Nyack Winter 2023

Montefiore Nyack Hospital Updates

FROM THE PRESIDENT

Dear Readers,

Happy New Year! I hope this issue finds you well and looking forward to the possibilities that a new year offers. While going for a routine physical may not be at the top of your New Year’s to-do list, it is an excellent time to make that appointment. An annual visit will help your doctor keep tabs on your health and provide an opportunity for you to discuss lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking, eating a healthy diet and getting regular exercise. If you don’t have a primary care provider, make this the year you get one. As we all have heard, maintaining a healthy weight reduces the risk of many diseases, including heart disease and diabetes.

Inside this issue, we share the compelling story of how Jeff Lewis, the News Director at WRCR AM Radio, was inspired to turn his life around and start a journey toward healthy living after a monthlong hospital stay. We also include healthy eating tips and guidelines on when to see a sleep specialist if you are experiencing disrupted sleep patterns. We also provide information on a heart condition that causes shortness of breath.

Speaking of matters of the heart, we are proud to recognize our Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Center for earning a three-year certification from the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR). The Center was recognized for its proven track record of providing high-quality patient care and rehabilitation medicine, measured by solid and commendable performance outcomes.

Finally, we are proud to announce that the hospital now has a brand-new parking garage on our campus. This three-story structure will provide visitors and staff with easy access to the hospital. We extend our profound gratitude to the Nyack Public School District for allowing us to utilize a ball field to provide a parking area for our patients and visitors during the garage construction. We will return the field to a green open space for ball games and recreational activities to resume this spring.

With that, I wish you a happy and healthy winter season.

The Madlyn Borelli Multiple Sclerosis Center Wins National Award

The National MS Society recently presented The Madlyn Borelli Multiple Sclerosis Center at Montefiore Nyack Hospital with its MS Spirit Award. This prestigious award recognizes dedication and expertise in treating patients living with multiple sclerosis (MS). The award was accepted by Christopher Langston, MD, the Center’s medical director.

“As our dedicated Partner in MS care, this award recognizes Dr. Langston’s leadership in Rockland County and the Center’s dedication to the National MS Society’s mission to cure MS and help people with MS to live their best lives,” said Dana Miele, president of the National MS Society’s Greater New York City— Long Island Chapter.

Affiliated with Montefiore Einstein, The Madlyn Borelli MS Center is a designated Comprehensive Center for MS Care through the National MS Society’s Partners in MS Care program. Our center offers a full array of services to address the often-complex needs of people with MS. See back page for more details.

Mark Geller, MD President and Chief Executive Officer

Montefiore Nyack Hospital Recognized for Quality

Each year, U.S. News & World Report honors hospitals that perform exceptionally well treating the most common medical conditions. For 2022-2023, Montefiore Nyack Hospital has been recognized as high performing in three clinical areas: stroke, COPD and kidney failure. Congratulations to our patient-care teams!

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EDITORIAL STAFF

Lauren Malone, Sr. Dir. of PR and Marketing

Rose Croke, Marketing Manager

Briana Tolve, Marketing Manager

Jasmine Gonzalez, Marketing Coordinator

Celia Vimont, Writer

4

A DIABETIC COMA LEADS TO BIG LIFE CHANGES How Jeff Lewis, the news director at WRCR AM Radio, turned his life around after a monthlong hospital stay.

DIABETES: 5

HEALTHY

EATING TIPS These simple guidelines can help you keep diabetes at bay.

8

COLORECTAL SURGERY: A BETTER EXPERIENCE FOR PATIENTS Minimally invasive surgery means faster recovery, fewer complications and less pain. 10

12

HELP FOR LEAKY HEART

VALVES When mitral regurgitation cases can’t be treated with medicine, we offer a state-of-theart surgical solution. 14

WHEN

TO

SEE

A

SLEEP SPECIALIST Common sleep issues can be successfully treated to help you get a good night’s rest.

EXPERT INFUSION CARE

CLOSE TO HOME The Infusion Center at Montefiore Nyack Hospital offers first-class care in a convenient location.

CARDIOPULMONARY REHABILITATION CENTER RECOGNIZED FOR QUALITY

Montefiore Nyack Hospital’s Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Center has received a three-year certification from the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation. This certification recognizes a commitment to enhancing standards of care to improve a patient’s quality of life. Certified programs offer the most advanced practices and have proven track records of high-quality patient care as measured by performance outcomes.

“Our team is so pleased to receive this recognition as it underscores the excellence in rehabilitation medicine we offer to our patients,” says Clinical Exercise Physiologist and Program Manager James Dowling, MS, ACSM-CEP.

Cardiovascular and pulmonary rehabilitation programs are designed to help people with cardiovascular problems, including those who have had heart attacks and coronary artery bypass graft surgery, and pulmonary problems, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and respiratory symptoms, recover faster and live healthier. Both programs include exercise, education, counseling and support for patients and their families.

“I’ve turned the page on my bad habits. Now my goal is to help people avoid going through what I did.”

Jeff Lewis News director and talk show host at WRCR AM Radio

A DIABETIC COMA LEADS TO BIG LIFE CHANGES

HOW JEFF LEWIS, THE NEWS DIRECTOR AT WRCR AM RADIO, TURNED HIS LIFE AROUND AFTER A MONTHLONG HOSPITAL STAY.

Jeff Lewis knew he was prediabetic, but the health issues he focused on were his cholesterol, blood pressure and weight. That all changed in March 2022 when his kidneys shut down and he ended up in a diabetic coma. His journey back to health included almost a month at Montefiore Nyack Hospital (including 19 days in the intensive care unit), another several weeks at a rehab facility to regain his strength, three months on dialysis and a complete change in his diet. Today, Jeff is 65 pounds lighter, bikes 60 miles without breaking a sweat and eats a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. Gone are the red meat, sodas, energy drinks and beloved chicken pot pies.

The 53-year-old news director and talk show host at WRCR AM Radio used to think his high-salt, highsugar diet was justified by his active lifestyle.

“I’m a cyclist and skier, and I used to reward myself after a 20-mile ride on trails around Rockland County with a big bowl of ice cream,” Jeff says. He was also dealing with stress by consuming large amounts of salty and sugary foods.

DANGEROUSLY HIGH BLOOD SUGAR

What Jeff didn’t know was that his blood sugar was sky-high and he was extremely dehydrated.

When a person’s blood sugar is very high, the extra sugar passes from the blood into the urine. That triggers a process that draws a large amount of fluid from the body. This can lead to dangerous dehydration and a diabetic coma, or loss of consciousness.

Any delay in medical care for a diabetic coma can result in brain damage or death. Fortunately, soon after Jeff passed out he was rushed

to Montefiore Nyack Hospital, where he was immediately given insulin to treat his high blood sugar and intravenous fluids to help him rehydrate.

“Jeff’s dangerously high blood sugar made his blood more concentrated than normal, causing a coma-like state,” says Paul Zamudio, MD, the Montefiore Nyack Nephrology Critical Care physician who treated Jeff. His abnormal electrolyte levels and worsening mental status caused his breathing to become very erratic so he was placed on a ventilator. He remained on a ventilator for four days until his electrolyte issues and mental status improved.

Left untreated, high blood sugar can cause increased strain on the nephrons, the kidneys’ tiny filters, hindering their ability to function effectively. “This can lead to acute kidney injury and, in time, chronic kidney disease,” Dr. Zamudio says. By the time Jeff got to the hospital, his kidney function was so poor that he was placed on dialysis. His kidneys recovered enough for him to stop dialysis in mid-June.

LEARNING TO EAT FOR HEALTH

When Jeff’s doctors told him he needed to make major adjustments in his lifestyle if he wanted to avoid another life-threatening diabetic coma, he was ready. But he was in for some surprises. “The portion sizes of the hospital meals were three times less than what I was used to eating. I quickly learned I needed to eat much less,” he says.

He worked with a nutritionist at Montefiore Nyack Hospital to change his diet. “I still call her occasionally to ask questions,” he says. “I’m checking food labels for salt and sugar.” Today, he’s not on any diabetes medication and his cholesterol is the lowest it has been since college. “I’ve turned the page on my bad habits,” he says. “Now my goal is to help people avoid going through what I did.”

PAUL ZAMUDIO, MD

DIABETES:

5 HEALTHY EATING TIPS

WHETHER YOU HAVE DIABETES OR WANT TO REDUCE YOUR RISK OF DEVELOPING IT, THESE SIMPLE GUIDELINES CAN HELP YOU STAY HEALTHY.

In the past, people with diabetes were given a long list of foods they couldn’t eat. Today, that’s not the case, says Sandra Arévalo, RDN, Director of Community Health and Wellness at Montefiore Nyack Hospital. “With the evolution of science, we now know that many foods can be part of the diet of a person with diabetes,” she says. “The trick is to know how to incorporate foods into the diet.”

A healthy diet for a person with diabetes is the same as for anyone looking to prevent diabetes and live a healthy life, Arévalo says. “A person with diabetes doesn’t have to ‘diet’ and eat differently than everyone else,” she says. “There are easy rules that everyone can follow, whether you have diabetes, have someone in your family with diabetes or just want to eat healthy.”

Here are some healthy eating tips Arévalo gives her patients:

1

SWEET DOESN’T HAVE TO MEAN SUGARY.

People with diabetes don’t have to avoid sweet foods. Avoid foods loaded with sugar, such as cookies and cakes, but foods and snacks made with artificial sweeteners are fine. Which sweetener to choose comes down to individual taste, she says.

2 STICK TO WHOLE

GRAINS. Foods high in carbohydrates, such as white rice, bread and pasta, cause blood sugar to spike. Instead, choose whole grain products—brown rice, whole wheat bread and whole wheat pasta. “Whole grains have more fiber and nutrients,” Arévalo says. “Fiber helps to reduce sugar

in the blood. When we eat refined carbohydrates like white bread, they elevate blood sugar more than when we eat whole wheat.”

3

PAIR FRUIT WITH PROTEIN. The sweetness of fruit comes from fructose, which is different than the glucose that comes from other carbohydrates. “Eating fruit is fine in moderate portions—a banana or an apple,” she says. “But a whole bowl of fruit salad will raise your blood sugar.” To keep your blood sugar from spiking with fruit, match it with protein, such as a piece of cheese or a cup of milk. If you’re making a fruit smoothie, use unsweetened plain Greek yogurt, which is high in protein. Or use soy milk, almond milk or coconut milk. Throw in a little spinach—it adds nutrients but doesn’t take away from the fruit flavor.

4

EAT THREE EQUAL MEALS. If you eat one big meal and two small ones, it will cause a spike in your blood sugar after the big meal. Instead, eat smaller meals throughout the day, plus a couple of snacks if you’re hungry in between meals. But watch how big the snack is, Arévalo warns. “Snacks are meant to calm your hunger until your next meal, not be a meal in itself,” she says. “An apple is a snack. But an apple, avocado toast and a smoothie is a meal, even if each of those things separately could be considered a snack.”

5

CONSIDER CONSULTING A DIETITIAN. A registered dietitian, especially one who is also trained as a diabetes educator, can be a good resource for people with diabetes and those trying to avoid the disease. “You can ask your primary care provider or hospital for a recommendation,” Arévalo says, “or check www.eatright.org to find a dietitian near you.”

SANDRA ARÉVALO, RDN

FAST FACTS

37 million

people in the U.S. have diabetes.

20% of people with diabetes don’t know they have it.

96 million

U.S. adults have prediabetes, which increases their risk of developing diabetes.

2x

Medical costs for people who have diabetes are double what they are for people who don’t.

To make an appointment with a dietitian/diabetes educator at Montefiore Nyack Hospital, call 845-348-2004.

COLORECTAL SURGERY: A BETTER EXPERIENCE FOR PATIENTS

MINIMALLY INVASIVE COLORECTAL SURGERY MEANS FASTER RECOVERY, FEWER COMPLICATIONS AND LESS PAIN.

In the past, patients having colorectal surgery required an operation with large incisions, called open surgery. Today, colorectal surgeons perform many procedures using minimally invasive techniques. “This means smaller incisions and faster recovery with less pain and less need for opioid painkillers,” says Ziad N. Kronfol, MD, FACS, FASCRS, a colorectal surgeon with Highland Surgical Associates and Montefiore Nyack Hospital. Dr. Kronfol says his patients are happy to hear that today most colorectal surgery patients avoid

needing a colostomy bag—a plastic bag that collects fecal matter from the digestive tract through an opening in the abdominal wall. “If a person does need one, it’s often temporary,” he says.

Patients with large polyps, who used to need larger operations to remove them, now often can be treated with transanal minimally invasive surgery as well.

“Before we used minimally invasive surgery, colorectal surgery patients often had to be in the hospital for at least a week,” Dr. Kronfol says. “Now, with smaller incisions and less pain, we can get patients home quicker, often in one to three days, with minimal discomfort.”

return to normal bowel function and a fast return to their regular diet.

THE DA VINCI SURGERY SYSTEM

Many colorectal procedures at Montefiore Nyack Hospital are done using the da Vinci surgery system, which uses robotic arms and instruments that have a wider range of motion than humans do. This results in less pain for the patient and a shorter time for recuperation. The da Vinci system can be used for colon cancer, rectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease) and diverticulitis.

ZIAD N. KRONFOL, MD, FACS, FASCRS

In addition to a shorter hospital stay, patients have less blood loss, a quicker

The da Vinci system has four robotic arms instead of a surgeon’s

arms, as well as multiple that maneuver better wrist and fingers. The surgeon can produce finer movements with more accuracy. The system also gives the surgeon a three-dimensional view that’s magnified 10 times.

The surgery is minimally invasive, meaning the surgeon makes small cuts and uses thin long surgical instruments and a laparoscope, a thin tube with a light and a camera lens. The robotic surgical instruments are inserted through the small cuts. Sitting at the console, the surgeon uses the controls to perform the surgery.

BETTER RECOVERY AFTER SURGERY

Colorectal surgery patients are also benefitting from a protocol called enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS).

HELPING PATIENTS RECOVER FASTER

Key components of the enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) program include several steps at each phase of surgery: before, during and after.

BEFORE SURGERY

• Patient education

• Going into surgery as healthy as possible (for example, increasing activity/exercise and stopping smoking)

• Cleaning out your bowels (also known as bowel prep)

• Decreasing the amount of time you go without eating

• Starting pain control before the surgery takes place

DURING SURGERY

• Using many types of medications to control pain and giving a reasonable amount of intravenous fluid to keep you hydrated

• Minimally invasive surgery

AFTER SURGERY

• Getting out of bed and walking early and often

• Allowing you to eat as soon as safely possible

• Avoiding excessive intravenous fluid

• Controlling your pain using different types of medications in addition to narcotics

• Preset discharge criteria:

- Pain management with oral medications

- Return of bowel function (gas and/or stool)

- Eating and drinking without difficulty or nausea

- The ability to walk and move around safely

- Having no other medical concerns

- Having good support to help you at home

“Previously, patients didn’t start moving and eating until much later,” says Ziad N. Kronfol, MD, FACS, FASCRS. “This delayed the start of their recovery. Now that patients start walking and eating sooner, they heal better and go home faster.”

“It’s about getting people back to normal as fast as possible, and it really speeds up recovery,” says Dr. Kronfol.

ERAS is designed to decrease patients’ pain after surgery, reduce the length of their hospital stays, reduce

complications and shorten recovery. The strategy includes a series of steps before, during and after colorectal surgery for cancer or benign diseases. Typically, patients treated with ERAS go home in three days compared with seven days in the past.

To schedule a consultation and for more information about robotic-assisted surgery, call Highland Surgical Associates at 845-535-3362

COMMON SLEEP PROBLEMS CAN BE SUCCESSFULLY TREATED TO HELP YOU GET A GOOD NIGHT’S REST.

It’s common to have difficulty falling or staying asleep from time to time. But when sleep problems cause ongoing issues, including daytime sleepiness, memory problems or a bed partner who can’t sleep because of your snoring, it’s time to consult a doctor, says Anita Bhola, MD, FCCP, FAASM, Medical Director of The Edythe Kurz Sleep Center at Montefiore Nyack Hospital.

“If you have ongoing sleep issues, it can be helpful to see a sleep specialist right away,” she says. “They can investigate and address the underlying cause of the problem instead of simply prescribing a sleeping pill.”

The most common conditions seen by sleep specialists include obstructive sleep apnea and insomnia.

OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA

Obstructive sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder that causes repeated breathing interruptions during sleep. Sleep apnea impacts a person’s quality of life, increases the risk of many chronic illnesses and raises the risk of accidents.

Sleep apnea occurs when muscles in the upper airways relax during sleep. This causes tissues in the upper airways to cave in, blocking the airways. When this happens, oxygen levels in the body temporarily drop, causing the person to repeatedly stir and awaken.

Most cases of sleep apnea are undiagnosed. Symptoms can include:

• Snoring (although not everyone who snores has sleep apnea)

• Breathing pauses during sleep

• Excessive daytime sleepiness

• Drowsy driving

• Erectile dysfunction in men

• Poor memory and concentration

To diagnose sleep apnea, the doctor will order an overnight sleep test, which is done in the hospital’s sleep lab. In some cases, the patient may do an at-home sleep test. However, the results may underestimate sleep apnea and may not be as accurate as an in-lab test, Dr. Bhola says.

The “gold standard” of sleep apnea treatment is called continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP. This is a machine that delivers air under pressure to the upper airway by a nose or face mask, keeping the airway open during sleep. People with moderate or severe sleep apnea who have tried and failed CPAP could be candidates for Inspire, a device that’s implanted under the skin beneath the collarbone. It delivers mild stimulation during sleep to the key airway muscles, allowing the airway to remain open.

INSOMNIA

A person with insomnia may have difficulty falling or staying asleep or may wake up too early. “The cause of longer-term insomnia may not be known. Longer-term insomnia is often associated with depression or anxiety, or a medical issue such as acid reflux, or pain from arthritis or fibromyalgia,” Dr. Bhola says.

Certain medications, such as steroids and beta blockers, can cause insomnia if taken in the evening. Other causes include drinking caffeinated beverages, smoking close to bedtime or using electronics at night.

“Sleep is extremely important—it’s when restoration, repair and healing of the body occur,” Dr. Bhola says. “If you’re not getting seven to nine hours of continuous sleep on a regular basis, talk to your doctor about how you can achieve deep, continuous sleep that lets you feel rested and alert.”

TIPS FOR BETTER SLEEP

To improve your sleep, Anita Bhola, MD, FCCP, FAASM, Medical Director of The Edythe Kurz Sleep Center at Montefiore Nyack Hospital, recommends:

• Shut off your electronic devices at least 30 minutes to an hour before bedtime

• Stick to a regular bedtime and wake-up time

• Avoid alcohol two to three hours before bedtime

• Invest in a good mattress

• Sleep in a cool, dark room

THE DANGERS OF LOSING SLEEP

Not sleeping enough increases your risk of:

• Diabetes

• Heart disease

• High blood pressure

• Impaired memory

• Lack of alertness

• Obesity

• Stroke

If you’re not sleeping as well as you should be, call 845-348-2209 to schedule an appointment. Our sleep specialists will help you get the rest you deserve.

ANITA BHOLA, MD, FCCP, FAASM

HELP FOR LEAKY HEART VALVES

MOST MITRAL REGURGITATION CASES CAN BE TREATED WITH MEDICINE, BUT FOR THOSE THAT CAN’T, MONTEFIORE NYACK HOSPITAL OFFERS A STATE-OF-THE-ART SURGICAL SOLUTION.

If you’re short of breath, you may have a heart valve problem known as mitral regurgitation.

This condition occurs when blood leaks backward through the mitral valve, one of the heart’s four valves. When the valve is working correctly, it helps prevent blood from flowing backward as it moves through the heart. With a leaking mitral valve, some blood flows from the ventricle through the aortic valve—as it should—but some blood flows back into the atrium.

If regurgitation through any valve is severe enough, it may cause heart failure (see box at right). This may produce symptoms including shortness of breath during exertion, coughing, congestion around the heart and lungs, and swelling of the legs and feet.

“With the correct medical therapy, we can treat 70 percent of mitral regurgitation patients with medicine, without the need for surgery,” says Sandhya Murthy, MD, Co-Director of the Montefiore Nyack Hospital Congestive Heart Failure program and Assistant Professor of Medicine in Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant at Montefiore Medical Center Albert Einstein College of Medicine. “If you have any type of heart valve problem, including mitral regurgitation, it’s important to see a heart failure specialist who can thoroughly evaluate your condition and guide you to the best treatment.”

WHEN SURGERY IS NEEDED

While the majority of patients can be treated with medication, some may benefit from catheter-based procedures. “Montefiore Nyack Hospital patients who need intervention for valve issues are treated by a highly qualified team with excellent outcomes,” says Ulrich Jorde, MD, Co-Director of the Montefiore Nyack Hospital Congestive Heart Failure program. There are a number of minimally invasive surgical procedures that can treat a damaged heart valve.

One procedure uses a device called a mitral clip. A small metal clip, about the size of a large staple, is attached to your mitral valve through a vein in your leg. The clip helps your valve to function properly again. The entire procedure can be done with only a small incision in the groin and requires only a one-day stay in the hospital.

Some aortic valve patients can be treated with a minimally invasive procedure called transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). During a TAVR procedure, your doctor inserts a catheter through a blood vessel in your leg to deliver and implant an artificial valve into your heart.

WHAT IS HEART FAILURE?

5.7 million adults in the United States have heart failure, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The term “heart failure” means that this vital organ is damaged in some way and is failing to perform its role as a pump. Such failure can fall into two different categories that often exist together: left-sided and right-sided dysfunction. Some people confuse heart failure with heart attack, but these are two very different health issues. Heart failure develops gradually, whereas a heart attack happens suddenly when blood flow to an artery leading to the heart is blocked. However, in either case, patients will receive similar advice to adopt a heart-healthy lifestyle. Following that advice, patients with heart failure can live a very productive and positive life.

“If you have any type of heart-valve issue, being treated at a heart failure center with access to the latest treatments is key,” Dr. Murthy says. “We can ensure that patients who don’t need surgery can avoid it. For those who do need intervention, our affiliation with Montefiore Einstein ensures that patients receive world-class care with a very experienced team of cardiologists and surgeons.”

Learn more at www.montefiorenyack.org/services/cardiac-care/congestive-heart-failure.

To schedule an appointment with one of our cardiac experts, call 845-348-7500

SANDHYA MURTHY, MD ULRICH JORDE, MD

NORMAL MITRAL VALVE DAMAGED MITRAL VALVE

EXPERT INFUSION CARE CLOSE TO HOME

THE INFUSION CENTER AT MONTEFIORE NYACK HOSPITAL OFFERS FIRST-CLASS CARE IN A CONVENIENT

LOCATION.

For patients needing infusions, comfort and convenience are equally important to receive the highest quality medical care. Eliminating the need to travel far from home for treatment reduces anxiety and fatigue often experienced by extending the total time it takes to obtain the treatment.

At The Infusion Center at Montefiore Nyack Hospital, patients can receive a wide range of infusion medications prepared specifically for the time of the patient’s arrival. Patients can receive chemotherapy, blood transfusions, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis treatment, and food and drug allergy desensitization infusions. Jennifer Wagner, FNP, BC, AOCNP, Center Administrator, says, “Our highly skilled nurses, trained in infusion therapy and oncology, are experts in ensuring that treatments are efficiently delivered which helps put patients at ease.”

WHAT TO EXPECT

Depending on the treatment, a stay at The Infusion Center can be anywhere from 30 minutes to 12 hours. Our infusion coordinators will find appointments that fit the patient’s schedule. Whatever the duration, the Center provides a relaxing environment comprising 24 semi-private treatment areas with a recliner, TV, guest seating and Wi-Fi access. Complimentary meals, beverages and snacks are also available. Patients are encouraged to bring personal items, such as books, magazines, laptops or tablets, to help pass the time during treatment. “From arrival to departure, the team at the Center will help ensure your comfort and get you in and out as quickly as possible,” Wagner says.

The Infusion Center treats not only patients from the hospital’s physician practices but those referred by doctors not affiliated with Montefiore Nyack Hospital as well as nearby nursing home or rehab facility residents. Infusions are also provided to patients enrolled in clinical trials at Montefiore Nyack Hospital or other medical institutions.

All patients have a supportive team for therapeutic services, including a nurse navigator, social worker and specialized pharmacists who also oversee patients’ infusions and education. We take a multidisciplinary approach to education, where patients can speak with nurse practitioners, physicians, pharmacists, nurses and financial services.

AVAILABLE TREATMENTS

State-of-the-art services available at The Infusion Center at Montefiore Nyack Hospital include:

• Chemotherapy/biotherapy

• Immunotherapy

• Antibiotic treatment infusions

• Blood transfusions

• Bleeding disorder infusions

• Gastrointestinal conditions (Crohn’s disease, IBS, colitis)

• Hydration and electrolyte replacement therapy

• Iron therapy

• Multiple sclerosis treatments

• Rheumatoid arthritis therapy

• Therapeutic phlebotomy

• Osteoporosis injections or IV therapy

• Asthma injections

• Food and drug desensitization

To make an appointment, call 845-348-8484 . The Infusion Center is located on the first floor at Montefiore Nyack Hospital, 160 North Midland Avenue, Nyack, New York. The entrance to The Infusion Center is on Midland Avenue, directly across from the BOCES school football field. Valet parking is available. The Infusion Center is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday hours are available.

JENNIFER WAGNER, FNP, BC, AOCNP

LIVING BETTER WITH MS

The Madlyn Borelli Multiple Sclerosis Center provides a full array of services for individuals with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). We’re a designated Comprehensive Center for MS Care through the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s Partners in MS Care program. In addition, we’re affiliated with Montefiore Einstein, so you can count on receiving the latest in academic medicine right in your community.

Services include:

• Administration and monitoring of treatments

• A modern infusion suite staffed with a full-time infusion nurse specialist

• Neuroimaging MRI with dedicated MS protocols

• FLAIR* (Fluid-Attenuated Inversion Recovery) imaging

• Positron Emission Tomography (PET scanning)

• Portable Neuromodulation Stimulator (PoNS™)

• Rehabilitation services, including physical and occupational therapy

• Support and educational programs for patients and their families

Medical Director Christopher Langston, MD, will work closely with neurologists and physicians throughout the community on request to assist with the diagnosis and care of their patients.

For more information or to make an appointment, call 845-348-8880.

160 N. Midland Ave. | Nyack, New York