Author: Kathleen Montogomery

Watertown, NY – Samaritan Home Health launched its telehealth Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program in February 2022 and has seen positive impacts for patients participating with congestive heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.  

Samaritan Home Health Director of Patient Services, Stephanie Parks, stated, “patients who have been discharged from the hospital, or who have been referred by their physician, and are eligible for our Home Health services, benefit from this program, specifically those with Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).”

This program stems from a pilot tested near the end of 2020, where patients at risk of readmission with COVID-19 were assigned pulse oximeters to test levels three times daily from home. With its success, the medical center requested grant monies through North Country Initiative and Fort Drum Regional Health Planning Organization for resources and technology to enhance the program.

The goal of this updated program is to reduce readmission within 30 days of discharge from the hospital through improved communication between providers and patient, including daily interactive home monitoring.  Patients are given specific equipment such as tablet, scale, blood pressure device, pulse oximeter that when used provide the direct vitals to the home health care team virtually.  If any of these vitals is outside the normal range for the patient, home health staff reach out directly to provide immediate approved interventions. 

“CHF and COPD in elderly patients often result in hospitalization due to exacerbations,” said Parks. “There are multiple factors we can monitor to reduce risk including, weight, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation.”

Since February, Samaritan Home Health has received 66 referrals to the program, with 50 patients officially participating. Some of the referred patients declined the resource. Of those participating, 92 percent of patients were not readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of discharge, which is very successful.

“Our program coordinator has worked tirelessly to improve the well-being of our patients, and her active engagement is why we are seeing such success,” said Parks. “We hope others will participate and continue to reduce readmissions.”

Dr. Mario Victoria, Vice President of Medical Affairs at Samaritan Medical Center, added that COVID-19 allowed us to provide better care management at home, and we can now apply lessons learned to offer good outcomes to specific patients in our community.

Watertown, NY – Samaritan Medical Center is pleased to announce that after a lengthy search to name our Mako SmartRobotics™ system, we have found the perfect fit!

We received five suggestions for a version of the name SAMMIE. Dr. David J. Newman and the entire team at Samaritan Orthopedics wish to thank the community and Samaritan employees for their ideas. SAMMIE is a nice tribute to our namesake, in a fun way!

At the launch of the robot naming campaign, Samaritan asked entrants to select a charity to receive a donation of $500. The response was overwhelming and because of that, we increased the donation to $1,000 total. Although we altered the name a bit, we have decided to donate to the following charities as noted by the entrants:

Three choices: Children’s Miracle Network – $500

One choice: SPCA – $250

One choice: Make-a-Wish – $250

Thank you to Laureen Bertram, Ginny Johnston, Caitlin Humphrey, Janna Thompson, and all who participated.

Watertown, New York – Samaritan Medical Center Foundation of Northern New York is pleased to announce this year’s recipients of the Susan Peters Nursing Scholarship. The 2022 scholarship awardees are Desiree Fuller and Daniel Ladouceur.

The Susan Peters Nursing Scholarship was established in 2018 to assist with the education costs for an RN continuing their education, specifically to pursue a Nurse Practitioner degree. Two scholarships of $2,000 are awarded each year.

Mrs. Peters graduated from the former House of the Good Samaritan School of Nursing and retired from Samaritan Medical Center as a Certified Oncology Nurse; prior to that, she had served as a staff RN and more than 20 years as a Nurse Manager of Medical/Surgical, Orthopaedic and Alternate Level of Care Units. Susan Passed away in 2020.

Nurse Practitioners are able to provide many of the same services as physicians, including developing treatment plans for their patients, ordering tests, performing minor procedures, and prescribing medication.

For more information or to obtain a scholarship application, please contact the Samaritan Medical Center Foundation at 315-785-4584, visit samaritanhealth.com/scholarships, or email [email protected].

Watertown, NY – Samaritan Medical Center has recertified as an Advanced Primary Stroke Center by The Joint Commission, which we are proud to announce during National Stroke Awareness Month. The certification recognizes health care organizations that provide clinical programs across the continuum of stroke care. The certification evaluates how organizations use clinical outcomes and performance measures to identify opportunities to improve care and educate and prepare patients and their caregivers for discharge.

Samaritan’s Stroke and Trauma Program Coordinator Michelle R. Mann stated the medical center is surveyed every two years and must continue to uphold standards set forth by The Joint Commission and New York State Department of Health. She added, “We have the resources to respond quickly to all patients presenting to the Emergency Department or experiencing a stroke while they are in our care as an inpatient, as well.”

Samaritan obtained its initial certification in 2020 after a rigorous onsite review in November 2019. Preparation for the initial survey included:

• Demonstrating compliance with the set of clinical practice guidelines required. The guidelines are specific to the care and outcomes of patients that may experience a transient ischemic attack (TIA), cerebrovascular accident (CVA), or a hemorrhagic stroke. This assists organizations in establishing a consistent approach to care, reducing variation and the risk of error, along with improving patient outcomes.
• Educating staff in the care of the stroke patient with evidence-based guidelines.
• Implementing a performance improvement committee for ongoing process improvement.
• Providing 24/7 acute stroke team with ability to provide IV clot buster medication with close monitoring from highly qualified staff.
• Establishing collaboration with Emergency Medical Services (EMS).
• Establishing collaboration with the State and Regional Stroke Centers.
• Committing to providing high-quality patient care from the onset of symptoms to rehabilitation.

To maintain the certification, Samaritan plans to maintain and exceed standards to recertify in 2024 by The Joint Commission.

Watertown, NY – After careful consideration, and because the COVID-19 hospitalization rates remain stable, Samaritan Medical Center announces a two-person, per patient, per day visitation policy for the following inpatient populations:

Medical, Surgical, Intensive Care Unit, and Progressive Care Unit

Both visitors may be with the patient at the same time. This policy change replaces the February 28, 2022 policy modifications in which visitation was set to one visitor, per patient, per day.

Patients, Support Persons, and Visitors are encouraged to review our visitor policy online at: https://samaritanhealth.com/samaritan-medical-center-begins-visitor-restrictions/

For safety purposes, all visitors must be in good health and screened. Driver’s license and photo ID are required at the time of visit. Most visitation is 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. and is restricted to those 12 years of age or older. A parent or guardian must accompany visitors under the age of 18. Masks are required, as well as proper hand-washing throughout the visit. Visitors who have recently been in quarantine or in contact with anyone who tested positive for COVID-19 are encouraged to stay home.

Watertown, NY – Samaritan Medical Center will host its eighth Annual Physicians’ Recognition event on Tuesday, April 19, 2022, honoring Jan K. Turcotte, MD, with the 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award. 

Due to the COVID pandemic, this special occasion was postponed in 2020 and 2021. This year’s event will be held virtually via Zoom.  

Dr. Turcotte was born in Potsdam, New York, the daughter of Charles and Ruth Turcotte. Her father was the superintendent of St. Lawrence County BOCES, and her mother was a librarian at Potsdam Central School, which Jan attended and graduated as valedictorian from in 1966.

After high school, she attended Le Moyne College in Syracuse, New York, where she studied biology and participated in the college’s honors program all four years. At the time, this meant pursuing extra courses in English, Philosophy, and Theology in addition to her regular studies. Dr. Turcotte graduated Cum Laude from Le Moyne in 1970, earning her Bachelor of Science in Biology.

She continued her education at the Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, where she was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha National Honor Society – an accolade given to those in the top 6% of the class. She received her Doctor of Medicine degree in 1974 and remained at the medical college for the next five years to complete an internship and residency. Dr. Turcotte was the only woman accepted into the college’s surgical program in 1974 and became the first woman to complete a general surgery residency at the Medical College of Wisconsin in 1979.

She then completed a fellowship in vascular surgery at the University of Chicago Hospital and Clinics in Chicago, Illinois.

In 1980, Dr. Turcotte joined Dr. Louis Battista and Dr. Walter Minaert as an associate at their general and vascular surgery practice in Watertown, New York. A year later, she joined the Watertown Surgical Group of Drs. Gardner, Meyerdierks, Stone, and Gregor – beginning a 32-year career in general, vascular, and breast surgery in Watertown. She retired from practicing medicine in 2012.

Throughout her career, Dr. Turcotte was an active member of the medical staff at Samaritan. She served as Chairperson of the Credentials and Operating Room – Ambulatory Surgical Unit committees and Chairperson of the Department of Surgery and Chief of the Division of Surgery. She also was President of the Medical Staff in 1992. In these leadership positions, she was a voice and advocated for medical care at Samaritan and throughout the North Country.

Dr. Turcotte previously held roles with the American Cancer Society, American Red Cross, YMCA, Hospice of Jefferson County, and the Northern New York Community Foundation. She has also served on the Board of Trustees of Samaritan Medical Center for several years and currently holds the position of Chairperson. Another noteworthy accomplishment is her recent election into the Healthcare Trustees of New York State. 

Those interested in attending the virtual presentation should RSVP online at samaritanhealth.com/physicianrecognition. For questions concerning the online event, please contact the Foundation and Marketing Office at 315-785-4584 or email [email protected]. 

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About the Event: The annual Physician Recognition event is supported by the hospital’s Medical Executive Committee and Foundation and is held around National Doctors’ Day (March 30) each year to honor Samaritan’s active and retired physicians for their dedication.

As part of this event, one physician is selected to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award, which was established to recognize a Samaritan physician for his or her leadership and service to the health and wellness of Northern New York. Whether in their private practice, hospital duties, board or medical staff leadership positions, or volunteer work, Samaritan’s physicians dedicate their time and talents to make our community a better place to live.

Watertown, NY – Samaritan Auxiliary’s 20^th Annual “One Night, One Diamond” will be celebrated virtually honoring all Samaritan Staff on Saturday, March 26th at 7pm. Proceeds from the 2022 One Night, One Diamond event will purchase an ultraviolet disinfection device used in advanced terminal sanitization of rooms.  It is effective against many microorganisms such as C. difficile, MRSA, VRE, and CRE to name a few, as well as the novel coronavirus.  The proceeds will also support the purchase of Sleep Diagnostic Systems for the Samaritan Sleep Lab.  National Sleep Awareness Week is March 13-19, and it is critical to note that untreated sleep disorders can have adverse effects on our health and contribute to hypertension, atrial fibrillation, stroke, congestive heart failure, heart attacks, cancer, impotence, diabetes, morning headaches, bruxism, esophageal reflux, obesity, and every death.  While snoring can be a warning sign for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), the best way to determine whether OSA or another type of sleep disorder is affecting well-being is to be tested, diagnosed, and treated.

This past year presented a series of challenges amidst the COVID-19 Omicron surge as our Samaritan Caregivers, regardless of their role within the system, stepped up to those challenges and worked tirelessly to meet the needs of the community. Their efforts have been nothing short of caring, thoughtful, committed, compassionate, and courageous.  While we are thankful that our community is beginning to get back to some normalcy, as a community, we are most fortunate to have the Samaritan Caregivers here to take care of us in our time of personal need.

As a way to honor them, all Samaritan employees will be automatically entered for an opportunity to win the 1-carat lab grown brilliant diamond donated by Cook’s Jewelers; a two-night getaway package donated by Lake Placid’s Mirror Lake Inn, and $25 AAA Visa Card; a one-night getaway package donated by 1000 Islands Harbor Hotel in Clayton; a one night stay for two in the Royal Suite at Singer Castle; and a $75 gift certificate and a gift bag with a stethoscope and other essentials donated by The Scrub Hub. The drawing will also include donated restaurant gift certificates. The event will feature video messages to Samaritan Caregivers from members of the community that wished to step forward and share their heartfelt words of gratitude.  We will also hear from Dr. David Rechlin about the Sleep Diagnostic Systems that the proceeds of this event is supporting for the Samaritan Sleep Lab.

Please visit the event website at www.samaritanhealth.com/onod for more information on how to participate in honoring all our Samaritan Caregivers and to assist in the purchase of the equipment earmarked for this event.  There is also an opportunity to recognize a Samaritan staff member(s) or department with your donation.  An RSVP would be appreciated by March 23 in order to allow time to email information on how to join the event. For more information or with questions, please contact event chairperson Irene Carman at [email protected].

We are proud and humbled to present our sponsors, and we are so grateful to them for their gracious and very generous support. The elite Blue Diamond Sponsor for the 2022 “One Night, One Diamond” is Apogee Physicians. This year our Presenting Sponsors are the Bob Johnson Auto Group, KeyBank, Purcell Construction, SeaComm, and Dr. & Mrs. Brian Zafonte. Media Sponsors are the Watertown Daily Times, 7News, and Runningboards Marketing. Other top sponsors include the Diamond level of support with Coca-Cola Company, FX Caprara Honda, Hancock Estabrook, Ives Hill Country Club, King + King Architects, The Martin Group, Mr. & Mrs. Scott Mollison, Northern Radiology Associates, Renzi Foodservice Charitable Foundation, Slack Chemical Company, T. Urling Walker, and Watertown Wealth Management, Philip J. Sprague. The event receives additional support from numerous other generous sponsors at the Emerald, Ruby, and Sapphire levels.

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About Samaritan Auxiliary:  The Samaritan Auxiliary was established in 1896 to serve as ambassadors and volunteers to support and enhance healthcare programs at the House of the Good Samaritan. As a 501(c)(3) organization, the Samaritan Auxiliary and its membership, composed entirely of volunteers, play a vital role today in improving the quality of care in the Samaritan system through volunteer activities and financial support. The One Night, One Diamond proceeds have purchased over $800,000 in equipment for Samaritan Medical Center.

Among last year’s Auxiliary highlights is the 2021 One Night, One Diamond. Although it was a virtual event, the gracious generosity of all sponsors and donors raised $83,675 for the purchase of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for Samaritan.  In that event we heard from Dr. Maja Lundborg-Gray, ER Physician, Ami Mitteer, RN COVID Unit, and Dani Mclean, Activities Coordinator at the Assisted Living Center of the Samaritan Summit Village, who shared their professional and personal perspectives as the events of the COVID pandemic unfolded in 2020 and early 2021. The program also featured Dr. Nathanial Miletta featuring the 2020 One Night, One Diamond funded equipment necessary to provide Mohs surgery.

Aside from the community-sponsored One Night, One Diamond event, the Auxiliary manages the gift shops at Samaritan Medical Center and Samaritan Summit Village, as well as the Starbucks Coffee Shop at the Medical Center. It is the sales from the gift shops and Starbucks Coffee Shop, along with the five uniform sales and membership dues, which provide funding for the support of programs, services, two scholarships given to staff furthering their education in a healthcare field, and the Capital Campaign Pledge commitment.

Additionally, the Auxiliary has continued the WHALE (We Have A Little Emergency) child safety seat ID program ([email protected]), and That’s Using Your Head, a helmet ID safety program ([email protected]), in conjunction with our Kinney Drugs Foundation partner and 7News media partner.

Watertown, NY – Limited visitation and support persons has been announced beginning Monday, February 28, 2022.  Masks continue to be required to protect patients, staff, support persons, and visitors.

After months of careful consideration, Samaritan has determined it is now in a position to allow limited visitation based on the stabilization of COVID-19 hospitalization rates.  Visitation promotes health and well-being to patients, proving to decrease the length of stay, increase patient satisfaction, and decrease readmissions.

The following patient populations are impacted:

Emergency Department

Medical, Surgical, Intensive Care Unit, and Progressive Care Unit

Inpatient Mental Health

Inpatients with Intellectual and/or Developmental Delays

Outpatient Services

Surgical Services

Patients, Support Persons, and Visitors are encouraged to review our visitor policy online at https://bit.ly/SMCVisitation.

For safety purposes, all visitors must be in good health and screened.  Driver’s license and photo ID are required at the time of visit.  Most visitation is 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. and is restricted to those 18 years and older; some exceptions may be made.  Masks are required, as well as proper hand-washing throughout the visit. Visitors who have recently been in quarantine or in contact with anyone who tested positive for COVID-19 are encouraged to stay home.