Visitation Restrictions Lifted

Author: Dakota Pike

Visitation Restrictions Lifted

Posted on by Dakota Pike

Nathan Littauer Hospital and Nursing Home’s Infection Control Preventionist  Terri Klausner, MS, FNP-BC, states, “As of Friday, Feb. 8th, 2013 the Visitor Restriction for the entire facility has been lifted. There is no longer a visitor restriction in place currently. There was a 27% decrease in reported influenza cases as of the end of last week, and the CDC has stated that they are showing the influenza season is beginning to wane. As long as this trend continues, we will remain restriction free.”  The hospital would like to thank all staff, patients and their family members for their cooperation and support. She added, “We know how difficult such restrictions can be in a hospital setting.”

 

Nathan Littauer names new marketing, public relations and community relations executive

Posted on by Dakota Pike

McGrattan named Vice President of Marketing, public relations and community relations at Littauer

“Cheryl has proven herself ready to handle her promotion and new responsibilities and we are happy to welcome her to the senior leadership team at Nathan Littauer Hospital and Nursing Home.” said Laurence E. Kelly Hospital President and CEO. He added, “Her creativity and marketing skills are already well known to all who have seen her publications, billboards and TV commercials over the last few years.”

A 21-year marketing veteran, McGrattan has been a part of Littauer’s Development Team for four years.  While at Nathan Littauer she was the recipient of the Full Circle Award, a national distinction earned for her marketing efforts from the Marketing Pharma and HealthCare to Women National Conference. Prior to Nathan Littauer, she had worked for the Department of Commerce in International Trade and as an International Marketing Specialist for the NYS Department of Agriculture. While there, she lead trade missions and worked with the wine industry to penetrate global markets. She also held an executive vice president position for Logical Net Communications where she led marketing and communications for the technology company. She also worked as a marketing manager for UNIFIED Technologies and Northeast Career Planning and consulted for the Innovative Resources Group.

McGrattan holds a BA in Political Science from Siena College. She is a member of American Marketing Association and sits on the board of the Fulton Montgomery Community College Foundation. She is a former member of theFultonCountyYMCAboard and she also serves as one of the organizers for the Wine and Chocolate fundraiser to benefit the NOAH program. She is a former member of the Women’s Political Caucus and she was elected chair of the Women’s Business Council. Ms. McGrattan is a former board member for the Albany- Colonie Chamber of Commerce. She was a member of Albany- Tula Alliance and traveled to Russia to teach marketing. She was a member of Governor Pataki’s Division for Women and a former volunteer official for the American Luge Association.

Ms. McGrattan said, “I am pleased to be joining a team whose unyielding commitment to excellence in healthcare is at the core of our day-to-day operations. Our Strategic Plan is something I am deeply committed to as we strive to provide safe, cutting-edge healthcare to our community.” She concluded, “This is an exciting time at Nathan Littauer and I am pleased to tell the world about the amazing brand of medicine we practice here.”

Ms. McGrattan, a Lake George native, now resides in Tribes Hill with her family.

 

Nathan Littauer announcing new visitation rules in response to influenza

Posted on by Dakota Pike

Gloversville, NY…- Nathan Littauer Hospital, is announcing new rules for anyone visiting in-patients in the hospital.  This is part of an inter-departmental effort to thwart the spread of the flu. Terri Intilli Klausner, MS, FNP-BC and Infection Control Preventionist who works for Nathan Littauer as their Manager of Infection Control and Employee Health states, “Like other hospitals in the region during this time of high risk and in order to protect our patients from flu and other infectious diseases, we have implemented new visitation restrictions.”

Those restrictions include:

  1. No children 12 years or younger
  2. No visitors with respiratory symptoms, such as fever, sore throat, cough, and shortness of breath, rash or diarrhea
  3. Only 2 visitors will be permitted per patient in a room at one time

Cheryl McGrattan, spokesperson for the hospital notes, “It is important to note that these rules are in effect for anyone visiting our hospital hoping to see a patient in one of our in-patient rooms. It does not pertain to anyone who requires outpatient services like an x-ray or laboratory tests.” She added, “Our top priority is to protect our patients while also serving as a community health advocate to contain this flu outbreak.”

 

Nathan Littauer welcomes new Chief Financial Officer

Posted on by Dakota Pike
Michael D. Ostrander joins the Littauer Team

Michael D. Ostrander joins the Littauer Team

Michael D. Ostrander joins senior leadership team

Nathan Littauer is pleased to welcome a new member to its senior leadership team. Michael D. Ostrander has assumed the Chief Financial Officer position, a position which has been vacated by the retiring Henry Legendziewicz. “We are pleased to have someone of his caliber join our team” said the soon-to-be departing Mr. Legendziewicz. “He has a history of implementing new systems throughout the hospitals he previously worked at that streamlined operations.”

Michael Ostrander joins Littauer from Glens Falls Hospital where he served as the senior Director of Finance. There he was responsible for the leadership of several departments including material management, distribution, accounting and decision support. He previously worked at Ellis Hospital as their Director of Financial Planning. “Obviously his background in healthcare financial management is stellar.” stated Mr. Legendziewicz. The two leaders will be working together for about one month during the transition. The hospital bids goodbye to Henry Legendziewicz who worked at Nathan Littauer for over 34 years.

Laurence E. Kelly, Hospital President and CEO stated, “This is an exciting time at Littauer.We are growing despite the delicate financial landscape we maneuver through on a routine basis.” Mr. Kelly continued, “With diminishing State and Federal reimbursements, we need someone who can help us grow in an organized way – consistent with our strategic plan. We believe we have found that person in Michael.”

Laurence E. Kelly (right) and Michael D. Ostrander review the hospital’s strategic plan.

Mr. Ostrander states he is excited about the opportunity at Littauer saying, “I look forward to working with our team to continue the tradition of financial health and serving the patients of Fulton County.”

“Mr. Ostrander will carry on the financial stewardship role for NLH from someone who is recognized in Upstate New York as one of the most astute CFO’s in the Healthcare Industry. Henry Legendziewicz has helped NLH successfully navigate momentous change in the hospital field. NLH has operated with a positive operating bottom line for eleven years in a row in a large part due to Henry’s financial expertise and guidance. I wish he could work forever, but he certainly deserves to enjoy a long retirement knowing the results of his hard work will continue on.” said Mr. Kelly.

“I have said it many times. Patient care is our top priority.” Mr. Kelly explained, “We believe that a sound financial plan intimately benefits the patient, especially in a small not-for-profit hospital like Littauer. Many hospitals operate like the two are separated. We do not.” Even as a Hospital CFO, Mr. Ostrander will be expected to have direct patient contact, as the senior leadership of the hospital regularly conducts “rounds” with patients to monitor patient satisfaction.

 

Wellness Words January 2013

Posted on by Dakota Pike

HealthLink Littauer’s

WELLNESS WORDS

Submitted by Carol Tomlinson RN BS

Community Health Educator

 

Resolve To Drive Less To Lose Weight!

For many people, the New Year brings new goals for positive changes in their lives.  Weight loss through diet and exercise tops many lists.  But too often these goals are too broad with many changes to be made at once.  Resolutions don’t have to be such daunting challenges. Remember the KISS analogy – Keep It Simple Seniors.

For example, if weight loss is your goal, making another vow – to drive less – can help.  It is as simple as that, according to a new study by theUniversityofIllinois.  And for an added bonus, driving less can help the environment by reducing fuel consumption and emissions.

Obesity isn’t just a one dimensional issue.  It is also societal.  The good news is there are changes that we can make as individuals that will help not only ourselves but can lead to more positive social changes.  Driving less (replaced by more physical activity) even if it is only one mile less automobile travel each day, leads to a lot less fuel consumption.  One environmental expert recently pointed out that “It’s a positive step regardless of the motivation behind it.”

According to Samantha Heller, Clinical Nutritionist at Derby Hospital in Connecticut, “If you’re making healthy changes like driving less – whether it is to lose weight or because you want to go green and save fuel, your body doesn’t care why you are doing it.  You will still reap the benefits.”

The average BMI, a measure of a person’s body mass, has increased in the last two decades.  Previous research at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that obesity in theUSAhas created a $42 billion rise in health care costs as well as created fuel consumption of at least 1 billion additional gallons of fuel.

If we each decide to drive one less mile a day and to eat 100 less calories, the effect on national obesity and fuel consumption levels would make significant improvement in our own as well as our society’s health and well being, according to Sheldon Jacobson of the University of Illinois.  And we are talking about saving billions of dollars.

If you are wondering at this point how you are going to make this doable, the experts have some simple solutions.  One suggestion is simply to park further away from wherever you are going and walking more to get there instead of riding around parking lots waiting for the closest parking spots.

Additionally, if we also eat 100 calories less a day, which dieticians tell us is as simple as eating one less banana or a couple less small cookies, it will make us lose weight even faster.  Small changes can add up fast.

Focusing on simple actions that cut a few daily calories and/or help you to exercise more than usual, will help you accomplish your goals without a lot of effort, according to a study recently published in the Journal of Preventive Medicine.  Good luck with your 2013 resolutions!

For more information, contact your healthcare provider, Littauer’s Outpatient Nutritional Counseling at 773-5413, or HealthLink Littauer at 736-1120.  You can e-mail us at healthlink@nlh.org, see our website at www.nlh.org, or visit our wellness center at 213 Harrison Street Ext. in Johnstown, Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.  We’re your community health & wellness service of Nathan Littauer Hospital and Nursing Home.

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