The growth of innovative orthopedic surgery at Northwell Health

Today’s population is seeking the benefits of early intervention orthopedic surgery like joint replacements and bone preservations resulting in an increased number of orthopedic surgeries. Northwell Health’s hospitals are growing their services to meet this demand. Growth that includes case variety, cutting-edge procedures and innovative technology.

The advantages for nurses, surgical technologists, advanced care providers and other care team members go beyond just increased experience. Orthopedic surgery is one of the only surgical specialties where you see instant results. Being able to see a visual victory immediately after the procedure and seeing patients get back to living life to the fullest is incredibly rewarding.

Join of our teams below to experience innovative orthopedic surgical care.

LIJ Valley Stream Hospital:

At LIJ Valley Stream , orthopedic teams practice both routine and general orthopedic treatments and cutting edge procedures. Orthopedic surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, and surgical technologists work together collaboratively to provide excellent care for their patients.  Their state-of-the-art care and treatments mean more minimally invasive procedures that are giving patients the advantage of a quicker recovery and decreased hospital stays.

Some of the innovative procedures happening in the OR are:

• Specific total joint replacements
• Reverse total shoulder replacements
• Total ankle replacements
• Autologous cartilage implants

And orthopedic surgery is only growing at LIJ Valley Stream! With our partnership with the Orlin and Cohen Orthopedic Group, Northwell is significantly increasing our presence on the south shore of Nassau County and Queens.

Surgeons from Orlin & Cohen and Northwell’s Orthopedic service line work together inside our brand-new Orthopedic Hospital at LIJ Valley Stream. This 9,761-foot facility includes 18 private patient rooms, advanced ORs, and a physical therapy unit, along with advanced technology. They have received the highest rating from The Joint Commission’s Healthcare Quality Certification in knee and hip replacement surgery.

Lenox Hill Hospital:

Lenox Hill Hospital is a full service hospital performing many orthopedic procedures using robotic surgery with the Mako robot. With up to ten operating rooms dedicated to orthopedics a day, there is a large variety of cases for team members to gain experience in the operating room. Lenox Hill Hospital is currently applying for the Joint Commission renewal of their Advanced Certification for Total Hip and Total Knee Replacement, a 2 year certification that reflects the excellent care given to arthroplasty patients from hospital entry to discharge.

Some of the surgeries being performed at Lenox Hill include:

• Knee total replacement
• Cervical discectomy anterior with fusion
• Laminectomy discectomy
• Shoulder arthroscopy
• Hip hemiarthoplasty
• Osteoarticular transplant surgery

Northwell’s new partnership with the Rothman Orthopaedic Institute also means more opportunities for the team at Lenox Hill and Phelps Hospitals. Rothman orthopedic surgeons collaborate with Northwell physicians to deliver high-quality, orthopedic services. This close collaboration between physicians and care team members helps further Lenox Hill’s strong team atmosphere.They pride themselves on teamwork and always looking for ways to make the patient experience even better.

Long Island Jewish Medical Center:

Orthopedic surgery is a growing service at Long Island Jewish Medical Center (LIJMC). LIJMC has been recognized as a Center of Excellence by the Joint Commission for the past two years and is in the process of renewing their application in 2019. Every month, dedicated LIJ Center for Joint Preservation and Restoration meetings take place to discuss and evaluate metrics in an effort to continuously improve the patient experience.

Improving the patient experience also means using state-of-the-art procedures and technology. Technology like Blue Belt Technology, which is used during total joint replacements to cut out exact measurements of the total joint to be used.
Some of these state-of-the-art procedures include:

• Radical resections of mass
• Proximal femur replacements
• Total hip replacement direct anterior approach
• Total knee replacements
• Uni knee replacements
• Knee stage II revision arthroplasty

Registered nurses and surgical technologists at LIJMC enjoy a collaborative experience within the Ortho team and get to broaden their operating room experience with a variety of orthopedic cases.

Are you Made for delivering orthopedic perioperative care? Apply today!

Eight reasons to join the oncology care team at Northwell Health Cancer Institute

Our team members at the Northwell Health Cancer Institute are committed to providing advanced oncology care that improves the lives of our patients. Whether you’re a nurse, pharmacist, researcher, advanced clinical provider, or laboratory technologist, Northwell offers fulfilling career opportunities at one of the largest and most innovative cancer programs in the New York Metropolitan area. Discover eight reasons to work at the Northwell Health Cancer Institute.

1. One of the largest cancer programs in the NY area

The Northwell Health Cancer Institute has a variety of locations across the New York metro area so you can provide comprehensive cancer care from screening to survivorship right in your community. From the Imbert Cancer Center in Bay Shore to the Monter Cancer Center in New Hyde Park, we’re providing highly complex care in one connected system.

2. Develop meaningful relationships with patients

Helping care for a patient in their most vulnerable times makes a lasting impact on both the patient and the provider. “Sometimes just listening or holding their hand makes a difference,” says Iris Fleming, nurse manager at Monter Cancer Center. “You’re on the journey with them, guiding them through a difficult time in their lives and making it that much easier with small gestures.” Knowing how important these relationships become, the Cancer Institute also hosts an annual Survivors Day.

3. Oncology Nursing Society’s 2019 Employer Recognition Award

We invest in our team members. Monter Cancer Center was awarded Oncology Nursing Society’s 2019 Employer Recognition Award for its outstanding initiatives in promoting professional development and educational opportunities for its nurses, including starting an oncology nursing fellowship program.

4. Work with leading oncology specialists

Work alongside our 200 oncology physicians who are national and international cancer leaders in 25 specialties and drive the latest advances in cancer care and cancer research. Richard Barakat, MD, physician-in-chief and director of cancer, leads all cancer services and research at Northwell Health, including the Cancer Institute.

5. Affiliation with Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

Our partnership with the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, a world leader in cancer research, means the Cancer Institute is able to provide patients with the most cutting-edge therapies for cancer. This unique collaboration promotes research that helps advance the process of turning discoveries in the lab into clinical practice.

6. Opportunity to help develop new treatments through clinical trials

With over 30 years of experience in cancer clinical trials, the Cancer Institute has enrolled over 10,000 cancer clinical trial participants. Be a part of the development of new treatments that help save lives.

“I have the opportunity to work with new treatment modalities and new drug combinations that have not been tried yet,” says Julia Trojanowski, oncology research nurse at the Center for Novel Cancer Therapeutics. “It is very exciting and rewarding knowing that I am part of creating history.”

7. Treat truly complex and rare conditions

With over 16,000 cancer patients seen annually, the Northwell Health Cancer Institute has experts able to treat virtually every type of Cancer disease diagnosed. And with this variety of cases comes highly complex care that many specialty cancer centers cannot offer.

8. Access to innovative and ground-breaking technology

Work with the latest groundbreaking technology to provide patients the best care possible. Technology that includes the Gamma Knife Icon. The Cancer Institute is the first and only center on Long Island to offer this radiosurgery technology that allows radiation oncologists and neurosurgeons to target tumors and other conditions in the brain with ultra-high precision and frameless technology.

“The Cancer Institute delivers innovative care to patients by assuring that the latest medications and equipment are available for diagnosis and treatment,” says Dr. Smitha Chacko, pharmacist at Imbert Cancer Center. “Northwell also continually arranges for clinicians, nursing staff, and pharmacy staff to be educated on the newest research and data.”

2019 President’s Award Finalists: Nurse of the Year

Each year, Northwell’s President’s Awards recognize team members who not only surpass our expectations and standards of excellence, but also those who drive innovative business outcomes.

The Nurse of the Year award recognizes a nurse who is made for going the extra mile for his or her patients, families and colleagues. Exemplifying our Northwell values and behaviors, this individual delivers high-quality clinical care and a compassionate patient experience. Meet this year’s finalists.

Angela Daly, RN
Physician Partners, Cardiology at Southampton

Inspired by the extra efforts she saw nurses and others doing to take care of her mother, Angela Daly knew nursing was what she was meant to do. During the course of her career, she’s demonstrated efficiency and compassion, finding the small ways in which nurses can have a major impact on patients’ lives. Angela has solved problems, finding ways to improve how nurses were deployed throughout the Cardiac service line and how information was conveyed.

Taking a creative approach, Angela developed a telephone triage and patient education guide for her Flex Pool to demonstrate the best workflow in addressing patient calls, elevating patient concerns to providers and educating patients in a way that they can understand. Her guide is used throughout Northwell’s Cardiac service line. Angela also sends letters to every doctor that her patients see to ensure interdisciplinary communication is intact and that the patient’s treatment course with an investigational drug product is considered in the spectrum of their care. When she saw some information wasn’t making its way to all inpatient team members, she worked to develop chart notes that would be delivered to those who need them. And after realizing that more nurses were needed in the Cardiac service line, Angela worked to create a “Float Pool,” and recruited more than 90 nurses, trained them to cover the practices and developed guidelines so that the nurses would have the tools they needed to care more efficiently for our patients.

Alexa Damone, RN
Medical Surgical Unit, Glen Cove Hospital

Alexa Damone’s passion for her work is evident to her patients and colleagues by constantly learning new skills to improve medical care.

Alexa has the ability to relate to patients and their families through her caring manner and attentive demeanor. Her deep commitment is evident to her patients and her colleagues and was recognized by the hospital when she was honored in the hospital’s first “Breakfast with the Stars.” She is empathic, compassionate, an excellent communicator, possesses solid clinical and problem-solving skills and serves as an advocate for her patients.

Her commitment to helping peers is inspirational. Upon returning from a sepsis conference, Alexa shared her newly developed knowledge with her peers to improve the identification and prompt treatment of sepsis. She was a part of a project on infection control that led to better hand hygiene and infection control practices on the unit. Alexa is involved in another project aimed at improving the patient experience. With diabetes becoming increasingly prevalent, especially among the elderly, she attended a two-day workshop recognizing the importance of diabetes knowledge, management and education, enabling her to become a unit champion and valuable resource for her peers and patients.

Maryann Portoro, RN
Emergency Department, Phelps Hospital

Maryann Portoro sets a calm tone for patients and team members who, in the sometimes chaotic emergency care environment, need reassurance and compassion. She has devoted 45 years of her nursing career to caring for patients requiring emergency interventions. Maryann’s nursing role is characterized by her philosophy “Don’t worry, I’ve got it.” She is noted for her quick assessment and innovative interventions to support excellence in patient care. She demonstrates her leadership skills by taking charge while not losing her compassionate approach in the Emergency Department, sometimes rocking babies, other times holding the hand of an upset or frightened patient.
Maryann’s care doesn’t stop with patients; she provides timeouts to ease a team member experiencing grief after a loss.

Her sensitivity to people’s needs is in real time with positive, thoughtful recognition. She uses her abilities to think quickly and creatively in any situation, de-escalating a crisis by knowing just what to do to calm and control a situation. Her dedication extends to finding and implementing ways to improve new nursing care delivery models.

Dominick Pugliese, RN
Northwell Health At Home

Dominick Pugliese represents the future of Northwell Health nursing care. As a young RN he has already impressed his supervisors with his ability to learn quickly and with his commitment to caring for those in need. Joining Northwell Health At Home just a little over a year ago, he made the switch from a hospital Respiratory Care Unit to Home Health because he wanted to work with patients as their primary nurse in their homes. He had been inspired by his involvement with Project Hope on Staten Island. He was among the part-time team member who went door-to-door to provide crisis counseling to families who were suffering from the fear, anxiety, anger and helplessness after the destruction wrought by Hurricane Sandy in 2012. He rode on a medical bus, which was run by nurses.

At Northwell Health At Home, he mixes an interest and skill in using technology, such as the telehealth program, with devotion to hands-on care that depends on personal attention to a patient’s needs. Dominick’s potential led to his appointment to a task force that created Northwell Health At Home’s Heart Failure program, which was recently certified by the Joint Commission.

Jeffrey Rosa, RN
Surgical Intensive Care Unit, Long Island Jewish Medical Center

Passion for his patients and awareness of the complexities of navigating the emotions and needs of those in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit drive the care provided by Jeffrey Rosa. He witnessed the excellent care provided to his grandmother, and, later, as a paramedic, responded to the horrors of the Sept. 11 attack at the World Trade Center, which solidified his determination to become a nurse.

At Long Island Jewish Medical Center (LIJMC), Jeffrey is known as “the go-to player,” someone who has made it his business to know everything he needs to know about every patient in a unit where extra compassion, understanding and respect for what patients and families are going through are crucial. He is completely dedicated to inspiring and teaching new nurses to share his passion and expertise. He coaches, mentors and serves as a role model for his peers. Jeffrey lectures the hemodynamics portion of the nursing fellowship curriculum and shares his passion for work he does daily.

Jeffrey participates in countless committees, including the Magnet task force, and as co-chair of the Surgical ICU’s Collaborative Care Council, he facilitates the agenda and pushes LIJMC nursing units to share innovative solutions and champion new ideas and processes.

Delivering critical care from the front lines to the Cardiothoracic ICU

For Jared Singer, a career in the military fueled his passion to help people in critical situations.

Jared, now a Cardiothoracic ICU registered nurse at Lenox Hill Hospital, served active duty in the United States Air Force for five years following high school. During his time in the military, he was exposed to various forms of emergency medicine training. His dream: to ultimately become a flight nurse and perform emergency medical evacuations out of helicopters.

With this goal in mind, Jared earned his Bachelor of Science in Nursing after his service. But to become a flight nurse, Jared knew he’d need critical care experience from a hospital.  After applying to numerous ICU units across the five boroughs with no response, Jared’s professor recommended Northwell’s Critical Care Nursing Fellowship.

Following his professor’s advice, Jared attended a military veteran career event so he could meet with recruiters. “No hospital would take a chance to invest in me besides Northwell Health,” says Jared. “The military veteran career event let me promote what I could bring as an individual to recruiters, directors, and I even personally met Northwell’s President and CEO Michael Dowling. I felt a part of the team as soon as I walked into that event.”

Meeting with Northwell team members gave Jared the opportunity to showcase the skills that his unique experience as a veteran brought to nursing. “Not even a week after that event, I was sitting down with the manager of the Cardiothoracic ICU in Lenox Hill Hospital–my dream job.”

Finding a new mission in the Critical Care Fellowship

From there, Jared’s career as an RN in the Critical Care Fellowship at Lenox Hill Hospital began. In Phase one of the program, he learned the systems, pharmacology and equipment specific to the ICU. With help from his educators, the simulation lab, and hands-on experience, Jared was given the foundation nurses need to be comfortable, as well as the critical thinking and theory necessary to thrive in such a high-speed environment.

Jared’s skills are continuing to grow as he works as a nurse on the floor during Phase two of the fellowship program. As part of his fellowship, he cares for critical patients and works hand-in-hand with nurses, PCAs, physician assistants, respiratory therapists, surgeons and others – and there is something to learn from everyone. “I was able to stand in during a seven-hour surgery and was blown away with the technology, professionalism, and skills every individual had in performing such intricate procedures. My eyes were wide open in absolute awe of what we’re able to accomplish as a team for each patient we interact with.”

And for Jared, the Critical Care Fellowship is only the beginning of his career at Northwell and the new adventures he seeks.

“I have climbed Mt Fuji; I’ve been interviewed on live TV Christmas morning; and I’ve even jumped out of a plane 14,000 feet above the Hawaiian shores, but nothing compares to the rush and feeling of the satisfaction I get when I make medical interventions that can be the difference in the outcomes of my patients.”

Northwell Health Recipe: Spring Duck Salad

Barbecue season is here and our Northwell Health chefs have prepared the perfect dish to wow guests at your next event! Learn how to prepare a Spring Duck Salad that’s as healthy as it is delicious.

Spring Duck Salad:

Preparation Time:15 mins
Cooking Time: 30 mins
Total Yield: 6 salads
Equipment: Blender or robo coupe, saute pan, tongs, spoon, bowl, cutting board knife

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
2. Pat duck breast dry and using a sharp knife, score the skin with a cross- hatch pattern.
   The first step is to score the fat to help it render more efficiently. Make very shallow cuts in a tight crisscross pattern across the surface of the duck. With a sharp knife, this requires virtually no pressure: just slide the blade along, while barely breaking through the skin. If you prefer to render out more of the fat, simply make deeper cuts. Do not be tempted to remove it prior to cooking. That layer of fat protects the meat, allowing you to cook it gently and evenly; because duck is best served medium-rare.
3. Start the glaze: toast the chile pieces in a skillet, pressing them down firmly with a spatula for a few seconds until they release a toasty aroma, then flip them, and press down the other side. Place the chiles into a small bowl, cover with hot water and let rehydrate for 30 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/3 cup of the soaking water.
4. In a blender or robo coupe: combine the ancho chiles, the reserved soaking liquid, garlic, oregano, pepper, cumin, honey, pinot noir and 1 teaspoon salt. Blend to a smooth puree, scraping down and stirring frequently. Press through a medium-mesh strainer into a small bowl. Set aside 1/2 cup of the glaze for the dressing.
5. Place 2 of the duck breasts seasoned with salt skin side down in a pan on medium-low* heat. Sear for 6 minutes until richly brown and the skin is crispy, flip and sear the underside for 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet and repeat this procedure with the remaining breasts.
6. Take the remaining ancho glaze and brush the top of each of the duck breasts. Place the baking sheet into the center of the preheated oven at 325 degrees and roast for 20 to 25 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 125 degrees. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before slicing.
7. Sautee the corn with a bit of the leftover rendered duck fat.
8. To make the dressing: blend together the dressing ingredients: ancho glaze reserved,  extra virgin olive oil, lime juice, honey, and salt
9. Once the duck breasts have been sliced, plate up individual servings by arranging the rocket greens on the plate. Fan out the duck breast slices and sprinkle the radish slices, mango, and avocado over the top of the salad. Place the julienned scallions on each of the salads and sautéed corn on top- drizzle on the dressing.

Are you a master chef? Show off your culinary experience at Northwell Health. Explore culinary job opportunities.

*When duck breast is seared at a higher temperature, the flesh quickly cooks before enough fat has rendered out, leaving you with a thick, flabby layer of fat over tough meat. When you use gentle heat, the fat has time to render off, while heat slowly transfers to the flesh through the buffer of the thick skin layer. This gives you tender flesh with a minimal gradient, as well as delicious, crisp skin.

Ingredients:	Quantity
6 Duck Breast boneless (skin on)	140 grams
Salt	scant
Garlic Cloves (roasted)	6 cloves
Dried Ancho Chiles	56 grams
Oregano	5 grams
Black Pepper	1 gram
Cumin	.5 grams
Honey	60ml
Pinot noir	30ml
Ancho glaze: made from above	120ml
Extra Virgin Olive oil	180ml
Lime juice	80ml
Honey	30ml
Salt	5 grams
French breakfast Radish	6 ea.
Rocket Arugula	336 grams
Avocados (diced)	2 ea.
Sweet Corn (shucked and kernels removed)	2 ea.
Mango champagne (peeled and diced)	2 ea.
Purple Scallions (trimmed and julienned)	6 ea.

2019 President’s Award Finalists: Physician of the Year

Each year, Northwell’s President’s Awards recognize team members who not only surpass our expectations and standards of excellence, but also those who drive innovative business outcomes.

The Physician of the Year award recognizes a physician who is made for going the extra mile for his or her patients, families and colleagues. Exemplifying our Northwell values and behaviors, this individual delivers high-quality clinical care and a compassionate patient experience. Meet this year’s finalists.

Santhosh Paulus, MD
Hospitalist, Director, Family Medicine Residency, Huntington Hospital

Dr. Santhosh Paulus turned a personal crusade against the abuses of human trafficking into an innovative program at Northwell. He began his Northwell career at the Glen Cove Family Medicine Residency program and is now site director for Huntington. In that role, he strives to meet three challenges: to teach the art and science of family medicine, to advocate for the best interest of his learners, and to be the quintessential role model of diligent attention to patient care, humanistic practice and lifelong learning.

In 2014, Dr. Paulus’ passion for caring for those in need grew. He saw a presentation on human trafficking and realized that his four daughters were of the same age as many victims in the presentation about forced labor, commercial sexual exploitation and sexual slavery in the US today. He joined a team and biked across the country to raise funds and awareness about human trafficking. Then he created “Cycling for Change,” an organization which has raised more than $55,000 to increase awareness about human trafficking and help survivors. Still, he wanted to do more. After talking with senior leadership at Huntington Hospital, he assembled a team to create the first Northwell Health Human Trafficking Response Program to identify and assist human trafficking victims and care for survivors. To date, the Task Force has trained more than 2,700 caregivers with 13 potential victims identified.

Yili Huang, DO
Medical Director, Pain Management Center, Phelps Hospital,
Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell

Dr. Yili Huang has drawn on his empathy for the suffering of others to become a leader in treating pain on the individual and community level. In his pain management center, Dr. Huang meets with individual patients and finds creative ways to address their suffering. He delivers education to his team of physicians, nurses, and medical assistants, which has led to an improvement of pain scores at Phelps Hospital. He successfully performed an ultrasound-guided fascia iliaca nerve block recently to relieve intense pain in a patient with a hip fracture and a high tolerance for pain medications, controlling her suffering in preparation for surgery.
Dr. Huang’s commitment to his patients doesn’t stop there.

He is in the forefront of tackling a significant national problem: opioid addiction. He shares his knowledge with other physicians to reduce the use of opioid prescriptions by substituting other interventional modalities for long term relief, producing an immediate effect as many of these practices saw a dramatic decline in opioid prescriptions by their physicians. Dr. Huang also co-chairs the practice guidelines workgroup within the Northwell Opioid Task Force. He created practice guidelines, controlled substance agreements, and other tools to facilitate best practice opioid use. Those tools are being used across all the communities that Northwell serves to systematically confront the opioid epidemic and helps Northwell Health lead the nation in combating the epidemic in a compassionate and thoughtful way.

Carmen Rodriguez, MD, FACOG
Voluntary Physician, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Long Island Jewish Medical Center

An excellent bedside manner and the care she provides to her patients distinguishes the work of Dr. Carmen Rodriguez and moves many people to say, “She’s the best.” Regarded as reliable, dependable and talented, she is also humble and unpretentious. Dr. Rodriguez leads by example for all clinicians and team members. And her contributions go beyond kindness and compassion. She is known to take on some of the most difficult gynecological challenges via laparotomy, laparoscopic and robotic modalities. Dr. Rodriguez will always fight to defend the reproductive rights of her patients.

Dr. Rodriguez also plays an active role in the affairs and governance of the hospital. She is the associate chair of the Long Island Jewish Medical Center – Performance Improvement
Coordinating Group (LIJMC PICG). She is also a member of the OBGYN department PICG. Dr. Rodriguez finds the time to participate in performance improvement initiatives because she believes that everyone benefits when better care is rendered, mainly for the patient and the community at large, but also for the clinical and administrative team member. She is the president-elect of the LIJ Medical Team member Society, making her the first woman to hold this distinguished position in the history of LIJMC.

Andre Reyes, MD
Hospitalist, North Shore University Hospital

Dr. Andre Reyes has repeatedly impressed patients and team members with his deep commitment to providing personal and compassionate care and setting high standards for others. He has spent countless hours with his patients, making them feel comfortable and at ease regarding their care and the time they will spend in the hospital. Dr. Reyes is known for having dropped to a knee to console the weeping wife of a patient who had taken a turn for the worse, giving her time to compose herself. His commitment to patients contributes to the success of the Care Model Program, which engages all clinical partners in improving patient experiences in the unit. Beyond the emotional value of his compassion, statistics support his approach.

Under his leadership, ratings on clinical quality scorecards, and communication, have risen significantly. Dr. Reyes is also devoted to fostering our medical student education and Internal Medicine Residency program. He is involved in creating and standardizing expectations for residents with regards to their daily rounds and documentation, and sets a personal example by visiting his patients multiple times a day.

Dr. Reyes also took part in the hospital preparation for Magnet certification. He took the initiative to inform himself further on Magnet accreditation standards and met with Magnet evaluators.

Tara Liberman, DO
Associate Chief, Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Long Island Jewish Medical Center

While she has worked in almost every area of health care – post acute, outpatient practice and inpatient care — Dr. Tara Liberman has driven change in geriatric services. She is a proven leader at Northwell, spearheading several initiatives across the heath system to ensure that high-quality, patient-centered care is standard operating procedure. Dr. Liberman’s commitment to patient care began with her Northwell internship year in 2001.

She completed her internal medicine residency and Geriatric Medicine fellowship at North Shore University Hospital. When Palliative Medicine was established as a medicine subspecialty in 2010, Dr. Liberman became board certified in Palliative Medicine as well. In 2010, she received the academic title of assistant professor.

Dr. Liberman has piloted two programs to improve the care and medical literacy of the rapidly growing geriatric population. In response to the “Silver Tsunami,” she began the Geriatric ED program at Long Island Jewish Medical Center (LIJMC), which caters to older adults who arrive in the ED by aiming to prevent unneeded hospital admissions. The ED at LIJMC now has a geriatric-specific social worker to help these patients and their families connect with Northwell resources in the community to ensure appropriate levels of care that are in line with the goals of the patients and families. Dr. Liberman has continued this work to provide specialized care to this vulnerable population in all Northwell EDs by working towards a Geriatric Emergency Department certificate accredited by the American College of Emergency Physicians.

Brian McGinley, MD
Voluntary Physician, Orthopedic Surgery, Mather Hospital

Dr. Brian McGinley takes his orthopedic skills beyond his practice, into an underserved community on Long Island and beyond.

He is part of the medical mission team for Blanca’s House, a local nonprofit organization that brings much-needed, quality medical care to countries and communities throughout Latin
America. During several missions to Ecuador, Dr. McGinley performed more than 75 knee replacement surgeries. In addition to his pro bono medical services, he raises funds for Blanca’s
House by assisting in generating thousands of dollars in philanthropic support to these trips.

On Long Island, he helps at an orthopedic clinic, treating patients who can’t afford care. In his free time, Dr. McGinley volunteers for the local Three Village community sports leagues and has served as a coach and team doctor. He serves president of the Port Jefferson Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC), a consortium of 19 area physicians and Mather Hospital, and was named PGA physician for the U.S. Open in 2002 and 2004.

In 2016, Dr. McGinley was the first surgeon worldwide to perform robotic-assisted total knee replacement with the NavioTM Surgical System, which allows for smaller incisions, less or no cutting of muscles, and no preoperative CT scan. His contributions are limited only by the number of hours in the day.

North Shore University Hospital wins Northwell Health’s 2019 Chefs Challenge

Recently, five Northwell Health hospitals competed in the 2019 Chefs Challenge! Teams had 90 minutes to prepare a healthy and delicious meal with a salmon appetizer, filet mignon entree, and an apple dessert – meals that could potentially be served to patients in our hospitals. After presenting to our judges for tasting, North Shore University won first place in the competition. Rounding out the winners were LIJ Valley Stream Hospital in second and Southside Hospital in third.

You’ve already met the teams comprised of three chefs and a certified dietitian, now take a look at the meals!

First Place: North Shore University Hospital

Second Place: LIJ Valley Stream Hospital

Third Place: Huntington Hospital

Lenox Hill Hospital

Southside Hospital

Meet our New ACP Fellowship Graduates: Krystal, Christine & Sean

This post is part of a blog series highlighting Northwell Health’s Advanced Clinical Providers (ACP).This month, we’re highlighting three “Truly Ambitious” PAs who recently graduated from our inaugural Emergency Medicine and Cardiothoracic Surgery ACP Fellowship Program class. Currently we offer four specialties for our ACP Fellowship Program:  Emergency Medicine, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Orthopedics, and Radiation Medicine.

Our Advanced Clinical Providers (ACP) are some of our most ambitious team members, and these new graduates of our Fellowship Program are no exception!

Recent fellowship graduate Krystal Garcia, MS, PA-C fell in love with the fast pace and high pressure of emergency medicine during her clinical rotations as a Physician Assistant (PA) student.

“Once I graduated, I was determined to start my career in emergency medicine,” she said. “But I also wanted to be sure that my first job was in a supportive environment that would allow me to grow and excel. I knew  that the Emergency Medicine Fellowship Program fellowship at Northwell would give me the access to clinicians that could teach me the skills I needed to be a knowledgeable and proficient provider.”

Krystal’s favorite part of her Emergency Medicine Fellowship was working in the Southside Hospital Emergency Department. “Everyone that I encountered at the hospital from nurses to physicians to ACPs and consultants, helped make my fellowship exceptional.” she explains.

Not only did Krystal’s fellowship expand her clinical knowledge, it also gave her the confidence to succeed in a career that requires the ability to continuously learn and adapt. She now has a strong foundation to always continue to grow along with new innovations in medicine. Krystal is now a physician assistant in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Staten Island University Hospital after graduating from the fellowship program.

Gain essential clinical skills in a new specialty

Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellow, Christine Olivencia, MS, PA-C, wholeheartedly agrees. After completing her physician assistant studies at Hofstra University, she enrolled in our ACP fellowship in Cardiothoracic Surgery. “After completing an elective rotation in CT Surgery during school, I knew that was the field I wanted to work in,” Christine tells us.

“I was aware there would be a learning curve working in such a high acuity environment,” she continues. “I felt the fellowship would provide the training and education necessary for a smooth transition into my current role as a PA in Cardiothoracic Surgery at North Shore University Hospital.”

Christine’s favorite part of her fellowship was the people she met and the relationships she built during the program. She also felt that she was given the chance to grow in every way possible. Her knowledge base expanded, and her procedural and OR skills improved exponentially.

“I learned how to look at a case and use that clinical information to develop a plan and impact outcomes, all the while keeping the patient first in mind,” she says. “I gained confidence through the fellowship to continue to grow into the provider I’ve always wanted to be.”

Optimize your growth and development

Our third fellowship graduate, Sean Storey, MS, PA-C, explains his decision to join Northwell, “The mission and goals of Northwell’s Cardiothoracic Surgery (CTS)  Fellowship strongly reflected my personal objectives to be trained at the highest level of proficiency and develop the critical thinking skills necessary to be successful in cardiothoracic medicine.”

During his fellowship, Sean found the mentoring environment and educational structure to be “phenomenal.” He was able to optimize his growth and development by working across the CTS service line at multiple Northwell locations, and now works as a Physician Assistant in Cardiothoracic Surgery at Southside Hospital.

“My fellowship allowed for an amazing learning environment that was paramount to my transition into professional practice. The clinical environment at Northwell accelerated my growth in ways that could have taken years to obtain and has given me a deeper understanding of my clinical roles and confidence in my clinical decision practices.”

Like all of our PAs highlighted this month, Sean would “absolutely recommend” a fellowship at Northwell Health. He, like Krystal and Christine, stresses the opportunity to accelerate individual growth and development and make a successful transition as part of a team that is rethinking and reimaging health care every day.

Learn more about our fellowship programs for PAs and NPs.

Northwell’s commitment to employee wellness goes all the way to Rome, Italy

1,900+ teams made up of over 18,000 Northwell employees are competing in the Walk to Rome challenge for a chance at the grand prize – a FREE trip to Rome! The walk is one of the many fun ways that showcases Northwell’s commitment to employee wellness across the organization.

“Everyone’s path toward wellness is unique, made up of various reasons, objectives and outcomes,” says Valerie Gundersen, manager of Employee Wellness. “The annual challenge offers a special opportunity to unite all of our paths into one shared journey toward wellness.”

Here is how the Walk to Rome works: During this innovative employee step challenge, teams of 10 will walk the distance from Dublin (the destination of last year’s challenge) to Rome, totaling approximately 3.9 million steps in eight weeks. Participants track their physical activity to unlock virtual destinations throughout the journey.  Teams of ten who successfully go the distance will be entered into the grand prize raffle for a trip to Rome, Italy.

Teams inspire each other to get moving by planning walks during lunch, encouraging each other to take the stairs, and hosting even more walking activities outside of work hours. With a new interactive chat feature and friendly virtual competition against rival teams, there are plenty of ways to stay motivated during the challenge.

Last year’s Walk to Dublin challenge totaled more than 7.4 billion steps by the end of the eight weeks. An amazing 1,200+ teams completed the challenge and were eligible for the grand prize raffle.

Employees reported that because of the Walk to Dublin challenge, they had more energy, lost weight, engaged in teamwork, felt healthier and remained highly motivated to continue taking care of their health after the challenge was over.

And the benefits go beyond physical wellness! “The Walk to Dublin challenge was a great chance for me to become a part of the community at Northwell,” says Jonathan Bateman, an ED associate, “I was a new employee when it started and getting to be on a team helped me build relationships with my co-workers faster than I might have otherwise.”

With even more teams competing this year, Northwell employees are excited to ‘step’ it up to win big—and maybe even celebrate with some well-earned pasta and gelato in Rome.

Are you up for the challenge? Apply today.

Starting my next chapter after the military at Northwell Health

Written by: Matthew Scanapico

This Memorial Day, Matthew Scanapico, Project Manager of Ambulatory Operations in the Western Region, reflects on his time as a Sergeant (E-5) in the US Army and how he found a new way to serve through his job at Northwell Health.

My military experience provided me with the discipline and leadership skills that were instrumental in developing my career at Northwell Health. Striving to live my best life every day for the ones whose lives were lost too soon is what keeps me going. Although I struggle from time to time, I do my best to honor their memory.

After my military service, I was hired as a per diem employee at North Shore University Hospital. This gave me the flexibility to be a full time student at SUNY Farmingdale and made me feel part of a team again. In that role, both my leadership and my peers were aware of the hardships I faced overseas. They provided me with the support I needed to be successful in both school and my career and for that, I will always be grateful.

Witnessing the loss of friends, the stress of combat, and the hardships of war, instilled in me the belief that life is too short and fragile to let the “little things” get in the way. Transitioning from military service is never easy, but being hired by Northwell Health provided me with the stability needed to start this new chapter of my life.

For our nation’s veterans, having a stable work environment is integral to their healing process and with Northwell’s vast network of veterans, support is never out of reach. We do incredible things as an organization to hire transitioning veterans.

Northwell prides itself in being more than just a health system, it’s a family, and it’s being a part of something greater than ourselves to both its patients, communities and each other. This value is one of, if not the most, important foundation to a veteran’s life and gives an opportunity to be a part of that bigger picture again.

An Appointment With: Juan Serrano, Director, Military and Veterans Liaison Services

As director of the Office of Military and Veterans Liaison Services, Juan Serrano leads Northwell’s mission to provide military veterans and reservists with the resources they need to make a successful transition to civilian life including partnering with Talent Acquisition for career opportunities. Northwell is proud to employ thousands of military veterans, and reservists.

A veteran himself, Juan served in the Marines for nine years before he was medically discharged in 2009. From there, he continued his education before joining Northwell as the administrator manager of the Queens World Trade Center Health Program in 2012. In 2015, he started in his current position to help lead and develop innovative programs to serve the veteran community.

We sat down with Juan to discuss his career and the services Northwell offers military veterans.

How has your experience in the military prepared you for a career in healthcare?

My experiences in the military provided me with the skills necessary to pursue and succeed in the civilian sector in a number of ways. Being in the military puts you in situations where you not only have to learn to follow, but learn to lead. It prepares you to work under pressure, to adapt and overcome, and to be innovative. In the military, there’s no task too big and no task too small. Everything is about attention to detail, responsibility, and taking pride in what you do. I think that veterans from all branches of the military possess important skills that are fundamental to the success of an organization across industries. If a veteran is presented with an opportunity, they will thrive.

What are some of the exciting things happening in the Office of Military and Veterans Liaison Services in 2019?

We have migrated all veteran services into one centralized location to make it easier for veterans and active duty personnel to gain access to healthcare and other resources such as housing, advocacy, community engagement, as well as a direct connection to our recruitment team for employment opportunities. Northwell Health is committed to providing veterans with resources and solutions that help make their lives better. We stand side by side through every stage of their reintegration process post-military career.

What should military veterans and reservists know about working at Northwell Health?

At Northwell, we offer more than just clinical careers – we provide a variety of opportunities where individuals can thrive such as finance, IT, security, culinary, and administration. Our goal is to change the way companies and communities view veterans and inspire other organizations to do more. Outside of the VA, we provide the most healthcare opportunities for veterans, including at the Rosen Family Wellness Center in Queens which is dedicated exclusively to caring for veterans, first responders, law enforcement personnel and their families. We also have a pay differential which has awarded $1.7 million total to employees to ensure they are continuing to receive their Northwell salary while out on military leave. My career advice to veterans is to never turn down a job opportunity and to always approach your career search with an open mind.

Can you tell us a little about the Side By Side: A Celebration of Service™ event?

Our history of standing side by side with our community has led us to the creation of this pinnacle event during NYC Fleet Week. Side By Side: A Celebration of Service™ is a two-part concert that honors Northwell Health’s commitment to veterans and their families, and celebrates their service and sacrifice throughout the years. It’s not just about the celebration itself, it’s about never forgetting.

Taking place on May 25th, 2019, the day event will be held at 31 Rockefeller Center. During the afternoon program, we will hear inspirational stories from veterans and see special performances from artists that include Gavin DeGraw and Boyz II Men, as well as the Broadway casts from Jersey Boys and Wicked. The second portion of our event is a concert at Radio City Music Hall with Imagine Dragons. The concert is completely sold out but Northwell has made tickets available for veterans through VetTix.org. Throughout both events, we will be joined by active duty personnel who are visiting for NYC Fleet Week.

What are some of the ways you stay connected with the Marines?

I will be preparing to run the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C. this October. It will be the first time I do it after my injury in 2004 and I’m excited to be running again.

Celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month at Northwell Health

Written by: Bridges Asian BERG co-chairs

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is a month to celebrate and pay tribute to the contributions that generations of Asian Pacific Americans have made to American history, society and culture.

In honor of the heritage month this May, we are featuring the stories and work of a few of our Bridges Asian Business Employee Resource Group (BERG) members at Northwell Health.

Also featured, is an Asian Pacific American physician leader at Northwell Health, who is partnering with Bridges Asian BERG, to make broader connections and develop new ideas to help transform some of the amazing work spearheaded by this leader.

Please join us, as we celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month this May!

Tell us more about your role at Northwell Health.

I’ve been working at Northwell for about 2.5 years as an Institutional Review Board (IRB) Manager within the Human Research Protection Program at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. My job is to support, facilitate and promote the ethical and safe conduct of clinical research at Northwell Health. We oversee IRB review for all 23 hospitals and facilities throughout Northwell Health that serves to protect research participants’ rights, safety and welfare.

Why did you join the Asian BERG?

I joined the Northwell Bridges Asian BERG in 2017. I have a passion to be a part of that bridge between our health system and local communities, and one of the ways that I serve in that capacity is being the Chair of the BERG Chinese Language Advisory Board (LAB). Our LAB is made up of other dedicated BERG members who are fluent, native speakers who provide consultation to service lines, departments and facilities on optimal methods of communication for the Chinese communities. We also provide feedback on the quality of translated materials by certified vendors to ensure that the messaging is appropriate and clear. By providing advisory services and partnering with Language Access Services from the Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Health Equity we are working to enhance patient experience, customer service and better connect with our diverse communities.

What do you like about working for Northwell?

I feel so lucky to be recognized for my efforts and it encourages me to continue working harder and to be more innovative. I am proud to use my language capabilities and skillsets as a Chinese American to further the causes of our organization and the diverse communities that we serve.

What advice would you give about mentorship?

Mentorship is always important. However, within this organization of 68,000+ employees, mentorship from successful higher-level leaders is not only critical, but it will help individuals advance in their careers quickly. By encouraging mentorship, we are building our leaders of tomorrow.

Tell us more about your role at Northwell Health.

In 1995 I started at North Shore University Hospital (NSUH) as a registered nurse and in 2005 I became a nurse practitioner in Cardiology.

​Why did you join the Asian BERG?

I wanted to actively support my community. Many Asian community members want to come to Northwell Health for its great reputation, but due to the cultural and language barriers it may be difficult for them to navigate our facilities. My contribution to close this cultural gap was to be a part of the committee that introduced the Korean seaweed soup (miyuk gook) for mothers who just gave birth at NSUH. In 2008 I started a free monthly health clinic for the Korean community and have continued my efforts to keep the clinic going since then.

Can you tell us more about the Korean health clinic?

Through my years at NSUH, I observed numerous Korean patients being admitted to the hospital due to the lack of healthcare either because they couldn’t afford it or because they didn’t know how to obtain it. Patients would have very serious conditions but did not have a primary doctor, medical or prescription insurance to recuperate and maintain their health. Various professionals such as physicians, nurses, social workers, physical therapists and acupuncturists, volunteered to provide preventive medical services monthly and our team was formed. Since the start of this program, 2,000 patients have been cared for with various conditions, some critical such as abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, breast cancer, unstable angina, laryngeal cancer, hypertensive emergencies and others. The social workers assisted patients in signing up for Medicare/Medicaid and our team helped coordinate care for further medical treatment and follow up.

What is your advice for others?

We need to care for our families and neighbors. No one can live alone. We need to volunteer our time, support each other’s ideas and use our professional skillsets to help the community become healthier. Many Asian Americans want to help their families and community and can do so in this way. Furthermore, many employees may not know about the BERG, which helps us internally network and externally bridge with communities.

Santhosh Paulus, MD, site director of Huntington Hospital’s family medicine residency program, is also Northwell Health Human Trafficking Response Program System Taskforce Leader. In 2014, he founded Cycling For Change, a not-for-profit organization, with a mission to cycle, raise awareness and fundraise to support organizations on the front lines of battling human trafficking.

What began as a personal action to raise awareness about human trafficking, “it is a public health issue where individuals are abducted or deceived into servitude and exploited for profit, it is a modern-day form of slavery and the social justice issue of our generation”, said Dr. Paulus.

Dr. Paulus has been appointed as Northwell Health’s Human Trafficking taskforce leader, where he spearheads a human trafficking response program at Huntington Hospital, which currently includes more than a dozen staff members who have been trained by Restore NYC, an anti-trafficking organization, to identify victims and assist human trafficking victims and provide care to survivors. Dr. Paulus is working collaboratively with the Bridges Asian BERG on furthering the mission of the taskforce.