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NOVEMBER 30, 2015

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L. Reuven Pasternak, MD
Reuven Pasternak, MD
Chief Executive Officer and
Vice President for
Health Systems
 


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Read the latest press releases from Stony Brook Medicine. 

Go Far Beyond with The Campaign for Stony Brook

This month marks the launch of the public phase of The Campaign for Stony Brook, the campus-wide capital campaign to raise $600 million by July 2018.

Led by the Stony Brook Foundation, the campaign is the largest in the history of the State University of New York system. It began four years ago with a lead gift of $150 million from Jim and Marilyn Simons and The Simons Foundation. Their generosity inspired more than 30,000 donors, including more than 2,500 faculty and staff. To date, the campaign has already achieved remarkable results with $426 million raised toward the goal.

The Campaign for Stony Brook will enable the University to recruit the most promising students, advance purposeful research, provide critical funds for basic research, and retain and attract top scholars.

Learn more about The Campaign for Stony Brook.

JointCommission

Quality and Safety

Stony Brook Receives Advanced Recertification from The Joint Commission for Programs in Stroke and Heart Failure

Surveyors from The Joint Commission recently visited Stony Brook Medicine to assess the hospital's Heart Failure Program, the only accredited program on Long Island, and Stony Brook's Advanced Primary Stroke Center, a proven leader in positive clinical outcomes for its patients. Both programs once again earned the Advanced Certification distinction.

The Heart Failure team was praised for numerous best practices, including the Heart Failure clinic and the RN transition clinic, the Boost Program, the discharge process for patients with heart failure, interdisciplinary rounds, heart failure research, the involvement of nutritional services, the palliative care program and educational materials for patients.

Joint Commission surveyors were equally impressed with many areas of Stroke Center's program, including the dysphagia screening process, a door-to-TPA time of under 45 minutes, the creation of a mobile app for EMS providers on identification of stroke and the Center's EMS awards celebration.

"In this era of 24/7 preparedness for any accreditation challenge, these teams are more than up to the task," said L. Reuven Pasternak, MD, CEO, Stony Brook University Hospital. "It is gratifying to see how physician, nursing and administrative leadership can work together to drive innovation and excellence."

iCare

DVT and CDI Teams Earn iCARE Awards

iCare-DVT Team
From left, DVT Team members Kristan Probeck, ANP-C, and Antonios Gasparis, MD, with Carol Gomes, Chief Operating Officer. Not pictured: Pamela Kim, MD, and Doreen Elitharp, ANP-C.

The DVT Team has earned the clinical iCare award for November for excellence in quality, in recognition of the team's tremendous improvement in VTE (venous thromboembolism), which includes deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) core measures hospital wide, and for decreasing the length of stay for patients with DVT.

One of the DVT team's biggest improvements was on the United HealthSystem Consortium (UHC) Quality and Accountability report this past year. In 2013, the score was 69.5 percent. In 2014, the score was 82.3 percent. And this year, the score is 94.2 percent. That's a 26.2 percent increase in just two years.

The non-clinical award went to the Clinical Documentation Improvement (CDI) Team for excellence in quality, in recognition of its improvements in clinical documentation.

The CDI team makes a significant impact by helping to facilitate the accurate documentation of patients' clinical status. Over the past three years, the team has made measurable improvements in the hospital's case mix index, mortality index and severity of illness scores, which have contributed to the financial health of Stony Brook and resulted in an improved quality report card from Medicare and other agencies.

CDI Team
Members of the Clinical Documentation Improvement Team
PressGaney

Service

Stony Brook Named 2015 Press Ganey Guardian of
Excellence Award Winner

This prestigious distinction was achieved by reaching the 95th percentile during an entire year for the Patient Experience category in Ambulatory Surgery.

Presented annually, the Press Ganey Guardian of Excellence Award is a nationally recognized symbol of achievement in healthcare. This year's award is based on quarterly reports delivered between May 2014 and April 2015.

Stony Brook's Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) has performed at a very high level in patient satisfaction over the past decade. Its raw scores have consistently been 93 or higher on a 100-point scale, and its percentile ranking compared to other large hospitals nationwide has steadily climbed, from the 63rd percentile in 2004 to a peak of the 96th percentile in 2014. For four of the past five years, the ASC has been at the 90th percentile or higher nationwide.

"We're proud of the dedicated efforts of our team in the Ambulatory Surgery Center for consistently achieving such high patient satisfaction scores," said L. Reuven Pasternak, MD, CEO, Stony Brook University Hospital. "This recognition demonstrates our commitment to providing high-quality, compassionate and patient-centered care."

OrganDonor
An Event That Changed Lives
LiveOnNY
Dawn Francisquini, RN, BSN, Transplant Senior Specialist, Stony Brook Medicine (right) and James Pardes, LiveOnNY

New York State has a lot to boast about. Unfortunately, organ donation is not one of them. The state ranks dead last in the nation in rates of organ donation. But Stony Brook is leading the way to ensure that changes for the better.

Both Stony Brook Medicine and Stony Brook University participated in the first Organ Donor Enrollment Day on Oct. 6 and was recently recognized by LiveOnNY for its successful efforts. Stony Brook received awards in two categories: most enrollments in a hospital with a transplant center and most enrollments in a college.

During Organ Donor Enrollment Day, hundreds of people signed up to become organ donors at Stony Brook University Hospital, Stony Brook University and at the Smith Haven Mall.

In total there were 518 new organ registrations, which has the potential to save more than 4,000 lives. To put it in perspective, more than 123,000 people are currently waiting for organ transplants, and more than 10,000 of those people are in New York. Every 18 hours, a New Yorker dies waiting for a lifesaving transplant.

Organ donation is the greatest gift of all. Just one organ donor can save up to eight lives. Learn more about the gift of life. 

HealthCareHeroes

People

The Health Care Heroes Among Us

Each November, Long Island Business News hosts the Health Care Heroes Awards to honor organizations and individuals that contribute to the health and well-being of Long Islanders. The selection by a committee of business and healthcare leaders is based on information sent to the magazine reflecting each nominee's career and professional accomplishments.

Of the Health Care Heroes recognized at a special breakfast at Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury, five were from Stony Brook Medicine. Congratulations to:

  • Achievements in Health Care: Stony Brook Medicine's Stroke Program
  • Health Care Professional: Josephine Connolly-Schoonen, PhD, RD, Executive Director of Stony Brook Medicine's Nutrition Division
  • Hospital: Stony Brook Children's Hospital
  • Nurse Hero: Adriann Combs, RNC, Regional Perinatal Coordinator for the Regional Perinatal Center at Stony Brook
  • Physician Hero: Frank Darras, MD, Associate Professor, Department of Urology, and Medical Director, Transplantation Services at Stony Brook Medicine
LIBN Health Care Heroes 2015
From left Maureen Cole, RN, Associate Director of Nursing, Stony Brook Children's Hospital; Adriann Combs, RNC, Regional Perinatal Coordinator; Josephine Connolly Schoonen, PhD, RD, Executive Director of Stony Brook Medicine's Nutrition Division; Eileen Conlon, RN, Stroke Program Coordinator; and Frank Darras, MD, Department of Urology, and Medical Director, Transplantation Services
RichardBias

Stony Brook Medicine Names New Assistant Dean for
Ambulatory Operations

Richard Bias

Richard Bias has been named Assistant Dean and Chief Operating Officer for Ambulatory Operations at Stony Brook Medicine.

In this newly created position, Bias will be the senior executive responsible for leading all of Stony Brook Medicine's ambulatory operations. He will work closely with Stony Brook University Hospital and School of Medicine leadership, as well as with the clinical chairs, to develop and implement a comprehensive ambulatory strategy that will support the mission and goals of Stony Brook Medicine, including a marked expansion of services in western and eastern Suffolk County.

Bias joins Stony Brook Medicine from Lahey Clinic in Burlington, MA, where he served as Chief Operations Officer since 2012. There, he was responsible for operations of the specialty ambulatory practices, and emergency and trauma services. He also served as the executive lead for the system-wide electronic health record implementation; and applied group-wide systems and standards, which improved productivity and patient satisfaction, and had a significant impact on access. Bias served on the Massachusetts Hospital Association Finance Committee and the Board of Directors of the American College of Health Executives of Massachusetts, where he also served as treasurer.

BestofLI

Vote for Stony Brook in Best of LI Competition

Best of Long Island 2015 Stony Brook Medicine has been nominated in multiple sections within the Health and Wellness category for the 11th annual Bethpage Best of LI competition, including Best Hospital, Best Maternity Ward and Best Adult Day Care. The nominees from Stony Brook Medicine are:

Adult Day Care: Long Island State Veterans Home

Allergist: Diane Cymerman, MD

Cardiologist: Mark Borek, MD

Cosmetic Surgeon: Hilton C. Adler, MD, Kenneth C. Kneessy, MD, and Stephen F. Coccaro, MD

General Practitioner: Lesley Rechter, MD

Hospital: Stony Brook University Hospital

Maternity Ward: Stony Brook University Hospital

Neurologist: Raphael Davis, MD

Nutritionist/Dietitian: Jennifer Fitzgibbon, MS

Orthopedist: James Penna, MD

Best Vascular/Vein Practice: Stony Brook Surgical Associates

Vote once per day every day now through Dec. 18. The winners will be announced in January.

Stony Brook University has also received a number of nominations in the categories of Education, and Arts and Entertainment. The University nominees are:

Arts and Entertainment 

Concert Venue: Staller Center for the Arts

Film Festival: Stony Brook Film Festival

Mascot: Wolfie

Radio Station: WUSB 90.1FM

Education 

College or University: Stony Brook University

College President: Samuel L. Stanley Jr., MD

College Sports Program: Stony Brook University

College Sports Coach: Steve Pikiell/Basketball and Chuck Priore/Football

Learning Center Business: Stony Brook Child Care Center

Nursery School: Stony Brook Child Care Center

VascularCtr

Growth

New Vascular Center Offers Expanded Services in
State-of-the-Art Facility

Stony Brook Medicine recently celebrated the opening of the new Vascular Center at Nicolls Professional Park on South Howell Avenue in Centereach.

This new, spacious 6,000-square-foot building will facilitate the growing clinical practice of Stony Brook Medicine's Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery. Patients can expect clinical evaluations with the most advanced diagnostic tests, complete with state-of-the-art onsite procedure rooms for minimally invasive office-based treatments, plus an angiography/operating room suite. This new facility will serve as the home to Stony Brook Medicine's Aortic Center, Center for Vein Care, Hemodialysis Access Center and Limb Preservation Center.

"Stony Brook Medicine's Vascular Center is one of the important ways that we are enhancing healthcare, by improving access to high-end specialty care and providing an integrated delivery system that will better serve the needs of Long Islanders," said L. Reuven Pasternak, MD, CEO, Stony Brook University Hospital, and Vice President for Health Systems, Stony Brook Medicine.

Vascular Center Opening
From left, Kenneth Kaushansky, MD, Senior Vice President, Health Sciences, and Dean, School of Medicine; Mark Talamini, MD, Professor and Chair, Department of Surgery and Chief of Surgical Services; Apostolos Tassiopoulos, MD, Professor of Surgery, and Chief, Vascular and Endovascular Surgery; Antonios Gasparis, MD, Professor of Surgery, and Director, Center for Vein Care; John Hutter, MBA, FACHE, Administrator, Department of Surgery; L. Reuven Pasternak, MD, CEO, Stony Brook University Hospital; Tom Muratore, Suffolk County Legislator; and Tong Joo (TJ) Gan, MD, Professor and Chair, Department of Anesthesiology

In addition to the opening celebration, the Vascular Center was recently honored by the Town of Brookhaven for its positive impact on the community. Brookhaven Town Councilman Kevin J. LaValle presented the Vascular Center with the "Business of the Month" proclamation at the Brookhaven Town Board Meeting on Nov. 19.

Business of the Month
From left, Jane Bonner, Town of Brookhaven Councilwoman, District 2; Valerie M. Cartright, Councilwoman, District 1; Kevin LaValle, Councilman, District 3; Lee Rosner, Coldwell Banker; Mark Talamini, MD, Professor and Chair, Department of Surgery; Neil Foley, Councilman, District 5; John Hutter, MBA, FACHE, Administrator, Department of Surgery; Amy Enrico, Office Manager, Stony Brook Vascular Center; Daniel J. Panico, Councilman, District 6; Antonios Gasparis, MD, Director, Center for Vein Care; and Edward P. Romaine, Supervisor, Town of Brookhaven
Finance

Financial Results Report

Stony Brook University Hospital's focused efforts on length of stay, case mix index and revenue cycle help to keep the hospital financially viable as it continues to grow and provide high-quality care for its patients.

Patient volume steadily increased over a four-year period from 34,701 discharges in Fiscal Year (FY) 2010-11 to 36,309 discharges in FY 2013-14. This growth is expected to continue with 37,350 discharges projected for FY 2014-15 and 38,166 discharges budgeted for FY 2015-16.

The hospital's total revenue over a four-year period also saw growth from $879 million in FY 2010-11 to over $1 billion in FY 2013-14. Revenue is expected to increase to nearly $1.2 billion with the budget for FY 2015-16.

"We've been able to use these improvements in our revenue cycle to reinvest in the hospital to maximize our efficiencies," said Gary Bie, Chief Financial Officer, Stony Brook University Hospital. "We've been able to make great strides in growth over the past few years, even though the number of our beds have not increased and our occupancy rate has held steady at 90 percent."

Upcoming Events

HeartSaver/AED CPR Class

Dec. 2, 4-7 pm, Stony Brook University Heart Institute

Learn lifesaving skills from nurse educators at Stony Brook University Heart Institute. The class is free, but for those who would like a two-year American Heart Association CPR card, there is a $10 fee. Participants will learn how to respond to an adult, child and infant who is unresponsive and in cardiac arrest. Demonstrations on the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED) and how to respond to choking emergencies are also covered. Registration is required by calling Yvonne Leippert, RN, MS, CCRN, at (631) 444-3322.

Bariatric and Metabolic Weight Loss Seminar

Dec. 7, 5-7 pm, Stony Brook University Hospital Lobby Conference Room, Level 5

Freedom from obesity is attainable with the right combination of tools and support. Learn about the causes, health risks and treatment options that are tailored to each patient's needs, lifestyle and goals. To register, call (631) 444-4000.

Employee Holiday Celebration

Dec. 9, Ronkonkoma and Pre-Operative Services, 8-9:30 am

Dec. 9, Ambulatory Surgery Center, 7-8:30 am

Dec. 10, Hospital Market Place Caf�, 6:30-9:30 am and 6-7:30 pm

Dec. 11, Tech Park Cafeteria, Cancer Center and Flowerfield, 8-9:30 am

Come celebrate the holidays in style and bring your appetite as members of the Senior Executive Group and Department Heads show their gratitude for your year-round service to Stony Brook by serving employees light refreshments and spreading good cheer. 

Varicose Vein Screenings

Dec. 12 and 19, 9 am-2 pm, Center for Vein Care, 23 South Howell Avenue, Suite G, Centereach

A free screening for individuals between the ages of 18 to 80 who suffer from large varicose veins that are causing pain and/or swelling. Includes a brief, noninvasive examination of the lower legs by board-certified vascular surgeons. Registration is required. Request an appointment online or call (800) 345-VEIN (8346) or (631) 444-VEIN (8346).

For More Information

Tell us what you'd like to see. Please send content for consideration to:

Therese Xeller 

Communications Manager

Stony Brook Medicine  

188 Belle Mead Road

East Setauket, NY 11733-9228

(631) 444-4883

 

Stony Brook University/SUNY is an affirmative action, equal opportunity educator and employer.

Produced by the Office of Communications.