News in NYCHSRO/MEDREVIEW VOLUME 10, NO
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A PUBLICATION OF News in NYCHSRO/MEDREVIEW VOLUME 10, NO. 1 JANUARY - JUNE 2007 REVIEW www.medreview.us NYCHSRO/MedReview Celebrates Helen Mutchler’s 25th Anniversary ednesday May 9, 2007 began party included Dr. Bruce Schechner with as any other ordinary day with whom Helen worked with at her first profes- W NYCHSRO/MedRe v i e w ’s sional job and Phil Schuh who worked with President/CEO Joseph Stamm and his Helen during the early NYCHSRO days. Executive Vice President Helen Mutchler Noted public officials were also on hand attending a number of scheduled meetings to personally present proclamations to with potential new clients. Helen. They included Manhattan Borough Upon their return Helen was greeted by President Scott Stringer, who proclaimed more than 150 staff members, friends, May 9, 2007 as Helen Mutchler Day, clients, board members and public officials Assemblyman Dov Hikind, Councilman who gathered to honor Helen in a surprise David Weprin, Chairman of the Council’s celebration for her 25 years of outstanding Finance Committee and Councilman Bill de services for the organization. Helen has Blasio. served the organization with honor and dis- Other proclamations and letters of tinction as Chief Financial Officer and Vice acknowledgement were received from President for Human Resources and more Governor Elliot Spitzer, Mayor Michael recently as Executive Vice President where Bloomberg, NY State Senate Speaker Inside This Issue... she continues with her previous responsibili- Joseph Bruno, NY State Assembly Speaker ties while working directly with the CEO on Sheldon Silver, NY City Comptroller William e NYCHSRO/MedReview Celebrates organizational policy making, oversight and Thompson, United States Congressman marketing. Anthony Weiner and Philippine Consul Mutchler’s 25th Anniversary Joining the celebration were Helen’s hus- General Cecilia Rebong, among others. e Healthcare Headline Summaries band, Andy and their younger daughter Alexa. Other participants at the surprise CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 e Joseph Stamm Honored by Beitar Foundation & COJO of Flatbush TributeTribute toto HelenHelen e Legislative & Healthcare Rounds e NYCHSRO/MedReview Mourns the Passing of Dr. Scheidt e Anthony Weiner & Denny Farrell Visit MedReview e Nurses Day 2007 e Joe Ivey Bufford- Newly Elected President of the New York Academy of Medicine e In Tribute to Dr. Bernard Lander e MedReview & AliCare Join Forces e Critical Issues in New York’s Healthcare Delivery System e News in Review Profile: Dr. Anthony Mustalish Heart Attack Death Rates – Health & Human Confirmation of new Commissioner of Health a 30-year veteran of NY County District Services (HHS) – In June 2007, the HHS mod- for the State of New York – March 2007 – Attorney Robert Morgenthau’s office, and ified its Hospital Compare Quality tool (see This week the New York State Senate con- has served as Executive Assistant District www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov) to reflect firmed Richard Daines, M.D., as Attorney in the New York County District assessments of individual hospitals’ death Commissioner of the State Department of Attorney’s office since 1998. In that post, rates in relation to heart attack. As of data Health (DOH). Dr. Daines was formerly she led major projects, including the develop- updated through September 13, 2006, the President and Chief Executive Officer of St. ment of protocols for DNA testing and the U.S. national average death rate within 30 Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York creation of a Child Advocacy Center. Ms. days from heart attack was found to be 16%. City. Prior to becoming President, Dr. Daines Hamann was also formerly Deputy Chief of Out of 4,477 hospitals in the United served as Senior Vice President for the Trial Division in charge of the Criminal States, only 17 were found to have a better Professional Affairs and as Medical Director Court from 1994 to 1998, Director of rate and 7 were found to have worse rates. at St. Luke’s. He also served in a series of Training from 1991 to 1994 and Deputy Of the 188 hospitals surveyed in New York, clinical and administrative positions at St. Bureau Chief of the Career Criminal Bureau 2 were found to be better than the U.S. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx, including from 1968 to 1991. National Rate and 1 was found to be worse. Director of Critical Care, Director of Medical New York State’s Office of the Medicaid Education, Medical Director and Vice Inspector General (OMIG) consolidates staff Medicare vs. FDA – Conflict on Stents for President for Professional Affairs, and Senior and other Medicaid fraud detection, preven- Neck Arteries – May 2, 2007 (NYT) – The Vice President for Professional Affairs. Dr. tion and recovery functions into a single more Food and Drug Administration (FDA) endors- Daines received a Bachelor of History efficient and accountable office, reorganiz- es carotid stents in patients showing no symp- degree from Utah State University in 1974 ing and streamlining the state’s process of toms of blockages if a diagnostic image and served as a missionary in Bolivia from detecting and combating Medicaid fraud, shows a carotid restriction of 80 percent or 1970 to 1972. waste and abuse and maximizing the recov- for high-surgical-risk patients with symptoms ery of improper Medicaid payments. of blockage – like a previous stroke or other Medication Errors – March 7, 2007 (NYT) – brain impairment and diagnosed blockage A study performed by the United States 1199 Leader in New Position – NYP – of 50% or more. Pharmacopeia and the University of the January 30, 2007 - New York hospital-work- In a surprise announcement, Medicare Health Sciences in Bethesda, Md., in con- ers union chief Dennis Rivera – one of the dropped its announced plan to follow the junction with two nurse associations conclud- city’s most powerful labor leaders, FDA’s lead and expand coverage of these ed that young children are the most likely vic- announced his resignation and intent to head carotid stents and determined instead that it tims of surgery-related medication mistakes a new national health-care union. Mr. Rivera will not pay for any carotid stent in any and poor communications as the patient will become chairman of the million-member patient who has not shown symptoms of moves from the operating room to the recov- Service Employees International Union blockage and, for symptomatic patients, only ery room is the most likely culprit. In analyz- Health Care. His current union, the if the blockage is 70% or greater. Medicare ing almost 11,000 medication mistakes 300,000-member 1199 SEIU United cited amongst its reasons for the reversal (1) made on patients undergoing surgery, the Healthcare Workers East will be the largest strong opposition from several medical survey identified that most of the errors local in the national union. Rivera is backing groups representing specialists who perform involved painkillers and antibiotics. Typical 1199 Secretary-Treasurer, George Gresham the neck surgery [called endarterectomy] and dangerous mistakes were as follows: to succeed him. Rivera’s departure will send (2) various clinical trials that raised doubts Failure to administer antibiotics before ripples through New York political and about the safety of carotid stenting. surgery, Failure to note allergies, Errors in set- health-care circles, where he wields tremen- ting pumps that dispense blood thinners and dous clout. Rivera presided over 1199 for The Dangers of Optional Caesarean Surgery painkillers, Overdoing of infants, Poor pen- 20 years. – March 27, 2007 (NYT) – According to a manship’, Careless listening or bad arith- study published in the March 2007 issue of metic (converting pounds to kilograms) caus- Cancer Deaths On the Decline – NYT – Obstetrics and Gynecology, Caesarean sec- ing patients to get doses 10 or even 50 times January 18, 2007 – The number of cancer tions performed without a medical reason higher than they should have. deaths in the United States has dropped for result in longer hospital stays, higher costs The survey reinforced the recommenda- the second year in a row, reported the and more than twice as many rehospitaliza- tions that hospitals install computerized sys- American Cancer Society. It credited most of tions as vaginal deliveries. These hospital tems for prescribing drugs with alarms built in the decrease to smoking cessation and stays were 7% longer and cost 76 % more to sound if toxic combinations are ordered for improved detection and treatment of colorec- than normal deliveries. Mothers who have a patient. tal, breast and prostate cancers. However, optional Caesarian sections were 2.3 times cancer is still the second leading cause of more likely to return to the hospital, usually The New Medicaid Inspector General – death in the United States, after heart dis- because of wound complications or major February 2007 – Gov. Eliot Spitzer ease. Lung cancer is still the leading cause systemic infections. The study reviewed announced the appointment of Ms. Krisitine of cancer mortality with 160,390 deaths 3,334 Caesareans done without a medical Hamann to serve as New York State’s expected in 2007. reason over a five year period. Medicaid Inspector General. Ms. Hamann is Joseph Stamm Honored By Beitar Foundation and COJO of Flatbush n Thursday, March 15, 2007 the City tremendous amount of pride in its anticipat- of Beitar, Israel and the Beitar ed completion. Foundation honored MedReview’s The Mayor of Beitar, Yitzchak Pindrus OPresident/C.E.O., Joseph Stamm at a Gala has been friends with Mr. Stamm for a Benefit Tribute, at the Broad Street Ball number of years and he requested that Joe Room in the Wall Street section of New accept the honor. The presentation to Joe York City. The event celebrated the Beitar’s at the dinner was made by Assemblyman 18th anniversary since its establishment as Dov Hikind who is a close personal friend a hallmark of Jewish pride and tenacity.