UMMC

Staff at UMMC were honored this morning for their participation recently in the "Safe Haven" drop off of a newborn baby by a mother in distress.

Timothy Jaccard, president and director of AMT Children of Hope Foundation, and author of the 1996 law that makes Safe Haven possible, presented plaques to the hospital and to staff for UMMC's acceptance of a Safe Haven baby last month.

In late may, a mother contacted Jaccard's organization looking for an option for a baby she could no longer care for. The mother was directed to the Medina Fire Department, which accepted the baby and transported it to UMMC.

The Safe Haven law allows mothers to hand over babies to Safe Haven ambulances and hospitals without any repercussions.

Prior to the law's adoption, Jaccard said, as many as 25 babies a year in New York were being left to die in Dumpsters and along roadways. Last year, only three babies in New York died after being abandoned.

"It’s very rewarding to know that we made a difference in the community," said Maryann Cogdill, who is in charge of the maternity ward.

The baby was given a medical examination to ensure it was healthy and then placed in a foster home and it will eventually be adopted.

Photo: Mary Beth Bowen, VP of nursing, Mark Schoell, CEO of UMMC, Denise Polovick, RN, Jaccard, Cogdill and Dan Ireland, VP of clinical support services.

Press release:

For the next two weeks, the lower suite of the building at 8745 Lake Street Road, Le Roy, which houses United Memorial’s Urgent Care and Diagnostic Services, will be undergoing extensive and disruptive repairs to its plumbing systems. After several discussions with the building’s owner, United Memorial feels that it is in the best interest and safety of our patients to temporarily close during this period.

During this time, patients are encouraged to utilize Urgent Care and Diagnostic Lab and Imaging Services at the Jerome Center at 16 Bank St., Batavia. Staffing at the Jerome Center will be enhanced to accommodate the expected increase in patient volumes.

United Memorial’s integrated computer system will allow any patient with standing orders for diagnostic laboratory or medical imaging, usually seen in Le Roy, to be seen at the Jerome Center without having to have orders resent from physician offices.

The Jerome Center is located in the center of Downtown Batavia. From Le Roy, take Route 5 (Main Street) to Batavia. Turn right onto Bank Street. The Jerome Center will be located on the right. Hours for Urgent Care are 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on weekends. Laboratory and Medical Imaging services are available 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 6 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.

We apologize for any inconvenience and expect to reopen the Le Roy site on Monday, June 17.

Press release:

United Memorial Medical Center will restrict visitor entrance points to the facility during evenings and weekends in an effort to better manage hospital security.

Beginning Feb. 4, the main entrance to the hospital will close at 7 p.m. on weekdays and be closed on weekends. The Summit Street Entrance will close at 9 p.m. each day. Visitors to United Memorial after 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, should use the Summit Street Entrance until 9 p.m. or the Emergency Room Entrance. All visitors on Saturday or Sunday should use the Emergency Room Entrance.

United Memorial recently completed renovations to allow visitor access to the main hospital from the Emergency Department. Signs will be placed in the hallways to assist locating your destination.

“For security and general safety, it is important to monitor building activity,” said Daniel Ireland, COO of United Memorial. “We want to protect the well-being of our patients and understand the importance visitors have in the healing process. Reducing access points to the facility during non-peak hours of operation, allows us to have a manageable span of control and maintains visitor hours for our patients.”

Visiting hours at United Memorial are from 9 a.m. to 9 pm; with the exception of Maternity which is from 1 to 8:30 p.m.

UMMC and Rochester General Hospital have released a joint press release regarding talks over a closer affiliation:

United Memorial Medical Center (UMMC) and Rochester General Health System (RGHS) announced today that they are finalizing details of an expanded affiliation. This more defined affiliation will broaden and strengthen health care service provided to patients in Genesee County, help UMMC address the changes and challenges of healthcare reform, and will maintain all local control of UMMC operations in Batavia.

The two healthcare institutions are no strangers to each other, having partnered in the areas of Pathology, Urology, General Surgery and GI since 2008. Like United Memorial Medical Center, Rochester General has served residents of Genesee County and its surrounding areas for more than a century.

“As a regional health care delivery system, a core element of our mission is to collaborate with smaller area healthcare providers to help them better serve their local communities,” said Mark C. Clement, president and CEO of Rochester General Health System. “We currently participate in a number of collaborative relationships with hospitals, including Cayuga Medical Center in Ithaca and Newark-Wayne Community Hospital, an owned affiliate of the system.

“Changes in state and federal reimbursements along with regulations associated with national healthcare reform have shown that a partnership with a larger, regional healthcare center will be imperative to the success of continuing to provide quality care right at home,” said Mark C. Schoell, president and CEO of United Memorial Medical Center. “Rochester General is a high-quality organization with a depth of resources, well established physician organization and similar cultural ideals.”

In making its decision to affiliate with RGHS, the UMMC board cited the system’s national recognition and longstanding focus on high-quality patient care and safety, its expertise in clinical integration, its comprehensive medical specialties that will enhance existing services available in the Batavia community, and its successful track record of collaboration with smaller acute care hospitals like Newark-Wayne. The UMMC board is committed to keeping appropriate health care local and providing the best care possible.

RGHS is the only area health system to be nationally rated by SDI – a premier health care analytics firm – as a TOP 100 Integrated Health Network (2007-2012). Integrated care networks are consistently recognized for delivering higher levels of quality, service, patient safety and efficiency. These are important factors, made even more so, as the government and insurers shift reimbursement to value-based health care.

The Democrat & Chronicle has a little more on a story we reported yesterday about United Memorial Medical Center moving toward a closer relationship with Rochester General Hospital.

While we the information we were given seemed to indicate no formal agreement between the two hospitals, the D&C reports an affiliation agreement is being negotiated.

Clement called the discussions a “work in progress” and while there is no formal agreement, he said talks are likely to result in one.

At the same time, he said RGHS is working with officials at United Memorial Medical Center in Batavia to expand their four-year collaboration into an affiliation agreement.

In an affiliation, the hospitals still govern themselves. This is not a merger. It would provide more specialized services to patients.

“From the patient perspective, they should be very happy with it,” said Mark Schoell, president and chief executive officer of United Memorial. “Whether they recognize it or not explicitly, implicitly they’ve seen the results of some of the collaboration. I think when they see some of the programs that we’ll be able to put together, they will find this a good thing. We’ll have access to a lot of expertise in a smaller community you don’t normally see.”

While the D&C doesn't discuss ACOs under the Affordable Care Act, the article does say the act is accelerating the move toward affiliations, quoting Schoell, “we would have continued down this path without health care reform.”

The article concludes:

Schoell said it should lead to better results. “In the past, the patients we had to transfer out of the area will be able to stay in our hospital. It provides the support we need for the rest of our medical staff.”

United Memorial Medical Center will offer important health screenings for FREE to uninsured Genesee County residents between the ages of 40 and 64 on Saturday, Feb. 2.

They will be offered from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Jerome Center, located at 16 Bank St. in Batavia, and include blood sugar testing, total cholesterol and take home colorectal cancer screening kits. Healthcare providers will also provide free mammograms, pap smears and clinical breast exams for women.

Please call United Memorial’s Healthy Living Department to schedule an appointment at 344-5331. Light refreshments, health information and free giveaways will also be available at the event.

This event is planned by the Cancer Services Partnership of Genesee and Orleans counties, through a state grant administered by United Memorial.

UMMC has long partnered with Rochester General Hospital on patient care, and the two hospitals are exploring ways to work together more closely, according to hospital spokeswoman Colleen Flynn.

But, she said, contrary to a rumor reportedly circulating among staff, there are no merger discussions taking place.

There aren't even immediate plans to form a formal partnership, known as a ACO (accountable care organization) under the Affordable Healthcare Act.

RGH has long helped UMMC recruit doctors and provide patients with specialized care, and the two hospitals are looking into ways to share those services even more, but that's as far as the talks are going, Flynn said.

An ACO, according to Wikipedia, is a coordinated group of heath care providers who commit to standards of quality care in order to reduce the total cost of health care and reimbursements.

UMMC is always looking for ways to improve patient care and provide more specialized care, Flynn said.

"We're an independent community hospital and we're going to be an independent community hospital," Flynn said. "We look for larger organizations to partner with because we're small."

Press release:

United Memorial Medical Center welcomed the first baby born within Genesee County in the New Year, 2013. Naomi Lynn, a baby girl, was born to Kristen Keiffer and Robert Gerety of Lyndonville, on Tuesday, January 1st at 4:16 a.m. at United Memorial Medical Center in Batavia. She is the first child for the new parents.

Grandparents are Doug and JoAnn Keiffer, of Medina, and John and Nora Denfer, of Lyndonville.

Baby Naomi weighed 4 pounds, 13 ounces and was 17 ¼ inches long. She was delivered by midwife, Cecelia Stearns, CNM.

The new mother, Ms. Keiffer is employed as an aide at Medina Memorial Hospital and Mr. Gerety works for ATB Staffing Solutions at Mizkan in Lyndonville.

As the New Year’s baby, Naomi and her parents received a $250 gift card to a local store from United Memorial.

In 2012, there were 654 babies delivered at United Memorial, a 21-percent increase from 2011.

Press release:

Due to an unexpected plumbing issue, Urgent Care at 8745 Lake St., Le Roy will be closed tonight, Dec. 19. They will reopen tomorrow, Dec. 20 at their regular time, 11 a.m. Patients who require urgent care services are encouraged to use the Batavia location at 16 Bank St.

Edward and Beverly Corcoran were honored today by the UMMC Foundation and the Jerome Foundation with the 28th annual Health and Humanitarian Award.

The Corcorans founded and run Stephen’s Table, a soup kitchen that provides lunches six times a week, on average to 30 people a day.

The Corcorans prepare the meal each day. A typical lunch is homemade soup, sandwich, fruit, dessert and beverage. Volunteers help serve the meal. Ed and Beverly spend hours each week visiting local businesses that donate food to Stephen’s Table. Mrs. Corcoran also completes reports and correspondence.

The lunch was held at Terry Hills.

Press release:

United Memorial Medical Center will adjust the hours of operation for outpatient services for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

On Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, Urgent Care at 8745 Lake Street, Le Roy will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Services closed for the day include Cardiac Rehabilitation, Urgent Care (Batavia location only), the Pain Center, and the Women’s Care Centers in Medina and Batavia. Closing at noon on Christmas Eve are Jerome Center Diagnostics, the Corporate Health Center, Batavia Family and Pediatric Care, Pembroke Diagnostics, Le Roy Diagnostics, Tountas Family Care, and Summit Physical and Occupational Therapy Center. Outpatient services located at the hospital will close at 5 p.m.

For Christmas Day, Tuesday, Dec. 25, Urgent Care in Le Roy will be open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. All other outpatient services will be closed.

All locations will be open regular hours on Wednesday, Dec. 26.

On New Year’s Eve, Monday, Dec. 31, Cardiac Rehab will be closed. The Pain Center and Women’s Care in Medina and Batavia will be open from 8 a.m. to 12 noon. All other outpatient sites will be open for regular hours. Urgent Care at the Le Roy and Batavia sites will be open for regular hours from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

For New Year’s Day, Tuesday, Jan. 1, Urgent Care will be open for regular hours at both locations. All other outpatient sites will be closed in observance of the holiday.

The time changes reflect only outpatient services. The hospital and Emergency Department will continue to be available around the clock to care for our families, friends and neighbors during the holidays.

UMMC invited the public into the ICU unit today to see a new patient simulator that will be used to help train hospital staff.

The $60,000 machine is a gift from CHART, the hospital’s insurance carrier. It provides a realistic representation of various medical conditions so medical personnel can practice everything from inserting an IV to performing defibrillation.

For more info, click here.

Above, Dan Grower learns about the simulator from Pamela Lynch.

Press release:

United Memorial’s Education Department will host an Open House on Wednesday, Oct. 24, from 2 – 5:30 p.m. in room 202 at the hospital in order to demonstrate the new patient simulator. The simulator, a $60,000 piece of equipment was provided to United Memorial at no cost from CHART, the organization’s insurance carrier. It will be used to educate clinical staff.

The simulator is wireless, lifelike and can be used to assist with training for multiple airway skills, catheter placement, airway complications and breathing complications. It has cardiac and circulation features, vascular access, blinking eyes, secretions, urine output, bowel sounds and the instructor can make it speak. The simulator can function as a male or female patient.

Pam Lynch, director of education; Kevin Aldrich, 2nd Floor nurse manager; Mary Lama, 3rd Floor clinical care coordinator and Judy Clark, ICU nurse manager were educated as trainers for the new equipment. The simulator assists in improving patient care and safety. It allows new students to practice basic nursing skills and veteran nurses to learn the latest technologies and use of new practices and equipment.

The public is welcome to attend this open house.

Press release:

The Cancer Services Partnership of Genesee and Orleans County will hold its annual cancer awareness program, Pink Hatters, on Thursday, Oct. 11 at the Clarion Hotel, 8250 Park Road, Batavia.

A Chinese Auction will be held from 4 to 6:30 pm. Hors d’oeuvres and dessert stations will available from 5 to 7 pm. Cancer survivors will be recognized and prizes awarded for the best pink hats. “Breadtime Stories” will be presented by the evening’s featured speaker, Chet Fery.

The evening is a colorful, celebratory event filled with laughter. However, when survivors stand up based on the number of years since they received their cancer diagnosis, an awe-inspiring hush fills the room. Women who are currently battling the illness are applauded with support. Women who have been cancer free for 20 years, 30 years or longer provide hope to everyone.

Tickets are $20 each and available by pre-sale only. Call the UMMC Healthy Living Department at 344-5331 for registration information. Reservations are available for tables of 10.

Payment and registrations must be received by Oct 4. This event is funded in part by a grant from Susan G. Komen for the Cure of Western New York.

The Cancer Services Partnership is a grant funded program which provides access to free colorectal, breast and cervical cancer screenings for men and women, age 18 to 64, who are uninsured or underinsured. United Memorial manages the Partnership for Orleans and Genesee counties.