLDBERG, MD, MSc

General urology

ROBERT FLEISCHER, MD

UROLOGY

FOR QUESTIONS OR TO MAKE MAK KE A REFERRAL, CALL 315.464.1500 May 2022 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • Page 5

500 New Yorkers Die Every Year Waiting for Transplants increasing the number of people who register to be donors.” In New York state, the need for donors is among the highest of any state in the union, but just 45% of state residents who are eligible have enrolled in the Donate Life Registry. All New York state residents age 16 and older can enroll to donate their organs, eyes, and/or tissues after their death. One organ donor can save eight lives and heal 75 more through eye and tissue donation. • Donatable organs include the heart, kidneys, pancreas, lungs, liver and intestines. • Donatable tissues include the eyes and corneas, skin, heart valves, bone, blood vessels, nerve, cartilage and connective tissues. Following registration, donors receive a letter or email providing information on how to change or limit their donation. Registration is a legal document ensuring the person’s wish to be a donor is carried out. Family will be told of the decision and given

information about the process, but their permission is not needed for the donation to proceed. “New Yorkers are generous, kind and want to help others — they just need to know how. Anyone aged 16 and older can join the New York State Donate Life Registry and potentially save the lives of up to eight people through organ donation and

heal 75 more through tissue donation,” says Aisha Tator, executive director of Donate Life New York State. “Registering as an organ and tissue donor is an extraordinary act, and we encourage every New Yorker to sign up today and give someone in need the gift of life.” New York state has simplified the process to register as an organ and

You can also complete a paper or online registration form, or check to see if you’ve already registered to be an organ donor, atwww.DonateLife. NY.gov. More information is also available at The Center for Donation & Transplant (www.cdtnyvt.org), a federally designated organ procurement organization in Upstate New York.

Health: American Women Rank Last Among Women in Developed Countries

carrier upcoding in Advantage plans. Upcoding, which is technically fraud, occurs when a commercial carrier claims that their members are sicker than the average Medicare member, so the carrier requires higher payments from Medicare to operate. About 50% of seniors are enrolled in an Advantage plan versus traditional Medicare. To be fair, Advantage plans do offer more services than traditional Medicare.

Again, our representatives continue to kowtow to the drug industry with this rather harmless bill. As of this writing, it is remains uncertain if Congress will finally pass a bill that minimally allows Medicare to negotiate prices (versus set prices) with drug manufacturers. Without any compunction, Congress has no problem setting prices for physicians and hospitals.

ore than 8,500 New York state residents are waiting for an organ transplant that can save their life, according to a review of state data by Excellus BlueCross BlueShield. Unfortunately, time will run out for around 500 of them, as that is the average number of New Yorkers who die each year before a compatible organ becomes available. “These aren’t just statistics, but rather our loved ones, coworkers, and neighbors,” says physician Lorna Fitzpatrick, vice president medical affairs and senior medical director at Excellus BCBS. “We can increase their odds for a successful donor match by

tissue donor, including allowing registration through the Department of Motor Vehicles when you apply for a driver’s license or permit (www. DMV.NY.gov), through the Board of Elections when you register to vote, and through the NYS of Health marketplace when you sign up for, or renew, a health insurance plan (www.NYStateofHealth.NY.gov).

In New York state, the need for donors is among the highest of any state in the union.

Healthcare in a Minute

By George W. Chapman

he US belongs to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Most of the economically advanced countries in the world are members. The OECD tracks costs, morbidity, access and outcomes among member nations. (Spoiler alert: The US has historically underperformed in most categories.) In a recent study of women’s health, in age group 19-49, involving the top 11 countries by income, the US placed last in most metrics covered. (Notably, the US is the only country in the top 11 without universal healthcare.) The US ranked last in the death rate from avoidable causes like pregnancy-re-

lated complications. The US maternal mortality rate was three times the 11-country average. US women have the highest out-of-pocket costs of all 11 countries in the study which can account for delayed, postponed or put off care. Fifty percent of US women said they had trouble paying a bill versus an average 10% in the other countries surveyed. The US ranked last in meeting mental health needs. US women have the highest rate of multiple chronic conditions. Finally, US women are least likely to have a regular provider. The US did manage to retain its No. 1 ranking in per capita cost of care.

Affordable Care Act: Fixing the Glitches

online. Individuals who must spend more than 9.5% of their income on employer provided insurance may opt to purchase more affordable commercial insurance (discount based on income) through an exchange. The problem has been that while it helped the individual, it didn’t help their dependents. Five million families were negatively impacted. A proposed rule that will fix the “family glitch” has recently been introduced. The entire household will be eligible for discounted insurance if employer family coverage exceeds 9.5% of family or household income.

Also referred to as Obamacare, the ACA became law 12 years ago after intense negotiations with stakeholder trade associations representing commercial insurers, physicians, hospitals and the 50 states. All stakeholders agreed to participate in the ACA with the notable exception of drug manufacturers. At the time, more than 50 million people lacked health insurance. They typically earned too much to qualify for Medicaid and not enough to afford expensive commercial insurance. The ACA has survived more than 60 politically motivated attempts to repeal it. The unanswered question was always “so what is the problem?” Promises to replace the ACA with something better were just talk. The goal of critics was simply to repeal it. Today, a record 31 million people are covered by the ACA through either expanded Medicaid eligibility or by purchasing discounted commercial insurance

Medicare Premium Increase After several years of nominal increases, CMS is proposing an 8.5% premium increase for Advantage plans (Part C) and drug plans (Part D) for 2023. The rate increase reflects more claims than normal during the pandemic and overall inflation. Skeptics believe the higher rates may have been influenced by commercial

Page 6 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • May 2022

All-purpose Clinics: Walmart At It Again Is this the future of healthcare? Like it not, Walmart will open five new clinics in Florida later this year. The retail giant already operates 20 full service clinics in Georgia, Arkansas and Illinois. Walmart is capitalizing on its high foot traffic to offer health services under one roof including: in-person primary care, telemedicine, dentistry, pharmacy, durable medical equipment and basic medical supplies. Walmart claims its all-purpose clinics are typically located in underserved areas. Allowing Walmart to solve healthcare inequities in cost, access and quality, is either laudable or scary.

Insulin Costs There are more than 30 million diabetics in the US and about 7.5 million rely on insulin. By a vote of 232-193, Congress recently passed the Affordable Insulin Now Act. Unbelievably, 193 of our representatives voted no! Why? The bill caps outof-pocket costs for Part D Medicare members at $35 per month or 25% of the negotiated price. Since drug manufacturers consistently refuse to negotiate prices, it looks like the $35 cap will apply. This is hardly a victory for taxpayers. While welcome relief for seniors by capping out of pocket costs, the bill does absolutely nothing to reduce the actual cost of insulin to the Medicare program.

Birth rate down again It’s not just the US. It’s worldwide. Our birthrate has been declining since 2008. In 2020 there were 3,376,000 deaths and 3,605,000 births for a net gain of just 229,000 people, which is just a fraction of 1% of our 332 million people. The net is being impacted from both ends. There has been an increase in preventable deaths among younger people (drug overdoses, suicides, gun violence) combined with increasing reluctance among younger people to procreate because of climate change, the economy, cost and availability of childcare, the pandemic, a rapidly morphing job market and general anxiety. This trend worries health planners because as our average age increases, so do the costs of healthcare. There are fewer healthy, younger people not only to offset or subsidize the cost of caring for the elderly but to literally provide care to the elderly.

George W. Chapman is a healthcare business consultant who works exclusively with physicians, hospitals and healthcare organizations. He operates GW Chapman Consulting based in Syracuse. Email him at gwc@gwchapmanconsulting.com.

Meet our Pulaski Area Providers

Mary Barbara, PA Physician Assistant Pulaski

Lisa Beagle, PNP Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Lura Sharp School

Nicole Brubaker, FNP Family Nurse Practitioner Sandy Creek School

Jill Brushaber, FNP Family Nurse Practitioner Pulaski

Patrick Carguello, DO Family Practice Physician Pulaski

Celeste Carnes, FNP Family Nurse Practitioner Pulaski, Mexico

Annette Digby, FNP Family Nurse Practitioner Pulaski

Sarah Dunn, DDS Dentist

Mikayla Fox, PA Physician Assistant Pulaski

Dean Gardner, FNP Family Nurse Practitioner Pulaski

Brittany Gehrke, RDH Dental Hygienist Pulaski, Sandy Creek School

Anna Gofman, DDS Dental Pulaski, Fulton

Lauren Hehir, AGNP Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Pulaski

Jody Hipple, FNP Family Nurse Practitioner Pulaski High School

Megan Hollister, FNP Family Nurse Practitioner Pulaski

Annalise Isgar, RDH Dental Pulaski

Blaze Kravec, FNP Family Nurse Practitioner Pulaski

Kwi Lee, DDS Dentist

Grace Nasri, MD Family Practice Physician Pulaski

Melissa Noel, DDS Dentist

Megan Pecha, MD Pediatrician

Pulaski, Fulton

Jessica Overton, RDH Dental Hygienist Pulaski, Fairgrieve School

Richard Salvagno, DDS Dentist Pulaski

Mary Shaben, FNP Family Nurse Practitioner Pulaski

Glenn Thibault, MD Family Practice Physician Pulaski

Dorese Vecchio, RDH Dental Hygienist Pulaski, APW Schools

Jenna Walker, RDH Dental Hygienist Pulaski

Edward G Wolfe Jr., RPA-C Physician Assistant Pulaski

Pulaski

Marissa Taber, RDH Dental Hygienist Pulaski

Pulaski

Your health is as important as ever. ConnextCare is here to help! Say Hello to Healthy! ConnextCare offers highly qualiﬁed and accessible providers at several locations throughout Oswego County. Keep you and your family healthy, safe, and happy with convenient, compassionate and comprehensive care right in your neighborhood. • Over 70 dedicated healthcare providers across our network • Acute care treatment with same-day appointments • Services include family medicine, pediatrics, dental, psychiatry, chronic condition treatment, behavioral health, and more. Say hello to the ConnextCare Pulaski team. Call today.

Pulaski

Mary Ellen Xavier Flanagan, FNP Family Nurse Practitioner Pulaski

Pulaski 61 Delano Street, Pulaski NY 13142 (315) 298-6564

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Like us on Facebook! May 2022 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • Page 7

My Turn Did You Have a Heart Attack? By Eva Briggs, MD

Pain is a symptom, but heart attacks can present without pain

hat are the signs that you might be having a heart attack? Many people think that the only sign, or a necessary sign, of a heart attack is chest pain. It is not that simple. I’m using the word heart attack because it is familiar to most people, although doctors now refer to acute coronary syndrome. ACS includes several conditions where the blood flow to the heart is acutely blocked. Examples are myocardial infarction where heart muscle is perma-

nently damaged and unstable angina where permanent damage has not yet occurred, but it may be imminent. The classic pain of heart attack is described as crushing and substernal (located beneath the breast bone). But heart attack pain can be located in other spots. Pain can be located in the arm — right, left or both. Usually the upper arm or shoulder, but sometimes radiating into the forearm. For example, years ago I saw a patient who was well-known to me. His only complaint was right shoul-

der pain. He saw another doctor two days earlier who prescribed an anti-inflammatory pain medicine for a presumed shoulder sprain. He saw a second doctor the next day, who kept the same diagnosis and added a muscle relaxer. When he came to see me, I asked whether he had done anything to injure or overuse his shoulder. He answered no. Since I knew him pretty well, I knew that he participated in sports that left him banged and bruised frequently without complaining. I decided to do an EKG just in case. We were both surprised when it showed an acute heart attack. An ambulance ride to the hospital, a trip to the cardiac cath lab, and fortunately he did well. Pain can also affect the neck, jaw or even the ear. I saw a patient in the urgent care complaining of a left earache. This older gentleman had a normal ear exam. Further questioning revealed that he had a spell of shortness of breath the previous night. The EKG showed a heart attack. Epigastric pain — pain in the upper abdomen — is common with heart attacks located in the lower part of the heart. Patients often mistake this pain for heartburn or indigestion. Nausea and vomiting, with or without epigastric pain, can also be a sign of heart attack. Many heart attacks present without pain. For example, patients with diabetes can experience a silent heart attack without symptoms, found later when an EKG or echocardiogram reveals a past heart attack.

WE’VE DOUBLED OUR HEART TEAM

Breaking out into a sweat, called diaphoresis, can be a sign of heart attack. Although usually described as a cold sweat, some patients will report that they have had a fever. They assume that fever is the only cause for sweating. Other signs of a heart attack include shortness of breath, the sudden onset of intense fatigue or weakness, palpitations, lightheadedness, dizziness, passing out or almost passing out, or sudden feelings of anxiety or doom. If you are experiencing these symptoms, an emergency room is the correct place to go. Yes, an urgent care or your primary care provider can do an EKG. But a single EKG by itself is not an adequate evaluation for a possible heart attack. Even if an initial EKG is normal, the workup requires stat labs, cardiac rhythm monitoring and bloodwork to look for markers of heart injury. Don’t wait because time is heart muscle. Delay risks permanent damage to your heart and other vital organs or death. Eva Briggs is a retired medical doctor who practiced in Central New York for several decades. She lives in Marcellus.

THE CARDIOVASCULAR GROUP OF SYRACUSE JOINED UPSTATE CARDIOLOGY FACULTY.

PHYSICIANS FROM TOP LEFT:

Dana C. Aiello, MD Larry S. Charlamb, MD Mark J. Charlamb, MD Christopher A. Nardone, MD Matthew S. O’Hern, MD Charles Perla, MD Theresa Waters, DO Andrew M. Weinberg, DO

UPSTATE PHYSICIANS FROM LEFT: Timothy D. Ford, MD Robert L. Carhart, Jr., MD Debanik Chaudhuri, MD Hani Kozman, MD Sakti Pada Mookherjee, MD Amy Tucker, MD Daniel Villarreal, MD

Our united expertise brings you advanced technology and streamlined care. As part of the Upstate Heart Institute, we provide connections to research and surgical care.

OUR OFFICE LOCATIONS

Cardiovascular Group Page 8 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • May 2022

5112 WEST TAFT ROAD Liverpool • 315-701-2170

208 TOWNSHIP BLVD Camillus • 315-488-2372

102 WEST SENECA STREET Manlius • 315-464-9335

510 TOWNE DRIVE Fayetteville • 315-663-0500

90 PRESIDENTIAL PLAZA Syracuse • 315-464-9335

138 EAST GENESEE STREET Baldwinsville • 315-720-1305

Need help getting long term care or behavioral health services through your managed care plan?

U.S. STD Cases Spiked During Pandemic

ven as the COVID-19 pandemic kept people isolated at home, sexually transmitted disease (STDs) cases increased across the United States. Although cases fell in the pandemic’s early months, infections rose again by the end of 2020, with gonorrhea, syphilis and congenital syphilis surpassing 2019 levels, according to a new U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report. “STDs have been increasing now for maybe seven years in a row,” said physician Leandro Mena, director of the CDC’s Division of STD Prevention. “These increases have roots in a decrease in funding public health, which has affected health departments’ ability to provide screening, treatment, prevention and partner services,” he added. Increased substance use, which is linked to social practices and socioeconomic conditions making it difficult to access services, also plays a role, Mena said. The new 2020 STD Surveillance Report, released April 12, found that at the end of 2020: • Cases of gonorrhea and primary and secondary syphilis rose 10% and 7%, respectively, compared with 2019. • Syphilis among newborns, called congenital syphilis, also rose

by nearly 15% from 2019, and 235% from 2016. Primary and secondary syphilis and congenital syphilis cases continued to rise in 2021. • Cases of chlamydia dropped by 13% from 2019. • Chlamydia accounts for the largest proportion of reported STDs. Researchers suspect the reported drop in cases owes to reduced STD screening and underdiagnosis during the pandemic, and not a true reduction in new infections. The decline in reported chlamydia cases contributed to a drop in the number of reported STDs in 2020 —from 2.5 million cases in 2019 to 2.4 million in 2020. The researchers cited several factors contributing to the decline in STD cases in the first part of 2020, including: • Less screening. • Public health workers sidelined to work on COVID-19. • Shortages of STD tests and lab supplies. • Lapses in health insurance caused by unemployment. • A surge in telemedicine that resulted in less frequent screening and left some infections unreported. •The highest rates of new STIs were seen among gay and bisexual men and teens, the CDC reported. “Over 50% of all STDs are reported among people who are younger than 24 years old,” Mena said.

“Without the help of ICAN, my mother would not have received the home care services I requested.”

Call ICAN at (844) 614-8800 or visit icannys.org

A program of the

ICAN is funded by the State of New York

ONONDAGA, OSWEGO, CAYUGA & MADISON COUNTIES A monthly newspaper published by Local News, Inc. 33,500 copies distributed throughout more than 1,000 high-traffic locations, including all Wegmans stores.

In Good Health is published 12 times a year by Local News, Inc. © 2022 Local News, Inc. All rights reserved. P.O. Box 276, Oswego, NY 13126 Phone: 315-342-1182 • Fax: 315-342-7776 • Email: editor@cnyhealth.com Editor & Publisher: Wagner Dotto • Writers: Deborah J. Sergeant, Jim Miller, Gwenn Voelckers, Anne Palumbo, Chris Motola, Melissa Stefanec, Eva Briggs (MD), Mary Beth Roach, Ernst Lamothe Jr. Steve Yablonski, Michael Ritter • Advertising: Amy Gagliano, Cassandra Lawson Layout & Design: Joey Sweener • Ofﬁce Manager: Kate Honebein

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May 2022 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • Page 9

Live Alone & Thrive

By Gwenn Voelckers

Practical tips, advice and hope for those who live alone

In May: Create Your Perfect Day!

he month of May is all about new growth and new beginnings. If you could do anything your heart desires, how would you spend a perfect day in May? I was presented with this question a while ago, and it got me thinking. I began to fantasize about what my perfect day would include. The more I thought about it, the more excited I got about making my perfect day a reality. One of the many benefits of living alone is that you have the freedom to choose exactly how you spend your time and energy. Maybe you’re looking for some introspective time to yourself. Or maybe you’ve had enough “alone time” lately and would enjoy the company of friends. Perhaps, like me, your perfect day would include a little bit of both. Like anything worthwhile, creating a perfect day takes a little thought and pre-planning. In preparation, you might ask yourself these questions: • With whom do I want share this precious day? • Which activities bring meaning to my life? • What brings me joy? And, conversely, what steals my joy? • What inspires me to be my best self? Of course, there’s no such thing as a universal perfect day. Each of us is unique and will define our perfect day differently. And by “perfect,” I don’t mean a day without hiccups or disappointments. Perfect, in my mind, includes all the imperfections that come with being human and living in the real world. A day that includes changes, challenges and snafus is also an opportunity to demonstrate your smarts. Not to mention your resilience! You get the opportunity to solve problems and prove to yourself that you are resourceful and wise. How perfect is that?!

After giving the questions above serious consideration, I designed a perfect day for myself in early May. I’ve included it here, in hopes that it might inspire you to embrace this exercise and seize the day. 5:30 a.m. — Rising and Shining I’m an early riser, so my perfect day began like every other — before sunrise. It seems the older I get, the less sleep I need. For me, it’s bonus “me time” in the morning to gently ease into my daily routine. No jarring alarm clock startles me awake; I rely on my biological clock. My eyes naturally open when my body is rested after a good night’s sleep. I stretch in bed and then roll out to pull on yesterday’s jeans to start my perfect day. 6 a.m. — Contemplating and Reﬂecting After feeding my cat Little Merry and brewing a cup of coffee, I settled onto my couch to meditate and set my intentions for the day. Little Merry popped up on my lap and together our breathing synced in the stillness. I began my day feeling grounded with an open heart, filled with gratitude. 7 a.m. — Moving and Communing with Nature As the sun rose over the tree tops, I made my way to the trail head of a nearby park. Walking is a daily ritual for me, which — no surprise — was part of my perfect day. Not only was I moving (my joints thanked me), I was moved by the serene beauty, earthy aromas, and the warmth of fresh spring air. I find my spiritual bearings in nature. 8:30 a.m. — Taking Care of Business After my invigorating walk, I returned home to enjoy a healthy breakfast, while scanning the news headlines. Then, I turned my attention to taking care of some household chores and tasks that come with being solely responsible for my home and property.

Far from burdensome, I take these responsibilities in stride and feel pride and, yes, even joy when I fulfill my obligations to myself and others. I made my bed, answered emails, paid bills, confirmed several Airbnb reservations, took out the trash, did laundry, you name it. I did what needed to be done. And that felt good! 10 a.m. — Practicing for Perfection (well, not quite) As a budding percussionist for the New Horizons community jazz band, I picked up my drum sticks, tambourine, shaker and cow bell for a good 45 minutes of practice. On this perfect day, I decided not to admonish myself for my fledgling attempts to better my technique. I love supporting my fellow percussionists and I gave myself a big high-five for making progress — however slowly. 11 a.m. — Playing Pickleball My perfect day would not be complete if I didn’t indulge in my new obsession: pickleball. I arrived at the court to find my new community of friends ready to slam the wiffle ball across the net (not!). We are a kind clan. We laugh, we encourage each other to stop apologizing for our mis-hits and we valiantly try to keep track of the score. It’s so much fun! And it’s great aerobic exercise — good for the heart on so many levels. 2 p.m. — Pampering Myself Exhausted (in a good way) after two hours of pure exhilaration on the pickleball court, I decided to do something just for me. Goodness knows my muscles needed some TLC and I wanted some pampering. In anticipation of my perfect day, I booked a Swedish massage for May 1. It goes without saying — it was “perfekt!” That’s perfect in Swedish. 3 p.m. — Committing a Random Act of Kindness My day wouldn’t be perfect without doing a little something for someone else, without expecting anything in return. On my perfect day I made it happen. On my way home from the spa, I saw the contents of my neighbor’s recycling bin blown helter-skelter. I stopped, gathered up the paper and plastic and returned the items to the bin. This small act kindness put a spring in my step!

3:30 p.m. — Taking a Catnap Need I say more? 4 p.m. — Enjoying Some Free Time Feeling rested, I enjoyed a few hours of unstructured time to do whatever struck my fancy. On this particular day, I did some spring clean-up in my yard and gardens, swept out the barn, and refilled my birdfeeders. Then, I came inside to relax, read and do a little online shopping. A perfect day for me will always include free time to do nothing or to do something, to work or to play, or experiment and learn something new. 7 p.m. — Sharing a Meal with People I Love I’m lucky this way: It’s not unusual to find myself at my sister Anne’s home to enjoy one of her incredible gourmet meals and the good company of her family. Spoiler alert: I was there on my perfect day. We ate, we laughed, and just hung out (until it was time to do the dishes and I made a bee-line for the door). Kidding! It was a perfect and delicious ending to a perfect day. I was with people I love. What could be better? 10 p.m. — Hitting the Sack Early to bed, with a Rick Steves travel guide in hand, is the perfect nightcap for me. So that’s how I wrapped up my wonderful day. Before I nodded off to sleep, I asked myself: What made this day so perfect? Why do I feel so content? The answer came quickly: connections. My perfect day was filled with connections — with myself, with nature, my best friends, and with family. So, what’s your perfect day? Whatever it is, make it happen. Trust me, you’ll feel renewed and reinvigorated from the inside out. And that’s a perfect combination!

Gwenn Voelckers is the founder and facilitator of Alone and Content, empowerment workshops for women and author of “Alone and Content,” a collection of inspiring essays for those who live alone. For information about her workshops, to purchase her book, or invite her to speak, visit www. aloneandcontent.com

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10:47 AM May 2022 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper4/6/22 • Page 11

Left Façades of Upstate Medical University Hospital and Crouse Hospital.

UNDERSTANDING THE

UPSTATE-CROUSE PROPOSED DEAL Upstate Medical University in April announced plans to acquire Crouse Health. If it goes through, the combined systems will have 13,000 employees, 1,200 licensed inpatient hospital beds and offer more than 70 specialties. But is the move good for patients? By Steve Yablonski

n mid-April, SUNY Upstate Medical University announced plans to acquire Crouse Health. Crouse, a nonprofit, will merge into Upstate’s health system and be renamed Upstate Crouse Hospital. The proposal must be approved by the state, which may take quite a long time. “This is an acquisition. Crouse will become part of University Hospital,” said health care expert Thomas Dennison, professor emeritus at the Syracuse University’s Maxwell School. “The bottom line is the two will come together. It’s not so much a cost-savings; it’s a cohesive plan for the future, a cohesion of services where they can be more optimal. It’s silly to have everything so spread out all over the place.”

A growing trend “It is indeed a trend, nationally and statewide. Just look around at other metropolitan areas. Utica had four hospitals; now has one. Rochester, I can’t even count, had so many hospitals. Now it’s essentially down to two systems. Buffalo had several as well. So it is very, very much a trend,” said Dennison. Crouse and Upstate have a very interesting history; they’re physically attached by a bridge, Dennison said. Many Upstate doctors also practice at Crouse. “The OBs do all their deliveries at Crouse because Upstate University Hospital doesn’t have an obstetrics department,” he said. “Crouse delivers more babies annually than any other hospital in this region.”

“A lot of the residents who are now Upstate University doctors did a lot of their clinical work at Crouse. So, they have been very much linked; day to day, operationally, clinically—but not always on the leadership level,” he added. There have been talks of merging the two hospitals for decades, according to Dennison. “One reason Crouse physicians said they’d never do anything with Upstate—even though most of them trained at Upstate or a lot of them— they were afraid that they would be required to become part of the academic department and have to give up their private practice. Which isn’t true,” he said. “How many hospitals can Onondaga County support?” he asked rhetorically—“Is it a four-hospital- town, a two-hospital-town, a three-hospital- town?” Stand-alone hospitals are becoming a thing of the past, he said, citing Oswego Health in Oswego and Samaritan Medical Center in Watertown for example.

Things have changed We don’t use hospitals the same way that we did 25 or 30 years ago, Dennison pointed out. “In 1980 you expected every physician on staff would generate around 100 admissions a year. That would be the normal number of admissions. So they would be running a couple patients a day. The length of stay was 10 to 12 days,” he said. “A family doctor now, practicing in his or her office, may not have a

Page 12 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • May 2022

patient admitted for a while because they are managing this patient on an outpatient basis; and when the patient needs to be hospitalized, they are typically quite sick and really do need the services of a specialist or subspecialist.” So a family practice doctor who is routinely working in the office may not admit a patient as often now and most have given up their hospital privileges. They don’t need the hospital, they don’t use the hospital. Their surgeries are done in an outpatient setting, he added. “The role of the hospital has changed so much in recent years. So, we don’t need as many hospitals as we use to.” “Upstate really has their act together. They’ve become, of the three remaining hospitals, I think the preeminent one,” said George Chapman, a health-related consultant based in Syracuse. He writes the column “Healthcare in a Minute” for In Good Health — CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper. “There are a lot of reasons hospitals are merging,” Chapman continued. “Number one is ‘let’s stop competing with each other for doctors.’ They were trying to rob each other’s staffs. They had some defections. Guys would leave Upstate and go to Crouse or they’d leave Crouse and go to Upstate. It got to be like a bidding war, if you will. That competition isn’t any good for the community.” So now, they’re saying, ‘Let’s do this for the community. If we combine together that makes a lot of sense,’ Chapman explained. “Another reason to combine medical staffs is younger doctors

want a quality of life, they don’t want a lot of ‘call.’ So if you are an up and coming OB-GYN your first question is ‘how often am I on call?’” he said. “By merging, [hospitals] now have 20 OB-GYNs, let’s say. Good, I’m [the doctor] on call like once a month. The larger your department, the less on call you are,” he said. Chapman thinks for recruiting, when you are looking for physicians — [doctors] are looking for a big system now. The larger systems are very attractive to physicians now. “They have larger departments, that cuts into the doctors’ call responsibilities. So they can have a life; work 8 to 5 and not kill themselves. It’s healthy for doctors to have a life outside medicine.” The other obvious reason to merge is purchasing and supplies, Chapman added. “Hospital mergers are critical if hospitals are to reduce things like operating costs. [Upstate and Crouse] will have tremendous purchasing power now with their budget and they will save hundreds of thousands if not millions on things like health insurance and supplies,” he said. “One of the big issues they are going to have is electronic medical records. They are on different systems right now,” Chapman said. “That could be a challenge, let’s put it that way. That will be interesting to see what they are going to do with that.”

A lot of choices “I always look at it as ‘bigger is better.’ I think it will be good for consumers. If they are able to have enough beds and enough doctors they will have a complete network so when they go to market themselves, as the Upstate Network, if you will, they’ll have a complete roster of physicians to become a large health system. People will have a lot of choices,” Chapman said. “Hospitals ‘prices’ [or charges], which admittedly are absurdly high, only come into play for the 10% of consumers without insurance,” he continued. “The argument that hospital mergers ‘drive up prices and harm consumers’ is terribly misleading.”

Things You Should Know About IBS By Ernst Lamothe Jr.

t’s a condition that often is difficult to both talk about and experience. However, both aspects are the reasons why it is too often in the shadows and why people need to understand its impact. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common gastrointestinal disorder that affects the large intestine. Signs and symptoms include cramping, abdominal pain, bloating along with diarrhea and constipation. While the cause of IBS is not clear, symptoms arise from a variety of factors including a sensitive digestive tract and changes in muscle contractions in the gut. IBS may also be known by other names such as irritable bowel, irritable colon or also a nervous stomach, because strong emotions can aggravate its symptoms although they do not cause them. In the United States, approximately 10% – 15% of the adult population suffers from IBS symptoms, according to the American College of Gastroenterology. “The reason why it is important to talk about this issue is because it can be very uncomfortable and interrupt quality of life,” said Ajoy Roy, a gastroenterologist with the Center for Gastroenterology & Metabolic Diseases for Oswego Health. “While it may not impact the longevity of a person, it can be painful,” Roy said. “One thing to remember is that you want to make sure the diagnosis doesn’t come with more serious conditions because that can really impact a person’s health.” Roy discusses five aspects of IBS that people should understand.

1. IBS is complicated

The exact cause of IBS is unknown. Possible causes include problems with bowel muscles contraction and movement of food through the digestive tract, overly sensitive colon

or issues with the immune system of the nerves in the digestive tract which deregulates communications between nerves in the brain and gut. Several studies have assessed the prevalence of mental health problems among treatment seeking IBS patients. About 40% to 60% of people with IBS had met formal diagnosis for mental problems particularly anxiety and depression. But that also means a large percentage do not have a mental health problem, meaning it cannot be dismissed as a psychiatric problem. Roy said IBS is common in one in four women and one in 10 men. “It is a complex and complicated condition because it has a variety of symptoms that can be masked as any number of gastrointestinal diseases,” he said. “It can be anything from bloating and diarrhea to constipation and nausea.”

2.Diet and weight

Like most health ailments, what and how you eat matters. There is a distinctive correlation between weight and various gut issues. “Obesity can be an underlying or prominent condition for gastrointestinal issues such as acid reflux. At least when it comes to those issues some over-the-counter medication can suffice, especially if you have regular heartburn,” said Roy. “At certain levels, acid can affect your throat, stomach, lungs and other organs. Having a proper diet and lowering your body fat can lead to better health results.” He suggested if medication is taken for more than five years or a patient has difficulty swallowing then they should contact their physician. “A patient serious about reversing the course of some of their gastrointestinal conditions needs to consider lifestyle changes. It can be

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anything from the food they eat to eliminating coffee and alcohol as taking the necessary precautions,” said Roy.

3.No cure

Despite all the scientific developments, there is still no cure for the disease. Doctors recommend a change in lifestyle and eating habits. Home remedies or lifestyle changes include dietary changes such as avoiding food triggers like spicy or fatty foods and a specific psychological treatment called cognitive behavior therapy. Doctors may suggest gut directed medications if the symptoms do not improve through simple lifestyle change and cognitive behavior therapy treatment if symptoms remain refractory to firstline medications. “The frustrating thing is that there is no Ajoy Roy is a gastroenterologist with one cure or specific medthe Center for Gastroenterology & ication to treat IBS that Metabolic Diseases for Oswego Health. would work on everyone,” said Roy. “There are ways to generally “The diagnosis may not be diffimanage the symptoms and often cult but patients get quite frustrated there may be some trial and error when you have a variety of condiregimens.” tions,” said Roy. “But if you have family history then that is something Family history that you need to discuss with your There are several gastroinphysician.” testinal conditions that have family history. Colon cancer, which is one of the most preventable cancers, has Misconceptions such a correlation with family history One of the issues with that in May 2021, the U.S. Preventive IBS is that patients sometimes try Services Task Force issued new recto diagnose themselves. Roy said ommendations for colorectal cancer people have come to him with the starting at an earlier age. The recdescription of their ailments and they ommendation has now been pushed believe they know the issue without from 50 years old to 45 years old for any formal test or diagnosis. your first colonoscopy. “They will be a pharmaceutical When it comes to IBS often occommercial talking about symptoms currence of this condition is seen in such as bloating, bowel changes, abpeople in their late teens to early 40s. dominal pain and diarrhea that lead It is also said that it may affect multi- to anxiety and they will think they ple people in a family. Women can be have celiac disease or colon cancer,” twice as likely than men to suffer IBS. said Roy.

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Knee Pain: Auburn Practice Has New Non-Operative Option for Managing Problem

uburn Orthopedic Specialists (AOS) is now offering a non-operative option for knee arthritis pain and a preoperative treatment prior to knee replacement to help with postoperative pain and help reduce the need for narcotics. Brian D. Tallerico, orthopedic surgeon and chairman of orthopedic surgery at Auburn Community Hospital, and Steven C. Kieb, an orthopedic physician assistant at AOS, are seeing exciting results with this new technology, according to a new release. The purpose of the iovera technology is to use the body’s natural response to cold to immediately block a sensory nerve from sending pain signals. The controlled doses of cold are administered through a portable, handheld device. Pain relief with the iovera treatment is immediate and can last up to 90 days. “This is a simple outpatient procedure and the iovera safely and effectively allows patients with knee pain to leave the office experiencing less pain than they had when they walked in. Nothing is injected into the body, so there are no systemic side effects. Full results are typically felt before the appointment is over. The treatment is done in the office and is minimally invasive with no sedation,” said Tallerico. The iovera treatment is FDA-cleared to block pain. “The iovera treatment is a clinically proven, non-opioid, pain management solution, that uses the body’s natural response to cold, to relieve pain without the use of opioids,” said Tallerico. “We now use the technology preoperatively and believe that this technique will lead to approximately 85% of patients being able to be narcotic-free after knee replacement,” said Kieb.

New technology used by professionals at Auburn Orthopedic Specialists offers nonoperative option for knee arthritis pain and a preoperative treatment prior to knee. “I am excited about this new technology. This is another way Auburn Community Hospital is investing in new technology to care for patients, while also playing a role in addressing the opioid epidemic in our area,” said Scott A. Berlucchi, president and chief executive officer of Auburn Community Hospital. AOS is the first orthopedic practice in the area to offer a nonoperative option for knee arthritis and postoperative pain reducing the need for narcotics or other pain medications, according to the hospital.

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Virtual technology will enhance care and access to healthcare expertise for veterans

he Syracuse VA Medical Center has gone live with a new service that will expand its virtual service technology to include Tele-Critical Care (TeleCC). TeleCC is an advanced telehealth program that provides remote intensive care unit physician and nurse support in the care for ICU patients using virtual technologies and clinical information systems. “TeleCC is another example of how VA is leveraging advanced technologies to provide the highest quality services to veterans,” said Syracuse’s Medical Center Director Frank Pearson. “This 24/7, 365 virtual care, which augments on-site staff, is a testament to the VA’s commitment to our veterans.” TeleCC enhances quality by adding an additional layer of monitoring to standard care, increasing access to intensive care expertise while

working collaboratively with the bedside teams. TeleCC services allow for continuous monitoring of veterans receiving ICU care, even when local providers may be attending or assisting with other critical patients. TeleCC providers can visualize patients with the use of bidirectional audio-visual systems that allow them to be present in a patient’s room in real time. Currently, the Syracuse VA provides over 50 telehealth services to veterans. The Syracuse VA is the third New York VA medical center to provide the new TeleCC technology. Buffalo and Albany were the first two New York state medical center’s to incorporate TeleCC as part of veteran care. The new program will be rolled out to other NY VAs within the next six months.

SmartBites By Anne Palumbo

Helpful tips

The skinny on healthy eating

Cream Cheese: the Good, the Bad, and the Lovely

very May, in honor of my mother, I make her favorite dessert: cheesecake with sliced strawberries. I typically don’t feature desserts, because they’re often full of empty calories. But, today, I’m making an exception. On occasion and in moderation, it’s OK to indulge. And, the good news is, most nutritionists agree! (FYI: the recipe that follows is lighter and healthier than most cheesecakes.) The star of cheesecake — and today’s column — is cream cheese.

Produced from unskimmed cow’s milk, cream cheese is a soft cheese (yes! a true cheese) that gets its firm but creamy texture from lactic acid. Let’s begin with the good. Although cream cheese doesn’t provide as much calcium or protein as many hard cheeses, it still has some nutritional merit. Cream cheese is a good source of vitamin A, with an average serving (two tablespoons) providing about 10% of our daily needs. Vitamin A promotes healthy eyesight and helps reduce the risk of vision-related problems, such as night blindness and macular degeneration. Gut health may improve with the consumption of cream cheese. Some of the bacteria used to make cream cheese are probiotics, which are friendly bacteria that keep us healthy by restoring the balance between good and bad bacteria, supporting immune function, and controlling inflammation. Lactose intolerant? You’ll be delighted to know that cream cheese is low in lactose (less than 2 grams per ounce) and so may not cause the GI discomfort associated with some dairy products. Experts recommend tasting a small amount at first to see how your body reacts. Now for the bad. Hold onto your hats, bagel-lovers, a two-tablespoon

serving of regular cream cheese is pretty high in fat and calories: 100 calories, 9 grams of fat. Unfortunately, 6 of the 9 grams of fat is saturated fat, the kind that drives up cholesterol and raises the risk of heart disease and stroke. Of course, we must end with the lovely. Oh, where to begin with luscious cream cheese? Let’s see, its creamy texture, its sweet and tangy taste, its versatility, and its important role in a classic dessert that so many mothers love.

Lighter Cheesecake with Fresh Fruit For the crust: 2 cups crushed graham crackers 6 tablespoons butter, melted ¼ cup sugar ½ teaspoon cinnamon For the ﬁlling: 2 (8-ounce) packages of reduced-fat cream cheese, softened ¾ cup sugar 2 eggs, room temperature 2 tablespoons flour 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice Fresh fruit for topping Preheat oven to 375 F. Lightly oil a 9-inch springform pan (or spray with nonstick cooking spray). Set aside.

Drink Up! Daily Coffee Tied to Longer, Healthier Life

n yet another finding that highlights the health perks coffee can brew, new studies show that having two to three cups a day not only wakes you up, it’s also good for your heart and may help you live longer. In this largest ever analysis of nearly 383,000 men and women who were part of the UK Biobank, researchers discovered that, over 10 years, drinking two to three cups of coffee a day lowered the risk for heart disease, stroke, dangerous heart arrhythmias, dying from heart disease and dying from any cause by 10% to 15%. “Observational analyses have shown that coffee drinking is associated with lower rates of cardiovascular events and lower all-cause mortality compared to individuals not drinking coffee,” said physician Gregg Fonarow, director of the Ahmanson-University of California, Los Angeles, Cardiomyopathy Center. An earlier analysis of the UK Biobank found that coffee drinking was associated with lower mortality, even among those drinking up to eight cups per day. This finding was seen in people who were fast and slow metabolizers of caffeine. These associations were consistent for ground,

instant and decaffeinated coffee, said Fonarow, who had no part in the latest study. “This new study reinforces these findings associated with two to three cups per day in terms of arrhythmias, cardiovascular disease mortality and all-cause mortality,” he said. Still, Fonarow said that because this is an observational study, it can’t prove that coffee was responsible for these protective effects, only that there appears to be a connection. “Overall, however, these results provide further evidence that coffee

drinking appears safe and may be part of a healthy nutritional approach,” Fonarow added. Decaffeinated coffee didn’t guard against arrhythmia but was linked to lower cardiovascular disease, with the exception of heart failure. That suggests caffeinated coffee is a bit better, the researchers noted. Lead researcher, physician Peter Kistler, is head of arrhythmia research at the Alfred Hospital and Baker Heart Institute in Melbourne, Australia. He said, “Because coffee can quicken heart rate, some people

Choose reduced-fat or nofat cream cheese to cut calories and fat. Many stores also have vegan options. An unopened package of cream cheese is good one month past the “Best When Purchased By” date on the carton. Once opened, cream cheese should be used within 10 days. In a medium mixing bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and cinnamon. Pour melted butter over crumbs and mix well. Pour crumb mixture into center of prepared pan and using your hands or a spoon, press the crumbles down and around the pan in an even layer. Bake your crust for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it cool while you prep your filling. Lower the oven temperature to 325 F. With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth, about 4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just incorporated, about 1 minute. Beat in flour, vanilla, and lemon juice just until combined, about 1 minute. Pour the mixture into the cooled crust and bake the cheesecake for 4555 minutes or until the middle is set. Let the cheesecake cool for 1 hour, and then transfer it to the fridge. Serve with fresh fruit of choice.

Anne Palumbo is a lifestyle colum-

nist, food guru, and seasoned cook, who has perfected the art of preparing nutritious, calorie-conscious dishes. She is hungry for your questions and comments about SmartBites, so be in touch with Anne at avpalumbo@aol.com.

worry that drinking it could trigger or worsen certain heart issues. This is where general medical advice to stop drinking coffee may come from.” But, Kistler added in a news release from the American College of Cardiology, the new data suggests that “daily coffee intake shouldn’t be discouraged, but rather included as a part of a healthy diet for people with and without heart disease. We found coffee drinking had either a neutral effect — meaning that it did no harm — or was associated with benefits to heart health.” Coffee has over 100 biologically active compounds, Kistler noted. These chemicals can help reduce oxidative stress and inflammation, improve insulin sensitivity, boost metabolism, inhibit the gut’s absorption of fat and block receptors known to be involved with abnormal heart rhythms, he explained. “There is a whole range of mechanisms through which coffee may reduce mortality and have these favorable effects on cardiovascular disease,” Kistler said. “Coffee drinkers should feel reassured that they can continue to enjoy coffee even if they have heart disease. Coffee is the most common cognitive enhancer — it wakes you up, makes you mentally sharper and it’s a very important component of many people’s daily lives.”

May 2022 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • Page 15

Nursing

Long-term Nurses Lead with Empathy, Passion Nurses play a vital role in patient care n a field fraught with burnout — particularly in the past two years — enduring in healthcare for decades represents an important accomplishment worthy of recognition. Along the way, long-term nurses learn a lot about the healthcare industry and the skills hard to teach in a classroom. One of these is Linda McAleer, deputy director of nursing for Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital and 45-year veteran nurse. McAleer is a board-certified nurse executive and bachelor’s-trained registered nurse. The example of her mother drew her to the vocation. At age 18, McAleer attended what is now St. Elizabeth’s College of Nursing and graduated in 1977. She wanted to work in pediatrics. However, she was required

to work as a surgical nurse for six months first, a hands-on experience she does not regret. “It helps you become a better, more well-rounded nurse,” she said. She was able to shift to pediatrics and returned to St. Elizabeth’s to earn her bachelor’s degree at what was then SUNY College of Technology so she could expand her future opportunities. “At the time, I didn’t know what those opportunities were, but I loved learning and expanding my role,” she said. Little did she know at the time that would lead to positions such as public health nurse for Onondaga County, working at a clinic at Onondaga Nation, providing genetic counseling at an out-patient clinic, and now director of nursing at Golisano. To grow into that role, she earned her master’s degree in 15 months.

Angela Schimpff is a home care nurse with Oswego Health. She has worked as a nurse for more than 25 years.

Linda McAleer is deputy director of nursing for Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital and a 45-year veteran nurse.

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

Page 16 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • May 2022

“I have loved my job,” she said. “It’s so incredible to come to work every day and be surrounded by a great team of caring people with the fabulous mission we have. It’s been very challenging with a lot of growth opportunity.” Over her impressively long tenure, McAleer has seen the biggest change in the need for behavioral healthcare for adolescents and children. The shift required adding more resources and education for nurses to better take care of this population. The pandemic “changed everything,” she said. “The past two years have been challenging in a way I could never imagine. The first year was extremely difficult as everything had to shut down to care for COVID-positive patients. That meant a lot of pediatric nurses getting floated to adult units. Kids weren’t affected like adults.” In addition, turnover increased. One reason is the lure of traveling nursing paying much higher rates than the salaries to which nurses are accustomed. “We had turnover like we’d never seen in pediatrics and now we’re in a rebuilding mode,” McAleer said. Serving families and patients is what she has liked best about nursing. “We get to interact with them in the most vulnerable part of their lives,” she said. “We try to support them and be there for them in the best way we can. It’s an honor and a privilege.” She has also enjoyed mentoring and coaching new leaders in nursing “so staff can do their job to the fullest degree,” McAleer added. “This work is very hard. It’s part of resiliency. You must find ways to be creative and help bring some of that resilience into your team.” Another long-term nurse is Angela Schimpff, RN, a home care nurse with Oswego Health who has been in nursing more than 25 years and in healthcare since the 1980s. Healthcare has become “a lot more intricate” since then, she said. When she began nursing as a newly minted LPN in the early 1990s after graduating from

BOCES in Mexico, patients typically received care from a general practitioner who handled most of their healthcare needs and seldom were referred to specialists. “Most people have three to five doctors,” Schimpff said. “It’s not one point person. It’s a challenge for patients and it certainly is a challenge for nurses, especially in home care.” Schimpff began working in healthcare as a home health aide for Oswego Health in the 1980s, but soon realized that she wanted to do more for patients, which led to her eventually earning the registered nurse credential in 2010 by completing the program at Cayuga Community College and passing her exam. “The medical realm is a hard system to navigate,” Schimpff said. “I like to help people navigate through that system. They don’t know what community resources are available. I like to be that voice for people who don’t have one.” As a case manager, she coordinated patient care and refers to disciplines like physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy. Schimpff decided that she preferred working directly with patients and returned to that role in homecare, offering wound care and assessments, acting as a liaison to the doctor and updating the plan of care. “We’re their ears and eyes in the community,” Schimpff said. While many people assume that “home care” means older adults or persons with disabilities, Schimpff said that home care includes all sorts of populations with needs better served at home. During the last two years, COVID-19 has made much of her work more difficult, as with all healthcare providers. “It’s been hard making a personal connection with someone in their home,” Schimpff said. “Usually, when we’re in their house, it’s not like in a hospital. We get to know their grandkids, dog, cats, their favorite food.” Wearing goggles, masks and gowns for every patient visit has increased difficulty in making those patient connections, which Schimpff said help for the basis of trust. The pandemic has also worsened the nationwide staffing shortage. Schimpff has observed the issue for her entire career. She believes that programs such as BOCES’ New Vision allows high school students to see different parts of the medical community and can help engage them in exploring where they could fit. “We need more programs like that,” Schimpff said. “I think there should be more staff retention. We work so hard on recruiting but do not pay as much attention to keeping the people we have. There are more bonuses to get staff to come work for you but you need to focus on those you have.” Despite the challenges that the healthcare industry faces and the day-to-day struggles of nursing, Schimpff has no regrets for her career choice. She tells new nurses, “Even when times get tough for nurses, if you’re helping someone, it’s worth it. We may have a crazy day but at the end of the week, we know we made a difference. I know I can make a difference in someone’s health and home life.”

Nursing

What It Means to Be a Nurse ‘It’s not a job when it’s in your heart’ By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

ursing is more than a job. It is a vocation, a calling. Many nurses strongly associate their personal identity with their vocation and felt a long-term desire to enter the field before doing so. For Meredith Boss, a bachelor’s-trained nurse and director of nursing at Loretto, nursing is about caring for people. In fact, before beginning her nursing career as a registered nurse, she worked as a cosmetologist. “I love making people feel good and caring for people,” Boss said. “I like making people smile and feel better about life and themselves.” Her family influenced her decision to enter nursing. Her mother, Maryjane Boss, is a nurse and she

encouraged Boss to follow suit, seeing in her daughter the beginnings of a nurse when a girl. The family’s living room was a mini hospital room for Boss’ grandparents as they were dying of cancer. Boss would watch over them for her mother while she was working. Years later when her father, Robert Boss, was in the ICU at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Boss promised him that if he made it, she would complete her degree and become a nurse. In 2016, she fulfilled that promise at Keuka College and began nursing at the same ICU where she had sat by her father. She transitioned to Loretto six years ago, thinking that she would stay for a year and then return to acute care in the hospital setting. The opportunities for career advancement at Loretto have drawn her to stay. Boss was able to open a telemetry unit in 2018 for non-acute patients recovering from hospital stays, worked as a fill-in and as assistant director of nursing. Three years ago, she became the director of nursing over the whole building. “I’ve been able to make a difference,” she said. Boss thinks that nurses need compassion and empathy to serve their patients well. “It should come without effort

and be your nature to care for peothat nursing was the career for her. ple,” she said. “It’s not a job when She eventually earned her bachelor’s it’s in your heart.” degree at the University of MaryBoss finds that nursing is nearland in the early 1990s and worked ly as rewarding as being a mother, in Maryland in a medical-surgical which she calls “the best job ever,” unit and in the intensive care unit. but being a nurse is a close second. Eventually, she started working in “You’re making meaningful conhospice care. nections and helping families going “It was a privilege to travel with through rough and scary times,” she their loved one at their end-of-life said. “I’ve worked in the ICU when journey,” Morrison said. “It’s the people aren’t doing so well. Being most important part of their life able to holistically treat people as a journey.” nurse is the best.” After earning her MS in nursing The support from her children education, she taught for five years at and parents, Maryjane and Robert Keuka College and earned her nurse Boss, helped her while earning her practitioner degree at Keuka College degree and continues to help her in 2017 and began working at M.M. keep going during tough times. Ewing Continuing Care in Canandai“My kids are a huge part of my gua three years ago. success,” Boss said. “They helped my “The wonderful thing about mom pin me when I got my bachebeing here is we have our long-term lor’s. They’re my biggest cheerleadcare population you get close to,” ers.” Morrison said. “This is their A focus on patient needs is home. We can be here to essential to Diane Morrison, help those who pass who serves as president away under hospice of the Genesee Valley or palliative care. My Nurses Association. She patients become part began her healthcare of my heart.” career as a 14-year-old She encourages volunteer at Meself-care to prevent morial Hospital in burnout, including Niagara Falls. seeing a mental “We had cute healthcare providlittle blue and er as needed. white uniforms,” “I approach she said. “We things in life delivered mail with humor,” and flowers. she said. “You We’d speak have to have with people.” humor in From those the healthearly, enjoyable care field.” experiences interacting with patients, MorMeredith Boss is director of nursing at Loretto in Syracuse. rison realized

OUR COMMUNITY. OUR PRIORITY.

Our staff are the heart of local healthcare.

May 2022 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • Page 17

a reason for that? A: We are a specialty center for a lot of things. We are the level one adult and pediatric trauma center for the entire region. We cover about two million people. We are the burn center for a large portion of New York state; actually from about halfway to Rochester all the way down the Westchester County because Albany several years back closed their burn center. We’re the only children’s hospital in the entire region. We are a designated stroke center. We have multiple specialties across the board in terms of care that are not available in a lot of smaller hospitals. By the type of hospital that we are, we have resources other places tend not to have, so we are a regional referral center for a lot of patients.

Nursing

Chief Nursing Officer at Upstate Oversees Staff of 3,000 Scott Jessie became the first male chief nursing officer for SUNY Upstate Medical University in September By Mary Beth Roach

cott Jessie became the first male chief nursing officer for SUNY Upstate Medical University in September of 2021. As such, he oversees about 3,000 healthcare staff at Upstate’s Community and downtown campuses. He has worked in a variety of nursing roles since first coming to the hospital in 1999. Q: What are your responsibilities as the chief nursing officer? A: I think the biggest one is ensuring that the staff has what it needs to provide patient care across the system, from supplies and equipment to technology to actual workforce, trying to regroup and make sure we have enough staff, which is clearly our biggest challenge currently. Q: Have you always worked at Upstate? A: I worked one year in Auburn in the coronary care unit. I had expe-

rience and exposure to Upstate as an EMS provider and an EMS student and was always amazed whenever we brought a patient here. It was always the plan I was going to end up here, and thankfully I did.

Q: What was it that impressed you about Upstate? A: The skill of the people, the high-tech approach to care, the ability of this organization to take care of the sickest of the sick across the region, and the fact that the sickest of the sickest patients came to this facility intrigued me a lot because you have to know so much to be able to care for those types of patients. The academic difference in being a part of the college really to me was very attractive. I like that constant approach to education. I like working with physician partners and trainees and people across all specialties. Q: When you say that Upstate treats “the sickest of the sick,” is there

Q: What do you see as your accomplishments in this profession? A: I’m definitely proud, over the years, to have grown more leaders. I think that is a very important part of the leader job at any level. Certainly day to day, I’m just tremendously proud of our staff and the work that they do. It is very hard work and they provide incredible care. They are amazing people and to be able to be a part of that is a privilege. Q: What are some of the best aspects of the job? A: In my job, I do truly like the complexity and the challenge. I love the team that I work with. The officer team here is fantastic. We are a tightknit group and we are really collaborative. We support each other. That’s a great environment to be in when you do a job that’s very hard. I love nursing, love Upstate. The things I do to help the team take care of patients is rewarding to me. Q: What are some of the more challenging aspects of the job? A: The pace of the job is very fast. Every day is different. You have to be able to pivot on a dime, address the issues that come up, support and build a strong team that can handle that type of environment. Q: According to some national reports, the current percentage of males in the nursing workforce is about 12% and that appears to be an increase from the 9% in 2017. Do you see that percentage increasing in the future? Why or why not? A: I think it will continue to slowly increase. Nursing is a tremendous profession for anybody. The opportunities are very wide-ranging. There’s a lot of opportunity for jobs in all avenues. You go back even fur-

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Page 18 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • May 2022

ther, like in 1960, ‘65, there was like 2% male. I do think, over time, there will continue to be more, just because of the strength of the career and what it offers people. There’s a lot of options and it’s not just bedside nursing. You can get a lot of advanced education to become nurse practitioners and multiple other different advanced practice opportunities. I think that attracts all sorts of people and will continue to do so. Q: What do you see for the future of the nursing profession overall and how has the pandemic impacted that? A: There’s going to remain tremendous need for nurses, for all sorts of healthcare workers actually. The pandemic has definitely impacted it. Obviously with bedside nursing, they can’t work from home, but there are other kinds of nursing they can. That may pull some of the workforce in a different role. Staffing in the hospitals is a challenge nationwide right now. Travel nursing has become a very popular option across the country, due to tremendous spikes in needs across the country. They get paid very well. The rates have gone up tremendously during the pandemic, so it has become quite appealing for some segment of our workforce. Travelers have been around for a very long time. The pandemic really caused an explosion in their utilization and a need across the country and the rates have gone up. It’s very stressful and challenging for the hospital systems to pay for them and to find staff. I think over time you will see hospital systems do everything they can to attract and retain people and look at compensation and different strategies to encourage them to stay with them throughout their careers. Q: With May being National Nurses Month, is there anything that you would to add? A: Nursing remains the most trusted profession in the country, according to national research. It has been that way for many years. Nurses—all healthcare workers—have stepped up beyond belief during this pandemic. It was very hard during the peak of the pandemic for our staff who had to take care of patients who ultimately did not survive and to help their families cope with that when they really couldn’t be here or very few could be here. The emotional toll of that was significant. But day to day, nurses and other healthcare workers keep coming to work. They keep caring for communities they live in. That’s our job and we take that very seriously.

Nursing

Jackie McManus, a nurse in Nascentia’s homecare practice working in Oswego County. When it’s cold and she is not working, she uses her time to ice fish. Her Instagram handle is “Fishing Nurse,” a testament to her two life interests.

Nurse Hobbies: Putting Stress on Ice By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

urprise! Nurses are real people behind their masks and scrubs. Carving out time to pursue a hobby can help them beat burnout and promote self-care, but some nurses enjoy hobbies that are a bit more unusual than others. Ice fishing is the key to relaxation and de-stressing for Jackie McManus, a nurse in Nascentia’s homecare practice working in Oswego County. “Most people think of ice fishermen as grumpy old men,” McManus said. “Everyone thinks of it as being so cold. I have an insulated shack and wear warm gear, so I stay warm fine.” Though a lifelong angler, McManus began ice fishing about eight years ago when friends introduced her to the sport. At first, she feared going through the surface as the ice naturally—and harmlessly — creaked and groaned. Once she became accustomed to the ice fishing environment, she was as hooked on the hobby as the walleye and perch she pulls to the surface. “I had a ton of fun,” she said. “It was peaceful. When I started going more frequently, I got more gear and started going more by myself, although the ‘buddy system’ is important: fishing near someone.” In addition to the necessary gear, she usually brings along something to nibble on while waiting for the fish. “An older guy I’ve ice fished with calls me ‘Snacks,” she said. “I bring sweets, chocolate, Goldfish crackers—all kinds of stuff.” Although her propensity for noshing on the ice earned her a teasing nickname, “the other people ice fishing always come over to my shack and ask, ‘What have you got; we’re hungry!’” McManus said. It pays to be prepared. She enjoys catching her daily limit of walleye, perch, bluegills and croppie, “I keep my daily limit and sometimes will share them with patients — cleaned and filleted” — if they ask her.

Her Instagram handle is “Fishing Nurse,” a testament to her two life interests. She completed her LPN through a program at Delaware Chenango Madison Oswego BOCES 10 years ago. Through Cayuga Community College, she earned her RN credential and she is working on her bachelor’s degree at Western Governor’s University. She has also progressed in her fishing acumen and qualifications. Two years ago, she obtained a New York State guide’s license and began taking anglers on trips through Irish Knots Sportfishing in Pulaski. “We’ve had some trips with kids included,” McManus said. She has also led ice fishing seminars for high school students through the Shane Pinard Future Fisherman’s Foundation in Canastota. The seminar shows all the gear needed and the basic techniques. Sometimes her patients notice her pendant shaped like a fishhook and spark a conversation about fishing. “In Oswego County, there are a lot of fishermen,” McManus said. “We get a common ground. It comes in handy.” In addition to building trust and commonality with patients, ice fishing benefits McManus personally. While out on the ice, she can both spend time with others—if she wants—or relish quiet time by herself. “If I can fish every day, I fish every day,” McManus said. “Sometimes, I can go before and after work. That’s part of why I love home care. It’s very flexible.” She wants nurses to find hobbies that help them relieve the stress they experience every day. “You have a lot of pressure on you so it’s important to try to balance that,” she said. “Fishing is handsdown the best way for me to forget about life for a while. It’s peaceful. Sometimes, you can get set up before the sunrise. It’s beautiful.” May 2022 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • Page 19

Nursing

Nurses’ Long Shifts May Have Downside: Study

urses who work long shifts are more likely to experience job dissatisfaction and burnout, and their patients’ care may suffer, according to a new study. The research included nearly 23,000 registered nurses in California, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Florida. Sixty-five percent of the nurses worked shifts of 12 to 13 hours. The three-year study found that nurses who worked shifts of 10 hours or longer were up to 2.5 times more likely than nurses who worked shorter shifts to report job dissatisfaction and burnout. In addition, seven of 10 patient outcomes assessed in the study were significantly worse when nurses worked the longest shifts, the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing researchers found. In hospitals with more nurses working longer shifts, a greater percentage of patients reported that nurses sometimes or never communicated well, pain was sometimes or never well controlled, and they sometimes or never received help as soon as they wanted. The study was published in the November 2021 issue of the journal Health Affairs. “Traditional eight-hour shifts for hospital nurses are becoming a thing of the past,” Amy Witkoski Stimpfel, a registered nurse and postdoctoral fellow at Penn Nursing’s Center for

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Health Outcomes and Policy Research, said in a school news release. “Bedside nurses increasingly work 12-hour shifts. This schedule gives nurses a three-day work week, potentially providing better work-life balance and flexibility.” However, when “long shifts are combined with overtime, shifts that rotate between day and night duty, and consecutive shifts, nurses are at risk for fatigue and burnout, which may compromise patient care,” she added. The researchers recommended that the number of consecutive hours worked by nurses should be restricted, nurse management should monitor nurses’ hours worked (including second jobs) and state boards of nursing should consider possible restrictions on nurse shift length and voluntary overtime. “Nursing leadership should also encourage a workplace culture that respects nurses’ days off and vacation time, promotes nurses’ prompt departure at the end of a scheduled shift and allows nurses to refuse to work overtime without retribution,” Witkoski Stimpfel said. “These types of policies that facilitate manageable work hours can contribute to the development of a healthier nursing workforce, prepared to manage the complex care needs of patients and their families,” she added.

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Celebrating Crouse Nurses. Making a Difference Every Day.

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May 2022 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • Page 21

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www.elementalmgt.com Page 22 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • May 2022

ONE NAME SAYS has IT ALL

HABIT STACKING FOR YOUR HEALTH Little things can add up to big health beneﬁts By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

hile not a new concept, the term “habit stacking” was developed by motivation speaker James Clear to describe of using basic habits to reach larger goals. Most people have at least one health improvement goal, like drinking more water, getting fitter, building more muscle, eating more produce. It’s easy to chalk up their inability to achieve their goal to a lack of willpower. However, busyness and distraction are more likely the reasons. How hard is it to chug a few more glasses of water? But in the hubbub of a frantic day, the water tumbler goes dry and so do the chances of forming that hydrating habit. Habit stacking can make a new habit stick for good. Most people would not skip brushing their teeth. If their goal is to drink more water, setting out a glass near the toothbrush would serve as an easy reminder and readily facilitate getting in extra servings of water. “We all have routines we follow,” said Juliann M. Mellen, clinical dietitian specialist with Upstate Health Care Center. “Habit stacking is basically adding small things, behavior, action, to an already existing routine in an effort to change a behavior or simply linking actions together to create a new routine.” By taking these small, easily remembered steps, new behaviors are easier to remember and thus adopt. “Most of us get motivated or excited to make a change but then often we just don’t stick with it, Mellen said. “Many of us have made New Year’s resolutions only to forget about it shortly after the new year.” By forcing the new habit to piggyback on one already established, people are less likely to forget. It typically takes about 28 days to form a new habit, but habit stacking can

fast track that process. Before bed, Mellen sets up her coffee maker for morning brew and then takes her vitamin D supplement. “By linking the vitamin with my evening routine of setting up my coffeemaker, I don’t forget to take it,” she said. The principle applies to many types of healthful habits. Instead of waiting idly by the coffeepot waiting for the first cup in the morning, getting in a few reps with free weights will build more fitness into the day, thanks to the sight of the dumbbells on the countertop. Eventually, picking up the weights becomes part of that routine. “For my family, I keep our supplements out on the counter by the sink so in the morning when preparing breakfast,” said Laurel Sterling, registered dietitian, nutritionist and educator with Carlson Laboratories. Taking their supplements at breakfast helps ensure they are not forgotten. “You just need to look at yourself and figure out what you have already well established and build off of those healthy habits,” Sterling said. “Whatever the habit is that you’d like to change or add into your daily routine, once you get going you’ll find it’s easy to keep at it.” The new habit should be measurable. “Getting in shape” is too vague. “Moving up to one larger dumb bell” is measurable. The new habit should be congruent with the old habit. For example, “I’ll do 25 jumping jacks while waiting for the copier” may prove distracting in an office. But “I’ll pace in my office while on the phone” could work. The old habit should be something you do on a similar basis of the desired new habit. The habit should be achievable. If the new habit is “I’ll eat more fresh produce” and you don’t pick up any at the store or farmers’ market, it’s unlikely you will eat more produce.

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Page 24 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • May 2022

Let’s Talk About How Gross Our Daughters Are

eing a woman means being exposed to certain things—certain undesirable things. One of these things is jokes at the expense of your gender. Most women hear these jokes long before they are women. We are subjected to them from the time we are little girls. Most of these jokes are meant to put us in our places, feel ashamed and feel less than. I’ve heard a lot of these jokes over the years and I don’t care to remember them all. However, I will never forget the first time I heard a certain joke. “Why should you never trust a woman?” a teenaged guy with peachfuzz leg hair asked me. My 15-yearold self stared at him blankly. I wasn’t quite sure where this was going. He went on. “You should never trust something that bleeds for seven days and doesn’t die.” There it was. The thing I wasn’t supposed to talk about. The gross thing. Except he was allowed to talk about it, in a school, in a way that shamed me. He could talk about periods and weaponize menstruation against me, but I was supposed to hide all evidence of it. The physical discomfort, the pain, the ibuprofen, the tampons, the pads, the leaks, the covering up, the exhaustion and the blood; these were my crosses to bear. This was a long time ago. I graduated high school more than 20 years ago. I was hoping that we, as a society, had made some progress here. In my house, menstruation is part of normal conversation. I thought many other women had learned from their pasts and wanted to normalize menstruation for their daughters and sons. • A wake-up call: Periods are still salacious. I was delusional in thinking the common American household had normalized menstruation. I came to this realization when one of the biggest animation studios of our time released a certain movie that talked about periods. My social media feeds blew up with angry women. Throngs of parents vehemently reacted. They were disgusted. How could a movie meant for children passively talk about menstruation? Why should young children be exposed to talk about pads and tampons? Their precious sons and daughters weren’t ready for adult content. • Do “kids” get periods? I find the fact that periods are considered mature content interesting. I know girls who got their periods at 9 and 10 years of age. In fact, according to the Cleveland Clinic, most girls in the United States get their periods around age 12. Some start menstruating at 8. How are we, as a society, not ready to talk about periods with our kids when some of our kids are actively menstruating?

• Our silence and avoidance does our talking for us. By making menstruation exist in the shadows and failing to normalize it, we are teaching our children that menstruation is something girls should be ashamed of. So, to all of the parents who thought it was inappropriate for a movie about a 13-year-old to talk about periods, I have a question for you. Have you talked to your daughters and sons about how gross women are yet? Have you lectured them on how much shame they should feel about menstruation or how to shame others for it? Because, if you refuse to have conversations with your children about menstruation, your silence will speak volumes. And society will have the conversation for you. Unfortunately, it won’t be in the civilized and kind way a certain movie approached the topic. • What we lose by not having conversations. More than likely, your kids will have a lot of questions about periods. If you passively or actively make periods taboo, they will go somewhere else to get their information, if they bother seeking information at all. Your kids will learn about periods from ill-informed friends in the back of the school bus. They will learn about periods through sneers in gym class. They will learn about menstruation through disrespectful jokes. Your daughters will come to understand they are gross. They will learn that men can put them down for their periods. They will learn to smile and take the jabs. Many of your sons will fail to have even a basic understanding of the process that initiates life. They will continue to make jokes about a thing they don’t understand. They will passively and actively shame girls. • Why can’t we talk about it? All of these things will be set in motion because some adults are too emotionally stunted to talk about historically difficult topics with their children. I know there are a lot of men (and some women) out there who think periods are gross and shouldn’t be talked about. There are many people who think menstruation shouldn’t be discussed with children and teens under a certain age. I challenge you to defend that stance. We live in a world where children watch violent movies, television and sports. Children play video games with killing, high-stress action and violence. Sex and scantily clad women are advertised on billboards, in store windows and all over the internet. These things are normalized, accepted and even promoted. But, the amazing, natural and normal thing that keeps the whole human race going, let’s not talk about that. That’s gross and dangerous for our children.

Golden Years

Stay Busy, Stay Healthy: Why a Busy Retirement is Good for You ‘The best mental stimulation is learning new things’ By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

etirement is time to sit back, put up your feet and relax. Or is it? Why not ask Syracuse resident Bob Burns, 71, a lobby ambassador at St. Joseph’s Hospital? Three days a week, he volunteers for four and a half hours. Burns began in the role in 2007 as one of his volunteering ventures since wrapping up his 30-year career in banking at his last employer, Bank of America, in 2004. “I’m the type of person who likes to be active and do things,” Burns said. “To get up in the morning and sit around and watch TV wasn’t for me. I had to have something to keep me energized. At first when you retire, it’s a matter of ‘What do I want to do today?’ There are usually a few things you don’t mind doing, but that after a while it wears thin.” As lobby ambassador, he greets visitors and patients and escorts those who need help in finding where they need to go. Although they may have received clear directions from hospital staff, the distrac-

tions of pain and concern can make it hard to pay attention. That’s where Burns and the other lobby ambassadors can help. “You meet people you never knew and they appreciate you,” Burns said. “Many times, people thank me. It’s rewarding. They explain that other hospitals don’t have this type of service.” Burns and his wife, Gail, also helped fundraise for the new YMCA in Baldwinsville between 2007 and 2008. This involved calling and meeting with potential donors. In addition to helping good causes, Burns believes that his volunteering efforts “help me get out, exercise and move,” he said. “To sit around at home is not a healthy thing.” He also likes using his building’s fitness center and traveling. Last February, the couple traveled to St. Lucia for two weeks. “People were really wonderful and the food was outstanding,” Burns said. Experiences like these are not only fun but stimulating to the brain. They also keep Burns and his wife moving. Staying physically active is

Bob Burns, 71, a lobby ambassador at St. Joseph’s Hospital. He’s been volunteering at the hospital since 2007, when he retired from a banking career. important to avoid becoming sedentary. Even retirees who had desk jobs will have much less movement after retirement since they no longer need to get up and go somewhere else for the day. Regular exercise can reduce the risk of disabling falls, weight gain and physical decline. This may not mean spending hours at a gym but could include a fun activity, like dance class, tai chi group, geocaching, or tennis. Many people find that attending a class builds in accountability because other group members expect their attendance. Classes can also help foster new friendships to replace some of the social interaction lost upon retirement. “I like to counsel patients who are nearing retirement to have a good plan in place,” said Daniel King, a geriatrician with Highland Hospital. “Most people have worked their whole life perhaps in one job. There’s going to be a large hole and a lot of free time when they retire.”

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Making specific goals to learn a new skill, travel to certain venues and volunteer or teach certain skills or populations can offer concrete ways to remain active. Otherwise, King warns patients that they can become complacent and lose function over time. He also encourages patients to keep a schedule to maintain structure in their day, such as rising, dining and going to bed at the same time most days. Planning times to volunteer, exercise and cook healthful meals is also important. Of course, the flexibility in retirement is part of the fun. However, having no plan can cause problems since people crave routine. “Retirement is a challenging time for a lot of people and they underestimate how challenging it will be,” King said. “It takes careful planning and thought. You plan your savings. You have to plan for your time in a way that’s rewarding for you.”

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May 2022 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • Page 25

Supplements Affect Heart Health

Check with your health care provider to see what’s right for you

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

aintaining heart health is vital for healthy longevity. Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States, topping nearly 100,000 more deaths annually than all forms of cancer combined.

It may seem that turning to supplements can help boost heart health. Not quite, according to Julie Mellen registered dietitian, certified diabetes care and education specialist at SUNY Upstate Medical University. “I go back to heart-healthy eating and trying not to recommend too many supplements unless there’s a

Page 26 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • May 2022

need for it,” Mellen said. For any supplements needed, it is important to not shop solely on price. “Make sure you are taking quality supplements, as it’s not regulated by the FDA,” Mellen said. “People making them don’t have to prove any health benefits.” Many people rely on energy shots and drinks to power through their day and feel more energetic to exercise. Many of these contain herbs, vitamins and minerals. While many consumers think of these as pick-me-up beverages on par with coffee, they are classified as supplements and not foods because the beverages are fortified. They also contain a wallop of caffeine. “Anything that has caffeine or things that affect heart rate, I don’t recommend,” Mellen said. “As for vitamins and minerals, a lot of research isn’t showing any benefits as far as protection from cardiovascular disease. You don’t need supplements unless you are deficient.” The extraordinary amount of supplements found in some energy shots and drinks are far beyond a typical level of consumption and have been known to create irregular or racing heartrates. The drinks have been linked to and cited as the cause of cardiovascular events. Many people take vitamin D and calcium to promote bone health. Too much of these may have unintended consequences. “Some research says if you’re taking too much vitamin D and calcium, it can negatively affect cardiovascular health,” Mellen said. Laurel Sterling, registered dietitian and nutritionist and educator for

Carlson Laboratories, said that how these supplements are taken makes a difference. “Calcium needs all those ‘helper minerals’ and vitamins D and K for absorption,” she said. “It’s a complicated process. If you don’t have those, calcium will lie along blood vessels and arteries and start hardening them, which leads to hardening of the arteries. We want the calcium to go into the bone structure, which is why you need vitamin D, vitamin K, magnesium and boron to help with pulling calcium to where it should go, the bones.” Many supplements include the ‘helper minerals’ in a calcium formulation; however, reading the label is important. Sterling said that people taking medication like a blood thinner should be careful about supplements as some have a propensity for thinning the blood and can heighten the effect. “Consult with your doctor,” Sterling said. “Supplements do work like medications in certain aspects. They can contraindicate or exacerbate what medication you’re taking.” Over the counter supplements such as St. John’s wort, ginkgo biloba and ginseng can interact with prescription medications and lead to elevated heart rate and blood pressure. For people who already have issues in these areas, supplements such as these can lead to serious complications. Overall, it is important to eat a healthful diet rich in colorful fruits and vegetables, lean sources of protein and whole grains and discuss supplementation with a healthcare professional.

Celebrating our family of ever-competent, caring, and compassionate nurses! FCMG wishes to acknowledge and thank our exemplary nursing team – across all of our locations, disciplines, and specialties. Your compassion and empathy for our patients; your selfless dedication to, and excellence in, providing care; and your passion for your craft, collaborative spirit, and generosity and grace in the face of adversity – especially over the last couple of years – make FCMG one of the most impactful, reliable, and dynamic healthcare providers in our region. More than that, you make us the family we are.

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1:54 PM May 2022 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper12/21/21 • Page 27

What Changes Make a Home Safer as You Age? By Michael Ritter

ccording to the Federal Housing Administration, close to 90% of all homeowners will want to stay in their homes as they enter their golden years. However, many of them did not consider the need for adaptations for aging when they purchased their homes when they were younger. It is important for older adults to incorporate necessary home safety features to make their house their life-long home. To age in place means having the ability to stay in your own home safely, independently and comfortably as you get older. Before reaching senior status, there are some important steps you can follow to allow you to age in place safely. As a physical therapist at PACECNY, I conduct in-home safety assessments for seniors. I often visit residences of PACE-CNY participants to assess housing conditions to ensure that their living environment meets their individual care plan needs. Most importantly, it is imperative that a home is as fall-proof as possible and it is safe and easy for a person to get around. While walking through the house, I have full a check list of common items to assess. Here are just a few things that make a home age-inplace appropriate: • Avoid area rugs and be sure all carpeting is securely fixed to the floor • Use a chair or bench in the shower • Install grab bars in bathroom

— near toilets and inside showers and tubs • Use rails on stairs (both sides if possible). Never use area rugs at the top of stairs • Replace standard doorknobs with lever handles • Replace low toilets with a raised toilet • Create a first-floor bedroom and living space • Widen doorways to accommodate a walker or wheelchair if it becomes necessary • Move laundry room to the main level Do you know someone who needs help with daily activities? Do you worry about a loved one at home? PACE-CNY can help you or your loved one receive the care needed to age in place at home. With PACE-CNY you’ll have a team of healthcare professionals working with you and your family to provide your loved one with the personalized care they need. We offer in-home services that provide an alternative to nursing home placement. Contact us at 315-452-5800 or visit us at pacecny.org. Michael Ritter is a physical therapist who holds a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. He is director of rehabilitation at PACE-CNY, a program affiliated with Loretto.

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315-342-1182 • editor@cny55.com Page 28 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • May 2022

Celebrating a Decade of ‘My Social Security’

an you believe it’s been 10 years since we launched My Social Security? Since then, 67 million people have signed up and benefited firsthand from the many secure and convenient self-service options. And we’ve added and upgraded features that make your life easier when doing business with us online. We take great pride in providing this and all of our services. It’s part of how we help you secure today and tomorrow. If you still don’t have a personal My Social Security account, you’re missing out. A secure account provides personalized tools for everyone, whether you receive benefits or not. If you don’t currently receive benefits, you can: • Estimate your future benefits and compare different dates or ages to begin receiving benefits. • Get instant status of your Social Security application. • Review your work history.

Q&A

• Request a replacement Social Security card (in most states). If you receive benefits, you can use your personal My Social Security account to: • Get your instant benefit verification or proof of income letter for Social Security, Medicare, and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). • Check your information and benefit amount. • Start or change your direct deposit. • Change your address and telephone number. • Request a replacement Medicare card. • Get an instant Social Security 1099 form (SSA-1099) or SSA-1042S. • Report your wages if you work and receive disability benefits and SSI. Visit www.ssa.gov/myaccount today and join the millions to take advantage of your own personal my Social Security account. Please also encourage your friends and family to sign up for their personal my Social Security account today.

care benefits, but the program is administered by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). You can visit CMS’ Medicare website at Q: I just started my first job and my pay- www.medicare.gov or call them at check is less than I expected. Why am I 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). paying for retirement benefits when Online or by phone, you can find anI have a lifetime to live before retire- swers to your Medicare questions at ment? CMS. A: Besides being required by law, you are securing your own financial Q: I understand you must have limited future through the payment of Social resources to be eligible for Extra Help Security and Medicare taxes. The tax- with Medicare prescription drug costs. es you pay now translate to a lifetime What does this mean? of protection, whether you retire or A: Resources include the value of become disabled. And when you die, the things you own. Some examples your family (or future family) may are real estate (other than your primabe able to receive survivors benefits ry residence), bank accounts, includbased on your work as well. Aside ing checking, savings, and certificates from all the benefits in your own fu- of deposit, stocks, bonds, including U. ture, your Social Security and Medi- S. Savings Bonds, mutual funds, indicare payments also help today’s retir- vidual retirement accounts (IRA) and ees. To learn more, visit www.ssa.gov. cash you have at home or anywhere else. To learn more about Extra Help, Q: I have been getting Social Security and to apply online, visit www.ssa. disability benefits for many years. I’m gov/prescriptionhelp. about to hit my full retirement age. What will happen to my disability ben- Q: I applied for my child’s Social Security card in the hospital, but have not efits? A: When you reach full retirement received it. How long does it take? A: In most states, it takes an avage, we will switch you from disability to retirement benefits. But you erage of three weeks to get the card, won’t even notice the change because but in some states it can take longer. your benefit amount will stay the If you have not received your child’s same. It’s just that when you reach re- card in a timely manner, please vistirement age, we consider you to be a it your local Social Security office or “retiree” and not a disability beneficia- Card Center. Be sure to take proof ry. To learn more, visit www.ssa.gov. of your child’s citizenship, age, and identity as well as proof of your own Q: Where can I find general informa- identity. And remember, we cannot tion about Medicare benefits? divulge your child’s Social Security A: Social Security determines number over the phone. Learn more whether people are entitled to Medi- at www.ssa.gov.

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When to Expect Your Social Security Checks Dear Savvy Senior,

I am planning to retire and apply for my Social Security benefits in July. When can I expect my first check, and is direct deposit my only option for receiving my monthly payment? — Almost 62

Dear Almost, Generally, Social Security retirement benefits, as well as disability and survivor benefits, are paid in the month after the month they are due. So, if you want to start receiving your Social Security benefits in July, your July benefits will be distributed in August. The day of the month you receive your benefit payment, however, will depend on your birthdate. Here’s the schedule of when you can expect to receive your monthly check. If you were born on the: • 1st through the 10th: Expect your check to be deposited on the second Wednesday of each month. • 11th through the 20th: Expect your check to be deposited on the third Wednesday of each month. • 21st through the 31st: Expect your check to be deposited on the fourth Wednesday of each month. There are, however, a few exceptions to this schedule. For example, if the day your Social Security check is supposed to be deposited happens to be a holiday, your check will be deposited the previous day. And, if you are receiving both Social Security benefits and SSI payments, your Social Security check will be deposited on the third day of the month. You should also know that for Social Security beneficiaries who started receiving benefits before 1997, their Social Security checks are paid on the third day of the month. To get a complete schedule of 2022 payment dates, visit SSA.gov/ pubs/EN-05-10031-2022.pdf.

Receiving Options There are two ways you can receive your Social Security benefits. Most beneficiaries choose direct de-

posit into their bank or credit union account because it’s simple, safe and secure. But if you don’t want this option, or you don’t have a bank account that your payments can be deposited into, you can get a Direct Express Debit MasterCard and have your benefits deposited into your card’s account. This card can then be used to get cash from ATMs, banks or credit union tellers, pay bills online and over the phone, make purchases at stores or locations that accept Debit MasterCard and get cash back when you make those purchases, and purchase money orders at the U.S. Post Office. The money you spend or withdraw is automatically deducted from your account. And you can check your balance any time by phone, online or at ATMs. There’s also no cost to sign up for the card, no monthly fees and no overdraft charges. There are, however, some small fees for optional services you need to be aware of, like multiple ATM withdrawals. Currently, cardholders get one free ATM withdrawal per month, but additional monthly withdrawals cost 85 cents each not including a surcharge if you use a non-network ATM. To learn more, visit USDirectExpress.com or call 800-333-1795.

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When and How to Apply The Social Security Administration recommends that you apply for benefits three months before you want to start receiving checks. This will give you enough time to make sure you have all the needed information to complete the application. See SSA.gov/hlp/isba/10/ isba-checklist.pdf for a checklist of what you’ll need. You can apply for your Social Security benefits online at SSA.gov, by phone at 800-772-1213, or in person at your local Social Security office – call first to make an appointment. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior. org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

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May 2022 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • Page 29

Health News Oneida Health CEO Gene Morreale retires

CNY Lyme alliance hires education coordinator

After over 15 years as the president and CEO of Oneida Health, Gene Morreale retired April 1. Since his appointment in 2007, Morreale has been a champion for bringing the latest technology to Oneida. From the implementation of da Vinci Gene Morreale robotic surgery to advanced imaging including PET/ CT, 3 Tesla MRI and 3D mammography, to a linear accelerator for radiation oncology, today Oneida Health provides technology that is often only thought to exist within larger city healthcare systems. Along with his leadership team, Morreale has also overseen the modernization of the hospital with significant renovations to the operating room, intensive care unity, post anesthesia care unit, emergency department, and development of a wound care center. Campus additions include the construction of both the medical and radiation oncology buildings, the Gorman Imaging Center, and most recently a new women’s health building which is due to open this summer. Morreale’s leadership has also drastically expanded Oneida Health’s primary and specialty care network in Madison and western Oneida County with the addition of new patient services, including breast care, cardiology, oncology, podiatry, quick care, vascular, neurology and others. Another highlight of Morreale’s term as president and CEO is the national recognition of Oneida Health’s patient safety and patient experience results. Over the past decade, Oneida Health has received some of the highest ratings in patient safety and patient experience in Upstate New York from national rating agencies, including LeapFrog, CMS, Healthgrades and Women’s Choice, among others. Most recently, the hospital was rated five-stars for safety by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, representing only one of seven hospitals in the state to receive the coveted five-star rating. “I couldn’t be prouder of all we have accomplished during my tenure as president and CEO,” said Morreale. “All of the success we have experienced would not have been possible without the teamwork and support of the board of trustees, senior leaders, medical providers, and staff.” The Oneida Health board of trustees engaged the healthcare consultants at WittKieffer to select the new CEO. WittKieffer placed 55 CEOs into hospitals in the US in 2020 alone. Charles “Chuck” Gijanto will serve as interim president and CEO of Oneida Health during the transition. Gijanto has over 32 years of healthcare leadership experience and has served as an interim CEO at several hospitals since retiring in 2015.

The Central New York Lyme & Tick-Borne Disease Alliance welcomes Elizabeth Balfour as its new education coordinator. Balfour was an instructional specialist with the Catholic Charities of Onondaga County and brings more than 10 years of expeElizabeth Balfour rience working with diverse students, adults and families across Central New York. She delivers extensive knowledge in supportive health resources, education and counseling to clients and families, plus connections to community and government-backed programs. “Elizabeth’s expertise is the pillar of our innovative educational programming needs,” said Executive Director Royale Scuderi. “I am thrilled to work alongside her educating the community about Lyme and tickborne diseases.” Balfour attended Onondaga Community College before graduating from SUNY Cortland with a Bachelor of Arts in adolescence education and English, summa cum laude. With the alliance, she will create and refine educational programs, opportunities and partnerships to prevent and identify tick-borne diseases. The hiring has been possible thanks to grant funding from the Central New York Community Foundation and the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation. Central New York is an epicenter of tick-borne disease, with most recent data indicating a 439% increase in Central New York between 2008 and 2018. On the verge of a health crisis, the alliance is working to advance solutions in four key areas: clinical, education, research, and the environment.

Oswego Health welcomes new physician assistant Oswego Health welcomes Sami Blais to the healthcare system as a new physician assistant with Oswego Family Physicians. Blais studied at Drexel University where she earned both her Bachelor of Science in health sciences in June 2020 and Master of Science in physician assistant studies in December 2021. She is in Sami Blais family medicine and had clinical rotations in pediatrics, internal medicine, behavioral medicine, emergency medicine, women’s health and general surgery.

Page 30 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • May 2022

Blais previously was a podiatric medical assistant in Philadelphia and has worked as an urgent care scribe. Her passion for caring also extends internationally as she volunteered in both Peru and Honduras with other healthcare professionals to provide medical care.

New OB-GYN joins St. Joseph’s Health St. Joseph’s Health welcomes obstetrician and gynecologist Cynthia Fraser to St. Joseph’s Health infant services. Fraser is a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist with more than 25 years of clinical experience. Prior to joining St. Joseph’s Health, she was a laborist at Community General Hospital in Syracuse, where she assisted with deliveries and provided general consultations associated with pregnancies and childbirth. Fraser was also the attending physician with full admitting and surgical privileges at Lewis Country General Hospital in Lowville from 2010 to 2016. Prior to that, she saw patients at a small private practice in

New cardiac stress testing technology available at Oswego Health

swego Health announced the installation of the Welch Allyn Q-Stress cardiac stress testing system which offers a simple, secure and connected solution for clinical excellence in diagnostic cardiac stress testing. The system helps detect and diagnose heart conditions faster and with greater accuracy. With heart disease being the leading cause of death for Oswego County residents, Oswego Health has made this investment in testing a priority, and thanks to a recent grant the Oswego Health Foundation received from the Oswego County Community Foundation, the latest technology, and upgrades to the cardiac stress lab are available, locally. “The Oswego County Community Foundation strives to provide support for unique initiatives that have a significant impact,” said board chairman Eric Bresee. “Cardiac disease is one of the leading

the Finger Lakes region while serving as the attending physician with full admitting and surgical privileges at F.F. Thompson Hospital in Canandaigua. Fraser is passionate about the adequate distribution of health care to the LGBTQA+ community, women veterans and women with disabilities. An active volunteer of the Central New York Medical Reserve Corp., Cynthia Fraser Fraser has volunteered her time to assist with COVID-19 testing and vaccination. She holds a Bachelor of Science in mathematics from Cornell University and a Doctor of Medicine from SUNY Upstate Medical University where she was a nominee for an American Osteopathic Association Award. She completed her residency at Albany Medical Center.

causes of poor health in our community and this system will help detect and diagnose heart conditions faster and with greater accuracy. OCCF is happy to support Oswego Health in making this technology available locally.” The Q-Stress cardiac stress testing system delivers accurate, intelligent insights needed to help improve patient outcomes. Its best-in-class algorithms offer exceptional accuracy in real-time ST-segment monitoring, arrhythmia detection, and resting ECG interpretation. The system’s complete clinical data presentation shows patient information on one screen with a 24-inch display, and the intuitive left-to-right workflow leads a provider through stress tests with all settings one click away.

Health News Nascentia Launches Nurse Residency Program in Homecare

ascentia Health is launching Central New York’s first nurse residency program focused on homecare thanks to a $300,000 grant from the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation. Residency programs transition recent graduates of nursing schools into clinical positions though comprehensive training and skills development in specialty fields. Nascentia’s program will be the first in the area focused on homecare instead of a hospital environment, offering an alternate entry point to the profession. Nascentia Health Chief Clinical Officer Andrea Lazarek-LaQuay said that “with the growing demand for high quality nursing care at home, the need to develop a skilled group of clinical professionals is incredibly important. This residency program builds on Nascentia Health’s 132year history of caring for patients in their homes and will help us build a strong team of nurses to continue this legacy.”

The residency program launching this summer will accept its first class of nurses through a highly selective application process. Nurses graduating this spring with associate or bachelor’s degrees, or who have less than a year of clinical experience, are the focus of the program, which includes 12 months of structured education and training in the field of home care nursing. Nurses accepted into the program will receive a $12,000 sign-on bonus and competitive salary and benefits, and are eligible for loan repayment, tuition reimbursement, fleet vehicles, and more. As resident nurses, they will have regular Monday through Friday work hours with no weekends and no on-call for the first year. More information and online applications for the program are available at nascentiahealth.org/ NRP. Applications are being accepted now for the program starting in early July.

The Oswego Health maternity team (from left) Lucy Ladd, Pam Mayer, Jessica Leaf (director of Women’s Services), Laura Cooper and Dot Slater.

NYS Perinatal Quality Collaborative Recognizes Oswego Hospital With Quality Improvement Award

swego Hospital was recently recognized by the New York State Quality Collaborative (NYSPQC) for reducing maternal morbidity and mortality associated with obstetric hemorrhage and improving outcomes for pregnant and postpartum people. As a participating facility with the New York State Obstetric Hem-

orrhage Project, the 2021 Quality Improvement Award was presented to the Oswego Health maternity department. This team worked to improve readiness to respond to an obstetric hemorrhage by implementing standardized policies and procedures; develop rapid response teams; improve recognition of obstetric hemorrhage by performing ongoing quantification of blood loss; improve response to hemorrhage by performing regular on-site, multidisciplinary hemorrhage drills; and improve reporting of obstetric hemorrhage by using standardized definitions, resulting in consistent coding.

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Excellus BlueCross BlueShield is an HMO plan and a PPO plan with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in Excellus BlueCross BlueShield depends on contract renewal. Our Health Plan complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. ATENCIÓN: si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 1-877-883-9577 (TTY: 711). 注意：如果您使用繁體中文，您可以免費獲得語言援助服務。請致電 1-877-883-9577 (TTY: 711)。 † 2022 CMS Medicare Star Rating. Every year, Medicare evaluates plans based on a 5-star rating system. A nonprofit independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association Y0028_8417_M May 2022 • IN GOOD HEALTH – CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper • Page 31

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