Samaritan Medical Center Announces Expansion of Emergency Department Behavioral Health Secure Unit

Watertown, NY – Samaritan’s emergency department (ED) will undergo a construction project to expand and enhance the care of psychiatric patients within the secure behavioral health unit (BHU).  The expansion is needed as the average daily census of patients has been consistently exceeding physical space.  The project is set to cost $2.5 million dollars and construction has begun.

Looking to the past:
In 2010 when we opened our modern ED a five-bed BHU secure unit was sufficient to meet the average daily census. Two overflow rooms were identified near the secure BHU that could be used when needed.  This left 31 remaining medical beds in the ED for a total of 38 beds in the entire department.  The psychiatric patient numbers have continued to climb over the years and prior to the pandemic in 2020 the average daily census was approximately seven patients.

Present condition:
The average daily census of psychiatric patients in the past 12 months has grown to approximately eight patients, with a high of over 20 patients at one time. There has been an increase in pediatric patients needing care.  This number collectively exceeds our secure unit and overflow capacity, which forces these patients into medical beds within the emergency department. This has two immediate impacts – there are fewer beds to treat medical patients and more staff members are needed to watch psychiatric patients in these medical rooms because there are inherent equipment and safety risks in a traditional medical room. 

Coupled with an increase in patient census, these patients, especially children, are waiting longer in our ED when they need hospitalization.  The current physical space to help safely stabilize these patients is not adequate within the emergency department’s current behavioral health unit (BHU).

The increased number of adults and children in a mental health crisis can be attributed to many factors, but there is not one particular trend.  The pandemic is certainly a newer factor with more stress, anxiety, isolation and breaks in outpatient care.  

Future solutions:
Samaritan leaders contacted the Department of Health (DOH) with our physical constraints and then decided to seek emergency approval on a Certificate of Need (CON) that identified the space we need. The full approval process can take up to 12 months, but the state quickly approved it.

Construction is now underway to expand to a 12-bed secure unit to meet the needs of the community and the ED will have 29 medical beds.  To gain this space, the current coffee shop in the main lobby will move to a different space in the lobby, as well as moving physician office space and claiming hallway space in the lobby area.  This will happen in a phased approach to limit the impact to current operations.  The project is expected to be completed by the Summer of 2024.

The BHU expansion project is set to cost $2.5 million dollars.  This was not budgeted for in 2023 but has been deemed necessary as a matter of patient safety concerns and to mitigate extra staffing needs. Several revenue sources have been identified, and Samaritan continues to look for grant dollars to help offset the construction costs.  The Samaritan Foundation, Children’s Miracle Network of Northern New York, and Jefferson County have all committed funds totaling approximately $793,000. 

The Samarian Foundation committed half of the net proceeds from its recent Thousand Islands Golf Tournament in June to the project for a total of just over $60,000. In addition, the Foundation is going to dedicate proceeds from an event later this year, Festival of Trees, to the project as well.

The Children’s Miracle Network of Northern New York and its allocations committee designated $300,000 to the project because there is a direct pediatric care need to this expansion.

On April 4, 2023, the Jefferson County Board of Legislators approved a request from Jefferson County Community Services to provide $430,000 to Samaritan Medical Center for this expansion project.  The funds have been made available as a result of the New York State Attorney General’s successful litigation with several pharmaceutical companies.  The $430,000 is designated to assist with the physical expansion of the behavioral health unit, which has experienced dramatic increases in opiate-related visits.  The funding will also be used to begin the important service of providing lifesaving, medication assisted therapies to those who need medical assistance to begin their journey to recovery.  

Samaritan is also applying for an expansion to our adult inpatient mental health unit from 34 to 39 beds. This request has been submitted to the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) as they oversee the operations of this inpatient unit. This expansion is needed since we are consistently at full capacity in this unit, as 50% of the adults coming into the emergency department for a mental health crisis are admitted to Samaritan for stabilization and a treatment plan. This project will cost approximately one million dollars.

“Our region continues to battle the mental health crisis needs in this rural community,” states Tom Carman, president and chief executive officer of Samaritan.  “Although there are many community-based programs, the need for emergent care through our emergency department, and transferring from other local hospitals who do not have this level of care, consistently surpasses a safe space for us to care for these patients in the existing physical footprint. The need to expand this secure unit has a trickle-down impact that helps these patients, plus the overall wait times for medical patients. The funding will also be used to begin the important service of providing lifesaving, medication assisted therapies (MAT) to those who need medical assistance to begin their journey to recovery.”

Emergency Department Behavioral Health Numbers:

From January 2022 to June 2023, 946 children presented to our emergency department for a behavioral health crisis.  Samaritan does not have an inpatient pediatric mental health unit, and those children needing to be hospitalized must be transferred to a facility with capacity in New York State.

  • 273 of these children were deemed in need of hospitalization and transferred to a higher level of care.
  • Pediatric patients had an average length of stay of 30 hours in 2021 and 35 hours in 2022, with a peak of over 72.  This is caused by a shortage of pediatric beds across the region and state. Children are waiting longer in our BHU and the new space will be more child-centered.
  • Over 550 of these children were already established in outpatient behavioral health services in the community.

From January 2022 to June 2023, 3,461 adults presented to Samaritan’s Emergency Department for a behavioral health crisis. 

  • 1,746 of these patients were admitted to Samaritan’s inpatient mental health unit.
  • 210 of these patients were transferred to another facility for psychiatric care.
  • 1,388 of these patients were stabilized in the ED and discharged home to continue their care plans.
  • Adult patients average length of stay went from 12 hours in 2021 to 22 hours in 2022 and peaked at over 36 hours.

Overall, Samaritan’s emergency department cared for 35,570 patients (medical and psychiatric) in 2022.

Renderings of the new 12-bed secure unit being constructed in Samaritan’s emergency department.

Samaritan Celebrates January 2023 DAISY® and BEE Award Recipients

Watertown, NY – Samaritan Medical Center is pleased to announce its DAISY and BEE Award recipients for January 2023. 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.

Scott Jacobs, Registered Nurse at Samaritan Medical Center’s Interventional Radiology unit received the DAISY Award. Allen Gray, screening and visitation specialist at Samaritan Medical Center, received the BEE Award.

Scott Jacobs, RN, Interventional Radiology

Kim Smith, BSN, RN, Director of Nursing Critical Care, Samaritan Medical Center, Shirley Ward, RN, and Sheila Zeller, RN at Samaritan’s Interventional Radiology unit, nominated Jacobs saying:

“An example of accountability and responsibility was demonstrated during a recent snowstorm when Scott was the only RN in Interventional Radiology that made it in to work. He orchestrated the flow with his multidisciplinary team to ensure the patients who arrived were able to have their procedures. He managed the day seamlessly and proceeded to acknowledge his team of IR tech’s assisting with clerical duties, MRI/CT tech’s who helped accommodate contrast patients and the RSA that worked diligently to ensure consistency with the routine standard of care.”

For receiving the DAISY Award – which is an international award backed by The DAISY Foundation – Jacobs was presented with 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.

Gray was nominated by a grateful patient with the following excerpt from their nomination:

Allen Gray, screening and visitation specialist

“This man was so kind to me and truly made a difference in the toughest time in my life… I just want him to know how much that means to me.”

Of significance, Gray has been nominated on multiple occasions by patients and co-workers who echo sentiments of his compassion and kindness as they are registering for services.

Gray 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 nominations can be submitted by patients, families, or colleagues at any time. To make a nomination or to learn more about the Samaritan DAISY and BEE Awards, visit www.samaritanhealth.com/daisy-bee.



#

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.

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.

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

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/.

###

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.

Anna O’Neil, RN

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.

###

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

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.

###

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.

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.

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/

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.