Littauer announces Matt Romell, Goodwill Employee of the Year Posted on February 23, 2017 by Dakota PikeLittauer 2016 Goodwill Award winners: first runner-up, Nora Albertin, left, 2016 Goodwill Employee of the Year, Matt Romell, and second runner-up, Tammy GerdesGLOVERSVILLE, NEW YORK (February 14, 2017) – Nathan Littauer Hospital & Nursing Home announces Matthew Romell as the 2016 Goodwill Employee of the Year. Romell is a MIS System Administrator on the main hospital campus. He was presented the award by Littauer President and CEO, Laurence E. Kelly before a gathering of his friends, family, Littauer staff and administrators. Romell has been a Littauer employee for four years this month.“Although only here for a short time, Matt has made a long-term and enjoyable impression at Littauer,” said Kelly. “Matt is a professional team player who treats everyone with courtesy and respect along with a smile and great sense of humor. He always finds the solution.”“I appreciate this, but it’s very easy for me because I work with such a great team,” said Romell.Littauer has almost 1000 employees. Romell was nominated by his peers for this top honor. “Matt meets everyday challenges with a positive attitude,” said Goodwill Committee Chairperson Brenda Hammons. “In the time he has been here, he has made a notable difference with so many technical issues,” Hammons added.In a blind format, the Goodwill Committee narrowed the scope of nominations to three top finalists. First runner-up honors went to Nora Albertin, Human Resource Generalist in Littauer’s Human Resources Department. The second runner-up award went to Tammy Gerdes, Littauer’s Senior Mammography Technologist. Both Albertin and Gerdes received a check and a gift certificate to the hospital’s gift shop.Romell received along with his honor flowers, a cake, gift certificate, check, the coveted year-long prime parking spot, and a plaque on Littauer’s Wall of Fame.About Nathan Littauer Hospital & Nursing HomeNathan Littauer Hospital and Family of Health Services serves Fulton, Montgomery, and Hamilton counties in upstate New York with a full-service, 74-bed acute care hospital, nine primary care centers, a nursing home and a community education center. The hospital was founded in 1894 and has 1,000 employees. Littauer’s medical staff provides well over 100,000 patient encounters each year. For more information, please visit www.nlh.org.
American Renal Associates and Nathan Littauer Hospital announce the opening of the Gloversville Dialysis Center Posted on January 13, 2017 by Dakota PikeLittauer President and CEO Laurence Kelly, left, Dr. Ahman Morgan Dr. Soo Gil Lee, and Dr. Hani ShahataGLOVERSVILLE, NEW YORK (January 12, 2017) – American Renal Associates, a leading national provider of outpatient dialysis services, and Nathan Littauer Hospital & Nursing Home are proud to announce the opening of Fulton County’s only dialysis center. The Gloversville Dialysis Center is located adjacent to Littauer, with easy access off Easterly Street on the hospital campus.“Opening this dialysis center is a significant milestone for this community,” said Dr. Soo Gil Lee, medical director and co-owner of the Gloversville Dialysis Clinic. “American Renal Associates has always based its Core Values upon putting patient care first. The opening of the Gloversville Dialysis Center illustrates that ARA will continue to successfully build upon its physician-driven partnerships to bring quality dialysis care to local communities like Fulton County. We are proud to serve dialysis patients on Littauer’s campus, and we look forward to developing strong ties to this community.”The new Gloversville Dialysis Center is a state-of-the-art facility that has the capability to offer patients a variety of treatment modalities including in-center hemodialysis, Peritoneal Dialysis (PD) and home hemodialysis. The facility will operate under the direction of Dr. Soo Gil Lee.The new dialysis center in Fulton County is a 7,000 square foot facility with the latest in technology in a comfortable, modern setting. Adirondack photos taken by local photographers are permanently exhibited in the center. There are 12 patient stations and one isolation unit. In addition, there are four in-patient dialysis rooms available at Littauer. The new center will employ 14 additional staff and treat approximately 60 patients when it reaches capacity.“We are fortunate to welcome ARA, a leading dialysis services operator, into our community. They have an extensive track record of delivering quality care and operate over 200 dialysis facilities across the U.S.,” said Littauer President and CEO, Laurence E. Kelly. “The opening of the Gloversville Dialysis Center gives patients in our community an option for high-quality dialysis care in a modern facility staffed with dedicated caregivers. We look forward to seeing ARA and its physician partners grow their presence in this region. As I had said when we broke ground, ‘this is the right relationship at the right time’.”Please call the Gloversville Dialysis Center, Easterly Street, Gloversville at (518) 725-9925 for any further information.About American Renal AssociatesAmerican Renal Associates Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: ARA) is a leading provider of outpatient dialysis services in the United States serving over 14,400 patients with end stage renal disease in 25 states and the District of Columbia. ARA operates exclusively through a physician partnership model, in which it partners with approximately 370 local nephrologists to develop, own and operate dialysis clinics. ARA’s Core Values emphasize taking good care of patients, providing physicians with clinical autonomy and operational support, hiring and retaining the best possible staff and providing best practices management services. For more information about American Renal Associates, visit www.americanrenal.com.About Nathan Littauer Hospital & Nursing HomeNathan Littauer Hospital and Family of Health Services serves Fulton, Montgomery, and Hamilton counties in upstate New York with a full-service, 74-bed acute care hospital, nine primary care centers, a nursing home and a community education center. The hospital was founded in 1894 and has 1,000 employees. Littauer’s medical staff provides well over 100,000 patient encounters each year. For more information, please visit www.nlh.org.
2016 ARHN Rural Health Community Wellness Champion Margaret “Maggie” Luck of NLH Posted on November 17, 2016 by Dakota Pike2016 ARHN Rural Health Community Wellness Champion Margaret “Maggie” Luck! Maggie, at center. Littauer VP Communications, Cheryl McGrattan, left, Littauer CEO and President, Laurence Kelly, AHI Executive Director Community Assessment & Prevention, Nancy Gildersleeve, and Littauer Director of Community Education, Tammy MerendoIt’s National Rural Health Day and Littauer’s own Maggie Luck is recognized as a 2016 ARHN Rural Health Community Wellness Champion. This is what the Adirondack Health Institute has to say: AHI celebrates NATIONAL rural health day, announces 2016 rural health champions[Glens Falls, NY] – In recognition of National Rural Health Day, November 17, AHI – Adirondack Health Institute announces five 2016 Rural Health Champions. The annual Rural Health Champion recognition is a collaborative effort of the North Country’s seven Rural Health Networks, including the Adirondack Rural Health Network (ARHN), a program of AHI, supported with funds from the NYS Department of Health Charles D. Cook Office of Rural Health.2016 Rural Health Champions:Rural Health EMS Champion: Vicky Campbell, Salem Rescue Squad Captain (Washington County), nominated by Kathy Jo McIntyre, fellow member of the Southern Washington/Northeastern Rensselaer County Mobile Health Steering Committee. “Vicky’s dedication to her community and the surrounding communities to provide care, safety and programs in a rural setting is commendable,” wrote McIntyre.Rural Health Public Health Champion: Jessica Darney Buehler, Senior Health Educator, Essex County Public Health (Essex County), nominated by colleague, Linda Beers, and Josy Delaney, The University of Vermont Health Network – Alice Hyde Medical Center. “Jessica personifies ‘leadership’ and ‘collaboration’ and is dedicated to approaches that positively influence health behaviors and outcomes,” wrote Beers and Delaney.Rural Health Community Wellness Champion: Margaret “Maggie” Luck, Nathan Littauer Hospital & Nursing Home Lifeline Services (Fulton County), nominated by colleagues Cheryl McGrattan and Tammy Merendo. “The most amazing thing about Maggie is how kind and willing she is to help anyone. She sets an excellent example in her work ethic and loyalty to the community,” wrote McGrattan and Merendo.Rural Health Leadership Champion: Stephens Mundy, President & CEO, The University of Vermont Health Network – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital (Clinton County), nominated by colleague Karen Ashline, Adirondacks ACO. “Through partnerships, Stephens has been instrumental in creating real, practical and meaningful health care programs for those who have traditionally been underserved, demonstrating that patient-centered care can be both high-quality and cost-efficient. He has made far-reaching contributions to rural health care in the Adirondack region,” wrote Ashline.Rural Health Behavioral Health Champion: Robert Ross, CEO, St. Joseph’s Addiction Treatment and Recovery Centers (Essex County), nominated by colleague Tina Buckley. “He (Robert) is a forward thinker who is constantly advocating for rural health care needs and looking to improve access to care for all those who live and work in our rural communities,” wrote Buckley.“From accessibility issues and health care provider shortages, to aging populations and a higher rate of uninsured and underinsured citizens, rural communities are facing more challenges than ever,” stated Courtney Shaler Smith, ARHN Manager. “Today we have an opportunity to both raise public awareness of rural health care and celebrate the unsung heroes in our region who are making a lasting contribution to the rural health care system.” According to Shaler Smith, nominees can be providers or non-providers who deliver or promote outstanding care and make significant personal and professional contributions to their community.“This region is extremely fortunate to have so many talented individuals dedicated to creating a more efficient and effective rural health care system that is easily accessible, affordable, and provides a better overall patient experience,” said Margaret Vosburgh, CEO, AHI. “Each of our five honorees has had a profoundly positive impact on improving the lives of people in their respective communities and we’re so pleased to recognize their contributions.”Created by the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH), National Rural Health Day showcases the work being done to address the unique health care needs of rural communities. For more information, please visit www.nosorh.org/nrhd.The Adirondack Rural Health Network (ARHN) is a multi-stakeholder, regional coalition that informs on planning assessment, provides education and training to further the NYS DOH Prevention Agenda, and offers other resources that support the development of the regional health care system. The ARHN includes members from New York’s Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Warren, and Washington counties. For more information, please visit www.ahihealth.org/arhn.AHI – Adirondack Health Institute is an independent 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization licensed under the New York State Public Health Law as an Article 28 Central Services Facility. Since 1987, AHI has supported hospitals, physician practices, behavioral health providers, community-based organizations and others in the region in sharing our vision and mission of transforming health care and improving population health. A joint venture of Adirondack Health, Glens Falls Hospital, Hudson Headwaters Health Network, St. Lawrence Health System, and the University of Vermont Health Network – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital, AHI’s mission is to create transformative initiatives to improve access to health care services allowing the residents of the Adirondack region to realize their full potential and live a healthy life. For more information, please visit www.ahihealth.org.
Littauer and American Renal Associates set the foundation for Fulton County dialysis center Posted on June 17, 2016 by Dakota PikeGLOVERSVILLE – Nathan Littauer Hospital, in partnership with American Renal Associates, is proud to announce the “foundation setting” for its new state-of-the-art dialysis center in Gloversville. The new facility in Fulton County will offer the latest technology for the care and comfort of patients suffering from kidney disease. On Friday, June 17, Nathan Littauer Hospital administrators, together with Dr. Soo Lee and Dr. Hani Shahata of American Renal Associates and local dignitaries, ceremoniously set the foundation as the construction of the center got underway. “We are very excited about this venture with Littauer,” said Dr. Lee. “Dialysis is an essential service, and it will be a tremendous advantage to patients in Fulton County and beyond the region.” The new dialysis center at Nathan Littauer Hospital will be the first dialysis center in Fulton County and one of the few dialysis centers in the nation attached to both a hospital and a nursing home. The center is fully prepared to serve all local patients suffering from kidney disease on an outpatient basis. “Drs. Lee and Shahata of American Renal Associates share our mission of providing world-class healthcare services to Fulton County,” said Laurence E. Kelly, president and CEO of Nathan Littauer Hospital. “Our ongoing partnership with these extraordinary doctors will increase our capacity to better serve our neighbors.” Littauer expects the dialysis center to improve the quality of life for patients suffering from kidney disease. Many dialysis patients have to travel hours for a treatment that can last up to four hours, three times a week. It is Littauer’s mission to provide world-class healthcare locally. Although the new dialysis center is an outpatient facility, Littauer has filed an application with the New York State Department of Health to offer dialysis to patients admitted to the hospital. The facility fully expects approval for this request. As stated, the Gloversville dialysis project is unique to the area since it is adjacent to a nursing home. According to Dr. Shahata, many nursing homes cannot offer dialysis services due to the time, frequency, and transportation costs. The new 7,000-square-foot facility will house 12 dialysis stations, with one isolation station, and will treat approximately 60 patients a week. The total cost from start to finish is $3.5 million. Littauer anticipates being in the test phase by Dec. 1, and being open for dialysis by Jan. 1, 2017. “This is the right project, at the right time, with the right partners,” confirmed Kelly.From left: Leslie Beadle, Vice President, Administrator/NLH Nursing Home; Geoff Peck, Executive Director, Nathan Littauer Foundation; Laurence E. Kelly, President and CEO, Nathan Littauer Hospital & Nursing Home; Dr. Irina Gelman, director of the Fulton County Public Health Department; Dr. Soo Lee, American Renal Association; Jean Wilkinson, Littauer Auxiliary; Brian Hanaburgh, Chairman, Littauer Board of Directors; Janine Dykeman, Board Chair, Nathan Littauer Foundation and Mark Kilmer, President, Fulton Montgomery Regional Chamber of CommerceLaurence E. Kelly, President and CEO, Nathan Littauer Hospital & Nursing Home, left, together with Dr. Soo Lee, American Renal Association stand together on the new dialysis center construction site in Gloversville
Alexandra Barbieri MS, RD, CDN, a Registered Dietitian (RD) at Littauer makes the Leader Herald Sunday edition once again Posted on May 31, 2016 by Dakota PikeAlexandra Barbieri MS, RD, CDN, a Registered Dietitian (RD) at Littauer discusses healthy choices for losing weight. See this story from The Leader Herald…Lifestyle ChangesEven small changes can have big results in weight lossMay 29, 2016By PATRICIA OLDER, Leader HeraldGLOVERSVILLE – After four heart attacks, the doctor told John Lee had a decision to make – lose weight or die.“I’ve always been big and I have always had a problem with my weight,” said Lee. “Then I had four major heart attacks and my doctor told me I either had to lose weight or I’d be in the ground.”He decided he wanted to live.Lee made an appointment with a bariatric surgeon and attended an orientation to see if he could be a candidate for gastric bypass surgery. He was.“They told me I was a candidate, but I had to lose 10 percent of my weight before they could do the surgery,” said Lee who weighed in at almost 455 pounds at his heaviest.It took about six months for him to take off the 45 pounds with the doctor’s help and in January 2010, Lee had the surgery. But to be successful, Lee would have to make lifestyle changes in the way he ate and in his daily routine in order to continue to lose and to keep it off.“[The doctor and his team] set me up with a basic plan and it was pretty easy to follow,” said Lee, who admits his love for fast food didn’t help the process. “The hardest part is not being able to go to McDonald’s – I still have the cravings for a burger.”Alexandra Barbieri, dietitian at Nathan Littauer Hospital, said even subtle changes can help someone with losing weight and keeping it off.“If you make small changes like taking three less bites of a hamburger or taking no sugar in your coffee or going for a small, 20-minute walk will help,” said Barbieri. “You can burn 80 to 100 calories in a 20-minute brisk walk and it is calories in and calories out and it is one of those small changes you can do to reduce caloric intake. One of my favorite quotes is from Mark Twain – ‘Habit is habit and not to be flung out of the window by any man, but coaxed downstairs a step at a time.'”Continuing, Barbieri said for weight loss, a person needs to reduce their daily calories by 500 to 700 calories a day. “You can do it through either diet or exercise or a combination of both,” said Barbieri. “That will give you a total of 3,000 calories a week and you will lose about a pound a week.”She said some of the ways to lose weight include monitoring what you eat, wearing a fitness bracelet or using one of the many free applications for smart phones and computers and by moving more.“If you watch what you eat by self-monitoring, you become way more aware of just how much you are eating,” said Barbieri. “Portions are important and the fitness bracelets help with self-awareness because we all think we are moving more than we are.”She suggested parking farther away in the parking lot when going to the grocery store, taking a short walk after work before getting in the car to go home and cleaning.“Taking small steps of any kind will eventually become a habit for you,” said Barbieri. “Do what you can to fit it into your daily routine – try wheat bread, brown rice, wheat pastas. Have meatless Mondays or where you fix a dinner with leaner meats such as chicken without the skin, fish, and pork loins.”She said even too much of a good thing can be bad for weight loss.“Remember it is calories in and calories out – you can even have too many vegetables,” said Barbieri. “Think of your plate like a pie chart and fill half the plate with a vegetable, one-quarter with your whole grain pasta, rice or beans and one-quarter with your lean protein such as beef, chicken or fish and then maybe a small side of fruit.”Continuing, Barbieri said everyone should get a minimum of 30 minutes a day of activity as well.“Try to find something you like to do biking, walking, cleaning, sports, yard work, swimming – remember, 20-minutes a day, twice a day can burn a couple of hundred calories right there,” said Barbieri. “If you focus on your physical activity and diet, it will lead to a more probable success rate.”She said most people tend to diet by eliminating specific food groups and while they do work, the weight loss all goes back to calories.“I love the app Fitness Pal,” said Barbieri, adding there are dozens of applications available for little to no cost. “It is all about accountability and with one of these programs you can have the community [to interact with] so if you are having a bad day, you can see others who have had one too and not feel so alone.”She said people do not need a smart phone or computer to keep track of their eating and activity levels. “Just writing it down is good,” said Barbieri. “Once you do, you can really see what you eating and how much exercise you are getting.”Lee said he also tries to stay on track with his weight loss and activity.“Instead of ice cream I have cool whip on my sugar-free jello,” said Lee, who is down to 237 pounds at his last weigh-in. “And for my snacks I have wheat Cheerios.”Noting that he wants to be able to help others with their weight loss, Lee said he just takes each day as a gift.“This is no game – you have to have will power,” said Lee, a self-proclaimed whiz at budgeting for meals. “If there is anyone who wants help losing weight, I’d be more than willing to help them.”As for his continued success, Lee says he takes it all in stride.“It is one step at a time,” said Lee. Littauer dietician Alexandra Barbieri makes a salad for lunch in the hospital cafe
