Nine Awards Were Presented on the Theme of Health Equity
First Upstate New York Poster Competition at CMC Considered a Success
Cayuga Medical Center Expanding Access to Naloxone to Prevent Opioid Overdoses
Cayuga Medical Center (CMC), a member of Cayuga Health, is joining a number of community organizations in Tompkins County as an Opioid Overdose Prevention Program, offering naloxone (Narcan) for free to patients on site. A recent Health Alert from the Tompkins County Health Department (TCHD) highlighted the urgency of preventing overdoses, as numbers of potentially fatal overdoses in our community continue to grow. The county has seen an increase in drug related deaths from 19 in 2020 to 25 in 2021 (32%). That number continues to rise in 2022.
Spiritual Care in the Hospital
By Rev. Tim Dean and Rev. Christopher Szarke
Hospital patients are sometimes surprised to learn that a hospital chaplain may be part of the team of professionals involved in their care and support. Spiritual care in the hospital setting is rooted in the understanding that our beliefs and values can profoundly affect the way in which we cope with illness and its treatment. This view is recognized by The Joint Commission, which accredits more than 20,000 health-care organizations in this country and requires that hospitals offer support for the spiritual needs of their patients in addition to providing physical care.
Preventing Transmission of Dangerous Staph Germs
By Sandra Cooley, RN, CIC
In spring of 2007, the Ithaca Journal ran an Associated Press article entitled “Dangerous staph germ far more common than thought.” The article summarized the results of a nationwide study conducted by the Association of Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) on the prevalence of hospital- and health-care-acquired MRSA (methcillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus) infections.
Palliative Care Manages Pain and Symptoms During Serious Illness
By Regina O’Donnell, NP
National Palliative Care Day falls in October. The goal in establishing this day of recognition is to help people understand how palliative care can improve the quality of life for someone experiencing pain and discomfort related to life-threatening illness.
Maintaining a Safe Environment
From the Imaging Services Department
Patients often ask about the radiation exposure of various imaging studies and how much exposure is safe. Safety for patients and caregivers alike are top-of-mind concerns for doctors and technologists in the field of imaging and radiation services. Stringent departmental quality assurance requirements, along with regular inspections and outside audits, help to ensure the safest possible environment.
Intensive Care Medicine
With methodic persistence, hospitals and medical researchers explore ways in which patient care can be improved. One area that has been studied rather extensively is the intensive care unit or ICU. Patients in the ICU have the most complex medical and surgical problems in the hospital, and these patients are at the highest risk for complications.
Hospital Social Workers Are Patient Advocates
By Deb Parker Traunstein, LMSW, MBA
If you find yourself in the hospital feeling overwhelmed and unable to determine how you will manage after you are discharged, one of the people you can turn to for help is the hospital social worker. Medical social workers can be found in every setting of the modern health-care system, fr0m hospitals, nursing homes and other long-term care facilities to hospice and home care.
Hospital Physicians Offer Continuity of Care
By Martin Stallone, MD
Patient care has changed in this country to reflect the different demands of outpatient care and inpatient care. Although there are some primary care physicians who continue to treat patients when they are hospitalized, the majority focus on outpatient care. Physicians who see patients only in their offices rely on “hospitalists,” which are doctors who specialize in caring for patients while they are in the hospital.
HIPAA Regulations Protect Patients
By John Collett
In 1996, Congress passed federal legislation addressing some significant areas of concern in the national health-care system. This legislation, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), enhances patient protection in two realms: insurance coverage and patient privacy.