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Summer 2009 Winthrop Earns the HANYS Pinnacle Award for Quality and Patient Safety During the recent Healthcare Association of New York State (HANYS) Annual Conference, Winthrop-University Hospital was named the 2009 HANYS Pinnacle Award winner for Quality and Patient Safety (Large Hospital Category). John F. Collins, President and CEO of Winthrop, and Maureen Gaffney, RPAC, RN, Winthrop’s Chief Medical Information Officer, proudly display the 2009 HANYS Pinnacle Award for Quality and Patient Safety. The award was given in recognition of the Hospital’s initiative to change medication ordering processes, which led to the very successful implementation of a Computerized Provider Order Entry (CPOE) system that dramatically enhanced patient safety and improved the quality of patient care. “We are so proud of the work we do here at Winthrop, and receiving this prestigious award recognizes Winthrop’s commitment to patient safety,” said Maureen Gaffney, RPAC, RN, Winthrop’s Chief Medical Information Officer. “Winthrop’s success was due to our patient-centric approach to developing technology that supports how we pro- 4 Cornerstone vide care to our patients. We believe that systems need to be built to provide our clinicians with the tools they need to manage their patients in a safe environment. The improvement in our patient outcomes data support that this approach is effective and beneficial to our patients.” In describing the initiative that earned the award for Winthrop, HANYS said, “Winthrop-University Hospital [was recognized] for Changing the Prescribing Culture Through Systematic Processes. The systematic approach to changing the medication ordering process combined with an extensive CPOE system took ordering practices to the next level and allowed for a smooth transition to an electronic medical record.” Established by HANYS in 2001 to recognize significant achievements by hospitals in the areas of quality improvement and patient safety, the Pinnacle Award spotlights significant quality improvement achievements by member hospitals. HANYS also publishes case studies from innovative hospitals in its annual publication Leading the Quest for Quality: Profiles in Quality and Patient Safety and among the 2009 entries was one from Winthrop concerning the reduction of adverse events through improved medication management. ■ Winthrop Programs Get the Gold Two Winthrop-University Hospital programs have been recognized by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s (AHA/ASA) Get with the Guidelines Program SM (GWTG) with prestigious awards for providing superior stroke and coronary care to patients. The AHA/ASA have announced that Winthrop’s Coronary Artery Disease Program has earned the Get With The Guidelines Gold Achievement Award for its continued success in providing superior care to patients with coronary artery disease by adhering to specific evidence-based guidelines for 24 consecutive months. Winthrop’s Stroke Team was recognized by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association with the Get with the Guidelines Gold Sustained Performance Achievement Award. This prestigious recognition signifies the Team’s commitment to following evidence-based treatment guidelines and maintaining at least an 85 percent performance level for two or more years. The GWTG program, the premier hospital-based quality improvement program, helps hospitals ensure that patients consistently receive cardiac and stroke care services in accordance with the most up-to-date scientific guidelines and recommendations. The two Winthrop programs have a history of achieving prestigious designations through the AHA/ASA GWTG Program – both receiving Bronze Awards (6 months) and Silver Awards (12 months) for continued excellence in patient care. For additional information about Winthrop’s outstanding coronary care and stroke programs, please call 1-866-WINTHROP.
Just for Men: Regaining Control after Prostate Cancer From the time we are toddlers, we are taught to “hold it” until we can get to the bathroom. But for many adults, it’s not that easy. Millions of healthy Americans suffer from Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI) – loss of urine when pressure (stress) is exerted on the bladder during physical activities such as exercising or lifting heavy objects. Among the causes in men, SUI can be a side effect of prostate surgery. “In some patients, incontinence is a result of surgery to treat the prostate cancer,” said Winthrop urologist Robert A. Edelman, MD, FACS. “At Winthrop- University Hospital, we are able to offer patients a full complement of services to successfully treat prostate cancer and its secondary effects.” In 2004, Vincent Burger of Floral Park was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Following treatment, including a radical prostatectomy and a subsequent procedure to remove excess scar tissue, he began to struggle with bladder control. “It was a continual problem that infringed on my ability to do some of the things that I enjoy – like exercising,” said Mr. Burger, an otherwise healthy 65-year-old man. Once an avid runner, Mr. Burger found that he could no longer follow his normal routine of running three to four times a week for 45 minutes. Though it’s a condition that affects millions, the treatment options for male SUI have been limited over the years. To help men cope, they may be prescribed medication, limit fluid intake, or wear protective pads. Yet Mr. Burger hoped for a lasting solution and continued to discuss all of the options with his long-time urologist Dr. Edelman. During a routine examination in November, Mr. Burger learned about a minimally invasive surgical procedure involving the transobturator male sling which would soon be added to the armamentarium of treatment options at Winthrop for patients with moderate SUI. The procedure involves passing a thin strip of mesh through small incisions on the outside of the body, which is then passed beneath the bottom of the urethra, increasing support to the pelvic organs where the tissue is weakened. The sling grows with the tissue to increase muscle strength and improve bladder control. “Compared to other surgical therapies such as the artificial sphincter, the transobturator male sling is less invasive and has excellent patient outcomes,” said Dr. Edelman. “What’s more, the procedure can be performed in less than 30 minutes on an outpatient basis under general or spinal anesthesia.” In December, Dr. Edelman and his colleague, Winthrop urologist Barry R. Shepard, MD, FACS, traveled to France to undergo hands-on training in this advanced device under the instruction of Dr. Bertin Njinou-Ngninkeu, a worldrenowned expert who has performed male sling procedures for more than a decade at Clinique Des Ormeaux in Le Havre, France. “There is nothing that can take the place of hands-on training. The experience that Dr. Shepard and I gained by learning under Dr. Njinou-Ngninkeu was priceless,” said Dr. Edelman. The male sling has been providing relief to patients in Europe for many years and was approved by the FDA for use in the United States in 2006. However, recent improvements to the Summer 2009 Institute for Family Care Winthrop-University Hospital urologists Barry R. Shepard, MD, FACS,(left) and Robert A. Edelman, MD, FACS, recently traveled to France for hands-on training in the minimally invasive transobturator male sling under the instruction of renowned expert Dr. Bertin Njinou-Ngninkeu. device have taken the technology to a new level. “The new polypropylene mesh sling that Dr. Shepard and I received training on is far better than other male sling devices that we’ve used in the past. The material is more flexible and friendlier to the natural tissue, and the equipment is more advanced,” said Dr. Edelman. “These innovations will serve Winthrop patients well as we now offer them another cuttingedge option for treatment,” he added. Upon Dr. Edelman’s return from France, he once again met with Mr. Burger, who was eager to learn more about the success of this minimally invasive procedure. “Statistics show the procedure to be successful in 75 to 80 percent of patients with moderate stress urinary incontinence. Mr. Burger was in overall good health, which made him an ideal candidate,” said Dr. Edelman. On May 11, Mr. Burger was the (continued on page 14) Cornerstone 5
Page 1 and 2: Vol.19, No.2 Summer 2009 As Victori
Page 3: Fifteen-year-old Maggie Parks is en
Page 7 and 8: Hodgkins Disease, who Dr. Weiner an
Page 9 and 10: Special Quilt for National Display
Page 11 and 12: A Celebration of Life While there i
Page 13 and 14: Starlight Children’s Foundation S
Page 15 and 16: Need Support? Winthrop is Here for

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