Watertown, N.Y. – Samaritan Medical Center hosted its annual New Physician Reception on October 29 at Samaritan Summit Village, welcoming 18 new physicians and 12 advanced practice providers who have joined the health system this year.

This annual event provides an opportunity for area physicians, Samaritan board members, local business and community leaders, hospital donors and Samaritan leadership to connect with the newest additions to the medical staff, celebrate their arrival, and highlight Samaritan’s commitment to expanding and strengthening patient care across the region.

“The growth of our medical staff underscores Samaritan’s commitment to delivering high-quality, accessible care locally,” said Rory Sears, DO, Medical Staff President. “We are proud to welcome these talented professionals, whose expertise and dedication will make a meaningful impact on the health and well-being of our community.”

For more information about Samaritan Medical Center’s medical staff and services offered, visit samaritanHealth.com.

The physician guests of honor included:

• Jeffrey Amidon, DO – Internal Medicine/Long Term Care
• Caleb Atkins, MD – Family Medicine
• Matthew Ben, MD – Gastroenterology
• Kelly Birchenough – OB/GYN Hospitalist
• Anthony Britton, MD – Family Medicine
• Biren Chokshi, MD – Orthopaedic Surgery
• Elizabeth Cooley, MD – Family Medicine/Long Term Care
• Peter Hughes, MD – Urology
• Nicolas Jaeggi, MD – Family Medicine
• Matthew Kinnard, MD – Orthopaedic Surgery*
• Maksim Liaukovich, MD – Hematology/Oncology
• Volha Liaukovich, MD – Hospitalist
• Emma Marquez, OB/GYN
• Michael Peyser, MD – Breast Surgery
• Sameera Quraishi, MD – Nephrology
• Nosheen Sandhu, MD – Family Medicine
• Edin Zvornicanin, MD – Hospitalist
• Stephanie Zyck, MD – Neurosurgery

Also recognized this year were twelve new advanced practice providers (APP). APPs are highly trained medical professionals who care for patients under the supervision of a physician.

The advanced practice providers recognized included:

* Military

Physicians Front Row L-R: Kelly Birchenough, DO; Emma Marquez, MD; Sameera Quraishi, MD; Nosheen Sandhu, MD; Stephanie Zyck, MD. Back Row L-R: Matthew Ben, MD; Anthony Britton, MD; Biren Chokshi, MD; Caleb Atkins, MD; Matthew Kinnard, MD; Nicolas Jaeggi, MD; Michael Peyser, MD.  Not pictured are Jeffrey Amidon, MD; Elizabeth Cooley, MD; Peter Hughes, MD; Maksim Liaukovich, MD; Volha Liaukovich, MD; Edin Zvornicanin, MD.

Advanced Practice Providers L-R: Julia Bashaw, PA-C; Anna Garrabrant, FNP-BC; Patrick Ogden, PA-C; Danielle Sawyer, PA-C; Maggie-Anne Smith, PA-C. Not pictured Yoel Cruz, ANP-C; Noah Gates, PA-C; Robyn McGowan, PMHNP-BC; Kathleen Murphy, FNP-C; Kathy Schaer, FNP-C; Tammi Worden, FNP-C; Marisa Yates, PA-C.

Watertown, NY – Samaritan Medical Center is proud to announce the return of local neurosurgery services with the opening of Samaritan Neurosurgery, located at 826 Washington Street, Medical Office Building, 3rd Floor, Watertown, NY 13601.

The practice is led by Dr. Stephanie Zyck, a highly trained neurosurgeon who brings advanced training and a broad range of expertise to the region. Joining Dr. Zyck in providing patient care is Caitlin Winkler, PA, a certified physician assistant. Caitlin will support clinical evaluations, pre- and post-operative care, and assist in coordinating comprehensive treatment plans for patients. Together, this dedicated team will ensure timely, compassionate, and specialized neurosurgical care is available locally.

Neurosurgery is a specialized field of medicine focused on the diagnosis and surgical treatment of disorders affecting the nervous system, including the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves. Neurosurgeons treat a wide range of conditions, from brain tumors and spinal disorders to traumatic injuries and vascular abnormalities.

Dr. Zyck earned her medical degree from Northeast Ohio Medical University, completed her neurosurgery residency at SUNY Upstate Medical University, and pursued advanced fellowship training in endovascular neurosurgery, neurotrauma, and neurocritical care. She is currently working toward board certification with the American Board of Neurological Surgery.

“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Zyck to our medical staff and reintroduce neurosurgical services at Samaritan,” said Dr. Mario Victoria, Samaritan’s Vice President for Medical Affairs and Chief Medical Officer. “Her extensive training and commitment to excellence will be a tremendous asset to our patients and our community.”

“I’m honored to be launching a new neurosurgical practice that brings much-needed, high-quality care to our community,” said Dr. Stephanie Zyck, a board-eligible neurosurgeon. “Our goal is to deliver comprehensive neurosurgical services—from emergency consultations and peri-operative care to ongoing follow-up care in the office setting. I’m excited to collaborate closely with referring providers and am now accepting new patient referrals.”

Patients and referring providers can learn more about services and appointment scheduling by visiting: samaritanhealth.com/neurosurgery.

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Dr. Stephanie Zyck, Neurosurgeon

Watertown, NY – Samaritan Health proudly celebrated the dedication and service of its employees who reached twenty-years-in-service or more milestones in 2024 at the annual Service Awards banquet held on May 12, 2025, at the Hilton Garden Inn.

This annual tradition not only acknowledges the individual contributions of longtime employees but also serves as the kickoff to Samaritan Experience Week, a time dedicated to celebrating and appreciating all Samaritan staff. The week coincides with National Hospital and Nursing Home Week, which highlights the essential role hospitals, long term care facilities and healthcare workers play in communities across the nation.

“We are honored to recognize the incredible dedication of our most tenured employees,” said John Ziegler, vice president of human resources. “Their commitment to compassionate care is the heart of everything we do at Samaritan and their dedication to our patients and residents in unparallel.”

The banquet featured a formal dinner, a special recognition ceremony, and heartfelt remarks from leadership expressing gratitude for the enduring commitment of Samaritan’s workforce.

Samaritan remains deeply thankful for the exceptional individuals who make its mission possible each day.

20 Years: Kim M. Bigelow, Thomas Carman, Cathleen Marie Ganter, Jessica L. Helm, Deborah A. Kimball, Candice Michele Matthews, Frank T. Mcintyre, Gary F. Montondo Jr., Melissa Sue Pearson, Alexander R. Peer, and Katrina Marie Slate.

25 Years: Jenifer Kathleen Anderson, Jennifer Anne Castle, Tara Jean Cortright, Ellen J. Darabaner, Patricia C. Finnegan, Michelle Olivine Fleming, Katherine H. Greenwood, Tamera A. Hooker, Raeanne Lafave, Chelsea Lynn Lyndaker, Beth A. Recore, Ruth Anne Rienbeck, Gina L. Shaver, Roxanna Marie Smith, Dandi Leigh Spearance, Linda Lee Turner, Sheree A. Typhair, Regina Marie Wetterhahn, Kristi L. Whitfield.

30 Years: Timothy G. Ackley, Michael J. Adair, Faith Aileen Campanaro, Mark A. Cote, Vivian L. Doolittle, Pamela A. Gardner, Candace L. Gault, Susan M. Gokey, Heather Lu Hardy, Jon S. Lafontaine, Valerie A. Laclair, Deborah S. Marshall, Maria C. Middlestate, Susan Mary Pepe, Rebecca S. Randall, Penny L. Ritz, Dr. Maritza A. Santana-Garcia, Kimberly A. Smith, Dierdra D. Sorrell, Gregory M. Thomas, Diane M. Weaver, Dr. Joseph F. Wetterhahn, and Kary M. Wilcox.

35 Years: Kim M Anderson, Lynn A. Claflin, Alison A. Davidson, Lisa A. Fowler, Yvette Joan Garnsey, Diane Hanson, Jeffrey B. Jones, Andrea Leigh Lafontaine, Amy Jo Macgregor, Dorraine C. Mcintosh, Theresa M. Patchen, Sheri L. Peer, Ann Marie Rogers, Christina L. Smith, and Joseph H. Vincent.

40 Years: Janine M. Hawn, Lorraine B. Leroux, Shannin M. Maitland, and Kelli Jo Laclair.

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Watertown, NY – On May 8, a select group of Samaritan nurses were honored for their outstanding contributions to the organization, its patients, and long-term care residents. The exclusive event, held at Samaritan Summit Village, recognized the enduring dedication and professionalism of both Registered Nurses (RNs) and Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) throughout their careers with Samaritan.

Qualified medical providers were invited to nominate nurses by submitting essays that highlighted the meaningful relationships between nurses and providers, showcasing the deep collaboration essential to quality care.

Samaritan Medical Center President and Chief Executive Officer Tom Carman welcomed attendees, setting the tone for an evening of heartfelt appreciation and reflection. Dr. Marylene Duah, infectious disease specialist, served as the master of ceremonies, guiding the program with poise and passion.

John Green, Samaritan’s Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer, expressed his admiration for the honorees:

“Nurses are the heart of our healthcare system, and the compassion and professionalism displayed by these individuals set the standard for what patient-centered care truly means,” said Green. “It is a privilege to celebrate their achievements and to recognize the powerful connections they build with both patients and colleagues every day.”

This annual recognition event is part of Samaritan’s ongoing commitment to honor and support the invaluable work of nursing professionals across the system.

The following individuals were honored in their respective categories:

Education:
Recipient: Natalie Jackson, BSN, RN – Intensive Care Unit
Nominated by: Rory Sears, DO

Excellence in Nursing Practice (Medical Center):
Recipient: Shirley Ward, RN – Interventional Radiology
Nominated by: Russell Reeves, MD

Excellence in Nursing Practice (Long Term Care):
Recipient: Deb Lashway, LPN – Samaritan Summit Village
Nominated by: Collins Kellogg, MD

Excellence in Nursing Practice (Clinics):
Recipient: Janielle Siver, RN – Samaritan Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT)
Nominated by: David Gordon, MD

Innovation:
Recipient: Katheryn Shadeed, RN – Interventional Radiology
Nominated by: Marlene Duah, MD

Leadership:
Recipient: Michael Belles, RN – Emergency Department
Nominated by: Maja Lundborg-Gray, MD

Quality and Safety:
Recipient: Kristan Andrus, RN – Quality Improvement
Nominated by: Maja Lundborg-Gray, MD; Rory Sears, DO; and Brian Zafonte, MD

Rookie of the Year:
Recipient: Deni Hotchkiss, RN – Surgical Services
Nominated by: Brian Zafonte, MD

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Watertown, NY – April 28, 2025 – Samaritan Medical Center is pleased to announce a partnership with Kopp Billing Agency, based in Syracuse, New York, to manage patient billing services, effective May 1, 2025. This transition follows a comprehensive search to find the best partner for our patients and our organization, and we are confident that Kopp Billing Agency will provide enhanced customer service and a patient-centered approach.

After working with a former vendor as our patient billing partner since 2012, we are excited to transition to Kopp, a well-regarded billing agency with extensive experience in serving hospitals and healthcare organizations throughout New York State. Their commitment to excellent customer service and a strong focus on patient experience made them the ideal choice for our community.

Samaritan Medical Center processes over 10,000 patient billing statements each month, and as such, we rely on a trusted partner to assist with these crucial billing services. Kopp Billing Agency will begin receiving patient billing information starting May 1, 2025, and will assume full responsibility for all patient billing activities moving forward. During this transition, there will be a five-month period where both the former billing partner and Kopp will work with patients as they continue to receive bills from two different partners. This overlap ensures that patients have adequate time to manage their bills and that the transition is as seamless as possible for all. This transition does not impact any current staffing at Samaritan, this is only an agency change.

This change may be challenging, and we are committed to helping patients navigate this process since there will be two different web links to pay bills online, two different remittance addresses, and patient statements will look different. We will provide support through our website and phone line, 315-786-4900, for patients who may need additional assistance or have specific questions. Our team will be available to guide and support patients through this transition.

“We would like to thank our patients for their continued trust in Samaritan as their healthcare provider as we work with Kopp Billing Agency to improve the overall billing experience for everyone we serve,” stated Samaritan’s Chief Financial Officer, Maxine A. Briggs. “We are confident this change will result in better service, enhanced communication, and a smoother billing process for both our patients and staff. Medical billing is extremely complex and individualized, and we look forward to having Kopp as a new partner.”

For additional information or questions, please visit our website or contact our Patient Billing Support team at 315-786-4900.

About Samaritan Medical Center
Samaritan Medical Center is a not-for-profit, community-based healthcare provider committed to delivering quality, compassionate care to the residents of Northern New York. We offer a comprehensive range of services, including emergency care, surgical services, and outpatient care, with a focus on providing personalized care to all our patients.

About Kopp Billing Agency
Kopp Billing Agency is a trusted billing partner based in Syracuse, New York, with decades of experience in providing billing solutions to healthcare organizations across the state. Known for their patient-centered approach and exceptional customer service, Kopp works with hospitals, physicians, and other healthcare providers to ensure an efficient and supportive billing experience for patients.

For further information, contact:
Samaritan Medical Center
Patient Billing Support Team
Phone: 315-786-4900
Website: www.samaritanhealth.com

Watertown, N.Y. – Samaritan Medical Center is proud to announce a $5.8 million investment in its staff with market rate wage adjustments across the organization for non-union employees. This initiative underscores the organization’s commitment to providing competitive compensation in line with the current healthcare job market, improving recruitment and retention efforts, and ensuring that staff across all departments are compensated for their hard work and dedication.

Samaritan’s senior leadership team and Board of Trustees carefully reviewed compensation data. They identified opportunities to align wages with industry standards better, reflecting staff’s critical role in delivering exceptional patient care. These market rate adjustments will apply to a wide range of positions across the organization; over 1,400 titles were impacted. This investment comes on top of major adjustments already made in 2024 for several other titles and through contract negotiations.

“We are deeply committed to supporting our employees, who are the heart of our mission,” said Samaritan’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Thomas H. Carman.  “Over the past few years, a national workforce crisis struck every industry, and healthcare was uniquely impacted due to the specialized training, credentials, and experience needed to fill the roles we have. We must continue to offer competitive wages to recruit and retain the talented individuals who make our health system a trusted place for care. We will continue to work hard to ensure we can financially cover the steep increases in wages we have experienced over the past few years.  It is a necessary investment to continue our role as the region’s largest healthcare system and anchor acute care hospital.”

In addition to market rate adjustments, the Board of Trustees approved a discretionary, one-time payment for non-union staff based on job grades and titles, weighted more heavily to those who earn the least. The market rate adjustments and one-time payments will take effect in late January 2025.

Along with the $5.8 million workforce investment, Samaritan will also significantly increase the starting wage for Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) as part of a broader effort to address staffing shortages and retention efforts for a population of caregivers with a higher turnover rate. Recruiting, training, and retaining skilled CNAs is essential to maintaining excellent service and care standards for our long term care residents. Effective January 1, 2025, the starting wages for all new CNAs were increased to $20 per hour at both Samaritan Keep Home and Summit Village.

“Certified Nursing Assistants play a critical role in the daily care and well-being of long term care residents, and we want to convey how essential they are to us by ensuring they are compensated for the care they provide,” said Carman. “By increasing the starting wage for CNAs, we are not only investing in our workforce but also demonstrating our dedication to creating an environment where our employees feel valued and supported for the care they provide.”

The $5.8 million investment and increased starting wage for CNAs are intended to improve wage equity and meet market demand in a competitive healthcare environment. By investing in its people, Samaritan hopes to enhance employee satisfaction further, reduce turnover, and create a positive work culture that fosters excellence in patient and resident care. By adjusting compensation to meet market expectations, Samaritan reinforces its position as an employer of choice for healthcare professionals in the region.

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As of October 23, 2024, Samaritan is still experiencing several phone and fax issues with our clinics and other locations. We are working diligently with our vendor, however there is no timeframe at this time for the issues to be resolved.

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October 17, 2024 Update:
Samaritan locations are currently experiencing intermittent phone and fax service issues. We are trying to work with our phone vendor to fix the issue, but there is not an immediate solution at this time.

If you are trying to reach our various locations and the call is dropped, you cannot get through, or the quality of the call is poor, please understand this is out of our control. We encourage patients to call back or use their Patient Portal account (if set-up). Please know that if anyone is having a life-threatening emergency to call 911 directly or head to their nearest emergency department.

Thank you for your patience as we work through this issue.

Samaritan Medical Center, the Walker Center for Cancer Care, and some community-based services are addressing computer systems issues. They will need to limit and reschedule some patient appointments. We anticipate most services will be back up and running by noon today, Friday, July 19, 2024.

Most scheduled appointments at the hospital’s Main Registration area, including most radiology/imaging, lab, ECHO, EKG services, etc., are canceled today until noon. Samaritan employees will contact scheduled patients with more information.

Medical oncology appointments at the Walker Center for Cancer Care will also be canceled up until noon. Radiation oncology appointments are not impacted.

Walk-in lab and X-ray services at all Samaritan community locations, including the Family Health Centers, are canceled Friday, July 19, 2024, until noon.

Scheduled radiology/imaging appointments at the Health and Wellness Plaza will also be canceled until noon today.

The scheduled patients of surgical, infusion, interventional radiology, and physical, speech, and occupational therapy are not impacted.

All clinics and specialty services are open and patient appointments are not impacted.
We are working to contact patients and fix the technical issue as quickly as possible. This has a direct correlation to the vendor, CrowdStrike, and the national computer systems that have been impacted.

We sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to resolve this issue. Your cooperation is invaluable during this challenging time.

Watertown, NY – Samaritan’s Cape Vincent Family Health Center will hold an Ice Cream Social for area residents to meet new provider Colin Ross, PA-C. The event will take place on Thursday, May 30, 2024, from 4:30 – 6:00 p.m. at the Cape Vincent Family Health Center, 782 East Broadway Street, Cape Vincent.

Join us for free ice cream plus meet the team at the clinic and take a tour. Colin and the team are excited to care for the greater Cape Vincent community and are accepting new patients.

Mr. Ross attended Clarkson University and completed a Master of Science degree in Physician Assistant Studies. Mr. Ross is certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA).

The Ice Cream Social is open to all. To RSVP, please visit https://samaritanhealth.com/upcoming-event/ice-cream-social/.

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