Annual Report - Winthrop University Hospital

Winthrop-University Hospital 2011 Annual ReportWinthrop’s Cardiac Surgery Program has long been a benchmarkfor open-heart surgery in New York State and continues togrow in importance. From open-heart coronary artery bypasssurgery and heart valve repair and replacement to specializedtreatment of aortic disease at the Center for Aortic Diseases,cardiac patients have access to the most innovative procedures.For example, cardiologists at Winthrop perform transcutaneousaortic valve replacement (TAVR), one of the newest techniquesthat allows a heart valve to be replaced without open-heartsurgery. Surgeons insert a catheter into an artery in the groin,pass through the catheter a thin wire with the new valveattached and install the new valve from the inside. Percutaneousvalve replacement has proven especially helpful for elderlypatients who are not candidates for open-heart surgery, providingimproved quality of life for these patients and their families.Advances in neuroscienceAs modern science has begun to reveal the mysteries of howthe brain and central nervous system function, great strides havebeen achieved in neuroscience. At Winthrop’s Department ofNeuroscience, physicians, surgeons, physician assistants, nursepractitioners and nurses are members of an interdisciplinaryteam of healthcare professionals that is pioneering the use ofadvanced approaches for diagnosis and treatment, includingcomputerized imaging systems, state-of-the-art surgical interventionssuch as deep brain stimulation and the latest generationof medication therapies.In addition to a 14-bed Neurosciences Special Care Unit, theDepartment of Neuroscience boasts comprehensive resourcesfor diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of conditions,including aneurysms, blood clots and tumors and special programsfor conditions including Multiple Sclerosis, MovementDisorders, and Epilepsy.Addressing the diabetes epidemic andits implicationsModern conveniences have made our daily lives easier thanthose of our grandparents, but we’ve paid a price. Most of usno longer have physically demanding jobs. We’re not likely towalk to work or school or to prepare healthy home-cookedmeals on a regular basis.The result has been increased obesity among Americans,which has precipitated an unprecedented high rate of Type 2diabetes. The Centers for Disease Control and Preventionforecast that by 2050 one in three Americans may have thisdisease. Left untreated or poorly managed, the serious sideeffects may include heart disease, blindness, kidney failureand nerve damage.Education and management are keyIn an effort to help stem the rising tide of obesity and diabetes,and to provide the best possible care to patients with theseconditions, Winthrop-University Hospital has created theWinthrop Diabetes and Obesity Institute to coordinate patientcare, medical research and education so as to maximize theeffectiveness of the hospital’s efforts in each area.Prevention and treatment of diabetes is a primary focus. TheDiabetes Education Center at Winthrop-University Hospital,the first diabetes education program in New York State to beaccredited by the American Diabetes Association, has beenserving as a resource for members of the community since 1979.Here adults and children with diabetes or pre-diabetes—andtheir families—can attend education programs, including classeson use of insulin pumps and similar technologies now availablefor diabetes management, as well as support groups. The Centeralso hosts an extensive variety of programs of interest to overweightand at-risk children and their parents and caregivers.Improving healthcare professionals’ understandingPrimary care physicians are the front line of defense in managingthe care of patients with diabetes. In 2011, 41 Winthropclinicians from six hospital-affiliated primary care practices andfrom the endocrinology faculty practice achieved recognitionby The National Committee for Quality Assurance’s (NCQA’s)Diabetes Recognition Program (DRP). This designation identifiesphysicians who are well educated in diabetes managementand consistently treat patients according to the best availablescientific evidence. Several New York State grants will continue16