Community Information: Closings Due to Weather and Holiday Hours

December 30, 2022: Please be advised that Samaritan clinics and medical practices will be closed on January 2nd in observance of the Holiday. This includes all Family Health Centers – Adams, Cape Vincent, Clayton, Evans Mills, and Watertown-Plaza, and Services such as Dermatology, Pain, Gastroenterology, Urology, WoundCare, Orthopedics, Women’s Wellness and Breast Care, Behavioral Health, Rheumatology, and some Lab and X-Rays locations. 

Lab and x-ray services will be OPEN at Samaritan Medical Center, Registration entrance from 8 am to 4 pm.

COVID testing site will be OPEN on January 2nd. For more information about it, please click HERE.

Samaritan Medical Center is open 24/7. 

For emergency health situations, please call 911. 

We want to remind you not to drink and drive; don’t socialize if you are feeling sick or experiencing symptoms of COVID-19.  

December 26, 2022: Samaritan Clinics and Medical Practices will be closed in observance of Christmas. This includes all Family Health Centers – Adams, Cape Vincent, Clayton, Evans Mills, and Watertown-Plaza; and services such as Dermatology & Mohs, Pain Management, Gastroenterology, Urology, WoundCare, Orthopedics, Women’s Wellness and Breast Care, Behavioral Health, Lab and X-Rays, and Rheumatology.

Samaritan COVID Testing site is CLOSED today, December 26. Click here for more information: COVID Testing

Samaritan Medical Center is open 24/7.
For emergency health situations, please call 911.

December 24, 2022: Please be advised: Samaritan Medical Center’s Main Registration is closed today for all walk-in services. We will open again for walk-in labs on Monday, December 26, at 8 a.m.

Patients who need a lab done stat, per their physician, should call 315-785-4131 when they arrive on campus, and a registrar will help them.

Please be advised of our Holiday Hours:

Samaritan Clinics and Medical Practices will be closed in observance of the Holiday Weekend. This includes all Family Health Centers – Adams, Cape Vincent, Clayton, Evans Mills, and Watertown-Plaza; and services such as Dermatology, Pain Management, Gastroenterology, Urology, WoundCare, Orthopedics, Women’s Wellness and Breast Care, Behavioral Health, Lab and X-Rays, and Rheumatology.

Samaritan COVID Testing site will be open on Monday December 26, and January 2nd. Click here for more information: COVID Testing

Samaritan Medical Center is open 24/7.
For emergency health situations, please call 911.
With the Holidays approaching, we want to remind you not to drink and drive; don’t socialize if you are feeling sick or experiencing symptoms of COVID-19; be mindful of portions, and enjoy the Holidays!

December 23, 2022: Due to weather conditions, the following are Samaritan Health updated hours for today, Friday, December 23, 2022.

CLOSED :
Samaritan Lab and X-Ray Services at Coffeen Street in Watertown, NY

CLOSING AT noon:

Adams Family Health Center
Clayton Family Health Center
LeRay Family Health Center
Watertown – Family Health Center
Women’s Wellness & Breast Care
Pain Clinic
General Surgery
Samaritan Orthopedics
Samaritan Rheumatology
Samaritan Plastic Surgery
Samaritan Pulmonology
Samaritan Dermatology & Mohs
Samaritan Gastroenterology
Samaritan ENT
Wound Care Services
Samaritan Urology

CLOSING AT 2 pm:

Walker Center for Cancer Care

Samaritan Outpatient Behavioral Health and Addiction Services will only offer telehealth appointments after noon.

November 18, 2022November 18, 2022

Community Information: Closings Due to Weather

Watertown, NY – Please be advised that the following Samaritan clinics and offices will be closing at 2:00 pm on 11/18:

All Primary Care offices – Adams, Clayton, LeRay, and Watertown Plaza locations
Lab and Imaging centers – Watertown Plaza and Coffeen St. locations
Dermatology & Mohs Surgery
Ear, Nose, and Throat
Gastroenterology
General and Vascular Surgery
Orthopedics
Pain Management
Plastic Surgery
Pulmonology
Rheumatology
Urology
Women’s Wellness and Breast Care
Wound Care

November 4, 2022November 4, 2022

Samaritan Medical Center Announces Practical Nurse Community Sponsorship Program

Watertown, NY – After months of collaborative planning, Samaritan is excited to announce a new partnership with Jefferson-Lewis BOCES to offer financial sponsorships for nurses who wish to further their careers.

The 10-month practical nursing program is offered at the Bohlen Technical Center in Watertown. Upon completing the program, graduates are eligible to register for the New York State Licensing Examination for Practical Nurse.

The Practical Nurse (PN) Community Sponsorship Program is open to all community members. With up to $10,000 of additional support from Samaritan, many applicants may be able to pay for the PN program with little to no student loans. The Sponsorship can help with other expenses beyond tuition.

Samaritan will require a 2- or 3-year work commitment for those who apply for and receive funds through this sponsorship program. Samaritan LPN’s have so many options for employment—in our Clinics, Home Health, Surgical Services, Long Term Care, and more. There is room to grow with opportunities to be mentored and develop your nursing career.

Full details and the online application are available at https://samaritanhealth.com/scholarships/pnsponsorship/.

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July 25, 2022January 2, 2023

Samaritan Celebrates June 2022 DAISY® and BEE Award Recipients

Watertown, NY – Samaritan Medical Center is pleased to announce its DAISY and BEE Award recipients for June 2022. The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses® recognizes exemplary nursing staff, and the BEE Award honors other outstanding staff members who support patient care, both at the hospital and all outpatient clinics.

Anna O’Neil, a Registered Nurse at Samaritan Medical Center, received the DAISY Award. Norravith Mathison, Cardiac Sonographer in Echocardiology, received the BEE Award. The family of a patient, Joseph Avola, nominated O’Neil. Kim Smith, RN, Nurse Manager nominated Mathison. A committee then selected them.

O’Neil was nominated for being a wonderful caring human. The patient’s family described O’Neil saying:

“He raved about Miss Anna, saying she was like his guardian angel while he was in care at Samaritan.”

The patient had been in care at Samaritan for nearly a month. His daughter stated O’Neil would sit and listen to his stories and provided Mr. Avola with love and attention.

“She was the most special human to my father and family even during one of the darkest times in our lives.”

*Family members of the late Joseph Avola attended O’Neil’s* *DAISY presentation to say Thank You!*

For receiving the DAISY Award – which is an international award backed by The DAISY Foundation – O’Neil was presented a certificate commending her as an extraordinary nurse, a DAISY Award pin, and a symbolic sculpture called “A Healer’s Touch,” which is hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Zimbabwe. A larger version of this sculpture has also been installed in the Healing Gardens at Samaritan Medical Center in honor of all DAISY and BEE Award winners to come. It was purchased using funds donated by the Samaritan Auxiliary.

Norravith Mathison, Cardiac Sonographer in Echocardiology

Kim Smith, RN, Nurse Manager, for always putting patients first, nominated Mathison for the BEE Award.

“He ensures patient-centered care is provided with empathy and compassion.” She added, “He balances inpatient and outpatient schedules and needs with his critical thinking and prioritization skills.”

Mathison was presented with a certificate, a BEE Award pin, and a gift bag with other tokens of gratitude.

Both awards will continue to be presented throughout the year, and patients, families, or colleagues can submit nominations at any time. To make a nomination or to learn more about the Samaritan DAISY and BEE Awards, visit www.samaritanhealth.com/daisy-bee.

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About Samaritan Medical Center

Samaritan Medical Center (Watertown, New York) is a 290-bed not-for-profit community medical center, offering a full spectrum of inpatient and outpatient healthcare services. From primary and emergency care to highly specialized medical and surgical services, such as cancer treatment, neonatal intensive care, behavioral health and addiction services, and imaging services, Samaritan Medical Center and its team of healthcare professionals proudly serves the medical needs of our civilian and military community. Quality, compassion, and safety are the basic principles by which exceptional care is delivered at Samaritan.

About The DAISY Foundation The DAISY Foundation is a not-for-profit organization, established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, by members of his family. Patrick died at the age of 33 in late 1999 from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), a little known but not uncommon auto-immune disease. (DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System.) The care Patrick and his family received from nurses while he was ill inspired this unique means of thanking nurses for making a profound difference in the lives of their patients and patient families. In addition to the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses, the Foundation expresses gratitude to the nursing profession internationally in over 3,900 healthcare facilities and schools of nursing with recognition of direct care Nurses, Nurse-led Teams, Nurse Leaders, Nursing Faculty, Nursing Students, through the J. Patrick Barnes Grants for Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice Projects and for nurses participating in medical missions. More information is available at http://www.DAISYfoundation.org

June 22, 2022June 22, 2022

Samaritan to hold a Healthcare Hiring Event

Watertown, NY – Samaritan Health is inviting motivated individuals to attend its healthcare hiring event.

Learn more about starting your career in healthcare in the following areas: food service/cook, laundry/housekeeping, patient registration, clinic office support, lab assistant/phlebotomist, and training to become a Certified Nursing Assistant.

The in-person event will include the opportunity to speak directly to leaders and features on-the-spot interviews, do not forget your resume.

Join us on June 23 between 3-7 p.m. at Samaritan Medical Center, 830 Washington Street, Watertown, NY, in conference rooms A&B on the second floor.

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About Samaritan Medical Center

June 20, 2022June 20, 2022

Samaritan Medical Center Announces Change in Visitation

Watertown, NY – After careful consideration, and because the COVID-19 hospitalization rates remain stable, Samaritan Medical Center announces an update to the visitation policy.

As of Monday, June 20, 2022, Medical/Surgical (inpatient) Units, Intensive Care Unit, and Progressive Care Unit patients may have two visitors, per patient, per day with visitation hours from noon-8 p.m.

Both visitors may be with the patient at the same time. This policy change replaces the April 4, 2022 policy modifications in which visitation was set to two visitors, per patient, per day from 2-6 p.m.

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 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.

June 13, 2022June 13, 2022

Robin Turns One

We are thrilled to share Robin Compo’s first birthday photos sent to us directly by his proud parents, Erin and Nate. But don’t let his sweet smiles fool you. This boy is a fighter and a NICU graduate.

Born in April 2021, under extreme circumstances, Robin was admitted to the care of two different Neonatal Intense Care Units (NICU) until he came to Samaritan Medical Center, where he stayed for over 100 days under the supervision of our NICU nurses and Dr. Karl Komar.

Now, at one and weighting 21.5lbs (per his last doctor’s visit), Robin is a strong, happy child, who can babble and say words like mama, baba, mama, yum yum, daddy, kitty, sis, brubs (brother), eggs, hey, papa, yes, and get. He is also holding things all on his own and loves to play.

“I often look back at his photos in the NICU, and it’s like a totally different baby. He’s so intelligent, and we are very blessed to have this little spitfire. I still always look back on all the kindness and compassion my little family got from everyone there, and I remain forever grateful”, says Mom Erin Fennessy.

Check Compo’s story and learn more about Samaritan’s NICU at https://samaritanhealth.com/service/maternity/neonatal-intensive-care-unit/.

June 6, 2022June 6, 2022

Samaritan Offers Carpal Tunnel Open House

Watertown, New York – Community members will have an opportunity to discuss carpal tunnel surgery with Dr. Brian Zafonte, Director of Orthopedic Surgery at Samaritan Medical Center, on Saturday, June 11, 2022.

Dr. Zafonte completed a Hand Surgery Fellowship at the University of California Davis Medical Center and is certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery with Subspecialty Board Certification in Hand Surgery. He joined the Samaritan team earlier this year.

“We are here to serve the community,” said Dr. Zafonte. “We have a lot of resources available for our patients.”

Community education and engagement are important to the doctor. His goal is to provide potential patients with a good understanding of how minimally invasive endoscopic surgery with Samaritan can provide relief.

The event will occur at the Rotunda, 830 Washington Street, Watertown, between the Keep Home and Medical Center, 8-11 a.m. RSVP is appreciated for attendance. The reservation form is available online at https://samaritanhealth.com/upcoming-event/carpal-tunnel-open-house/. Masks are required at the event.

June 3, 2022June 6, 2022

Samaritan Celebrates Employees at Annual Service Awards Banquet

WATERTOWN, NY – On May 16, Samaritan celebrated its employees who reached twenty-years-in-service or more milestones in 2021 with a dinner and awards reception at the Hilton Garden Inn.

The event served as the kick-off for Samaritan Experience Week, during which all caregivers across Samaritan Health are recognized.

“It takes a special person to go into healthcare. Someone who is caring and willing to give of themselves. We are honored to celebrate our Samaritan Caregivers who have dedicated their careers to Samaritan, our patients/residents, and their team members,” said Thomas H. Carman, President and CEO of Samaritan Medical Center. “We cannot thank them enough for their loyalty and dedication. While these last two years through the pandemic have been challenging, all Samaritan Caregivers have been caring, committed, and courageous.”

Recognized for 45 years with Samaritan was Debra Lashway (not photographed at the event).

For 40 years were Kelly R. Scee, Gale Y. Freeman, Diane L. Tibbles, Margaret (Peggy) Macaulay, and Mary K. Gregory. Debra Farmer was recognized but didn’t attend the dinner.

For 35 years were Kelly S. Burnash, Randal K. Halaburka, James P. King, Anthony J. Marra, Lisa L. Pittman, Lori A. Plantz, and Debra A. Sumell.

Pictured here are Lisa L. Pittman and Anthony J. Marra

30 years celebrated were Tina Marie Ackerman, Robert C. Ackley Jr., Evelyn R. Aviste, Kelly Reese Barker, Diane A. Chisamore, Amy E. Collins, Mary E. Gregory, Jennifer J. Haley, Jody L. Hewitt, Kimberly A. Jackson, Bonnie Louise Labarge, Stacey Michelle Mack, Debra Marino, Beverly M. Monica, Sandra Lee Netto, and Nicole R. Simmons.

Pictured here are Evelyn Aviste, Bonnie LaBarge, and Debra Marino

At 25 years the following caregivers were recognized: Sharon L. Sourwine, Ruth H. Powell, Jennifer E. Lundy-Kalin, Pamela J. Childers, Jean R. Kress, Cherene L. DeRosia, and Paul E. Gillette (in the picture); and Dawn Bastien, Monica J. Campbell, Brianne Nicole Castro, Keitha R. Dupee, Patti Ann Freeman, Cynthia E. Hall, Debra S. Hamilton, Leisa F. Hamm, Tammie Hulbert, Christopher Martin Lavin, Randy J. Marino, Marco Schmidt, Betty Shelmidine, John Stano, Anne M. Tyler, Julie A. Verne, and Danny W. Vincent.

For 20 years the following caregivers were recognized: Norravith “Ae” Mathison, Garett Joseph Hayes, Catherine A. Ford, Terrance L. Cavanaugh, Kelly R. Brasel, Tonya R. Covington, Sandra L. Veley, Rose Busler, Lorraine E. Hoffman, and Crystal L. DeWitt (in the picture). Also were recognized but not in attendance: Mark K. Cloonan, Gail Francine Dennie, Raiona Rae Fleming, Todd H. Fuller, Jody Renee Hanson, Norma Jean Hunter, Scott J. Jacobs, Carolyn Orton, Shelia Sheehan, Karen Elizabeth Stewart, Patricia A. Thomas, Laurie Jo Wayte, and Kristin Elizabeth A. Worden.

June 2, 2022

Hospice of Jefferson County Announces STAR Center Transition and Relocation to Samaritan Medical Center at the Walker Center for Cancer Care Facility

Jefferson County, June 2022 – STAR Center for Symptom Treatment and Relief will be closing its office on Washington Street in Watertown on June 30, 2022. The palliative care clinic will relocate to the Walker Center for Cancer Care under the operation of Samaritan Medical Center. Hospice of Jefferson County has operated this service since 2019. Due to changes in physician referral patterns, Hospice leadership has determined Samaritan should maintain this service in our community. The STAR Center treats patients needing palliative care management for many different diagnoses, including cancer. Samaritan’s decision to relocate the clinic to the Walker Center for Cancer Care does not mean that only individuals with cancer will be seen. The clinic will provide palliative care to all patients with serious illnesses who need symptom management and social support assistance. Please contact the STAR Center at 315-755-6086 for any questions regarding your care.

“Developing this palliative care outpatient clinic has been a challenging yet rewarding experience. We appreciate the referrals and confidence the community has given our clinic over the past three years,” said Diana Woodhouse, CEO of Hospice of Jefferson County. “We are confident that Samaritan Medical Center has the resources to continue developing this program and are pleased that palliative care will remain available to our community.”

“Samaritan was proud to financially support Hospice three years ago to launch this service for the community. Today, we are pleased to be in a position to maintain and further develop palliative care in our community,” stated Tom Carman, President, and CEO of Samaritan Medical Center. “Providing quality healthcare is part of our mission, and this includes quality of life, which is a major benefit of palliative care and something every patient deserves.”

“We owe a debt of gratitude to Hospice of Jefferson County and its Hospice and Foundation Boards for their visionary support of the STAR Center serving the North Country Community,” said Kathy Matas, Ph.D. ANP. “Palliative Care is a medical specialty serving all those with serious, progressive, and potentially life-limiting illnesses that focuses on symptom management, quality of life, and care goals. It is a person and family-centered with a whole-person approach that includes support for both patient and family. It is appropriate from the time of diagnosis and throughout the course of a disease. Palliative Care requires a referral and is covered by your insurance, as any medical specialty is. I look forward to continuing to provide this valued specialty within the Samaritan Medical Center’s community-based care.”

Beginning July 1, 2022, Samaritan Medical Center will assume complete operations for this palliative care program and help it remain in our community. New patients are being accepted with a referral and can call 315-785-4673 to make an appointment. The clinic will be located at the Walker Center for Cancer Care in the interim.

For more information, please contact Erin Boshart at STAR Center for Symptom, Treatment, and Relief: (315) 755-6086

Please be advised of our Holiday Hours:

Samaritan Medical Center is open 24/7.For emergency health situations, please call 911.With the Holidays approaching, we want to remind you not to drink and drive; don’t socialize if you are feeling sick or experiencing symptoms of COVID-19; be mindful of portions, and enjoy the Holidays!

Samaritan Medical Center is open 24/7.
For emergency health situations, please call 911.
With the Holidays approaching, we want to remind you not to drink and drive; don’t socialize if you are feeling sick or experiencing symptoms of COVID-19; be mindful of portions, and enjoy the Holidays!