Staff Wellness and Chi Cart

Updated on Jun 30, 2022 | Downtown

As we navigate this time of change, I want to acknowledge that change isn’t easy. We need ways to manage our stress and pay attention to our personal wellness. In the spirit of supporting all staff, I’d like to announce the arrival of the Chi Cart to Mount Sinai Beth Israel. The Chi Cart creates time and space in our work areas for proactive stress reduction using aromatherapy, deep breathing techniques, music, etc.

Chaplains rotate the cart through various units and departments (clinical and non-clinical) three times a week, bringing wellness right into the workspace. All staff are welcome to join for 1 minute or 30! Chaplaincy and the Chi Cart can also be available for unit, department or adverse event-specific staff support by request to the Spiritual Care department. Please call the contact Spiritual Care and Education at 212-420-275 to schedule in your area.

The hospital and Mount Sinai Health System also provide multiple self-care resources to staff at no cost. They can be found in our MSBI Staff Wellness Brochure and also available in paper copy on our Chi Cart.

You are what makes MSBI great and your well-being is a priority to us.  I encourage all staff to use these resources and take an active role in self-care and wellness.

Hospital Updates

Updated on Jun 30, 2022 | Downtown

I continue to get feedback from employees that they are still hearing the hospital is closing.

WE ARE NOT CLOSING!

Please encourage your colleagues to check in here for updates and information.

NYSPQC Obstetrical Improvement Project’s 2015 Quality Improvement Award

I am happy to announce that Mount Sinai Beth Israel is the recipient of the New York State Perinatal Quality Collaborative (NYSPQC) Obstetrical Improvement Project’s 2015 Quality Improvement Award. This award supports the goal of advancing improvements in identifying maternal hemorrhage and hypertensive disorders. Through the NYSPQC Maternal Hemorrhage and Hypertension Initiative, we have contributed to improving and ensure the quality of obstetrical care, as well as infant health and safety.

Thank you to our entire Labor and Delivery and Mother Baby Staff and Teams for their great work and collaboration with NYSPQC Obstetrical Improvement Project!

Hospital Operational Changes:

Medical/surgical consolidation updates as of Aug. 4th:

• 4 Linsky Neurology floor patients have been relocated to 9 Dazian Pod B
• 4 Linsky Neurology step down patients have been relocated to 9 Dazian Pod D
• 6 Linsky Family Medicine patients have been relocated to 8 Linsky
• CCU patients formerly on 9 Dazian have been temporarily relocated to 10 Dazian Pod A

I also want to shine some light on the work being done in Behavior Health, especially with our Opioid Treatment Program at 125^th Street. I have asked Dr. Grant Mitchell, Chairman of Psychology Department, to provide us with an update below.

Thanks for continuing to check in,

Susan

Primary Care Unit at our OTP Program

Mount Sinai Beth Israel operates one of the first and now the largest opioid treatment program in the United States. In an effort to provide integrated health care to decrease morbidity, mortality and hospitalization rates, MSBI recently opened an integrated Primary Care Unit (PCU) at our OTP program at 125^th Street. The Primary Care Unit (PCU) is supported by funding from New York State and 100 patients have already enrolled in the program. Primary care is provided to any OPT patient who is interested in selecting the clinic as their primary care provider. The PCU operates in the same location and hours as the clinic for the convenience of our patients. Patients are seen by appointment, but walk-ins are also welcomed. OTP staff employ case management techniques to maximize adherence with appointments. The program has attracted the attention of the NYC Commissioner of Health and Mental Health as well as the U.S. Surgeon General, both of whom visited the program since its inception.

U.S. Surgeon General Visits Model Opioid Treatment Center

The United States Surgeon General, Vice Admiral Vivek H. Murthy, MD, MBA, recently visited the Mount Sinai Beth Israel’s Opioid Treatment Program (OTP) at East 125th Street, one of the hospital’s 11 licensed addiction treatment clinics, to get a first-hand view of a facility that is successfully addressing the nationwide opioid epidemic.

Dr. Murthy received an overview of the program and participated in a roundtable discussion with OTP leadership and staff about the growing abuse of opioids. He learned how Mount Sinai Beth Israel’s OTP—one of the first, and now the largest in the United States—is transitioning from centers that primarily provide methadone treatment to comprehensive outpatient programs that offer onsite, integrated addiction treatment, primary care, and behavioral health care. The East 125th Street OTP is the first Mount Sinai Beth Israel clinic to offer this comprehensive care.

Leadership and staff regularly meet with elected officials and community members to get updates and obtain input on how best to serve patient needs and we discuss how collaboration at the community level is a critical component of our success. Dr. Murthy’s visit was a wonderful opportunity to offer suggestions that may have the potential to influence national policy on opioid addiction treatment and serves as an example for others.

President’s Breakfast

Updated on Jun 30, 2022 | Downtown

I had the opportunity to have breakfast with a dozen employees on Tuesday morning.  I hosted a President’s Breakfast where employees who go “Above and Beyond” are recognized.  Each and every employee who attended demonstrated the excellence that lives at MSBI. These individuals bring something quite remarkable to their jobs every day.  What a pleasure it was to spend an hour with them and hear their stories.

I have had a number of questions about the future of our Graduate Medical Education programs.

I’ve asked Dr. Michael Leitman to update us.

Thanks,

Susan (more…)

UPDATE: Placement Fairs for Union Staff

Updated on Jun 30, 2022 | Downtown

As I announced last week with the transfer of the Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit, the $500M transformation of Mount Sinai Beth Israel has started. As part of our commitment to our unionized workforce, we will be hosting a series of internal job placement fairs.

Each placement fair is specifically designed for the employees directly affected by the current changes that are occurring at the hospital.  As you know, the transformation is a four year process and each department and program will have a unique analysis and review.  At these fairs, unionized employees are able to review and select from among vacant positions at MSBI and at hospitals within the Mount Sinai Health System.

Mount Sinai remains committed to offering all union employees other union opportunities within our system at equal pay.

Above and Beyond Staff Recognition

No one wants to be woken up by a phone call requiring you to come into work due to an emergency. It can be especially disruptive if you get this call on a weekend. It’s even worse to get the call on a holiday weekend when you are expecting to be at a cookout, the beach, or enjoying time with family and friends.

But emergencies happen when you least expect it and after Phillips Ambulatory Care Center (PACC) had closed for the Fourth of July weekend, an undetected flooding occurred. PACC had an unbelievable crew from our Environmental Services Department (EVS) come to the rescue and work tirelessly all weekend to clean up all of the affected areas which allowed the facility to be ready for patients on Tuesday morning.

This would not have been possible without our dedicated EVS employees. These employees forfeited their holiday plans to ensure that our patients were not inconvenienced and able to get the required care come Tuesday.  I thank all of the employees who helped that weekend in putting our patients first.

What a great team! (more…)