Fall 2015 - St. Charles Hospital

Community Newsletter
Fall 2015
Catholic Health Services
Paul Romer (left) shakes the hand of
Douglas Petraco, MD, (right) a few short
hours after St. Charles Hospital’s first
ambulatory hip replacement surgery
on July 14, 2015. Romer walked out the
doors of St. Charles Hospital on the same
day Dr. Petraco and Jeffrey Hart, DO,
(not pictured) replaced his hip.
St. Charles Hospital Advances Orthopedic Program with
First Ambulatory Hip Replacement
Surgeons at St. Charles Hospital recently performed
the hospital’s first ambulatory hip replacement surgery in
which the patient was discharged the same day the surgery
was performed.
Douglas Petraco, MD, assisted by Jeffrey Hart, DO,
performed the surgery on the morning of July 14. The patient
was discharged home later that day and walked out of the
ambulatory surgery unit on the arm of his wife.
“It is our goal to offer the most advanced orthopedic
procedures right here on Long Island. Ambulatory hip
replacement is just one example of how St. Charles continues
to meet the developing orthopedic needs of our community,”
said Jim O’Connor, executive vice president/chief
administrative officer, St. Charles Hospital.
In traditional hip replacement procedures, physicians may
surgically alter a patient’s muscles to access the hip bones
and implant the new joint. After surgery, patients are
admitted to the hospital for a stay of 48-72 hours.
Now, some individuals with a new hip joint are able to
walk out of the hospital on the day of surgery thanks to
muscle-sparing surgical techniques, powerful imaging
technologies and medications which help manage immediate
discomfort. Rehabilitation following ambulatory hip
replacement surgery is comparatively more aggressive.
Inside This Issue:
After a traditional hip replacement, patients begin physical
therapy by getting out of their hospital bed and walking
across the room with an assistive device. Once they’ve left
the hospital, patients perform exercises at home for two to
three weeks before starting outpatient physical therapy.
Patients who have had ambulatory hip replacement surgery
experience almost no gap between surgery and outpatient
physical therapy.
“Individuals need to be highly motivated, relatively young
and active, and in excellent health to be considered a
candidate for ambulatory hip replacement,” explained
Dr. Petraco. “Most people who seek hip replacement surgery
are not candidates for ambulatory surgery due to other
health problems.”
Although ambulatory hip replacement surgery is less
common than traditional hip replacement, Dr. Petraco
anticipates a trend toward shorter hospital stays for joint
replacement patients.
“Total joint replacement patients will return home sooner and
ambulatory surgeries could become more common. Surgeons
will use increasingly less invasive techniques and take advantage
of new technologies such as patient specific surgical
instruments that are developed using MRI and CT scans.”
For more information about orthopedic services at
St. Charles Hospital, call (631) 474-6797.
• Count on it!
• St. Charles Partners with Fidelis Care to
Open Pediatric Primary Care Center
• Ask the Expert: Anterior Approach For
Total Hip Replacement
• Nationally Recognized Sports Medicine
Physician Joins St. Charles Orthopedics
• Steven Litman, MD, Recognized by
Castle Connelly in Awards Ceremony
• Are You a St. Charles Baby?
• News From Across the System
A Message From the Executive Vice President & Chief Administrative Officer
Summer has come and
gone and we find ourselves
approaching the golden
days of autumn. It has been
a very busy summer here
at St. Charles with much
happening!
Renovation of the Lab will be broken out by each section
and with an 18 month time line, the entire renovation will be
completed late in 2016. The new Lab layout will offer our
staff a more efficient work flow while the outpatient waiting
room and blood draw room will provide a warm and
comfortable environment for individuals coming to
St. Charles for Lab testing.
Plans for a Laboratory renovation are progressing. Located
on the ground floor of the hospital, the Lab is an integral
part of the hospital and is divided into separate sections.
Clinical chemistry concentrates on tests done on the
fluid portion of blood, as well as some other bodily fluids,
hematology looks at the cellular components of blood
and coagulation involved in clotting, while microbiology
deals with infectious diseases. The Blood Bank deals with
transfusions and receives blood from donors to supply the
Blood Bank and phlebotomy collects blood specimens for
testing. Finally, Histology and Cytology deal with anatomic
pathology. Staffed with pathologists, lab technologists and
lab technicians, the Lab operates on a 24/7 basis.
In this issue of Count on St. Charles, you will also read about
advances in orthopedic surgery, new physicians joining
St. Charles and community outreach programs. It is exciting
to see projects begin and programs grow, knowing that will
allow us to continue to offer our patients the highest level
of health care available, delivered with compassion and
integrity, right here in Port Jefferson.
You can count on it!
Men Who Cook
& Women Who Bake
Thursday, October 22, 2015 • 6:00p.m. – 9:00p.m.
Join the St. Charles Hospital Foundation for an evening of
delicious food at Willow Creek Golf and Country Club.
• Enjoy the culinary
talents of local
Chefs & Bakers
St. Charles Hospital’s neighbors, physicians and friends have
volunteered their culinary talents to cook their signature dishes. • Wine & Beer
Spend the evening sampling their wares and enjoying sumptuous included
(Cash Bar available)
desserts.
Proceeds benefit the Epilepsy Program at St. Charles Hospital.
• Raffle Prizes
Tickets are $50 each or 2 for $90. To purchase tickets, call (631) 474-6251.
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Count on St. Charles Hospital | Fall 2015
Nationally Recognized Sports Medicine Physician
Joins St. Charles Orthopedics
St. Charles Hospital is pleased to announce
Past consultant roles included the Los
that Luga Podesta, MD, a native of Seaford,
Angeles Lakers, the University of Southern
New York, recently returned to Long Island
California Football team and as a training
from Los Angeles, California, to join
camp consultant to the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys
St. Charles Orthopedics. Dr. Podesta is
and New Orleans Saints.
a nationally recognized sports medicine
Dr. Podesta received his Bachelor of Science
physician specializing in the non-surgical
degree from Wagner College and earned
treatment of orthopedic, musculoskeletal
his Medical Degree from Autonomous
and sports-related injuries to the shoulder,
University of Guadalajara and New York
elbow, knee, and spine. He brings with him a
Medical College. He completed his residency
wealth of experience on and of the field and
Luga Podesta, MD
in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
is considered a pioneer in the new field of
(PM&R) at St. Vincent’s Medical Center of
regenerative medicine, an area of medicine utilizing the
NYC and his Sports Medicine fellowships at Staten Island
body’s natural ability to heal damaged tissue, offering hope
Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Center, NY, and at the
for individuals who choose a more conservative approach.
world renowned Kerlan-Jobe Orthopedic Clinic in Los
Throughout his impressive 24-year career, Dr. Podesta
Angeles, California. He is board certified in both Physical
has been dedicated to restoring each patient’s quality of
Medicine and Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine.
life. He takes great pride in his ability to quickly and safely
Dr. Podesta is an Assistant Clinical Professor of PM&R and
return patient’s to the life they want to live; whether that is
Sports Medicine at Western University of Health Sciences.
playing a sport, working, or enjoying recreational activities.
He is also a respected member of numerous medical
His typical patient is anything but typical and includes all
societies including the American Orthopedic Society of
who seek his expertise, including professional athletes,
Sports Medicine, American Academy of Physical Medicine
musicians and performing artists as well as weekend
and Rehabilitation, International Spinal Intervention Society,
warriors, and high school, college and youth athletes.
Arena Football Physician and Trainers Society and Major
Dr. Podesta is the medical director and head team
League Baseball Physicians Association.
physician for the Los Angeles Kiss (Arena Football League)
Academically, Dr. Podesta remains active, lecturing
and served as team physician for the Los Angeles Angels
nationally and internationally on topics specific to the
Baseball team (2010-2013) and the Los Angeles Dodgers
diagnosis , treatment and prevention of injuries in the
(1990-2006). He also served as head team physician for
throwing athlete; on-field management of sports-related
the World Champion LA Xtreme (XFL) (2001), the Los
spine injuries, biologic therapies and regenerative
Angeles Avengers, AFL (2002-2008), the Los Angeles
medicine. Dr. Podesta is a contributing writer to DRUM!
Riptide MLL (2006-2008), Oxnard College, and as team
Magazine, covering health-related topics specific to
physician for Loyola Marymount University.
drummers, percussionists and performing artists.
Dr. Podesta continues to serve as a consultant to the Major
For more information or to make an appointment with
League Baseball Umpires and World Baseball Classic and as
Dr. Podesta, please call (631) 474-6797.
a sports performance consultant to Cirque Du Soleil-Iris.
St. Charles Hospital Partners with Fidelis
Care to Open Pediatric Primary Care Center
St. Charles Hospital has opened a Pediatric Primary Care Center which accepts patients
with a variety of insurances, including Fidelis Care’s Child Health Plus. Child Health Plus
is funded through NY State of Health: The Official Health Plan Marketplace.
“St. Charles Hospital was founded more than 108 years ago to care for children and it
is our continued mission to provide care to those who are most in need. This includes
children who seek insurance through New York State,” said Jim O’Connor, executive
vice president/chief administrative officer.
continues on page 5
Representatives from Fidelis Care visited St. Charles Hospital’s Pediatric Primary Care Center on August 12, 2015 to enroll individuals in Child Health Plus.
Pictured here (L-R) are Genesis Bayuelo, Outreach Specialist, Fidelis Care New York, Edgar Rodrigues, Fidelis Care Representative, Fidelis Care New York, and Liz
Chille, RN, MS, CPNP, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Pediatric Primary Care Center, St. Charles Hospital.
Count on St. Charles Hospital | Fall 2015
3
News Briefs
Steven Litman, MD, Recognized by
Castle Connolly in Awards Ceremony
St. Charles Golf Tournament A Success
St. Charles Hospital Foundation held its annual Golf
Tournament on Monday, August 10, 2015 at the
Nissequogue Golf & Country Club. The event raised
more than $100,000 for maternity services at
St. Charles Hospital. To view more photos from the
event, visit www.stcharles.org/foundation-events.
St. Charles
Hospital Auxiliary
Awards
Scholarship
The St. Charles Hospital
Auxiliary awarded
Tiffany Ong, a volunteer
at St. Charles Hospital,
a $1,000 scholarship.
Tiffany will attend New York University this Fall.
For more information about volunteer opportunities
at St. Charles Hospital, visit www.stcharles.org/
volunteer-services.
Walk with St. Charles Team: Making
Strides Against Breast Cancer
St. Charles Hospital will lead teams at the
American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against
Breast Cancer Walks on Sunday, October 4, at
Dowling College (Brookhaven) and Sunday,
October 18, at Jones Beach. To register to walk
with “Team St. Charles” and make a donation to
the American Cancer Society, go to
www.bitly.com/stcharleshospital.
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Count on St. Charles Hospital | Fall 2015
Steven Litman, MD
Steven Litman, MD, director,
Pain Management, St. Charles
Hospital, was recently
recognized at Castle Connolly
Medical’s 10th Annual National
Physician of the Year Awards
at the Pierre Hotel in New York
City. Dr. Litman was recognized
for showing dedication,
leadership and excellence in
pain management.
Dr. Litman performs two roles professionally; that of a
private medical practitioner and as director of All Island
Pain Consultants. He performs a full range of interventional
pain procedures under fluoroscopic guidance, including
spine injections, epidurals, facet blocks, radiofrequency,
spinal cord stimulators and pain pumps. He prides himself
on undertaking new challenges and committing himself to
continually learning new methods and techniques of caring
for his patients. His ultimate goal for each patient is to
relieve pain, improve function and return patients to normal
activities of daily life.
A graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI),
Dr. Litman earned his medical degree at New York Medical
College and completed an internship at Stamford Hospital.
He performed his residency at Westchester Medical Center
and spent an additional five years of academics as assistant
professor in pain management/anesthesiology at Stony
Brook University.
Dr. Litman has been in private practice since 1998 and held
the positions of co-director Stony Brook University Medical
Center’s Pain Program, director of pain management at
St. Charles and Mather Hospitals. He is a Fellow and board
examiner of the World Institute of Pain, and a Diplomat and
board examiner of the American Board of Interventional
Pain Physicians. Dr. Litman holds a subspecialty
certification in pain medicine from the American Board of
Anesthesiology and has served as a surveyor accrediting
pain programs for the American Academy of Pain
Management. His professional awards and recognitions
include, TOP MD: Consumers Checkbook, five consecutive
years on Newsday – Top Doctors on Long Island, Castle
Connolly list and 13 consecutive years on Castle Connolly
Top Doctors: New York Metro Area.
When asked of his professional motivation, Dr. Litman
refers to his patients saying, “If I can help improve the
quality of a patient’s life through interventional pain
management techniques, I have done my job right.” In
coming years, Dr. Litman plans to continue to offer top
medical services in the New York/Metro area.
For more information on Dr. Litman, please call
(631) 474-6797.
Ask The Expert: Anterior Approach
For Total Hip Replacement
St. Charles Hospital is the area’s premier center for the treatment and rehabilitation of
orthopedic problems. The St. Charles orthopedic program delivers the most progressive
treatment available today including computer-assisted, minimally invasive surgery for hip and
knee replacement and lumbar spine, arthroscopic surgery for rotator cuff tears, ankle injuries,
elbow and wrist disorders and ACL reconstruction.
Nakul Karkare, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at St. Charles Hospital, completed his fellowship
in total joint replacement at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. He is also
fellowship-trained in orthopedic trauma and metabolic bone disease.
Nakul Karkare, MD
Here, Dr. Karkare provides some insight into the anterior approach for total hip replacement,
a surgical techniques which he brings to St. Charles Hospital.
What are some of the latest surgical
techniques for total hip replacement?
Dr. Karkare: Total joint replacement for hip is one of the
most satisfying surgeries of modern times. The procedure
provides excellent relief of joint pain, restores joint motion
and gets patients back to their activities of daily living.
In recent years, there have been numerous advances in
treatments, implants, and minimally invasive operative
techniques. One technique in particular has dramatically
improved patient outcomes – direct anterior hip replacement.
What is “direct anterior hip replacement”?
Dr. Karkare: The direct anterior approach is a minimally
invasive technique that allows hip replacement to be
performed without detaching or cutting through
muscles or tendons.
Traditional hip replacement is performed by cutting
muscles, which means patients follow several
precautions after the surgery to allow those muscles to
heal. Patients are advised not to cross their legs, bend
the hip more than a right angle, or turn feet excessively
inward. They are also advised to use a pillow between
their legs when sleeping.
Since no muscles are cut with the anterior approach,
patients do not have the restrictions associated with
traditional hip replacement.
How can this surgical approach benefit
the patient?
Dr. Karkare: As always, each patient and their experience
is unique. However, this approach offers patients the
potential for:
• Reduced pain after surgery
• Less tissue trauma
• Smaller incision and less scar tissue
• Less blood loss
• Shorter time in surgery
• Faster healing and return to activities
• Earlier mobilization
• Shorter rehabilitation time
• Fewer restrictions following surgery
• Shorter hospital stay
For more information on the latest surgical techniques for
total joint replacement at St. Charles Hospital, please call
(631) 474-6797.
St. Charles Partners with Fidelis Care… continued from page 3
“The opening of a Primary Care Center builds on our
existing portfolio of pediatric services, which includes
emergency care, inpatient care for children who require
hospitalization, CARF-accredited inpatient and outpatient
pediatric rehabilitation and outpatient pediatric specialty
services.”
The Center will provide a wide range of care from routine
checkups to managing chronic health conditions to urgent
care. James Cavanaugh, MD, director, Pediatrics,
St. Charles Hospital, will oversee the care and management
of pediatric patients.
As the New York State Catholic Health Plan, Fidelis Care
offers quality, affordable coverage for children and adults of
all ages and at all stages of life, including products available
through NY State of Health: The Official Health Plan
Marketplace. With 1.3 million members Statewide, Fidelis
Care was founded on the belief that all New Yorkers should
have access to affordable, quality health insurance.
For more information about Fidelis Care, call 1-888-FIDELIS
(1-888-343-3547) or visit fideliscare.org.
For more information about the Primary Care Center at
St. Charles Hospital, call (631) 474-6797.
Count on St. Charles Hospital | Fall 2015
5
Every Family Has a Story…
Every
Family Has a Story…
For more than 100,000 Long Island families,
those stories
began at St.Long
Charles
Hospital.
For more
than 100,000
Island
families,
those stories began at St. Charles Hospital.
Are You a St. Charles Baby?
Are You a St. Charles Baby?
Whether you or your loved one were
you born in 1970, 1990, or 2015
we want
to hear
the story
how were you born in
Whether
you
or your
lovedofone
family
1970,your
1990,
orbegan.
2015 we want to hear the story
of how your family began.
SHARE
YOUR
STORY...
...and pictures with us at
Stcharles.org/baby or email
schfoundation@chsli.org
...
and pictures with us at stcharles.org/baby
or email schfoundation@chsli.org
St. Charles Hospital’s Maternal Child Pavilion Renovation Project
St. Charles Hospital’s Maternal Child Pavilion is where
generations of families have welcomed their new
members in to the world. It’s where women and men
become moms and dads, grandmas and grandpas,
and aunts and uncles. St. Charles Hospital is where
families begin.
For a few days out of our patient’s lives, the Maternity
Pavilion becomes home and our nurses and physicians
become family members. From routine deliveries to
high risk and premature deliveries, to multiple births; the
6
Count on St. Charles Hospital | Fall 2015
hospital provides state of the art care within a warm and
family-centered environment.
Almost 50 years of loving moments and life changing
experiences have taken a physical toll on the Maternity
Pavilion and it has become necessary to invest in an
upgrade to this facility. To that end, St. Charles is
now turning to its families of moms, dads, friends and
neighbors to assist in the renovation.
To learn how you can get involved, please visit www.
stcharles.org/maternity-project or call (631) 474-6797.
News From Across the System
Catholic Health Services Earns Most Wired™ Designation
Protecting patient information and
data security is a top priority at
Catholic Health Services (CHS). This
is evident, as CHS won the Most
Wired™ designation for the second
consecutive year—one of only two
throughout Nassau and Suffolk to
earn this elite recognition. Awarded by
the American Hospital Association’s
Health Forum and the College of
Healthcare Information Management
Executives (CHIME), this coveted
position recognizes excellence in IT
leadership on the frontlines of health
care transformation.
Above (L-R): CHS’s Chief Technology Officer Ed Grunwald, Chief Financial
Officer Colleen Blye, Chief Information Officer Marcy Dunn, Chief
Medical Officer Patrick O’Shaughnessy, DO, and Vice President of Clinical
Information Systems Susan Comeau, following the announcement that CHS
earned a place among the Most Wired™ hospital organizations.
CHS is an integrated delivery system
with six hospitals, three nursing homes,
a home nursing service, hospice, an
agency for those with special needs
and numerous physician practices. As
most Long Islanders know, while the distance from
Port Jefferson to Roslyn is not that far, the time it can
take to get from one to the other can be quite lengthy.
At CHS, traffic is not an issue, as the system employs
an electronic medical record (EMR) system known as
Epic. MyChart is a key component of the EMR, allowing
patients to check their medical records and their
family’s all in one place. They can refill prescriptions,
request appointments online, get lab results, email
their physicians and more—at no charge.
“The implementation of technology over the past
few years—a high-performing network, a common
electronic medical record and a patient portal—has
allowed us to develop a truly integrated system,”
said CHS’s Senior Vice President and Chief
Information Officer Marcy Dunn, who spearheaded
the project known as CHS eHealth. “Our
implementation was not one of technology alone,
but a cooperative project where clinicians from
many entities worked together to define new clinical
standards and practice. Interfacility transfers are
streamlined with our shared EMR. The technology
has removed many barriers in communication and
allowed us to focus on caring for our patients.”
In addition to the ease of communication and
ability to transfer patients more seamlessly, being
Most Wired has other benefits, particularly those
surrounding quality and safety.
“We’ve built numerous qualitative interconnections
between our EMR and performance improvement
reporting and structure. These connections
have been incorporated into our Performance
Improvement indicators such as clinical quality
measures and Meaningful Use criteria. This allows
us to continually improve the quality of care for our
patients,” explained CHS Senior Vice President for
Medical Affairs and Chief Medical Officer Patrick
O’Shaughnessy, DO. “Our technology is in the
hands of the provider at the time of care. We have
developed and are continuing to develop ways to
signal clinical alerts and required actions to the
provider in real time. This has a real impact on the
care and safety of the patient.”
As the nation’s health care system transitions to
more integrated and patient-centered care, hospitals
are using information technology to better connect
disparate care providers, according to the 17th
annual HealthCare’s Most Wired Survey, conducted
by Hospitals & Health Networks earlier this year.
More than 39% of all U.S. hospitals participated
in the survey, but only 326 organizations met the
criteria to earn Most Wired status.
“We congratulate this year’s Most Wired hospitals
and their CIOs for improving care delivery and
outcomes in our nation’s hospitals through their
creative and revolutionary uses of technology,”
said CHIME CEO and President Russell P. Branzell,
FCHIME, CHCIO.
Count on St. Charles Hospital | Fall 2015
7
Catholic Health Services
200 Belle Terre Road
Port Jefferson, NY 11777
WHAT’S INSIDE:
• Count on it!
• Nationally Recognized Sports Medicine Physician Joins
St. Charles Orthopedics
• St. Charles Partners with Fidelis Care to Open Pediatric
Primary Care Center
• Steven Litman, MD, Recognized by Castle Connelly
in Awards Ceremony
• Ask the Expert: Anterior Approach For Total Hip Replacement
• Are You a St. Charles Baby?
• News From Across the System
Join us on Facebook and Twitter.
Visit www.stcharles.org and click through.
St. Charles Orthopedics: Spine
Peru was magnificent,
but neither of us could
enjoy this city the
way we enjoyed Rome and Bologna. The walking
this trip required was no longer possible. Tina and
I were suffering with back pain for a few years, and
just as we were about to enjoy the best adventures
of our lives, we thought our traveling days would be
over. I did some research and found that the best
surgeons for spine surgery weren’t in Manhattan,
which was unexpected. They were right here in our
community at St. Charles Orthopedics.
My biggest fear about spine surgery was paralysis. I asked Dr. Subbaiah about the risk of spinal
damage and he put us immediately at ease. He answered “Yes, that could happen – but I won’t let
it.” How refreshing! We both had lumbar spine surgery at St. Charles Hospital. When Tina woke up, I
remember her saying ‘I can’t believe it! I don’t feel any pain!’
I know there is the perception that the hospitals in Manhattan are the “be all and end all,” but If you need
spine surgery you need to see Dr. Subbaiah and Dr. Chen at St. Charles Orthopedics. The difference is that they
really listen to you, and they really care about you. We just got back from New Zealand and we walked miles every day.
No cabs, no buses – we just walked everywhere – pain free!
Call St. Charles Hospital’s Orthopedics team at (631) 474-6797.
St.Charles
unparalleled skill | compassionate care
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