Heartbeat The Magazine of St. Francis Hospital The Heart Center® A Member of Catholic Health Services of Long Island
• Going Green St. Francis opens first environmentally friendly ER on LI • Advances in Cardiac Research A behind-the-scenes look at leading-edge clinical trials • Highest Honors U.S. News ranks St. Francis one of the best for the sixth straight year
Winter 2012-13
From the
President
In this Issue
Giving Thanks
From the President 2 In the News High School Track Star Saved by Cardiac Screening 3 New York Magazine Top Cardiac Doctors 3 Top Grades from Consumer Reports and Leapfrog 4 St. Francis Receives Stroke Gold Plus Award Again 4 St. Francis Top Rated in NY State Cardiac Reports 5 U.S. News Ranks SFH One of the Best for Sixth Time 5
Features New Innovations in Interventional Cardiovascular Medicine 6 George Petrossian, M.D., provides a behind-the-scenes look at leading edge clinical trials
Going Green 8 St. Francis Hospital Unveils First “Green ER” on Long Island page 6 Early Thanksgiving Dinner: Long Beach, NY, November, 17, 2012
Traditionally, we host the St. Francis Hospital Annual Gala on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. This year, with so many of our friends and family still recovering from the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, we quickly shifted gears and hosted a special early Thanksgiving dinner on Saturday, November 17, to feed 2,500 residents of Long Beach. These fellow Long Islanders have been through so much in recent weeks while trying to provide themselves and their families with the most basic needs of shelter and food. I think of the many stories of resilience and fortitude I heard that day. These individuals and their families are especially grateful to all those who are helping them overcome their devastating losses. The holiday season is a fitting time for all of us to pause and be grateful for all the things that matter within our own families and communities. Please know that at St. Francis Hospital we are always here for you whenever you might need to turn to us. In fact, even during the height of the storm, the Hospital remained fully operational and cared for additional patients who were evacuated from flood zones. As our region moves forward with the recovery effort, we are most thankful for the support of the Hospital’s benefactors so that our community can continue to depend upon St. Francis Hospital in times of need. On behalf of our hospital family, many thanks and warmest wishes to you for a holiday season filled with the love of your family and friends. Best wishes,
Alan D. Guerci, M.D. President and CEO
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St. Francis Hospital, The Heart Center ®
Unlocking the Mysteries of the Heart 10 New advances in cardiac research
Giving Back Meet the Dixons 12 Campaigning for Excellence: $70.3 Million Raised 12 The Loyal One 13 A Real Champion for St. Francis Hospital 13 page 8
Welcome Back A Former Patient’s Homecoming
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Vital Signs SFH Gets Ready for Epic
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Latest Tools for Treating GI Disease
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Critical Care Nurses Earn Beacon Award page 10
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St. Francis Orthopedic Department Update
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Staff News 19
Heartbeat
is published by St. Francis Hospital, The Heart Center®. Questions or comments can be directed to St. Francis Hospital, Office of Development and Public Affairs, 100 Port Washington Blvd., Roslyn, New York 11576. (516) 705-6655. Copyright © 2012. All Rights Reserved. St. Francis Hospital is a member of Catholic Health Services of Long Island, the healthcare ministry of the Diocese of Rockville Centre. Editor: Paul Barry. Writers: LaShieka Hunter, Rosemary Gomez. Editorial assistant: Debra Tischler. Contributing photographers: William Baker and Steve Moors. Designer: Roger Gorman, Reiner Design.
In the News
New York Magazine Best Doctors 2012: St. Francis Has More Top Doctors for Cardiac Care than Any Other Hospital on Long Island
Sean Levchuck, M.D., Chairman of Pediatric Cardiology, (l.), shares the media spotlight with Tyler Capozzoli and the teen track star’s mom, Deirdre.
Hurdle of the Heart Puts St. Francis Student Athlete Cardiac Screening in the Spotlight The amazing story of a high school track star, who was saved by the Student Athlete Screening Program at St. Francis Hospital, was featured on News 12, MSG Varsity, and in a two-page spread in Newsday. Tyler Capozzoli, now 17, admits to rolling his eyes when his mother, Deirdre, a nurse at St. Francis, “dragged him in for a free heart screening.” But it turned out to be a lifesaving trip. Sean Levchuck, M.D., Chairman of Pediatric Cardiology, detected a hole in Tyler’s heart and repaired it using a catheter “the size of a cocktail straw.” Now Tyler is running better than ever and has received a scholarship to run at Molloy College. He says there will be no more eye-rolling from him and had the followN ON ION TIO ITI ing advice for fellow student athletes. “It NIT IN INI FIN EFI DEF H DE GH HIG HIGH TS IN HI RTS R POR SPO SPOR OL SP OL OO HO CHO SCH H SC GH IGH HIG HI was a lot more fun when I got back,” he said. “Just go do it.” For more information on the program e , red, re ired, paire epair repa ct is re fect fe defe rtt defe eart hear fterr h fte Afte Aft full on ing or to participate in a screening, call zoli is runn zzo zzoli z ozz Capoz Capo T (516) 629-2013. Screenings are done on a first come, first served basis. Pre-registration is required prior to the date of the event. |
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would finish yler Capozzoli weary, his 200-meter burst and his his breathing heavythen he’d energy spent. And look around. ys said. “He ates, I was alwa excited,” Capozzoli “My teamma basketball play- told me I was going to be faster.” them,” he said. more tired than and they’d be gan high school ago. Leved cardiac arrest d That was 18 months er who suffered “I’d be exhauste making the game- chuck was right. walking around.” now 17, was al- and died after March, 2011. Capozzoli, winning shot in But Capo the nursthat point. Othevelation” e A re Still, she didn’t expect most used to it at o the beat of — to be call- “ Capozzoli said that, on avert ers would run pavement. But es — her coworkers seconds e aftter the g e’s shaved eight her son’s nam sneakers hitting ’s elec- age, h s 400 time (frrom 58 secli’s k, even for ing Though Capozzoli frrom hi tests. Capozzoli’s soundtrac norfrom his and back came the inhale to 50), 33 seconds 1:57) and, short races, was own labored trocardiogram Levch had de- onds :30 : to (from 2:30 mal, Dr. Sean Levchuck exhale of his cardio-- 800 timecountry, two minutes off echocardio h his n in i efect d a cross to tected breath. elong run- in he life ould do jumps (from 16 minutes “Sometimes, I w wasn’t fast,” gram results. T etween the two his 4K time I le b 14 minutes). and stuff, because “They would ner had a ho rs of his heart. artial scholar. He now has a p in upper chambe Capozzoli said Deirdre said. long jump or the un at Molloy Collegerun “I was shocked,” throw me in the e, it would be was ship to r he will there that, think us Before ca the fall. ’s “I really didn’t high jump be leg for Kellenberg on’t want to run anything wrong with him.” like, yeah, we d would the first at the national in Untreated, Capozzoli aging 4x800 relay team him.” next weekend way it was, rematurely suffer from a p orking 50 to 60 championshipina. In March, his This was just the been running working ol was w to North Car came in third in the he figured. He’d con- heart that needed and it en than times harder or relay team e National Champitrack since kindergart best of them, said. By his 20s anc creeni g ditioned with the lacked a natu- be, Levchuck why would some- New Bal the Armory with a during a screening. he at say ’d maybe heartt defect in runner hear heart you “ onship a just 30s, g but kin who discovered have all these kindsa time of 7:43.84, brea school ninth fr from one this age hav of Dr. Sean Levchuck, ral gift. ered to students Catholic are offe out, what the of problems,” he added. “But son Tyler in office und 47-year-old state that, CapozzoAs it turned wasn’t as tired. to 12th grade and detect aro rt t ds behind her tands comstands be needof would Capozzoli s actually much better. I procedure] I underlying hea - record. Because chool Deirdre Kellenberg senior a little more lot of the damage d [before the being on the 99 percent of uck said. They n,” he said. eam are high s ible . . . . an en was pletely irrevers arrhythmia that li and his t mysteri- elatio his part, Capozzoli has re- An to ed to go faster problems, Levchummer and will good and it was wasn’t even close For largement, or an failure, things All-Americans.wins doesn’t stop be really heart. of running on better,” said ak for the su discovered the joy ous why he wasn’t The list of joy of relay team.”of course, g o beyond bre another round in October. go could lead to heart discovering the team took first in Kellenberg coach Kevin Buckley. It does, he the way to estimates host for Tyler, there’ll be no that.” there. His relay y team like relay Square An abnormal screening the further 00 his Levchuck the 4x8 Madison like As Levchuck, to rolling faster times. winning. His stuhim. “It the U.S. Open at and at Boston’s “It seemed Shortly after, Capozzoli admits Deirdre, a A intersectional they’ve discovered about 30 AA he was. He al- won the CHSA eye-rolling from of pediatric mom, in 8:07.40 went, the worse cardiac more when I got eyes when his St. Francis Hos- hospital’s chairman k. Using a GardenBalance Grand Prix in ways had decent speed, but the on May 26. letes with serious still are was a lot more fun do it.” t th a wor -a nt to de got y, w log Ne lped “Just go best season,” of those nurse at Roslyn’s in fo or a free cardio have been smaller aerobic part of it really he “size of a cocktail im “Winter was the track team. issues, and five The screenings back,” he said. just pital, dragged h The volunteer catheter the a patch up Capoz- 7:55.67. There onitored. — victories that . he said of his indoor him. elt so being m heart screening its third year, straw,” he fed to his heart. The races, too ompetitor, so off . . . and I fe would have d in “He’s a good c it’s not a rev- “We just went two years ago for Capozzoli. program, now 00 to 500 stu- zoli’s vein an said, was al3 revelation, but seemed impossible services about ear, all in the recovery, Levchuck he could it’s a y “We always thought instant. dent-athletes a deaths like most wasn’t as much nervous as “I hopes of preventing the Michithat of Wes Leonard,
St. Francis Hospital once again has more top doctors for cardiac care on this year’s New York Magazine Best Doctors list than any other hospital on Long Island. Seven St. Francis physicians made the selective list, six of them in a cardiac specialty category. The popular, yearly list is generated by Castle Connolly, the publisher of America’s Top Doctors, which is widely recognized as one of the most authoritative guides to the best physicians in the nation. New York Magazine’s complete list can be accessed at http://newyorkmetro.com/ bestdoctors/index.htm. Here are all of the cardiac and noncardiac physicians from St. Francis who made the 2012 list: • Sean Levchuck, M.D. (Pediatric Cardiology) • Joseph Levine, M.D. (Cardiac Electrophysiology) • George Petrossian, M.D. (Interventional Cardiology) • Newell Robinson, M.D. (Thoracic Surgery) • Steve Rucker, M.D. (Internal Medicine) • Richard Shlofmitz, M.D. (Cardiovascular Disease) • David Wertheim, M.D. (Allergy & Immunology)
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In the News St. Francis Gets Top Grades for Patient Safety: Consumer Reports Ranks St. Francis the Safest Hospital in NYC Metro Area
St. Francis also gets an “A” in new national safety test by Leapfrog St. Francis Hospital has received two major kudos for being a safe place to stay. Consumer Reports ranked St. Francis #1 for patient safety out of 81 medical centers it surveyed in the New York metro region. The hospital also received the highest grade for safety in a new letter based rating system by Leapfrog, a nonprofit organization that ranks hospitals nationwide. St. Francis was one of only two hospitals in Nassau to receive the perfect score. Consumer Reports used four key criteria for its rankings: the prevalence of hospital acquired infections; the number of readmissions of heart attack, heart failure, and pneumonia patients within 30 days; whether patients were given clear instructions upon discharge; and if patients were told the purpose of the drugs they were prescribed and any possible side effects they might have. Leapfrog relied on its own ratings as well as outside sources including the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Joint Commission. Grades ranged from “A” to “F” based on 26 safety indicators. The criteria included specific measures such as whether a patient received an antibiotic within an hour of surgery to more general standards like the success of “teamwork training and skill building” for the medical staff. According to Leapfrog, over 400 people die every day from preventable hospital errors, which is the equivalent of a major jetliner crashing every day. The ratings service says its scores empower patients to make informed decisions about the safety of their hospital care.
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Paul Wright, M.D., Director of the Stroke Center, (fourth from lower right) Erin Markey, R.N., Coordinator (center), and their award winning specialists in stroke care.
St. Francis Hospital Receives Gold Plus Achievement Award Again for Stroke Care St. Francis Hospital, The Heart Center® has once again received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines®–Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award. The award recognizes the Hospital’s commitment and success in implementing excellent care for stroke patients, according to evidence-based guidelines. To receive the award, St. Francis achieved a high adherence to all of Stroke Quality Achievement indicators required for the recognition. These measures include aggressive use of medications, cholesterol reducing drugs, and smoking cessation, all aimed at reducing death and disability and improving the lives of stroke patients. “With a stroke, time is of the essence. This award demonstrates our ongoing commitment to being one of the top hospitals in the country for providing aggressive, proven stroke care,” says Jack Soterakis, M.D., Senior Vice President, Medical Affairs and Medical Director at St. Francis Hospital. “We will continue with our focus on providing care that has been shown in the medical literature to quickly and efficiently treat stroke patients with evidence-based protocols.” The guidelines rely on the “teachable moment,” the time soon after a patient has had a stroke, when they are most likely to listen to and follow their healthcare professionals’ advice. Studies demonstrate that patients who are taught how to manage their risk factors while still in the hospital reduce their risk of a second heart attack or stroke. Customized education materials are also made available to patients at the point of discharge, based on their individual risk profiles. The take-away materials are written in an easy-to-understand format and are available in English and Spanish. “The time is right for us to be focused on improving the quality of stroke care by using these important guidelines. The number of acute ischemic stroke patients eligible for treatment is expected to grow over the next decade due to increasing stroke incidence, better recognition of symptoms, and a large aging population,” says Paul Wright, M.D., Director of the Stroke Center at St. Francis Hospital. According to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, stroke is one of the leading causes of death and serious, long-term disability in the United States. On average, someone suffers a stroke every 40 seconds; someone dies of a stroke every four minutes; and 795,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year.
St. Francis Hospital, The Heart Center ®
New York State Recognizes St. Francis Hospital Again as a Leader in Cardiac Stent Treatment St. Francis Hospital,The Heart Center® was recognized once again by the NewYorkk State Department off Healthh (NYSDOH) for excellence in cardiac care. In its latest cardiac reports, St. Francis was identified as having one off the highestt volumes and lowestt mortality rates in the state for PCI procedures (coronary angioplasty withh stent). St. Francis was one off justt four Richard Shlofmitz, M.D., Chairman of hospitals inn the state andd the only Cardiology, has helped the Cath Lab hospital onn Longg Islandd withh riskof St. Francis Hospital become one of busiest and safest facilities in New adjustedd mortalityy rates significantly the York state. below w the statewide average, andd its cardiologists performedd the highestt volume onn Longg Islandd andd the secondd largestt caseloadd inn the state. One St. Francis cardiologist, Andrew w Lituchy, M.D., was recognizedd forr havingg a risk-adjusted mortalityy rate significantlyy below w the statewide average forr nonemergencyy stentt procedures. PCI, or coronary angioplasty withh a stent, is a mainstay in the treatmentt off coronary artery disease.The goal off this minimally
invasive procedure is to open clogged arteries and to keep them open withh a tiny wire meshh tube called a stent. St. Francis is one of the mostt experienced and safest centers in the nation for performing these procedures. “Ourr cardiologists andd theirr staff workk hardd to maintainn the highest standards inn patientt care,”” saidd Alan D. Guerci, M.D., Presidentt and CEO off St. Francis Hospital, The Andrew Lituchy, M.D., was recognized Heart t Center®. “Thatt is whyy theyy are for having one of the lowest a riskadjusted mortality rates in the state. consistentlyy recognizedd forr their outstandingg results. While we are veryy proudd off theirr accomplishments, itt is ourr patients who are the real winners.” Inn ann earlierr reportt this year, St. Francis Hospital was also recognizedd forr its outstandingg success inn performingg PCI procedures and forr havingg the largestt caseloadd onn Longg Island. Percutaneouss Coronaryy Interventionss (PCI) in NewYork w k State,, 2008-2010 is publishedd byy the NewYork w k State Departmentt off Healthh andd cann be foundd onn theirr website.
St. Francis Captures Media Headlines for Its Latest U.S. News Rankings Once again, the hospital is top-rated both nationally and regionally as the best in its class St.Francis Hospital’s latest topnotch rankings by U.S. News & World Report became the subject of numerous television, radio, and print reports throughout the metro area. For the sixth consecutive year, the Hospital was recognized by U.S. News as being one of the best in the nation. St. Francis was the only hospital on Long Island to be top ranked for cardiology and heart surgery, rating #11 nationwide. It was once again ranked among the best hospitals in the U.S. in gastroenterology, geriatrics, neurology and neurosurgery, making it the only hospital on Long Island to be nationally recognized in four adult medical specialties. “To receive this highly respected recognition for six years in a row is a testament to our ongoing commitment to providing excellence in patient care,” says Alan D. Guerci, M.D., President and CEO. “It is a tribute to the skill and
dedication of our physicians, nurses, and healthcare professionals and a reflection of their constant focus on what is best for their patients.” Overall, St. Francis was ranked #1 on Long Island, #4 in New York State, and #5 in the New York Metro area, which includes Westchester and northern New Jersey. It was also recognized by U.S. News as high performing regionally in six specialties: cancer, ear, nose and throat, nephrology, orthopedics, pulmonology, and urology. According to U.S. News, nationally ranked hospitals “are the kinds of medical centers that should be on your list when you need the best care. They are where other hospitals send the toughest cases.” Of the 4,793 hospitals surveyed in 16 adult medical specialties, St. Francis Hospital was one of only 148 medical centers to be nationally recognized. To see the complete list of hospital rankings log on to www.usnews.com/besthospitals.
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Q&A New Innovations in Interventional Cardiovascular Medicine George Petrossian, M.D., provides a behind-the-scenes look at leading-edge clinical trials
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or George Petrossian, M.D., it is a very busy time. As the Director of Interventional Cardiovascular Procedures and a 20-year veteran at St. Francis, Dr. Petrossian was the first physician on Long Island to perform both carotid artery stenting and transcatheter aortic valve implantation. Both procedures are at the leading edge of interventional cardiology and are widely viewed as promising minimally-invasive alternatives to traditional open surgery. Consistently recognized by Castle Connolly as one of the “Best Doctors” in the New York metro area and the U.S., he is part of several ongoing national clinical trials at St. Francis, including the two-yearold study investigating the Medtronic CoreValve, a groundbreaking catheter-based system for aortic valve replacement. He works with an outstanding clinical team that includes Chairman of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery and co-principal investigator Newell Robinson, M.D., interventional cardiologist Andrew Berke, M.D, and cardiothoracic surgeon Roberto Colangelo, M.D.
Heartbeat: Yo Y u wo w rk ex extensive v ly l with minimally l inva v sive v dev e ices such as Core reValv lve. How o are r these dev e ices re revolutionizing card r iac care r ? Dr. Petrossian: The CoreVa V lv l e is an innova v tive treatment fo f r severe aortic stenosis, a condition where the heart’s ’ main va v lv l e does not open or close properly. y If left f untreated, the condition can become life f threatening. One of the main ways of treating this condition is to replace the aortic va v lv le through open heart surg r ery ry, but there are many patients who cannot withstand the impact and possible complications of surg r ery ry, so unfo f rtunately their options are very r limited. The CoreVa V lv l e promises to change all that. It is an artifi f cial aortic heart v lv va l e attached to a wire fr f ame that is guided by a thin, fl f exible tube called a catheter up into the heart. Once in the proper position, we expand the wire fr f ame, allowing the new aortic va v lv l e to open and begin to fu f nction properly. y We call this TA TAVI, or transcatheter aortic va v lv l e transplantation, and we have been working on this with patients since Fe F bruary r 2011. In the CoreVa V lv l e trial we fo f cus on two groups of patients. The fi f rs r t consists of patients considered essentially inoperable or at ext x reme risk fo f r conventional aortic va v lv l e surg r ery ry. If these patients qualify f fo f r the trial and meet the inclusion criteria, they are off ffered the CoreVa V lv l e as the therapeutic option. The second group we are studying is not quite as ill and although they have high risk, they’re potentially operable. This group is randomized so that half of them are treated with CoreVa V lv l e, while the other half receives conventional aortic va v lv l e surg r ery ry. Aft f er the trial is fi f nished in a fe f w months, we’re looking to continue treating those types of patients, which the FDA
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will allow, w until it’s ’ approved, which could be a year and a half away. y A the same time, we will soon be assessing another option called the At Edwards Va V lv l e. It is somewhat larg r er and has been approved by the FDA f r use in ext fo x reme risk, inoperable patients. We treated our fi f rs r t patient this past fa f ll. We also hope to be one of the sites chosen fo f r a new clinical trial with the CoreVa V lv l e, called Sur TA TAVI, a randomized trial comparing conventional aortic va v lv l e surg r ery r with the transcatheter va v lv l e in patients who are intermediate in risk. Instead of a risk of 15 percent, these would be patients in the 4 to 10 percent risk range. It’s ’ exc x iting because it will look at using this technology g in more and more of the patient population. That trial is going to be at about 50 to 75 sites between Europe, the U.S., and Canada, and we’re hoping St. Francis is chosen as one of them.
An Alternative to Open-Heart Surgery Heartbeat: Do yo y u think Core reValv lve, the Edward r s Va V lv lve, and TA TAVI will change g the scope of tre r at a ing aort r ic disease in the nex ext sev evera r l ye y ars r? Dr. Petrossian: I think they will. The technology g is amazing and it’s ’ only going to get better,r but there are still hurdles that we have to clear.r Fo F r example, we have to minimize the risk of stroke. These patients are high risk and elderly, y and none of them want surg r ery ry. They want this catheterr delivered va v lv l e. But the reality is that we have to be able to prove that the therapies – open heart surg r ery r vers r us the catheterr delivered va v lv l e – are equiva v lent in terms of their results. The Edwards Va V lv l e demonstrates equiva v lence in terms of surv r iva v l in the
verall outcome a year aft f er the procedure, but there is still the concern about the risk of stroke. We don’t have our data fr f om CoreVa V lv l e yet, but if it fo f llows suit, then our challenge will be incorporating new technologies to lower that risk of stroke so that it’s ’ the therapy of choice down the road. I believe that will happen. Heartbeat: Yo Y u are r also a part r of Sy S mplicity ty, an ex exciting nat a ional trial that a off ffers r hope fo f r pat a ients t with uncontro r lled high g blood pre r ssure r . What a is the purpose of this study? y Dr. Petrossian: Ye Y s, I’m working on the Symplicity or Hypertension 3 trial with my co-principal investigator,r Richard Shlofm f itz, M.D., and co-investigators r , Ezra Deutsch, M.D., Paul Le L e, M.D., and Andrew Lituchy, y M.D. The trial looks k at patients who have chronic, uncontrolled high blood pressure. Patients need to be on at least three blood pressure medications, one of which is a diuretic or a water pill, and they have to be on the max a imum dose that they will tolerate. They have to have other fa f ctors r such as pretty good kidney fu f nction and they cannot be on dialysis, at least fo f r the purposes of this trial. This is a randomized trial and looks at whether using radiofr f equency ablation, or the precise use of high fr f equency energy g in the renal arteries, can reduce blood pressure. Radiofr f equency ablation is a technique used everyday at St. Francis by electrophysiologists to burn very specifi f c segments in the heart to interrupt electrical circuits and cure patients who have arrhythmias or palpitations. So this technology g is very useful. The sympathetic nerv r ous system is overactive in many patients with hypertension and the renal arteries are wrapped by many sympathetic nerv r es. By using special catheters r that can deliver radiofr f equency ablations or burns in the renal arteries, we can interrupt the circuits in the sympathetic nerv r es that are wrapped around the renal arteries and hopef lly reduce blood pressure. fu In the preliminary r trials that have been done in 200 to 300 patients, at six months there was a 30 millimeter reduction in systolic blood pressure, and approx o imately an 11 millimeter reduction in diastolic blood pressure. It’s ’ a very r promising and exc x iting step.
Minimizing Risk of Stroke Heartbeat: Te T ll us about the other periphera r l va v scular wo w rk yo y u’v ’ve been doing at a St. Fr Francis. Dr. Petrossian: A long-standing area of interest of mine is carotid artery r stenting, which I have been doing fo f r 15 years r . The carotid arteries are in the left f and right side of the neck, and they are important because they carry r blood to and fr f om the brain. Just as in the coronary r arteries, cholesterol and plaque can build up and fo f rm blockages. These blockages can
put patients at risk fo f r stroke. One of the traditional treatments fo f r carotid artery r blockages is carotid endarterectomy, y which is surg r ery r to remove the blockage. The stenting technique allows the patient to avoid surg r ery r and has demonstrated great eff ffectiveness in clinical trials. We’v ’ e participated in many of these national trials, such as AC A T I, which looks k at carotid stenting vers r us carotid endarterectomy in low surg r ical risk patients. We have another registry r called the Freedom Tr T ial which is looking at carotid stenting in high surg r ical risk patients. I am also the principal investigator of another fa f scinating trial called IN.PA PACT, T with co-investigators r Dr.r Deutsch, Patrick DePippo, M.D., Richard Matano, M.D., and William Chung, M.D., which looks k at using drug-eluting balloons to open up blockages in the arteries of the leg. Since 2003, drug eluting stents have been used to open up blockages in the coronary r arteries. These stents are thin wire mesh tubes implanted by a catheter.r They hold open the arteries and drugs g embedded in the stents help to prevent a blockage fr f om returning. In the legs g , stents in the thigh artery ry, called the superfi f cial fe f moral arteries (S ( FA FA), have been somewhat of an improvement over balloon therapy and balloon angioplasty, y but not to the same ext x ent as in the heart. That probably has to do with the combination of the lengt g h of the disease involv l ed, as well as the physics and the tors r ion involv l ed. And sometimes we get some fr f actures in the stents, which has been somewhat disappointing. So IN.PA PACT looks k at the use of a drug-eluting balloon in the SFA F . The balloon is infl f ated and a drug called Paclitax axel is emitted or eluted over a two minute period, and then the balloon is removed and the patient can go home. The attractive fe f ature is that there’s ’ no metal left f behind.
Looking Toward the Future Heartbeat: What a else are r yo y u wo w rki k ng on in the cat a h lab? Dr. Petrossian: We’re going to be starting a procedure in the cath lab called the Lariat to try r to reduce the risk of stroke in patients who can’t take blood thinners r and have atrial fi f brillation. The procedure is a fa f irly sophisticated way of being able to put a suture around a portion of the left f atrial appendage, an upper chamber of the heart. Through a combination of two catheters r , one placed in the groin and one placed in the chest, just below the breastbone, we can access this region and put the suture in without surgery ry. We just successfu f lly treated our fi f rs r t patient. Heartbeat: What a do yo y u think the fu f ture r looks k like k at a St. Fr Francis? What a is coming dow o n the pipeline? Dr. Petrossian: I think the fu f ture is amazingly bright. The technology g is unbelieva v ble and it is wonderfu f l to have the privilege of working at St. Francis and to be a part of bringing these new technological developments to our patients. St. Francis Hospital, The Heart Center ®
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Cover Story
St. Francis Hospital Unveils First “Green ER”on Long Island Bishop William F. Murphy Blesses Revamped Facility
Going Green: Bishop William F. Murphy (c.) of the Diocese of Rockville Centre, blesses the first “Green ER” on Long Island- the newly renovated, eco-friendly Emergency Department at St. Francis Hospital.
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A Green Ribbon Panel: Bishop Murphy cuts the ribbon along with (from left to right): Alan D. Guerci, M.D., President & CEO of St. Francis Hospital; Peter Quick, Chairman of the Board of St. Francis Hospital; Lawrence E. McManus, President & CEO of CHS; and Richard J.J. Sullivan, Chairman of the Board of CHS.
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cross the region, the increasing demand for emergency medical care has prompted many hospitals to expand and upgrade their emergency departments. When the time came for St. Francis Hospital to renovate its ER, in addition to creating a facility with an eye on comfort, care, and state-of-the-art lifesaving tools, the Hospital also saw an opportunity for environmental stewardship.
After years of careful planning, St. Francis Hospital took the wraps off the Island’s first “green emergency room” with an official ribbon cutting by the Most Reverend William F. Murphy, Bishop of the Diocese of Rockville Centre. Now that the renovations have been completed, the Hospital expects to obtain Silver LEED Certification – a step above the standard certification for green spaces. LEED, which stands for the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, provides a Green Building Rating System™ that is a third-party certification program. It serves as a benchmark for organizations, such as St. Francis, seeking to design, construct, and operate high performance green facilities. “We place a great deal of emphasis on the environment of care, and going green in our new ER is just a natural reflection of our commitment to the community, our patients, and the heritage of St. Francis,” says Alan D. Guerci, M.D., President & CEO. Dedicated as The Yvette and Joel Mallah Emergency Department, this new facility represents another milestone – the hospital’s first construction project fully funded by philanthropy. Donors contributed more than $8 million in support of the expansion. Many were inspired by the opportunity to give back to the community as well as to honor the caregivers who made a difference in their lives.
State-of-the Art Setting The total renovation dramatically improves the interior of the Hospital’s emergency room, which saw a nearly 21 percent increase in visitors in the last five years. Featuring an increase of over 6,000 square feet, negative pressure private and semi-private rooms, and electrically opaquing “privacy glass” the new construction provides state-of-the-art treatment space. The eco-conscious design also includes using environmentally sustainable materials for walls and floors, expanding the Hospital’s recycling program, and implementing a series of energy conserving measures to reduce electrical demand. “Now that our new ER is complete, we can provide our patients with architecture and space that are as good as our medical care,” says Mark Hoornstra, M.D., Chairman of Emergency Medicine. Debris from all of the renovations was recycled when possible and construction materials were provided from local companies to reduce pollution associated with truck or rail transportation. The design also includes watersaving plumbing fixtures and an outdoor bike rack for employees who want to pedal instead of putting their feet to the metal to meet LEED requirements for staying green.
Now You See Them: Mark Hoornstra, M.D. Chairman of Emergency Medicine, and members of the ER’s nursing team, demonstrate how eco-conscious, opaquing glass gives patients instant privacy.
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New Advances in Cardiac Research
Co-Principal Investigator George Petrossian, M.D., (left), Director of Interventional Cardiac Procedures, and Ezra Deutsch, M.D., referring physician, congratulate Florence Francillon for being the first Long Islander to participate in the Symplicity study.
St. Francis Hospital Takes Part in Landmark Study for Treating Hard to Control Hypertension Heart Center Enrolls First Person on Long Island to Test New Treatment for Stubbornly High Blood Pressure
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lorence Francillon has struggled with uncontrollably high blood pressure fo f r 20 years r – so severe that she has been on a half dozen medications at a time to no ava v il. The situation culminated when her pressure reached 240/141mmHg and Florence, a registered nurs r e, had to check hers r elf into the emerg r ency room at work aft f er her nose bled fo f r more than an hour.r But now there is new hope fo f r the RN fr f om Deer Park, whose younger sister suff ffered a stroke fr f om the same condition. Florence is taking part in a major nationwide study that could revolutionize the way treatment-resistant high blood pressure is controlled. Florence is the fi f rst participant on Long Island to enroll in the Symplicity HTN-3 study. y The national trial relies on a procedure called renal denervation to treat symptoms that pose a serious health threat to nearly six million Americans and 100 million people worldwide. Using a minimally invasive, catheterr based device developed by Medtronic, physicians use low-power radiofr f equency energy g to deactivate the nerves in the walls of the arteries leading to the kidneys, blocking their ability to raise blood pressure. “As a physician, it can be ext “A x remely fr f ustrating to see a patient who is not responding to medication despite all the diff fferent combinations we
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have tried,” says Georg r e Petrossian, M.D., Co-Principal Investigator and Director of Interv r entional Cardiac Procedures at St. Francis Hospital. “Now we’re exploring an exc x iting investigational device that may help control severe hypertension when drugs g , diet and exe x rcise simply aren’t enough,” adds Dr.r Petrossian, who is collaborating with Richard Shlofm f itz, M.D., CoPrincipal Investigator and Chairman of Cardiology gy, and Ezra Deutsch, M.D., who refe f rred Florence to the trial. T qualify To f fo f r the clinical study, y a patient must hav ave an av avera r ge g sys y tolic blood pre r ssure r of 160 mmHg and be on a combination of thre r e or more r antihypert r ensive v medications. Since the trial is ra r ndomized, patients do not know if they are r being tre r ated with the act c ual device or underg rgoing a placebo pro r cedure r . Howeve v r,r aft f er six months of fo f llow-up, patients in the placebo gro r up will be off ffere r d the ra r diofr frequency c tre r atment if they so choose and qualify fy. So part r icipants such as Flore r nce say it is wort r h taking a chance. “I am scared that I could wake up with a stroke like my sister.r She survived but was partially paralyzed fo f r six months,” says the working mother of two. “This gives me hope that my blood pressure could be normal and I wouldn’t have to check it three to fo f ur times a day. y” T fi To f nd out more about participating in the study, y call: (516) 6 562-6790. Or visit ww www.sy s mplify f bptrial.com fo f r more info f rmation about the study. y
St. Francis Study on Blood Thinners Could Change Protocols for Treating Stent Patients
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research studyy led byy Richard Shlofmitz, M.D., Chairman off Cardiologyy att St. Francis Hospital, could offerr new w hope forr stentt patients who have a geneticc resistance to the popularr blood thinnerr Plavix. Nearlyy a third off patients who are prescribed a blood thinnerr to preventt heartt attack k orr strokes are resistantt to Plavix. Byy using ga simple blood testt called VerifyNow, Dr. Shlofmitz is able to immediatelyy determine iff a patient’s platelets are responding g to the drug. Iff theyy are not, he prescribes an alternative blood thinner called Effient. Afterr studying g the alternative drug’s effects through his research, the top-ranked interventionall cardiologistt says he now w uses itt forr mostt patients, “because itt works alll the time.” However, the St. Francis physician anticipates that insurance companies won’t be so quickk to embrace his recommendation, now that a cheaper, generic version off Plavixx is available and costs considerably less than Effient. He hopes that the results off the quick test will help to convince insurers off the benefits. “I tell my patients that the risk k is not worth taking, especially iff it’s shown that they are resistant to a certain drug,” he adds. Dr. Shlofmitz has already presented his findings at medical conferences throughout the country and his recommendations have gained media attention. He expects to publish the results off his study in 2013 and hopes that it will help set new, nationwide protocols forr Cath Labs in the U.S.
Help Unlock the Mysteries of the Heart Become a Research Volunteer St. Francis Hospital is taking part in two other major, national clinical trials that could revolutionize the treatment of heart disease. We are currently recruiting patients for the following studies: • CoreValve ® U.S. Pivotal Trial - St. Francis is now recruiting patients for a trial aimed at examining a revolutionary alternative to open heart surgery for the repair of aortic stenosis. This minimally invasive approach to treating the condition allows some patients to bypass open-heart surgery. In order to qualify, patients must be considered high risk for undergoing conventional open heart surgery or not be considered a surgical candidate. • Orbit II - St. Francis physicians are evaluating a device designed for treating severely calcified lesions in coronary arteries. The minimally invasive device acts like a rotorooter to widen narrowed arteries that have excess calcification allowing for optimal stent placement.
The five St. Francis physicians who are taking part in what could be a pivotal study are from (l. to r.): Principal Investigator George Petrossian, M.D., and co-investigators Richard Matano, M.D., Ezra Deutsch, M.D., William Chung, M.D., and Patrick DePippo, M.D., (not pictured).
To find out more about a particular study or to see if you are eligible to participate in it, please call (516) 562-6790.
A Study That Could Have a Big “IN.PACT” on Patients with Peripheral Vascular Disease St. Francis Hospital is the only hospital on Long Island participating in the IN.PACT SFA II Study. This national, randomized study , sponsored by Medtronic, Inc., is designed to evaluate the use of drug-eluting balloons to open up blockages in the arteries of the legs. The findings of this trial could offer a new alternative to standard balloon angioplasty for people with peripheral vascular disease. The study is currently enrolling subjects. Please call (516) 562-6790 for more information.
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Giving Back Meet the Dixons
Finding Talent Close to Home James Dixon knows talent when he sees it. For more than 25 years, he has managed the careers of many well-known comedians and actors. In between recent trips to the Democratic and Republican national conventions with clients Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, and being on hand for Jimmy Kimmel’s hosting spot at the Primetime Emmy® Awards, James explained how he and his wife Tanja found their hospital of choice. “We did our homework and knew that St. Francis Hospital ranked among the best hospitals in the country,” said James, the owner of Dixon Talent, Inc. “And when we walked through the doors and began meeting the docJames and Tanja Dixon tors, nurses and other staff members, we were impressed with the level of talent – all within a few minutes from home. It was apparent almost immediately that there was no need to go anywhere else.” That sentiment echoes the family’s decision to remain firmly planted on Long Island for the last 20 years. Tanja and James knew that a move to the West Coast was a logical next step for the talent management company he founded in 2001, after launching his career at the William Morris Agency in the mid-1980s. But when it came to raising their three daughters, they decided to call
Manhasset home. With their two eldest now in college and the youngest just a few years away from graduating high school, the couple is still planting roots in the area. Their eagerness to get involved with local causes recently led Tanja and James back to St. Francis – this time not as patients. A chance meeting at their daughters’ school with St. Francis Chairman of the Board Peter Quick led to a tour of the hospital’s new high-definition operating rooms and non-invasive imaging center with Alan D. Guerci, M.D., St. Francis President & CEO. “We were impressed once again,” James recalls of his family’s decision to make a major gift in support of the hospital. “Time moves so quickly with technology and you have to keep up with advances in order to remain the best. St. Francis has made a real commitment to staying ahead of the curve, and that’s where we wanted to make our investment.” The Dixons will be recognized for their outstanding support of the Heart Center’s recently-completed renovations during the hospital’s annual gala on November 17. As honorees of the Moroccan-themed evening at RXR Plaza, Tanja and James said they expect to feel right at home, surrounded by the same talent that drew them in.
Campaign Concludes with $70.3 Million Raised The yearr 20111 marked the completion off St. Franciss largestt capitall campaign, with more than $70.3 million raised forr the hospital’ss Masterr Facilitiess Plan. The generosityy off hundredss off gratefull patientss and friendss farr surpassed the originall fundraising g goall off $30 0 million and helped to supportt a second phase of the MFP P which included the recentlyy completed Emergencyy Departmentt – the hospital’ss firstt building g projectt to be fullyy funded byy philanthropy. Since the campaign began in 2005, thiss supportt hass made possible: • The Nancyy and Frederick k DeMatteiss Pavilion, site off two new w medical-surgical unitss featuring g private and semi-private roomss and an intensive care unitt and an intermediate care unit. • Long g Island’ss firstt high-definition operating g rooms, with fourteen new w suitess in the DeMatteiss Pavilion and sixx in the Heartt Center. Minimallyy invasive technology and hybrid functionalityy supportt the hospital’ss high surgicall caseload and provide the latestt optionss in care forr patients. Ass a result, the hospitall hass strengthened its cardiacc specialtyy and expanded severall otherr surgicall specialties, including g orthopedicss and neurology. • An expanded cardiacc catheterization lab, which now w includess a new w staging g and recoveryy unit. • Majorr renovationss to the Emergencyy Department, including g patientt roomss with solid wallss and privacyy glass, a dedicated imaging g suite, an urgentt care unitt and an expanded reception area. w non-invasive imaging g center, featuring g the area’ss firstt Cardiacc PET/CT • The new scanner.
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Alan D. Guerci, M.D., President and CEO of SFH (right), and Peter Quick, Board Chair (left), with Chris Pascucci, Campaign Chair (center), at the 2011 Roaring 20s Gala.
• The renovation off patientt unitss in the Heartt Center. • Expanded visitorr and stafff parking, with directt and covered accesss to patient registration. • New w gardenss and meditation areass providing g opportunitiess forr relaxation and reflection forr patients, visitorss and staff. Already, thousandss off patientss have benefited from these advancess and the generosityy off the patientss and familiess who came before them. Additionall giving g opportunitiess are available to help p ensure thiss world-classs care forr generationss to come. Forr more information, please calll (516) 705-6655.
Giving Back Volunteer Profile
The Loyal One By overcoming her own fears, volunteer Gloria Pitt discovered the art of vanquishing it in others Three times a week, a little after dawn, a taxi cab picks up 87-year-old Gloria Pitt from her home in Port Washington and brings her to St. Francis Hospital. Her eyesight is failing her, a result of macular degeneration, and she can no longer drive herself. However, she comes to the Hospital not as a patient, but as a volunteer, and she has logged in almost 13,000 hours in the 25 years that she’s donated her time to St. Francis. Among staff and other volunteers, she is playfully known as “The General” because of the 26 gold “Volunteer Award Bars” hanging vertically from the collar of her green volunteer jacket, each displaying the amount of hours she’s logged. She wears the pins because she is proud of her time at St. Francis, and also as a conversation piece for patients. “Even though I get teased a lot for wearing so many pins, I wear them for the elderly patients,” she says. “They come in, they’re frightened, and they don’t have anyone with them because their kids are scattered all over the country like mine are. The only way to get them not to be frightened is to talk to them, and sometimes they don’t want to talk. But sooner or later they notice my pins and ask, ‘Hey, what’s that?’ and a conversation is started.” A little sneaky? “Yes,” she admits, “but very worth it!” Gloria volunteers in the endoscopy unit, giving patients warm blankets, tying their hospital gowns for them, telling jokes to nervous patients, or just holding their hands before a procedure to calm them. She knows the feeling of being afraid of hospitals all too well. At the age of three, without the use of any anesthesia, doctors performed surgery on her ears to treat an abscess. Many years later, as an adult, she could not figure out why she was so terrified of going to the dentist or to the doctor. She had blocked out the terrible experience, but then several years ago, she had an epiphany and remembered her fear. After that, she decided that she wanted to help others overcome their fear. “I found that an awful lot of people have had very bad experiences while they were young, like me, and the experience has stayed with them all their lives, for which they blame themselves. But I’ve set out to help those people. To let them know that everything will be fine,” she says. “I love when people come back and say I’m so glad I met you, I’m not afraid anymore. I get pleasure out of seeing someone not being afraid anymore. Anytime I can help dull that fear, I feel a big plus in my life.” Her poor eyesight does not deter her. Because she’s been at the Hospital for so long, she knows the corridors like the back of her hand. “My daughter wanted me to move to D.C. to be closer to her. She told me that I could volunteer at a hospital down there,” she says. “I told her that I can walk through St. Francis with my eyes closed because I’ve been here for 25 years. But if I went to a new hospital they’d think I was crazy to volunteer at a place I’ve never been before, at my age, while going blind. I’d be tripping over things, falling down stairs, and God knows what else. I told her I think I have to stay here. God wants me to stay here.”
A Real Champion for St. Francis Hospital r manyy New wYorkers, Octoberr off 1955 willl always bee rememberedd ass thee time thee Dodgerss finallyy wonn the Worldd Seriess – theirr onlyy such triumphh inn Brooklyn. For Charless Greiner, October off 1955 markedd hiss rebirthh – rightt heree att St. Francis Hospital. Att thee agee off 7, Charless developedd rheumaticc fever. Byy thee springg of 1955, att 12 years-oldd withh hiss bodyy swollenn from m edema, Charless began experiencingg majorr organn failure, wass seldom m conscious, andd wass inn andd out off severall hospitalss withoutt muchh improvement. Hiss parentss weree toldd to beginn thinkingg aboutt funerall arrangements, ass thee doctorss feltt hee had, att the most, a couplee off dayss too live. Itt wass att thiss pointt thatt Charless wass transferredd too St. Franciss Hospitall and byy earlyy October,, whenn Johnnyy Podress wass pitchingg thee clinchingg gamee for thee Dodgerss attYankeee Stadium,, Charles’ healthh hadd improvedd enoughh thatt he rememberss celebrationss forr thee Dodgerss championshipp andd forr hiss 13thh birthdayy – a milestonee thatt 100 weekss earlierr nobodyy thoughtt he’dd reach! Inn Septemberr off 1964, Charless mett hiss wifee Anitaa andd theyy weree married fourr yearss later. Theyy havee threee childrenn andd threee grandchildren. Charles recentlyy retiredd afterr a longg andd successfull careerr ass a constructionn costt analystt andd iss happyy andd veryy healthy. Today, Charless doesn’tt misss ann opportunityy too recountt how w St. Francis Hospitall savedd hiss life. “Theyy tookk mee inn andd savedd myy lifee whenn otherss had givenn up,”” hee says. “Beyondd theirr extraordinaryy medicall care, theyy provided warm, lovingg care, dayy afterr day. Nott forr onee momentt inn thee approximatelyy 11 monthss thatt I wass att St. Franciss didd I feell unloved, unimportant, or thatt I wass a burdenn inn anyy way. How w manyy placess couldd providee alll off that?” Fifty-sevenn yearss later,, Charless stilll championss thee caree hee receivedd att St. Francis. Hee notes,, “II havee contributedd too thee St. Franciss Hospitall Foundation forr 200 yearss andd havee namedd itt inn myy will. I owee St. Franciss Hospitall so much,, itt cann neverr bee repaid.” Heree att St. Franciss Hospital,, Charles,, and manyy gratefull patientss likee him m aree thee reall champions. Theirr generosity ensuress thatt world-classs medicall care,, likee thatt receivedd byy Charless soo many yearss ago,, willl continuee too bee providedd forr futuree generations. Forr moree informationn aboutt makingg a giftt too St. Franciss Hospital: Contact: Meryll Cosentino Phone: (516) 705-6652 E-Mail: meryl.cosentino@chsli.org
Charles and Anita Greiner
Gloria’s loyalty to St. Francis Hospital speaks volumes. “I’ve been very, very lucky. The people at St. Francis are loving and caring and that’s what makes it so wonderful to work here,” she says. “St. Francis has filled my life with something that I feel so positive and so good about, and that’s helping others. It’s the reason I’m still breathing. I love what I do and I pray to God that I have enough strength to do it until I’m too old to walk.” St. Francis Hospital, The Heart Center ®
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Welcome Back Former Patient’s Pilgrimage Culminates in Sentimental Journey to St. Francis
A Heartfelt Homecoming: Pearl Parker (c.) surrounded by sisters Iona Stuart (l.) and Ruby Barnes (r.) made an emotional trip from Georgia to Long Island to visit the place where she spent two years of her childhood in the 1950’s– the site of the former St. Francis Sanatorium.
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Pearl Parker can never forget the pain she experienced as a child–the high fever and terrible leg cramps that made it difficult for her to walk. After being taken to Harlem Hospital at the age of four and diagnosed with rheumatic fever from a viral infection, Pearl was sent to the St. Francis Sanatorium where she spent two years of her childhood from 1955 to 1957. “I’ve never told anyone this, but at the time my father was making $58 a week and my mother was making $38,” says Pearl, the youngest of seven children whose parents emigrated to the U.S. from the Caribbean. “I could never understand how they had the good fortune to get me such great care.” Pearl still remembers her roommate at the Sanatorium, the statue of St. Francis, and pictures of singer Perry Como with the Sisters at Christmas time. Whenever she hears the late, popular singer’s voice it still has a soothing effect. Every Sunday, Pearl’s family made an emotional trek from their walk-up apartment in Washington Heights to Long Island. They took three subways and a bus for a trip that could take more than three hours each way. “If we missed the bus because of bad weather, we would have to wait an hour in the rain or snow for the next one,” says her sister Iona, who remembers her entire family making the weekly journey despite limited means. “Pearl was the baby, so she was our gem. I remember her crying and waving good-bye to us, but we always knew she was in good hands.” “Everyday I feel so fortunate and blessed,” says Pearl who recites the prayer of St. Francis on a daily basis. Her fond memories and good fortune inspired the 61-year-old home health caregiver to make the trip from Atlanta, Georgia, to visit the place where she recuperated as a child. “It was just something I needed to do–the pilgrimage of my life. I owe my heart to St. Francis.”
Vital Signs St. Francis Launches Electronic Medical Records System
In December, St. Francis became the second CHS hospital to launch an electronic medical records system (EMR) as part of an initiative called CHS eHealth. St. Francis joins St. Catherine of Siena Medical Center and a growing number of hospitals nationwide to go completely electronic. Eventually all CHS hospitals will implement the EMR system, developed by Epic, an industry leader, and physicians are also participating in this initiative.
Better Information for Better Health The new electronic medical record system (EMR) provides instant access to information about a patient’s current medical conditions, medications, test results, and allergies, both for the patient and his or her medical team. For patients, there are many benefits, including having their medical history, medications, and treatment records all in one place, having fewer forms to fill out in the future, and with their authorization, knowing that their healthcare team will have secure, immediate access to their medical records, anytime, anywhere. The new system reflects the Hospital’s continuing commitment to excellence in patient care and safety. “Electronic medical records have the potential to transform the way medicine is practiced, with great benefits for physicians and their patients,” says Jack Soterakis, M.D., Senior Vice President, Medical Affairs and Medical Director at St. Francis. “Just one example
is our ability to have a patient’s hospital charts and private practice records combined and immediately available, so that physicians and other clinical staff will be able to better coordinate care.”
MyChart Puts Records in Patients’ Hands Through a web-based application, called MyChart, the system will also provide patients with secure access to their medical records from the comfort of home, allergy and drug interaction alerts, reminders of doctor’s instructions, upcoming procedures, followup appointments – and much more. MyChart will be available in many of the Hospital’s ambulatory locations and practices. While not all hospitals use the Epic EMR, virtually all in the region participate in Healthix™, connecting more than 100 facilities, 7 million patients and nearly 4,000 clinicians in the downstate New York area and integrating patient records in full compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Epic’s Care Everywhere provides a framework for interoperability between healthcare systems around the world so clinicians have the information they need, whether from another Epic system, a non-Epic EMR complying with industry standards, or directly from the patient. For more information about CHS eHealth and the Epic EMR system, visit www.stfrancisheartcenter.com. St. Francis Hospital, The Heart Center ®
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Vital Signs The Latest Tools in the Best Hands for Diagnosing and Treating GI Disease
The GI Experts: Anthony Celifarco, M.D., (forefront) Director of Gastroenterology, and members of his topnotch medical team (l. to r.) Cynthia Colosimo, R.N., Caryl Ann Hadjiyane, M.D., Eugene Bonapace, M.D., Frederick Gandolfo, M.D., and Dean Pappas, M.D.
St. Francis Hospital was recently rated one of th t e nation’s top hospitals f r gastr fo t oenterology and th t e top hospital on Long Island in th t is fifeld fo f r good reason.The hospital not only boasts th t e best experts in th t is medical specialty, y it also has some of th t e latest tools fo f r diagnosing and tr t eating gastr t ointestinal (GI) diseases. This year, r our gastr t oenterologists began using a procedure called Halo radiofr f equency ab a lation to tr t eat Barrett’s esophagus, a condition th t at could lead to esophageal cancer.They also are using a minimally inv n asive procedure called endoscopic ultr t asound to get a better image of various gastr t ointestinal organs. “Yo Y u hav a e to hav a e leading edge technology to address all of th t e GI disorders we see,” say a s Anth t ony n Celifa f rco, M.D., Director of Gastr t oenterology. y “A patient may a come to us with t gastr t ointestinal bleeding, ab a dominal pain, or sudden weight loss and we hav a e to provide a fu f ll range of state-off th t e-art procedures to diagnose and tr t eat th t em.”
Endoscopic Ultrasound-Provides a Clearer Picture of Hidden Areas of the GI Tract Gastr t oenterologists at St. Francis Hospital are now using endoscopic ultr t asound to get a better view of th t e internal organs of th t e chest and a domen.The minimally inv ab n asive procedure usually takes less th t an an
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hour. It uses endoscopy (insertion of a probe into a hollow organ) combined with t ultr t asound, which relies on ultr t asonic sound wav a es, to get a complete image of th t e inside and outside of organs. Not only can it be used to visualize th t e walls of th t e esophagus, stomach, and rectu t m, but it gives a much clearer pictu t re of th t e pancreas which us typically harder to see with t conv n entional imaging techniques. “Endoscopic ultr t asoun u d is a very importan a t tool fo f r looki k ng n at a lesions of t e GI tr th t act. It is especial a ly l val a uab a le fo f r assessing n smal a l lesions of th t e pan a cr c eas a d fo an f r detectitng n th t e possib i le spread of var a ious tu tumors to th t e ly lymph nodes,” say a s Dr. r Celifa farco. “Thr h oug ugh fifne needle aspirat ation we w can a th t en exam a ine th this titssue un u der a micr c oscope to determine if it is can a cerous or not.”
Accordingg to Dr. Celifarco, while the procedure is predominantlyy used to diagnose pancreatic cancer, itt is also helpful inn diagnosingg conditions off the esophagus and rectum. Inn additionn to beingg used byy gastroenterologists, the procedure is also beingg performed byy pulmonologists att St. Francis Hospital forr assessingg various tumors off the chest. As forr the patient, Dr. Celifarco says the procedure feels almostt the same as a traditional endoscopy, However, itt offers muchh more informationn to help diagnose and treatt theirr gastrointestinal illnesses.
Halo Radiofrequency Ablation- New Hope for Treating a Condition that Can Lead to Cancer of the Esophagus Until recently, patients diagnosed withh Barrett’s esophagus, a conditionn that cann be a precursorr to cancer, faced the prospectt off undergoing a surgical procedure thatt had majorr risks. Butt now, the GI experts att St. Francis Hospital are usingg a minimallyy invasive procedure called Halo radiofrequency ablationn to treatt patients withh this potentiallyy dangerous condition, whichh is usuallyy triggered by chronic acid reflux. The procedure uses radiofrequencyy waves thatt produce heat to destroyy abnormal areas inn the esophagus thatt indicate cells are precancerous. Itt helps restore the liningg off the esophagus to its normal state. Traditionally, physicians treatingg patients withh Barrett’s esophagus had to take a watch- and-waitt approachh to see iff the conditionn became cancerous and whetherr a patientt would be a good candidate forr surgery. Dr. Celifarco says now gastroenterologists att St. Francis Hospital cann take a proactive approachh withh considerablyy less risks. Experts sayy esophageal cancerr has tripled overr the pastt 20 years, mainly do to obesity, and mostt cases off esophageal cancerr are triggered byy Barrett’s esophagus. “Unfortunatelyy manyy people withh Barrett’s esophagus have lostt heartburn symptoms and mayy be asymptomatic, so itt is harderr to diagnose and therefore cann progress silentlyy to esophageal cancer,” says Dr. Celifarco. The directorr off gastroenterologyy says the procedure is also beingg used to treatt GI conditions associated withh recurrentt bleeding, suchh as proctitus resultingg from radiationn treatmentt forr prostate cancer.
Award Winning Intensive Care - The CTICU team of St. Francis Hospital with Ann Cella, R.N., (third from front left), Senior VP of Patient Care & CNO.
American Association of Critical-Care Nurses Gives St. Francis Hospital Its Gold-Level Beacon Award for Excellence St. Francis Is the Only Hospital in New York State to Receive this Prestigious National Nursing Recognition The Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit (CTICU) at St. Francis Hospital, The Heart Center® has received a gold-level Beacon Award for Excellence from the American Association of CriticalCare Nurses (AACN). The award recognizes hospital unit caregivers who successfully improve patient outcomes and align practices with AACN’s six standards for a healthy work environment. Units that achieve this three-year, three-level award with gold, silver and bronze designations meet national criteria consistent with Magnet Recognition, the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, and the National Quality Healthcare Award. “We are honored to receive yet another prestigious national recognition for nursing excellence. Along with our Magnet designation, it reflects our ongoing commitment to providing our patients and their families with the very best care,” says Ann Cella, R.N., Senior VP of Patient Care Services and CNO of St. Francis Hospital. The gold-level Beacon Award for Excellence earned by CTICU at St. Francis Hospital signifies excellent and sustained unit performance and patient outcomes. The Hospital earned a gold award by meeting evidence-based criteria that include leadership structures and systems, appropriate staffing and staff engagement, effective communication, knowledge management, learning and development, best practices, evidence-based practice and processes, and patient outcomes.
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Vital Signs St. Francis Orthopedic Surgery Program Is Growing, Earning High Marks Along the Way Most people know St. Francis for its high quality heart care, but more and more patients – weekend warriors and others – are looking to the hospital and its surgeons for top quality orthopedic care. Recently, St. Francis was recognized regionally by U.S. News & World Report as high performing in orthopedics for the second year in a row. While St. Francis has offered high-quality orthopedic surgery for many years, the U.S. News recognition is just one of several signs that the program has arrived. According to Richard D’Agostino, M.D., Director of Orthopedic Surgery at St. Francis Hospital (inset), there are several factors behind the program’s recent accomplishments. “Foremost, it is the quality of the surgeons, which we have maintained through the years. And the nursing care is simply the best,” he says. “We have also made changes that demonstrate a commitment to the program, for example, adding topnotch physician assistants, enhancing education for patient care, and dedicating a floor in the hospital exclusively for orthopedic patients.” Dr. D’Agostino also notes a change in the patients who come to see him for care. “They are more educated,” he says, adding: “Today, patients do their homework and pay attention to publicly reported quality data. They see that St. Francis has the top patient satisfaction scores on Long Island and among the best in the region, and that makes a difference.” For Dr. D’Agostino, that’s a reflection of the “St. Francis Way”: excellent care totally committed to the patient. At the end of the day, he says, “it is satisfied patients sending us patients – friends, family members, co-workers.” Another positive sign is the number of new orthopedic surgeons joining St. Francis. In January, the hospital appointed Bruce A. Seideman, M.D., as Director of Joint Replacement, and last year, Timothy B. Reish, M.D., Michael N. Kang, M.D., Craig S. Radnay, M.D., and William J. Long, M.D., surgeons from the Insall Scott Kelly Institute for Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine (ISK), joined St. Francis. “The new ISK surgeons are a welcome sign of growth as is the ISK Joint Replacement Fellowship program which brings orthopedic surgeons in training to St. Francis,” says Dr. D’Agostino. “We are excited about the prospect of more qualified surgeons joining our department in the months ahead.” If you would like to see a St. Francis orthopedic surgeon for a consultation or a second opinion, call (1-888) 432-7869.
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St. Francis Hospital, The Heart Center ®
ISK Surgeons Bring Orthopedic Fellowship Program to St. Francis It has been a year a sin i ce fo f ur u memb m ers of th te Insal a l Scott t Kelly l Instittu tute (ISK) fo f r Orth t opaedi d cs a d Sports Medi an d ci cine join i ed St. Fran a ci c s Hospita tal’s Depar a tm t ent n of Orth t opedi d c Sur urgery an a d it has been a busy titime fo f r th t e sur urgeons.Tim i oth thy Reish, M.D. (not pict ctured), Michael Kan ang, M.D. (left ft), Crai a g Radn d ay ay, M.D. (cent n er), an a dWi W lliam a Long n , M.D. (righ ght), speci c al a ize in i servi v ces such as a th ar thritits preve v nt ntion, tota tal kn k ee an a d hi hip replacement n , fo f ot an a d an ankle sur urgery, y an a d car a titlag ae restorat ation. But u wh w at a some may a not kn k ow o ab a out u ISK is th t at a th t e in i stittu tute has a remar arkable fe f llow o shi hip program a th t at a give v s can a di d dat a es th t e opportu tunit to hone th ty t eir i orth t opedi d c exp x erience. “We W prov de an vi a ext xtremely l fo f cu c sed sub u speci c al a ty t tr t ai aining, h gh hi g vo v lu lume, exp x erienced sta taff wi w th t a str t ong n resear a ch backg k roun u d, as we w ll as a lar arger academic portf tfolio th t at a in i clu l des in internat ational a an a d nat ation leve v l meetitings an a d a fr f at a erni n ty t th t at a cont ntinues fo fr t e rest of th th t e fe f llow o ’s pract ctici cing car a eer, r ” say a s Dr. r Long ng. Accordi ding to Dr. r Radn d ay ay, “Th T e program a s give v St. Fran a ci c s more nat ational a an a d in internat ational a clin inical a an a d academic recogn gnititon. It’s a great a opportu tunity t to exp x an a d th t e teachi hing exp x erience at a St. Fran a ci c s Hospita tal in i adu dult reconstr t uct ction an ad sports medi d ci cine.” Dr. r Long n ag a rees. He say a s in i addi d titon to academic recogn gnititon, more leadi dingedg d e sur urgery bein ing done at a th t e Hospita tal. “Th Te f llow fe o s ar a e av availab a le, an a d th t ey’re looki king af after th te pat atient n s ve v ry closely l an a d I th think th t at a help l s eve v ryone,” he say a s. T e ISK ph Th physici c an a s can a be re r ach c ed at a: Rosly lyn Offffice: (516) 705-104 044 Bab abylon Offffice: (631) 482-9175 New e Yo Y rk r Offffice: (646) 293-7510
Staff News New to the SFH Family Patricia J. Tassinari, M.D., was named director of the Bishop McHugh Health Center in Hicksville, a satellite facility of St. Francis Hospital. Dr. Tassinari was previously a full-time physician at First Med Immediate Medical Services in Bayside, Queens. She has 25 years of experience in providing urgent family medical care.
Louise Spadaro, M.D., has been named a Board Member of the Long Island chapter of the American Heart Association (AHA.) Dr. Spadaro is the Director of the Cardiac Outreach Program at St. Francis and is a leading expert on women heart disease.
Bruce A. Seideman, M.D., has been appointed Chief of Joint Replacement in the Division of Orthopedic Surgery. Dr. Seideman was previously Chief of the Joint Replacement Service at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset. His areas of expertise include both primary total hip and knee replacement surgery and complex revisions of prior replacements, as well as arthritis and related disorders of the hip and knee.
Bhoomi Mehrotra, M.D., has been named the new Director of Oncology and Director of the Cancer Institute at St. Francis Hospital, The Heart Center®. Before coming to St. Francis, Dr. Mehrotra was the Associate Chief for Oncology at North Shore LIJ Department of Medicine. Prior to that, he served as section chief of Medical Oncology and director of the Adult Autologous Stem Cell Program at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New Hyde Park, NY, until 2011. He is currently an associate professor of medicine at the Hoftstra-NSLIJ School of Medicine and has been recognized by Castle Connolly as one of the “Best Doctors” in the New York Metro area. Dr. Mehrotra received his medical degree at the University of Delhi, where he also completed an internship. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at LIJ and a fellowship in Hematology and Oncology at the Cancer Research Institute, at the University of California (UC) in San Francisco. He also conducted postdoctoral fellowships in UC’s Radiation Oncology Research Laboratory, Brain Tumor Research Center, the Cancer Research Institute and Division of Molecular Cytometry, in the Department of Laboratory Medicine. His publications have appeared in Blood, Annals of Internal Medicine, the American Journal of Clinical Oncology, the American Journal of Hematology, Seminars of Oncology, and the Hematology Oncology Clinics of North America. Dr. Mehrotra currently moderates online tumor boards for the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) University. He has extensively lectured nationally and internationally, and has given educational sessions at the annual meeting of ASCO and the American Society of Hematology.
We are proud to announce that Great South Bay Medical Practice has joined the St. Francis family. The physicians, Stephen M. Burke, M.D.; Raymond L. Ebarb, M.D.; Kenneth B. Levites, M.D.; and Nicholas P. Zotto, M.D., offer outstanding primary care services and can be reached at: 213 Main Street West Sayville, NY 11796 (631) 563-6205 phone • (631) 563-7718 fax
Gary H. Friedman, M.D., has joined the cardiology group led by Richard Shlofmitz, M.D., Chairman of Cardiology, and Stephen Mezzafonte, M.D., at St. Francis. Dr. Friedman received his medical degree at Tel-Aviv University and completed his residency and fellowship at Long Island Jewish Medical Center. He served as a staff physician, acting head of the Non-Invasive Adult Cardiology department, and associate attending at Long Island Jewish Medical Center from 1987 to 1999, and then as a staff physician at North Shore University Hospital. In 2000, Friedman joined Interventional Cardiac Consultants in New Hyde Park, N.Y., before coming to St. Francis Hospital as a cardiologist in 2004.
William Chung, M.D., has joined the cardiology group led by Richard Shlofmitz, M.D., Chairman of Cardiology, and Stephen Mezzafonte, M.D., at St. Francis. Dr. Chung received his medical degree at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx. He completed his fellowship at Stony Brook University Hospital, as well as a research fellowship and residency program at Boston University Medical Center. Dr. Chung is board certified in cardiovascular computed tomography and nuclear cardiology.
The DeMatteis Center Wins Top Honor for Patient Satisfaction Again For the fourth year in a row, The DeMatteis Center for Cardiac Research and Education has won a Summit Award for being in the top one percent in the nation for patient satisfaction. The Press Ganey group honored the St. Francis outpatient facility with the prestigious award for having 99 percent patient satisfaction scores for twelve consecutive quarters.
Ganesh S. Kamath, M.D., has joined South Bay Cardiovascular, St. Francis Hospital’s cardiology center in Suffolk County. Dr. Kamath received his medical degree at the University of Mumbai and completed his internal medicine residency at State University of New York at Buffalo. He recently completed his cardiology fellowship at St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital in Manhattan. Dr. Kamath served as part time physician at Franklin Hospital Medical Center in North Valley Stream, N.Y., from 2007 to 2008, and then at St. Francis Hospital from 2008 to 2009.
To contact any of the physicians or surgeons mentioned in this publication, please call 1-888-HEARTNY (432-7869).
St. Francis Hospital, The Heart Center ®
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Winter 2012-13
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St. Francis Hospital The Heart Center ®
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2013 MarkYourCalendar
St. Francis Hospital Events
Monday, June 3 St. Francis Hospital’s 39th Annual Golf Classic at Meadow Brook Club, The Creek, and Nassau Country Club Individuals and foursomes are welcome. Golf reservations will be assigned on a first come, first served basis. For more information or tickets, call (516) 705-6655