MONTEFIORE: AMONG THE NATION’S BEST

MONTEFIORE: AMONG THE NATION’S BEST

MONTEFIORE: AMONG THE NATION’S BEST

U.S. News & World Report has released its 2016-2017 “Best Hospitals,” and Montefiore is recognized among the best hospitals in the nation and our region.

Montefiore places in the top 1% nationally for its specialty care in Diabetes & Endocrinology, and among the top 10% in the following areas: Cancer, Cardiology, Gastroenterology, Geriatrics, Nephrology, Neurology, Pulmonology, Urology, Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG), heart failure (CHF), Colon Cancer Surgery, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Hip Replacement and Knee Replacement.

Montefiore’s world-renowned physicians and scientists continue to pioneer innovative treatments for complex cases while care teams deliver coordinated, compassionate care to every patient, placing Montefiore among the nation’s best providers.

MONTEFIORE’S HELP-HURT TOOL BUILDS BRIDGES BETWEEN DOCTORS AND PATIENTS

MONTEFIORE’S HELP-HURT TOOL BUILDS BRIDGES BETWEEN DOCTORS AND PATIENTS

MONTEFIORE’S HELP-HURT TOOL BUILDS BRIDGES BETWEEN DOCTORS AND PATIENTS

Cristian Zanartu, MD, demonstrates the Help-Hurt Tool.

A difficult job is made easier when you have great tools. Exploring treatment options with patients can be tough, and Montefiore’s clinical staff is acutely aware that effective communication during these interactions can define a patient’s experience. This challenge prompted palliative care physicians and oncologists at the Montefiore Einstein Center for Cancer Care, led by Cristian Zanartu, MD, Montefiore Einstein Center for Cancer Care and Assistant Professor, Family and Social Medicine, to develop the Help-Hurt Tool.

The Help-Hurt tool was originally designed to help cancer patients make informed decisions regarding potential risks, side effects and benefits for treatment options. The tool uses a grading system to indicate the degree to which a treatment can help or a hurt a patient, facilitating both accessible and transparent communication between doctor and patient.

"The Help-Hurt tool offers doctors a chance to combine their clinical experience with the patient's known circumstances and express their opinion to patients. This way patients can become better decision makers, importing the physician's realistic clinical judgment in a useful way," says Dr. Zanartu.

A pilot study of the tool involving 50 patients in the oncology clinic proved extremely successful as the tool proved beneficial in facilitating sensitive conversations.

ZIKA 101: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

ZIKA 101: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

ZIKA 101: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Zika virus is in the news as reports of outbreaks come in from across the Americas. The heightened media attention has led to the spread of a number of misconceptions regarding the disease, such as whom it can affect and how it is transmitted. We will focus on the facts about Zika in Update, providing an in-depth look into coordinated efforts of the departments of Infection Prevention and Control, Healthcare Epidemiology, Infectious Diseases, Population Health, OB/GYN, Neonatalogy and the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) as they prepare for a potential outbreak.

The Zika virus, a member of the Flaviviridae family, is spread primarily by mosquitoes, but it can also be transmitted through sexual contact or blood transfusion. Cases have already been reported in more than 30 countries, including the U.S. Most of the initial cases in the U.S. have been related to travellers or their partners who have returned from a country in which Zika is circulating. Recently there has been local transmission in a small localized area in Miami, FL. However at the time of this writing, no mosquitoes found in the New York City area have tested positive for the virus.

Most people who contract the virus do not exhibit any symptoms, but for those who do, fever, rash, conjunctivitis, joint/muscle pains and headaches have all been reported. In response to these regional concentrations of infection, Montefiore’s Division of Infectious Diseases is collaborating with the New York State Department of Health to screen and test all patients who have recently traveled to tropical areas, including the Caribbean and Central and South America. Particular emphasis is being paid to women who are pregnant and have travelled to a Zika affected area.

Update will continue to provide information about the Zika virus in future issues.

For more information today, read the blog post on CHAM.org by Betsy Herold, MD, Vice Chair, Research, Pediatrics, Chief, Pediatric Infectious Diseases, and Director, Translational Prevention Research Center, Montefiore and Einstein, at www.cham.org/specialties-and-programs/infectious-diseases/our-expertise/what-youneed-to-know-about-the-zika-virus.

EPIC@MONTEFIORE’S MOBILE APP BRINGS PATIENT INFORMATION TO PROVIDERS

EPIC@MONTEFIORE’S MOBILE APP BRINGS PATIENT INFORMATION TO PROVIDERS

EPIC@MONTEFIORE’S MOBILE APP BRINGS PATIENT INFORMATION TO PROVIDERS

Montefiore providers now have the ability to securely view scheduled appointments and patient information, including medications and lab results, through Haiku. This mobile application brings the Epic@Montefiore desktop environment providers are accustomed to directly to their iPhone, Android and iPod Touch devices. Haiku is available throughout the health system to attending physicians, psychiatrists, residents, podiatrists, fellows, nurse practitioners and physician assistants. To download Haiku, clinicians should visit the Google Play store or iTunes App Store.