Author: Eli Anderson

Watertown, NY – Samaritan Medical Center is changing the COVID-19 Drive-Up Testing Site to a more suitable long-term location in anticipation of winter weather. The new location will be at the Samaritan Health & Wellness Plaza, 1575 Washington Street in Watertown. This change goes into effect Monday, November 16, 2020.

The new location will continue as a drive-up site, with patients never exiting their vehicle. Patients will enter an existing garage bay and will exit out another bay of the same garage. This indoor setting will protect staff and patients from winter weather and provide safe and convenient access for vehicles. The Samaritan Health & Wellness Plaza is located directly behind the North Country Orthopaedic Group.

Patients who arrive for testing will be directed to proceed straight down the existing main driveway in the right-hand lane and then will enter the garage on the right-hand side of Plaza building. They will have their test performed and will exit the building using the same driveway. Please see the map at bottom.

Currently, the Drive-Up Testing Site is a NYS Collection Site, offering up to 300 free tests per week to any community member that wants to be tested. It also tests all community members who need testing via the Samaritan Resource Line (315-755-3100) and all pre-surgical patients for Samaritan and other surgical providers. On average, the Drive-Up Testing Site sees approximately 50 patients per day. Appointments must be scheduled. To date, the Drive-Up Testing Site has performed over 9,000 tests since its inception in March. It was the first COVID-19 Drive-Up Testing Site in the local region.

Community members who wish to schedule a free COVID-19 test should submit their request on our website and a staff member will reach out to schedule an appointment. If you have any questions or symptoms relating to COVID-19 – including but not limited to cough, fever, shortness of breath, chills, sore throat, or headache – please contact the Samaritan Resource Line at 315-755-3100.

Samaritan Medical Center, Crouse Health, Mohawk Valley Health System, St. Joseph’s Health, and Upstate University Hospital have joined forces to raise awareness of the signs of stroke and when to seek help in recognition of World Stroke Day, Oct. 29.

The five hospitals—all members of the CNY Regional Stroke Advisory Council—have collaborated in the creation of two public service messages highlighting the FAST message. FAST stands for: Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, and Time to call 911.

“Stroke is a preventable cause of death and disability. As a neuropathologist, I encourage everyone to recognize the early signs of stroke outlined in the American Heart Association’s FAST model on this year’s World Stroke Day,” said Robert Corona, DO, MBA, chief executive officer of Upstate University Hospital.

In addition to recognizing the signs of stroke in yourself or a loved one, the CNY Regional Stroke Advisory Council encourages individuals to seek appropriate hospital-level care when appropriate.

Josh Onyan, BSN, RN, SCRN, manager of Upstate’s Comprehensive Stroke Program, says stroke centers across the nation have reported a severe decrease in patients seeking care in a hospital due to novel coronavirus fears. “We have created this message for our community so they not only know how to spot signs of stroke, but also to get the word out that our region’s hospitals are working together to remain a safe place to seek stroke care during this covid pandemic,” said Onyan.

Upstate follows a universal masking policy for staff, provides a new mask to all patients upon arrival, and Upstate’s Environmental Health and Safety department utilizes rigorous cleaning procedures.

At Samaritan Medical Center, safety precautions are in place, appropriate PPE is available, and they rely on their well-trained staff to keep patients safe. “As the tri-county region’s only Primary Stroke Center, Samaritan Medical Center is committed to fast, reliable and skilled stroke care,” shared Thomas H. Carman, president and CEO of Samaritan Medical Center.

“On World Stroke Day, we celebrate our collaboration with the CNY Regional Stroke Advisory Council to care for stroke patients. This collective team has the knowledge, experience and dedication to care for any patient in need. During this pandemic, patients have been hesitant to seek care, but rest assured, we are here for you and we are safe,” said Carman.

The CNY Regional Stroke Advisory Council, formed in 2017, was designed to provide these key health care institutions a way to share information on stroke care, best practices, and national guidelines. The council encourages the exchange of ideas, allowing for critical consultations on stroke treatment protocols for patients requiring care throughout the region. The council includes experts in EMS, emergency medicine, nursing, stroke coordination, and stroke medicine. The Central, North Country and Eastern regions are all represented.

For access to the 30- and 60-second spots, please visit our You Tube channel.

For more information on Upstate’s Comprehensive Stroke Center, visit www.upstate.edu/stroke. For information on Samaritan’s stroke care please click here.

For details on FAST, visit https://www.upstate.edu/stroke/about_stroke/signs.php.

WATERTOWN, NY – Samaritan Medical Center is compelled to pause inpatient visitation and Emergency Department (ED) support persons because of the recent increase in positive cases in the local region. This takes effect today, Monday, October 26, 2020. This is out of an abundance of caution to minimize additional people in the hospital to keep patients and staff safe. We are attempting to notify inpatient families at this time.

We will continually reevaluate local data and determine when we can safely re-implement inpatient visitation and ED support persons.
This pause in visitation does not impact our end-of-life patients, patients under the age of 18, nursery/neonatal intensive care unit patients or patients that require a support person due to an intellectual and/or developmental disability (I/DD) or a cognitive impairment, including dementia. These visitors need to continue to use the Rotunda entrance at the hospital. This does not impact our obstetrics/maternity patients and their active labor and recovery support person. These patients need to continue to use the Car-Freshner Center for Women and Children entrance.

To see all other visitation policies and protocols, please click here and understand that these are likely to change as the pandemic shifts.

Watertown, N.Y. – Samaritan Health announced today it has successfully completed the restoration of all computer systems and applications, and can confirm no patient or employee data was accessed or acquired.

Thomas H. Carman, president & chief executive officer, said, “Our systems are now relaying information as they had been prior to the outage, and all information is again being sent to the Health Information Exchange.”

Carman also reported a third-party investigation determined there was no unauthorized access to or acquisition of patient data.

“We take the privacy of our patients and staff very seriously, so this is particularly meaningful and positive news,” he added.

The systems at the following clinic locations are all now back in operation:

• All primary care locations
• Women’s Wellness and Breast Care
• Wound Care Center
• Dermatology
• Pain Management Center
• Urology
• Infectious Disease
• Rheumatology

Clinic online patient portals, smartphone applications and Samaritan’s email system are also fully operational.

“We want to once again thank our IT team and the third-party computer forensic professionals who worked so hard to restore systems and applications, along with our entire staff for all of their efforts to help provide high-quality patient care during this challenging time. Operating under downtime procedures was stressful, but as with other challenges, our team rose to the occasion,” Carman emphasized.

Carman cautioned that even though computer systems and applications are restored, there could be some residual delays.

“Although our patient care and record systems are fully operational, we are still in a recovery period as we transition from paper downtime procedures and continue entering information into our systems. We have a methodical and effective process in place, but it is time intensive.”

“We’ve said it before, but it bears repeating how much we appreciate the entire community’s patience and support during this outage and recovery,” Carman concluded.

Any patients with ongoing issues or concerns related to the outage are asked to contact Samaritan’s patient relations department at 315-785-4679.

Watertown, NY – The Samaritan Auxiliary has awarded two $1,500 scholarships to Samaritan employees who are advancing their education.

The first was awarded to Jessica Helm, a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Scrub Tech in Samaritan’s Car-Freshner Center for Women and Children. Ms. Helm has worked for Samaritan Medical Center for 16 years and is currently attending Excelsior College to become a Registered Nurse (RN). The second recipient is Ashlie Hall, an LPN at Samaritan Summit Village. Ms. Hall has been an LPN for 11 years, and has been employed by Samaritan for 6 years. She is attending St. Joseph’s College of Nursing to become an RN and expects to graduate this December.

“Today, more than ever before, education plays a vital role in career advancement, especially in the field of healthcare,” says Berline Dodard, Samaritan Auxiliary Board President. “Working and going to school at the same time is never easy, and these scholarships are one way we can support Samaritan employees who are pursuing a degree to advance within their current field or to enter a new healthcare field.”

Each year, the Auxiliary proudly awards scholarships to two Samaritan employees wishing to further his or her education in the healthcare field. The scholarship is awarded based on academic achievement. Funds for the scholarship are raised through the Auxiliary’s Starbucks; gift shops at Samaritan Medical Center, Samaritan Keep Home and Samaritan Summit Village; and through other fundraising activities.

Watertown, NY – Samaritan Health is complying with new guidelines from the New York State Department of Health for restricted family visitation at long term care facilities.

Below is an outline of the new procedures taking effect September 17, 2020. Full guidance from the state can be found by clicking here. Please note that these policies are for visits where no barrier is present, whether indoor or outdoor. They do not impact fence or window visits, which are encouraged to continue while weather permits.

• All visitors, regardless of age, must show proof of a negative COVID-19 test result received within seven days of the planned visit. *The state has since issued follow-up guidance stating that this policy will go into effect September 24, 2020.
• Indoor visitation will start immediately under these limitations:
  • Restricted visitation will be offered weekdays between 10:00 am and 4:30 pm and on weekends between 10:00 am and 3:30 pm. Each visit will last 30 minutes, and there will be a limit of visits allowed each day.
  • All visitors will be screened, which includes a temperature check and questions about travel history and COVID-related symptoms.
  • Two visitors per resident are allowed. Any visitor under age 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
  • All visitors must wear a mask and use proper hand hygiene.
  • No physical contact is allowed, including hugging or kissing. Social distancing must be adhered to.
• All visitation must be arranged through the Samaritan Keep Home (SKH) and Samaritan Summit Village (SSV) activities staff. At SKH, please contact Rose Busler at 315-785-4403, and at SSV please contact Sandra Baril at 315-782-7010. If you have any issues reaching these staff members, please call the respective main phone number and someone will assist you.

The NYS COVID-19 testing requirement is brand new and may interrupt the frequent visitation families are planning. However, there are numerous community locations where COVID-19 tests are offered. Samaritan, through the state, offers free COVID-19 testing to any community member for any reason; however, results take 5 to 7 days to process, so families should plan visits accordingly. An appointment for a free test can be requested at: www.samaritanhealth.com/covid-test.

In positive news, the updated state guidance allows facilities to resume select small group activities for residents. Also, in the unfortunate circumstance either facility has another positive case, visitation can resume after 14 COVID-free days, rather than the previous wait time of 28 days.

SpaceOAR™ Hydrogel is Clinically Shown to Help Reduce Risk of Side Effects After Radiation Treatment

Watertown, NY – Samaritan Medical Center has added a new pre-treatment option for prostate cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy. At its Walker Center for Cancer Care, Samaritan is pleased to offer SpaceOAR™ Hydrogel – the first and only FDA-cleared spacer that aims to reduce rectal complications and help patients maintain their quality of life after radiation treatment.

Because of the proximity of the prostate to the rectum, prostate radiation therapy can cause unintended damage to the rectum, which can lead to fecal incontinence issues or other long-lasting side effects. SpaceOAR Hydrogel is an absorbable gel inserted via a minimally invasive procedure that creates a temporary space between the prostate and the rectum, allowing the doctor to complement the patient’s radiation treatment to better target their cancer while preserving healthy tissue. The hydrogel spacer remains in place for about three months. After about six months, the hydrogel is naturally absorbed and cleared from the body in the patient’s urine.

“SpaceOAR is an important advance that reduces the radiation dose to the rectum during radiation treatments, helping to prevent unwanted side effects,” said Dr. Justin Budnik, Radiation Oncologist at the Walker Center. “We understand men diagnosed with prostate cancer have some difficult decisions to make, but knowing that an option like SpaceOAR Hydrogel can help limit the risk of damage to other organs during radiation treatment will hopefully make a few of those decisions easier.”

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in American men, with more than 183,000 new cases diagnosed each year. Annually, more than 60,000 American men opt to treat their prostate cancer with radiation. In a randomized clinical study, men who underwent radiation therapy without SpaceOAR Hydrogel were eight times more likely to experience a decline in bowel, urinary and sexual function when compared to men who underwent radiation therapy with SpaceOAR Hydrogel, at a median follow-up of three years.

SpaceOAR Hydrogel is made up of two liquids that, when combined, form a soft gel material mostly made of water. Studies have shown that the material is biocompatible – it can be used in the body without causing injury or a reaction – and that it can be safely absorbed by the body. SpaceOAR Hydrogel is made from materials that are used in other implants, such as surgical sealants used in the eye, brain and spine.

FDA clearance was granted for SpaceOAR Hydrogel following completion of a prospective, multicenter, randomized clinical trial. SpaceOAR patients experienced a significant reduction in rectal radiation dose and severity of late rectal toxicity when compared to control patients who did not receive SpaceOAR Hydrogel. The full pivotal clinical trial results have been published in the peer-reviewed Red Journal.

Financial impact of coronavirus pandemic necessitates layoffs of 51 employees, and the reorganization of various departments and services to ensure financial sustainability of region’s largest healthcare system

Watertown, N.Y. – As the economic fallout from the COVID-19 crisis continues for healthcare systems regionally and nationwide, Samaritan Health leadership has been compelled to make the difficult decision to lay off 51 employees effective September 10, 2020. In addition, 44 open positions will not be filled for a total of 95 impacted positions. Several Samaritan health services will also be restructured to increase operational efficiencies and respond to lower patient volumes.

Twenty-one employees originally placed on furlough in April will have their furlough extended. Samaritan leadership aims to call those furloughed employees back to work when patient volume and operations stabilize.

It is important to note the hospital is still hiring for a number of critical positions and many of the impacted employees will have the opportunity to apply for these 200 open positions. Samaritan’s Human Resources team will be working with those employees to help fill these roles. If a different position within the healthcare system is not possible, Human Resources will coordinate with the New York State Department of Labor to provide outplacement assistance.

Staff members impacted who do not find another position within the organization will be offered a severance package based on years of service. The positions affected span several departments, from nursing to senior leadership.

The staffing changes will result in a $5 million cost reduction from salaries for the healthcare system, which faces an anticipated $10 million revenue shortfall for the year. While cost savings are part of the plan, Samaritan will also pursue pending, revenue-generating opportunities to help the overall budget shortfall.

The shortfall is a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in patient volumes dropping by as much as 40 percent at certain points throughout the year, higher costs for PPE and testing, among other unanticipated expenses. The pandemic has caused patients to fear coming to the hospital for services and many have delayed care as a result.

As a community, we have made significant social changes in our lives. Schools are reopening extremely cautiously, and the economic recession has left many unemployed and in some cases without health insurance. Samaritan has also been preparing for a possible second wave of COVID-19 cases as we enter the fall. All of these factors have translated to a challenging financial situation for all healthcare systems.

In addition, federal CARES Act relief provided to Samaritan was much less than expected, as the organization missed out on the initial round of rural funding, and proportionately far less than others in the region. Samaritan also did not receive Paycheck Protection Program funds, another pocket of CARES dollars, due to being designated an urban area and employing more than 500 people.

“Prior to 2020, Samaritan experienced a decade of uninterrupted growth in revenue and services. However, the drastic negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on patient volumes and revenue has necessitated the difficult measures we’re taking to ensure the continued financial viability of our healthcare system,” said Tom Carman, president and chief executive officer. “Healthcare systems  everywhere are facing the same financial constraints driven primarily by fewer patients. We recognize the important role Samaritan plays as the largest private employer in the community, with more than 2,300 full-time employees, and it’s our intention to place the interests of our patients and our broad employee base first as we continue to weather this challenge.”

The following measures have been implemented to help stabilize the financial burden Samaritan faces, gain operational efficiency and adhere to COVID-19 restrictions:

• The Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Program and Adult Day Health Care remain temporarily suspended, until spacing regulations and other COVID-19 restrictions are lifted
• Samaritan’s Transportation Department will be eliminated. Samaritan will engage local, third-party vendors to transport long-term care residents for medical care off-site
• The consolidation of the Sackets, Lacona and Cape Vincent clinics into other existing larger clinics will remain intact until the end of the year, when that measure will be reassessed. LeRay Family Health Center has re-opened and providers are seeing patients in their existing space, though radiology services at this location will cease
• LeRay Urgent Care will permanently close effective Sunday, September 13, but all providers and staff will be relocated to other primary care locations, where Samaritan will offer more same-day appointments and will accept more new patients, including at the LeRay Family Health Center located in the same building
• Lab Service Centers at Orthopaedics and Neurology will remain closed. Patients can access these services at other community-based locations.

Many of the cost-saving measures initiated in April will also continue, including:

• The 15-percent pay cut for all senior management positions
• Deferment of all merit increases for management staff
• Suspending new capital construction projects that are not revenue-generating and limiting capital purchases to emergency projects or supplies

“We have long believed employees to be our strongest asset,” said Carman. “These decisions were not made lightly, and all measures taken reflect our best efforts to sustain the viability of this important healthcare system for years to come. Our commitment to patient care has not wavered and we look forward to the day when the national and local economic situation allows us to resume our full, comprehensive slate of quality services.”

Watertown, NY – Samaritan Medical Center has restored its primary hospital Electronic Medical Records (EMR) application, accounting, and payroll systems.

The restoration of the hospital EMR will enable hospital staff to resume regular processes for electronic patient registration, hospital scheduling, as well as patient records utilization.

Hospital patient records recorded manually while the hospital operated on down-time procedures will be inputted into the EMR to ensure seamless delivery of care.

This latest development follows Samaritan’s successful restoration last week of various applications. Samaritan’s internal IT team continues to work around the clock with third-party experts to bring the entire computer system back online, prioritizing applications related to patient care. Given the size of the network, this process will take time to ensure a safe and thorough restoration. The successful reinstatement of the primary EMR application marks significant progress.

Samaritan Medical Center takes the privacy and security of its patients’ information very seriously and continues to investigate this incident. At this time, there is no evidence that patient or employee records were accessed or acquired.

Please note, Samaritan’s website, telephone and fax lines are all working. Patient communication remains active and the impact to patient care remains minimal.