A New Look at Our History: Part 2
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insideMOUNT SINAI QUEENS December December 2011 A New Look at Our History: Part 2 In the November issue of Inside Queens, we began telling the story of our beginnings here in Astoria. Our research led us to lots of new information. Last month, we paused the story at the 1940s. Here, we continue the story from the post-World War II years to the present. During the postwar expansion of Queens, the city’s public and charitable hospitals were unable to cope with the borough’s rapidly growing population. For-profit and doctor-owned hospitals stepped in to fill the gap in health care. In 1949, a consortium of doctors took over Daly’s Astoria Sanatorium (as our Hospital was then called) and renamed it Astoria General Hospital. During its first year as Astoria General, the Hospital nearly dou- bled its number of patients. Andrew Presto, MD, served as the first president of the Hospital. The Hospital’s new owners, the consortium of doctors, embarked on an expansion to meet the growing needs of the Queens community. In 1952, a new three-story building was constructed on 30th Avenue. The dedication cere- CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Today’s Mount Sinai Queens Look Focus On: Care Management/QA inside Under the leadership of Lourdes S. Geslani, RN, CPHQ, the two formerly distinct Care Management and Medical Staff Profile: Quality Assurance departments have become more Deborah Dean, MD blended. Shown to the right are some of the staff Pharmacy Week 2011 members (more shown on page 3). Back row, from left to right: Robin Goodman, Carol Green and Turkey Trot Cathy Farina. Front row, from left to right: Brigida October Employee of the Rocha and Elvira Lasam. Month A primary focus of the department is utilization review, Medical News from which ensures efficient and effective use of hospital Mount Sinai services. Another important responsibility is making sure managed care companies accurately reimburse us for services delivered. To ensure accuracy, the depart- ment provides clinical information to the managed Some of the Care Management/QA staff CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 Medical Staff Profile: Deborah Dean, MD tant Director of the Emergency a close connection between the Dr. Dean received her bache- Department in April 2007. In administration and the various lor’s degree in psychology from September 2011, she was named departments. There is a genuine Brown University in Providence, Acting Director. feeling of everyone working RI, and her medical degree hard together to accomplish from Howard University College Previous to her tenure here at goals.” of Medicine in Washington, DC. Mount Sinai Queens, Dr. Dean was an emergency department Among her department’s goals She did her residency in emer- attending at Elmhurst Hospital is renewed interest in delivering gency medicine at Mount Sinai Center. “I was interested in com- not only excellent care, but School of Medicine’s Integrated munity medicine delivered in also excellent service. “The Residency in Emergency Medi- an intimate setting,” she says. community is growing and cine at Beth Israel Medical “I thought Mount Sinai Queens we’re busier than ever,” says Center and Elmhurst Hospital might fit that description so I did Dr. Dean. “Nevertheless, we Center. She was named Chief some per diem shifts here and I want to make sure we don’t Resident in that program. She loved it.” lose our focus as a caring and is board certified in Emer- compassionate provider of gency Medicine. Deborah Dean, MD Her initial impressions have held services. The Emergency true and here’s why. “Patients Department is the point of Dr. Dean is a lifelong New Yorker Deborah Dean, MD, is a familiar love this hospital. They really entry for most of our patients. who now lives in Brooklyn with face at Mount Sinai Queens in a consider it their neighborhood We want the good Mount Sinai her husband and nine-year-old new role. She joined the staff of hospital,” she explains. “The Queens experience to start daughter. She enjoys Bikram Mount Sinai Queens as Assis- physicians are warm and there’s right here.” yoga, travel and theater. A New Look at Our History: Part 2 (continued from page 1) mony on November 2 included doors. In 1985, an Ambulatory name. Mount Sinai Queens has fort.” Our facilities and name have speeches by Mayor Vincent Impel- Surgery Center was built at worked diligently to renovate changed, but our promise to deliver litteri, Queens Borough President 25-25 30th Road, and, in 1989, the facility, expand programs superior service to our tight-knit James Lundy, and local clergy the Hospital opened a center for and upgrade quality of care. community never will. representing Astoria’s Protestant, Laser Vascular Surgery, at the Catholic and Jewish communities. time, the only one of its kind in Our history is clearer to us now, Our thanks to the Archives and Mrs. Hagemeyer’s Tudor-trimmed Brooklyn, Queens or Long but as in the 1890s, our commit- Records Management Division dream space was connected to the Island. In 1988, Astoria General ment still, is to put the patient of The Mount Sinai Medical Center new, main building. became a receiving hospital of first, or as the New York Times and the Greater Astoria Historical the Emergency Medical Service. said in 1896, run our hospital as “a Society for their invaluable research By the end of the 1950s, By 1989 it was one of only model of completeness and com- assistance. Astoria General Hospital had 143 eight private hospitals left in beds and 30 bassinets. The Hos- New York City. pital thrived throughout the Pharmacy Week 2011 1960s, as Queens continued to The changing economics of prosper. In 1963, Astoria General health care, however, made sur- National Hospital & Health- Hospital was one of seven vival as a stand-alone facility System Pharmacy Week, private hospitals to form the increasingly difficult. The owners October 16 to 22, acknowl- Queens Private Hospitals Associ- of the former hospital had dis- edges the invaluable contributions that pharma- ation and was one of the most cussions with several major cists and technicians make active in the Association. An hospitals. In the end, in October to patient care in our expansion in 1964 added three 1993, the Hospital became an nation’s health care institu- additional stories to the original affiliate of The Mount Sinai Hos- tions. This year, Mount Sinai 1952 building and brought the pital in Manhattan. In March Queens marked the week Hospital to a total of six stories 1994, the Hospital changed its with special meals and with and 235 beds. In 1965, the Hospi- name to Western Queens Com- continuing education pro- tal served more patients and munity Hospital. In 1999, The grams for staff. delivered more babies than any Mount Sinai Hospital purchased Staff also voted for Pharmacist of the Year, Marisa Loiacono-Hendricks, RPh. other private hospital in Queens. the Hospital outright, and since “Marisa goes the extra mile to help patients and co-workers,” says Philip then it has been known as first Manning, MScPharm, RPh, Director of Pharmacy. Sayed Ahmed was voted The Hospital continued to Mount Sinai Hospital of Queens, Pharmacy Technician of the Year. “Sayed has a strong team approach in his expand during the 1970s and and now Mount Sinai Queens, work with the pharmacists,” says Manning. Each winner received a gift certifi- 1980s even as other proprietary the only community hospital to cate. Both winners are shown here above with Manning in the middle. hospitals began to close their bear the prestigious Mount Sinai Patient Point of View The following was published November 2, 2011, in The Queens Gazette as an open letter to Mount Sinai Queens, noting most specifically the staff on 4 West. At the beginning of October, Sonia Hamid was admitted to Mount Sinai Queens for pneumonia. She developed secondary infections due to her illness and, being terminal, was unable to withstand the additional trauma. Her last days were spent on 4 West. We, as her family, would like to openly thank the hospital and especially the staff of 4 West for the care, compassion and respect given to her in her last days, as well as the many kindnesses shown us, her family. You expect professional care and treatment, but the understanding and sensitivity that was extended went above and beyond the call. In that call to duty no one should go unrecognized no matter the job description. Thank you all for allowing her to spend her last days with dignity. With deepest gratitude, —The family of Sonia Hamid Focus On: Care Management/QA (continued from page 1) care companies in real time. The The department also plays an clinical documentation nurses, and Standing from left to right are: department also handles appeals essential role in tracking the Hos- administrative support. Shown Joseph Cabutaje, Kelly Daly, in the case of insurance denials. pital’s core measures and other in the photo below to the left, Tricia Kearney, Mary Devito- quality indicators. After looking seated from left to right are: Lamothe, Tatyana Shamalova, Three years ago, in collaboration at data, the department assists in Claudia Hernandez, Lourdes Margo Pawluk, Halina Szulczewski, with The Mount Sinai Medical developing strategies to improve Geslani and Lazara Cedeno. Maureen Horton and Bill Dabu. Center, Mount Sinai Queens patient care, always collaborating began clinical documentation with The Mount Sinai Medical improvement. Good documenta- Center to provide the same level Turkey Trot tion is needed in the medical of care on both campuses. record to support the reason for a patient’s admission and contin- The department, headed by ued stay.