NLH Gastroenterology campaign gets National nod from American Hospital Assoc. Posted on May 3, 2016 by Dakota PikeThe American Hospital Association’s Matthew O’Connor reached out to Littauer after hearing about our gastroenterology campaign – his story is in the this months issue of the associations Health & Hospital Networks.Using Humor to Address a Serious Health Care ConcernNathan Littauer Hospital in upstate New York uses silly pint glasses, puzzles to help improve colon cancer mortality rates.May 3, 2016Matt O’ConnorUnable to make a dent in colon cancer patients’ mortality rate through traditional means, a small hospital in upstate New York is adding a new ingredient to its approach: humor.The 74-bed Nathan Littauer Hospital found its home county of Fulton was near the national average for incidence, but had a higher than average mortality rate. Leaders there decided to look at their gastroenterology department, and specifically its colonoscopy procedure — or lack of procedures in this case. They staffed up from one gastroenterologist to three and opened a new endoscopy center, but something was still missing.“Everyone knows that nobody wants a colonoscopy,” says Laurence Kelly, president and CEO of Nathan Littauer Hospital, in Gloversville, N.Y. “We said, ‘Let’s do something different and creative to get people’s attention,’ and it certainly has worked.”That’s where their humorous colonoscopy initiative comes in. Patients who schedule a colonoscopy receive a notepad filled with quizzes, puzzles and a space to write “a haiku about #2” for their frequent trips to “the office.”The real draw is that each patient who schedules a colonoscopy gets a pint glass with tick marks to help measure out his or her laxatives for the procedure. It also makes a great beer glass for later.The program is only five months old, but many are optimistic it will help to bring the hospital’s colon cancer rates down, including Nathan Littauer gastroenterologist Kamini Ramani, M.D., who some patients call “Dr. Innerds” because of the logo on the pint glass. “I’m hopeful we will reach our goal and at least get near the national standard,” she says.Hospitals don’t often employ humor to tackle such serious issues, but Kelly believes it has made all the difference. “Listen to ideas that are out of the box,” he says. “You think your usual efforts will work: this is science, this is medicine, it’s preventive and the right thing, so people would say, ‘Yes, sign me up’ — but it just doesn’t work that way.”
Nathan Littauer Hospital & Nursing Home and 1199 SEIU Members Ratify New Contract Posted on March 17, 2016 by Dakota PikeThe new pact heralded by both sides for fairness and employee protectionsMarch 15, 2016 Four hundred healthcare workers at Nathan Littauer Hospital and Nursing Home in Gloversville, New York who are represented by 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East have a new collective bargaining agreement. Monday, March 14 the members voted overwhelmingly in favor of the union agreement. The ratification vote took place after eight months of negotiations. “The end result is an agreement that is fair to both sides,” stated Laurence E. Kelly, Nathan Littauer’s President and CEO. 1199SEIU Vice President Rosa Lomuscio said, “We came into the process with the goal of securing good wages and affordable health and pension benefits, and after a long haul, we succeeded. Negotiating is never easy, especially when people’s livelihoods are at stake. The most important thing to remember is the connection between the well-being of healthcare workers and quality care. That makes this agreement a win for everyone — the hospital, the workers, our patients and in the end the entire community.” 1199SEIU represents 40 percent of the hospital’s total workforce. “From the beginning, this was a real collaboration,” explained Lana E. Wydra, PHR, SHRM-CP and Vice President of Human Resources for Littauer. “Each negotiating session was a true working group – committed to working together towards a reasonable contract. We rolled up our sleeves and shared common goals. In the end, we hammered out a contract that is equitable and fair.” She concluded, “I am proud of the outcome because it honors all of our employees and our broader patient mission.” Today, the two sides announced a final four-year agreement. The new contract provides for increases in base wages, plus increased pension and health insurance contributions by the hospital and the employees. The new contract is effective to June 30, 2019. Littauer employees covered by the bargaining unit are technical and service employees, including licensed practical nurses, certified nursing assistants, environmental services, nutritional services, lab and pharmacy technicians, diagnostic imaging services, engineering staff and others. “This is an impressive accomplishment,” said Mr. Kelly. He went on to say, “We’ve reached a very good contract, with very good employees. These negotiations have proved Littauer and its employees can adapt to the ever-changing workforce and move forward with confidence.” Melissa Tambasco, an 1199SEIU negotiating committee member and Ward Clerk at the hospital said, “This contract is about economic security for me. It’s not easy to make ends meet at home anymore. Knowing that I have affordable health insurance, guaranteed wages increases and a pension for my future is a big relief. When I go to work, I want to be fully present for my patients and their families — not worrying about paying the next bill.” That sentiment is echoed by 1199SEIU negotiating team member and Littauer Printer, Charles B. Pettit III. “Negotiations went nicely and we’re glad it’s settled.” Mr. Pettit added, “We were happy to work together to reach an agreement in a reasonable time.”XXXABOUT 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East is the largest and fastest-¬growing healthcare union in the nation, with over 400,000 nurses and caregivers throughout Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Florida. 1199SEIU is part of the 2.1 million member Service Employees International Union. 1199SEIU’s mission is to achieve quality care and good jobs for all. For more information please visit www.1199seiu.org.ABOUT Nathan Littauer Hospital and Nursing Home Nathan 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. For more information, please visit www.nlh.org.
Littauer announces the Goodwill Employee of the Quarter Posted on February 16, 2016 by Dakota PikeGLOVERSVILLE – Nathan Littauer Hospital & Nursing Home has announced their Goodwill Employee of the 2015 fourth-quarter. Barbara Hill, a 27 year Littauer employee, currently a medical receptionist in OB/GYN Primary Care Center was the recipient.“We all touch patients in one way or another here at Littauer,” said NLH President and CEO Laurence E. Kelly. “Barb is one of our employees who emulates our core values, and one whose actions we choose to celebrate.”Hill’s co-workers, friends and family joined her in the NHL cafe for the recent announcement. Hill was nominated by her peers, who welcome her constant smile, her true care and compassion, and her love of patients.“I love working here,” said Hill. “I’ll be here forever.” She added, “After 27 years, I have seen so many great co-workers awarded; I never expected to be one of them.”Nominations for the award are made by NLH employees, providers or patients, and then submitted to the Goodwill Committee. Award winners are selected using a blind format.Hill received a plaque and a check along with the special honor.NLH President and CEO Laurence E. Kelly presents medical receptionist Barbara Hill with the NLH 2015 fourth-quarter Goodwill Award
The NLH Gingerbread Project Posted on February 16, 2016February 16, 2016 by Dakota PikeDecember 2015NLH in conjunction with the Mental Health Association of Fulton and Montgomery Counties made the holidays brighter for Fulton County children.Since 1994, the NLH Gingerbread Project has collected hundreds of brightly wrapped and perfectly ribboned packages – bringing holiday cheer to local children in need. The project is coordinated by Kelly Colby, The Littauer Foundation Development Coordinator.“This effort truly brings out the holiday spirit in our staff,” said Colby. “This project is highly anticipated each year. We get to be Santa to a child we don’t even know, thereby brightening their holiday as well as our own.”Recently, students from the Criminal Justice program at Fulton-Montgomery Community College joined in collecting additional names and contributing gifts through the hospital’s drive.This year the NLH Gingerbread Project served 66 local children. The gingerbread cut-outs were hung for Littauer employees to choose. All the names were selected resulting in hundreds of gifts for holiday distribution.“The Mental Health Association in Fulton and Montgomery Counties has been the recipient agency of the generosity of the Gingerbread Project of Nathan Littauer Hospital for the last three years. The children and families that have benefitted from the Gingerbread Project have always been so amazed at what has been given to help their children have a magical Christmas,” said Janine Dykeman, Executive Director, Mental Health Association in Fulton & Montgomery Counties. Dykeman went on to explain that when one boy’s mother opened the door for our staff when dropping off the gifts for her son – she burst into tears. “She was a single parent who had been laid off from her job and did not know what she was going to do for him. All of the wonderful people involved with the Gingerbread Project gave her and her son a Christmas to remember,” concluded Dykeman. “Thank you for all the care you give to our neighbors in so many ways.” Students from the Criminal Justice program at F-MCC contribute to Littauer’s Gingerbread Project
NATHAN LITTAUER HOSPITAL PROJECTS AWARDED STATE SUPPORT THROUGH MOHAWK VALLEY REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL Posted on February 15, 2016 by Dakota PikeDecember 11, 2015“We had a lot of good news in December”GLOVERSVILLE, N.Y. – Nathan Littauer Hospital & Nursing Home’s goal of delivering dialysis care and expanding their primary care footprint is getting closer to becoming a reality. In December, when Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced the 2015 Regional Economic Development Council Awards, several important projects for Nathan Littauer Hospital & Nursing Home (NLH) were awarded critical support from New York State. The hospital is slated to receive $740,000 from Empire State Development (ESD) to expand its primary care services and to contribute towards the cost of building a dialysis care facility. The funds will help offset the significant investment the hospital is making to bring the projects to fruition.The hospital submitted Consolidated Funding Applications (CFA) to the Mohawk Valley Regional Economic Development Council and ESD earlier this year with two goals in mind: to expand primary care and to provide comprehensive renal health care at Nathan Littauer’s Hospital campus. In addition to the dialysis center, two applications were submitted in response to the burgeoning demand for Littauer’s primary care.Laurence E. Kelly, Nathan Littauer’s CEO and President stated, “Primary care is vital to our population health goals. We have a hugely successful primary care practice spanning almost 50 miles. It is a formula we would like to replicate for underserved communities.” One such goal is to build a new Primary and Specialty Care Center in the village of Fonda.“The Certificate of Need for our Fonda project was approved,” explained Kelly. He added, “We had a lot of good news in December.”The renal dialysis care center, when completed, will provide critical access to dialysis care in Fulton, Montgomery and Hamilton counties and the surrounding rural communities. “With the prevalence of kidney disease in our area the center will fill an important need,” said Kelly.Geoff Peck, Vice President and Executive Director of the Nathan Littauer Foundation stated, “Traveling long distances to receive primary care and in particular, dialysis care is not only a financial burden it is also an emotional and physical burden on our patients and their families. Kidney failure disproportionally afflicts minorities and the disposed.” He concluded, “So this project is wonderful for the community because it will drastically improve the quality of life of our neighbors.”In August, Littauer announced a relationship with American Renal Associates, LLC (ARA), a national provider of outpatient dialysis services and nephrology care and two local physicians Hani Shahata, M.D. and Soo Gil Lee, M.D. The new center will be one of the few dialysis centers with direct access to a nursing home and a hospital. New York State approved the Certificate of Need for the project this fall.“It is exciting to think of the lives that will improve with these projects,” said Kelly. “Thursday’s announcement by the Governor is a wonderful endorsement of that vision.”“Nathan Littauer is grateful to Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, Empire State Development, Mohawk Regional Economic Development Council and the Fulton County Planning Department,” said Kelly.
