spring 2017
Recognizing the
Signs of Peripheral
Artery Disease
P. 6
Plus:
DIABETIC EDUCATION
CENTER OPENS P. 3
SOUTH NASSAU AWARDED
NATIONAL RECOGNITION
FOR OUTSTANDING
ELDER CARE P. 10
Spring 2017
PHYSICIANS’ FORUM is published
three times a year by the External
Affairs Department for the medical
communities of
South Nassau Communities
Hospital, One Healthy Way,
Oceanside, NY 11572
Department of External Affairs
2277 Grand Avenue, Second Floor
Baldwin, NY 11510
PHONE: (516) 377‑5370
FAX: (516) 377‑5385
www.southnassau.org
Please email your comments or
suggestions to [email protected].
Physicians’ Forum is online!
Log onto www.southnassau.org
and click on the “Medical Staff” link.
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
Joseph J. Fennessy
PRESIDENT AND CEO
Richard J. Murphy
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF
CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS &
DEVELOPMENT
Joe Calderone
VICE PRESIDENT OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Mark Head
MANAGING EDITOR
Donna Kutt Nahas
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
Sharon Lebowitz
GRAPHIC DESIGN
James Castle
Knowledge is Power
I
t is an old adage that has withstood the test of time because it is
fundamentally true: Knowledge is power. For our patients, knowledge
is one of the keys to better health. Knowledge leads to better informed
conversations with clinicians, increased screening rates, more widespread
adoption of preventive measures, and improved compliance with therapeutic
recommendations.
While our investments in technology and recruitment of highly skilled clinical
staff yield important results, we must simultaneously commit to enhancing our
patients’ and community members’ knowledge of health and wellness.
In this issue of Physicians’ Forum, our cover story provides insight into the full
range of options we offer for patients who experience peripheral artery disease.
As you will read on page 3, our newly opened Diabetes Education Center,
staffed by certified diabetes educators, provides patients with the tools they
need to monitor and maintain their health. Diabetes is the seventh leading
cause of death in the U.S., according to the American Diabetes
Association. It affects more than nine percent of Americans, but most are
undiagnosed. Of those who are, education is critical to living a long and
healthy life.
Whether young or elderly, healthy or managing a chronic illness, caring for
oneself or for family members, knowledge is critical to helping all members of
our community make the choices that will help them lead healthier lives. This is
the underlying message of our newly launched advertising campaign. Dubbed
“Truth in Medicine,” the campaign features its own website (truthinmedicine.org)
and a series of videos featuring South Nassau physicians answering common
health and wellness-related questions. Please visit the site and share the videos
as well as your thoughts about the campaign.
The months ahead promise to bring political uncertainty, dramatic
regulatory and reimbursement changes and an overhaul of our entire health
care system. Keeping ourselves informed and maintaining our commitment to
educating our patients so that they can make the most appropriate decisions
about their health are the most important steps we can take to ensure the best
possible outcomes for our patients and our profession.
Thank you for your continued support and partnership.
Sincerely,
2016 Distiction in Writing
Richard J. Murphy
PRESIDENT AND CEO
2 | Physicians’ Forum • Spring 2017
Stephen Onesti, MD
PRESIDENT, MEDICAL STAFF
Helping Diabetes Patients Achieve
Better Outcomes
F
or the nearly 20 years that
Patricia F. has had
diabetes, her blood sugar
has fluctuated like a roller
coaster. “I was not well-controlled,”
the Valley Stream mother of two
admits, “it was my own fault.”
Even though she wore a
continuous glucose monitor that
tracked her blood sugar day and
night, she continued to experience
blood sugar swings because “every
time I had a snack, I didn’t check
my [insulin] pump.”
But thanks to South Nassau’s
newly opened Diabetes Education
Center, Patricia’s blood sugar is
back on track and she’s even
shedding weight.
The center, recognized by the American Association of
Diabetes Educators, provides adults diagnosed with Type
1 and Type 2 diabetes the skills, tools and knowledge to
manage their disease and avoid complications. Located
at 519 Merrick Rd., Rockville Centre, the center is staffed
by certified diabetes educators and can refer patients to
a professional panel of physicians specializing in all
areas of diabetes, including endocrinologists, podiatrists,
cardiologists and vascular surgeons.
“The center is dedicated to helping individuals
overcome their challenges with diabetes,” said Lucille
Hughes, a certified diabetes educator and director of the
center. “Managing diabetes is key to a healthy lifestyle.”
For Patricia, reining in her dietary choices was key to
stabilizing her blood sugar. Hughes explained how
Patricia’s lunchtime routine of consuming chicken salad
or ham on white bread caused her blood sugar to
fluctuate. Even after Patricia substituted wheat bread for
white bread, her blood sugar still rose. “When we advised
her to change her meal plan and substitute it with better
choices, such as roasted chicken and a salad, her blood
sugar finally normalized,” Hughes said.
And at the center’s suggestion, Patricia has headed
back to the gym and works out five days a week. “You
feel like you’re working with a partner,” said Patricia of
the center. “I know what the triggers are and the foods
I should be eating. I feel more in control and that I can
do this.” n
ABOUT THE DIABETES EDUCATION CENTER
The Diabetes Education Center was
launched in July 2016 under the
leadership of Lucille Hughes, RN,
director of diabetes education. The
center was established to meet the
needs of the growing number of people
diagnosed with pre-diabetes, clinical
diabetes and gestational diabetes.
Lucille Hughes can be reached at
516-497-7421 or [email protected].
Physicians’ Forum • Spring 2017 | 3
Capsules
a regular column on medication matters
MEDICATION USE IN THE ELDERLY
By Carl Zipperlen, RPh
M
edication prescribing in older adults.
To physicians and allied health personnel,
that means being mindful of dosing
adjustment requirements; lessening
troublesome side effects; determining the actual need for
various medications; and avoiding
polypharmacy when possible.
Older adults are twice as
likely as others to come to the
emergency department for
adverse drug events and are
seven times more likely to be
hospitalized after an emergency
visit, according to the Centers for
Disease Control.
the health care provider make dose adjustments
to lessen side effects or determine possible alternatives
that will best meet the patient’s needs and contribute to
the overall therapy goals.
Did You
Know?
Older adults are twice as
likely as others to come to the
emergency department for
adverse drug events.
Source: Centers for Disease Control
The American Geriatrics
Society maintains an exhaustive
list of potentially inappropriate
medications for older adults. This
evidence-based clinical tool called the Beers Criteria list
(www.americangeriatrics.org) serves as a guide to
identify medications that may impose risks that outweigh
any benefit in the geriatric population.
If the patient is currently taking a medication on
the Beers Criteria list, the unit-based pharmacist can help
Long-term use of a medication
on the Beers Criteria list may pose
a problem for older patients, since
the body’s ability to metabolize the
medication changes over time. If you
are considering discontinuing the
drug, a dose adjustment or slow
taper is advised.
If you have older patients currently
taking a medication on the Beers
Criteria list, consult with your unit-based
and clinical pharmacists for a chart
review. They can help you manage your
older adult’s medication regimen and
avoid potential adverse drug events.
Questions? Contact Carl Zipperlen,
clinical pharmacist, at 516-632-4568 or
[email protected]
South Nassau Ethics Committee
T
he South Nassau Ethics Committee,
co-chaired by Lori Raffaniello, RN,
director of Nursing, and Jonathan
Altus, MD, is available for clinical
consultation and offers assistance to health
care team members, patients and their families
coping with ethical questions or dilemmas
related to patient care.
4 | Physicians’ Forum • Spring 2017
The Ethics Committee can be reached 24/7
by calling the Nursing Office at 516-632-3910.
In addition, providers can place an order in the
EMR for an ethics consultation. n
Helping Health Care Consumers
Decipher Fact from Fiction
D
oes dyeing your hair increase
your risk of cancer? Does
a heart attack feel like an
elephant is sitting on your
chest? Do older adults need less sleep?
The answers to these questions and more
are posed in a new, multi-faceted South
Nassau Communities Hospital advertising
campaign called “Truth in Medicine.”
The new “Truth in Medicine” ad
campaign includes a full complement of
strategically placed cable television
and print ads in Newsday, the Herald
community newspapers and other
local newspapers; ads were also placed
on social media and South Nassau’s
website, aimed at educating the public on
critical health issues.
The unconventional ads feature
provocative full page photos – such as
a woman who has dyed her hair green
– and poses a question relevant to the
photo. Consumers are then urged to go
to the hospital’s ‘truthinmedicine.org’
webpage, which provides health
consumers with guidance
from South Nassau experts
(and more than a dozen
health education videos)
about where to turn for
information and
medical care. n
These unconventional ads are featured in the hospital’s new “Truth in Medicine”
ad campaign.
Physicians’ Forum • Spring 2017 | 5
COVER STORY:
Recognizing the Signs of
Peripheral Artery Disease
When the redness and
swelling in her toes didn’t
resolve, the great-grandmother of 13, who has
diabetes and high blood
pressure, consulted a
podiatrist back on Long Island
who took an X-ray, removed an
ingrown toenail and prescribed a
topical medication. But after about
a week, the swelling and redness
worsened and now a sore, where the
ingrown toenail was, had formed.
Another podiatrist also prescribed
a topical cream, but when the sore
didn’t heal, she consulted yet another
podiatrist who immediately referred
her to South Nassau Vascular and
Endovascular Surgery.
“There were wounds that
encompassed all of her second and
third toes on her right foot,” vascular
surgeon Charles Sticco, DO, recalled.
“The wounds were very advanced
and so painful that she could only put
weight on her heel.” He explained that
inadequate blood flow to her lower
extremities, due to atherosclerosis
complicated by diabetes, was interfering
with her body’s ability to heal itself.
“
The wounds were
very advanced and
so painful that she
could only put weight
on her heel.
“
S
tella P., 84, will never
forget her 2015 Caribbean
vacation, not because of the
pink, sandy beaches, pristine
waters or lush mountain landscapes,
but because she stubbed her toes on
a table leg.
After performing a series of tests
to evaluate the blood flow to her lower
limbs, Dr. Sticco diagnosed Stella with
peripheral artery disease, which affects
more than 10 million Americans,
including up to 20 percent of those
older than 60. Untreated, peripheral
arterial disease can cause blockages
that lead to gangrene and amputation
of a limb, heart attack and stroke.
“Unfortunately, the condition may
go undetected for years, because
people assume the pain will go away or
they think it’s due to arthritis and aging,
so they downplay their symptoms,” Dr.
Sticco said. “But ignoring it, could have
dire consequences down the road.”
To improve blood flow to Stella’s foot,
he recommended she undergo minimally
invasive angioplasty and stenting. On
the day of her procedure, she returned
home with a prescription to help maintain
adequate blood flow to her leg.
6 | Physicians’ Forum • Spring 2017
In some cases, bypass grafting
surgery is recommended if blood
flow to the limbs is severely
blocked. For this procedure, a graft
is made by using a blood vessel
from another part of the body or a
synthetic tube,” explains vascular
surgeon Harmandeep Singh, MD.
“Circulation is restored by rerouting
the blood around the blockage.”
Stella is back on her feet now,
though two of her middle toes
could not be saved due to the
severe nature of her wounds.
Following a course of physical
therapy, Stella says she can walk
without a walker or cane.
”Everything is healed now
and perfect.” n
ABOUT THE DOCTORS
Vascular surgeons Harmandeep Singh, MD, and Charles Sticco, DO,
are board-certified in general and vascular surgery.
Director of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery,
Dr. Singh specializes in cardiovascular and venous
diseases, including carotid disease, thoracic aneurysm
and aortic dissection, abdominal aortic iliac/iliac
aneurysm and aortoiliac occlusive disease, peripheral
artery disease, hemodialysis access, varicose and
spider veins and lower extremity wound care.
After earning a medical degree from Baba Farid University of Health
Sciences in Faridkot, Punjab, in India, he completed an internship in
internal medicine and a residency in general surgery at Brookdale
University Hospital Medical Center, where he also served as chief resident.
He was fellowship-trained in vascular and endovascular surgery at
University Hospital at Buffalo.
Director of South Nassau’s Wound Care Center,
Dr. Sticco has a special interest in endovascular
treatment of aortic aneurysms, peripheral vascular
disease, hemodialysis access and venous disorders.
Dr. Sticco graduated from SUNY at Buffalo with a
Bachelor of Science in pharmacy and earned a
medical degree from Chicago College of Osteopathic
Medicine of Midwestern University in Downers Grove, Illinois. He
completed an internship and residency in general surgery at Nassau
University Medical Center, where he served as chief intern and resident.
He was fellowship-trained in vascular and endovascular surgery at Staten
Island University Hospital/Northwell Health.
Prior to joining the South Nassau staff, Dr. Sticco served as an assistant
professor of endovascular surgery at the Albert Einstein College of
Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center.
What Your Patients’
Legs and Feet Could
Be Telling Them
About Their Health
Only half of the people with
peripheral vascular disease
experience symptoms. Here
are some of the warning signs
of peripheral vascular disease:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Toe or foot wounds that heal slowly or don’t heal
Calf or thigh cramping or pain with physical activity
Cramping that does not go
away after exercising
Legs and feet feel cold or change color
Loss of hair on the legs
Shiny skin on the legs
and feet
Prevent Peripheral
Artery Disease in
Your Patients
Reduce their risk of
peripheral artery disease by
advising them to follow these
steps:
• Stop smoking
• Control blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol
• Exercise regularly
• Keep weight at a healthy level
• Follow a low-fat,
low-cholesterol diet
To discuss a patient with Dr. Singh, email
[email protected]. Dr. Sticco can be reached
at [email protected].
Physicians’ Forum • Spring 2017 | 7
Enhancing Safety
for High-Risk Patients
I
n hospital-speak, patient falls are a
“never event”—serious medical errors
or adverse events that should never
happen to a patient. To help prevent
harm to “safety-watch” patients who
are considered high risk for falling, South
Nassau has several tools in its arsenal:
color-coded patient wrist bands; chair and
bed alarms; door signs alerting providers of
the fall risk; staff safety rounds every
15 minutes; and patient “sitters.”
The hospital’s latest tool is a robot-like
device that can remotely keep an eye on
as many as a dozen or more patients
simultaneously.
Meet TeleSitter®, a remote video
monitoring system that reduces reliance
on nursing staff to watch patients at risk
of falling due to impaired mobility,
confusion and delirium, among other
conditions. An estimated 700,000 to
1 million patients fall in U.S. hospitals each
year, resulting in fractures, lacerations or
internal bleeding, according to the Agency
for Healthcare Research and Quality.
The system’s fixed and mobile wireless
monitors enable trained
technicians to see and talk
The TeleSitter technology enhances safety for
with patients over video and
patients who need constant supervison.
audio feed in real time,
explains Dawn Keiley, RN, director of Nursing. If a patient engages in a potentially self-injurious behavior,
such as getting out of bed without
assistance or pulling out IV tubes, the
observer immediately notifies unit
staff. The technology, which helps
reduce patient falls,enhances
patient safety and decreases
costs related to sitter use,
also frees up staff to assist
other patients.
8 | Physicians’ Forum • Spring 2017
The TeleSitter video monitoring system allows trained
technicians to see and talk with patients over video
and audio feed in real time. The system is intended to
help reduce patient falls and increase safety.
Keiley points out that TeleSitter cannot
record video or audio and allows the
caregiver and patient to request privacy.
Health care providers can request ‘privacy
mode’ by dialing the phone number on the
mobile monitor, she explains, but asks that
they “communicate the amount of time
they will need.”
So far, 14 portable, wireless monitors
have been deployed throughout the
hospital. South Nassau is currently installing
fixed cameras in some patient rooms on D
1-East, G-2, D 2-East and D 2-West, which
logged the highest need for sitters at South
Nassau in 2015.
“The feedback has been extremely
positive,” said Robert Davis, RN, nurse
manager of D-2 East, of TeleSitter.
“Since implementation, we have seen an
increase of staff on the floor versus sitting
in a room with a patient.” n
KUDOS
Nephrologist is South Nassau’s
First Physician of
the Quarter
S
outh Nassau has recognized Louis Swartz, MD,
with the Physician of the Quarter award for his
commitment to patient care and the hospital’s
mission and values. The award was presented
at the March 7 quarterly staff meeting. The co-chief of
nephrology first joined the medical staff in 1995 and is
currently serving a two-year term as the treasurer of
the Medical Board.
The award was established by South Nassau’s 13-member
Physician Engagement Committee, part of the Service
Excellence Steering Committee, which aims to enhance
patient-centered performance initiatives. Once a quarter
the program recognizes an upstanding physician member
of the medical staff who excels in the following six areas:
1. Community service: Instrumental in the development
and support of community wellness and health care
initiatives and/or participated in supporting political and
legislative health care initiatives.
2. Clinical collaboration and teamwork: Role model for
teamwork in health care delivery and of respect and
caring in interpersonal interactions. He/she may have
facilitated cooperation between specialties and
disciplines and promoted the concept of interdisciplinary
cooperation and coordination.
Louis Swartz, MD, Physician of the First Quarter for 2017, is center. Posing
with him, from left, are Adhi Sharma, MD, chief medical officer; Stephen
Onesti, MD, president of the medical staff; Rajiv Datta, MD, chairman of the
Department of Surgery and medical director of South Nassau’s Gertrude &
Louis Feil Cancer Center; Frank Coletta, MD, co-director of Critical Care;
Raul Mendoza, MD, associate chairman of the Department of Medicine;
and Aaron Glatt, MD, chairman of the Department of Medicine and
hospital epidemiologist.
3. Clinical quality: Promotes improvement in clinical
quality and systems. He/she may have championed
patient safety initiatives or facilitated establishment of
“best practices” and or supported Performance
Improvement. This physician should have demonstrated
consistently favorable patient outcomes.
4. Leadership: Provides leadership for new initiatives and
demonstrates a visionary approach to problem solving.
He/she may have provided leadership to the Medical Staff
or the broader medical community. He/she builds
consensus among groups of physicians and other health
care providers and may have participated in legislative and
other political activities in support of health care.
5. Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers
and Systems (HCAHPS) Scores: Must demonstrate a record
of providing high-quality patient experiences.
6. Charting: Must complete charting in a timely manner. n
Long Island Business News
Recognizes Trauma Center Physician, Nurse
Long Island Business News honored Narinder P. Grewal, DO,
associate trauma medical director and medical director of Trauma/
Surgical Critical Care, and Margaret Puya, RN, Trauma Center manager,
with the Achievement in Health Care award for their contributions to advancing the quality of health care on Long Island.
Dr. Grewal was recognized in the physician category, and Ms. Puya in the nurse category. The pair was lauded at an
awards dinner on November 1, at the Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury.
Physicians’ Forum • Spring 2017 | 9
NEW MEDICAL
STAFF
John D. Bedell, DO
Family Practice
Alan M. Brickman, MD
Endocrinology
Lisa Ann Buckley, PA
Emergency Medicine
Kelly A. Cash, NP
Cardiology
Farhad M. Gazi, MD
Emergency Medicine
South Nassau Awarded National
Recognition for Outstanding Elder Care
S
outh Nassau Communities
Hospital has been awarded
designation as a NICHE
hospital for its commitment
and dedication to meeting the
complex health care needs of elder
patients. South Nassau is just the
second Long Island-based hospital
to earn the designation.
NICHE (Nurses Improving Care
for Healthsystem Elders) is an
international program designed
to help improve the care of adults
65 and older. Based at NYU College
of Nursing in Manhattan, NICHE’s
network has more than 680 hospitals
and healthcare organizations from
the U.S., Canada, Bermuda
and Singapore.
“This award underscores South
Nassau’s commitment to our older
patients who often have special
needs that our staff members are
trained to recognize and address,”
said Richard J. Murphy, South
Nassau’s president and CEO.
As a NICHE-designated hospital,
South Nassau will serve as an
10 | Physicians’ Forum • Spring 2017
incubator of evidence-based,
interdisciplinary advancements in
the care of elder patients. It has
also adopted a new model of
practice known as ACE (Acute Care
for Elders) that aims to prevent
functional decline of elders over
the age of 70 while they recover in
the hospital. The goal of ACE is to
maintain the physical and
psychosocial needs of elder patients
and to help prevent complications
associated with immobility
and delirium.
The nationally recognized model
of care significantly enhances clinical
outcomes by improving the elderly
patient’s ability to function upon
discharge and reducing the need
for transfers to nursing homes or
rehabilitation hospitals. South
Nassau’s palliative care program,
a component of ACE and NICHE,
focuses on maintaining and
optimizing the overall quality of life
of hospitalized elder patients by
meeting their medical, physical,
emotional, social and spiritual
care needs. n
Alexandra Gutman, NP
Anesthesia
Maureen Kallman, NP
Gastroenterology
Jesse Katz, PA
Emergency Medicine
Sooji Kim, DPM
Podiatry
Valerie Kremer, MD
Hematology/Oncology
Brett A. Lenart, MD
Orthopedic Surgery
Moiz Manaqibwala, MD
Orthopedic Surgery
Rita Mizrahi, DDS
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Richard S. Obedian, MD
Orthopedic Surgery
Mark C. Pillitteri, DO
Obstetrics/Gynecology
Kiran Reddy, MD
Cardiovascular Disease
Joyce Folashade Robert, MD
Family Practice
Cheriyan Thomas, MD
Internal Medicine
David Vivas, MD
Colorectal Surgery
Tara Gibney, PA
Surgery
News Notes:
On Dec. 6, Podiatry
residents attended
a workshop on
ortho-digital devices led
by Bernardino Basas, a
practicing podologist, a
nonphysician specialist
in gait analysis and foot
disorders from Salamanca,
Spain. Basas introduced
the residents to the use of
Back row, from left, first-year
new silicone devices that
podiatry residents Amanda Riley
and Weijei Liao; and Michael Lam,
can reduce plantar
senior podiatry resident. Front row,
pressure and horizontal
Bernardino Basas; Juan C. Goez, DPM,
FACFAS, director of Podiatry, Division
shear stress of the foot,
of Orthopedics; and Areeba Ahmed,
which plays a role in the
second-year podiatry resident.
development of ulcers in
patients with diabetes. The workshop was coordinated
by Juan C. Goez, DPM, FACFAS, director of Podiatry in
the Division of the Department of Orthopedics. n
Department of Surgery
Recognizes Surgeon, Professor
Rajiv Datta, MD,
chairman of South
Nassau’s Department of
Surgery and medical
director of the Gertrude &
Louis Feil Cancer Center,
recognizes guest speaker
Corrado P. Marini, MD,
FACS, professor of surgery,
New York Medical
College.
Dr. Marini presented “The Intensive Care Unit Model:
The Impact on Overall Performance” to more than
50 physicians, surgical residents and allied health
professionals at the hospital’s annual Noto
Memorial Lecture.
The Noto Memorial Lecture bears the name
of the late Salvatore Noto, MD, South Nassau’s first
pediatric surgeon who served on the medical staff
from 1951 until his death in 1992. n
CHIARI AND
SYRINGOMYELIA
CONFERENCE
The Chiari and Syringomyelia
four-day conference, from July 19
to July 24 at the Long Island
Marriott in Uniondale, will feature
more than 70 speakers from four
continents who are tops in the
field. Admission for South Nassau resIdents and nurses
is free. For more information or to register, email
[email protected] or [email protected] by June 30.
appointments
South Nassau has named
Harmandeep Singh, MD,
director of the Division of
Vascular Surgery in the
Department of Surgery.
Board-certified in general surgery and endovascular
surgery, Dr. Singh joined the South Nassau staff in 2012
after practicing medicine in Massachusetts.
He was fellowship-trained in vascular and endovascular
surgery at the University of Buffalo and completed a general
surgery residency at Brookdale University Hospital Medical
Center in Brooklyn. He earned a medical degree from Baba
Farid University of Health Sciences in Faridkot, India.
Charles Sticco, DO, has been
named medical director of
the Wound Care Center.
Prior to joining South Nassau’s staff in
2015, he served as an associate professor
of endovascular surgery at the Albert
Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center.
Fellowship-trained in vascular and endovascular surgery
at Staten Island University Hospital/Northwell Health,
Dr. Sticco is board-certified in general and vascular
surgery. He earned a medical degree from Chicago
College of Osteopathic Medicine of Midwestern University
in Downers Grove, Illinois.
Physicians’ Forum • Spring 2017 | 11
One Healthy Way, Oceanside, NY 11572
save the dates:
Second Annual Women’s Center Gala
Thursday, April 20, 6:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
Sand Castle, Franklin Square
Benefits the establishment of a
women’s center for specialty care at South Nassau
Honoree: Mrs. Stamatiki Valiotis
Buy tickets or sponsorships at
womenscenter.eventbrite.com or call 516-377-5360.
Annual SIBSPlace Auction
Saturday, May 6, at 6 p.m.
The Seawane Club, Hewlett Harbor
Honorees: Rachel and Randy Gwirtzman
Buy tickets or sponsorships at benefitoffice.org/sibs
or call 516-377-5360.
physicians’
events calendar
2017 Quarterly Staff Meetings
When? June 7 at 6 p.m. sharp
(Years of Service Awards)
October 3
Annual Golf Tournament
Monday, June 12
The Seawane Club, Hewlett Harbor and
The Woodmere Club, Woodmere
Benefits the ED Expansion Campaign
To buy tickets or sponsorships, call 516-377-5360.
December 5
(Cocktails start at 5:30 p.m., this meeting only)
Where? Conference Center
Providing Language Assistance to Limited English-Proficient Patients
Office-based Medicaid providers can now be reimbursed for language interpretation services to limited English
proficient patients in their offices. This includes language services provided over the phone through companies such as
CyraCom, which offers interpretation services in more than 170 languages, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
For more information, refer to the “New York State Medicaid Update,” October 2012, V. 28, No. 11.
Read Physicians’ Forum online!
go to www.southnassau.org and click on the “Medical Staff” link.