Monthly Archives: July 2022

Shining Our Employee Spotlight on Keila Tapia

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This month we are proud to shine our Employee Spotlight on Keila Tapia.

Keila has been with Jamaica Hospital Medical Center for eight years and is an administrative assistant in the Security Department. She grew up in the East New York section of Brooklyn and currently lives in Queens.

Keila attended P.S. 214, John Adams High School, received her bachelor’s degree in business administration from Medgar Evers College in 2010 and currently is studying for her master’s degree in health administration at Capella University.

Family and friends are the most important part of her life. Keila enjoys spending time with them in her free time. She also likes to go to concerts, spend time outdoors, watch baseball games and go out to eat. Her favorite types of food are Mexican and Italian. Keila enjoys many genres of entertainment; however, her favorite type of movie are horror movies and she likes to listen to Latin and R & B music.

When she has the opportunity Keila likes to travel to places that have warm climates and beautiful beaches. Some of the places she has been to are Puerto Rico, St. Maarten, and the Dominican Republic where she spends time with her loved ones.

Keila enjoys working at Jamaica Hospital because it provides opportunities to keep growing within the organization and also because people work together so well as a team. We look forward to having Keila continue with us for many more years.

All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.

Supplements And Drug Interactions

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It is common for people to take dietary supplements while using prescribed medications.  However, many do not disclose this information to their doctors.

Informing your doctor of prescription and supplement usage is important because some supplements when combined with certain medications can cause interactions that endanger your health.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), warns against combining the following medications and supplements as doing so can result in adverse reactions:

  • Drugs for HIV/AIDS, heart disease, depression, treatments for organ transplants, and birth control pills are less effective when taken with St. John’s wort, an herbal supplement.
  • Warfarin (a prescription blood thinner), ginkgo biloba (an herbal supplement), aspirin, and vitamin E (a supplement) can each thin the blood. Taking any of these products together may increase the potential for internal bleeding or stroke.

Other examples of dietary supplement and prescription medication interactions are:

  • Goldenseal – it is highly advised that goldenseal not be combined with most over-the-counter and prescription medicines. It may interact with blood thinners, chemotherapy and HIV drugs.
  • Calcium- may interact with certain antibiotics, thyroid or osteoporosis drugs.
  • Co-Q10- may interact with blood thinners and cancer drugs.
  • Valerian- may interact with anti-anxiety drugs.

It is important to keep in mind that while many supplements are labeled as natural, they may not always be safe, especially when taken with certain medicines. The FDA advises patients to always consult with their physicians before taking any dietary supplement and medication combinations.

All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.

Wearing Compression Socks During Long Flights

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Staying seated during long-haul flights lasting four or more hours can slow down the flow of blood in the legs.

A slow-down in circulation can increase the risk of pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) occurs when blood clots form in the deep veins in the legs.  Pulmonary embolism (PE) occurs when there is a blockage in the pulmonary arteries in the lungs.  This is most likely caused by a blood clot that traveled from the deep veins in the legs to the lungs.

DVT  and PE can lead to serious and potentially fatal complications.  However, there are several things you can do to reduce the risk of developing these problems while flying, one of which is wearing compression socks.

Compression socks work by squeezing or placing pressure on the veins in the legs and feet. This helps with improving circulation and preventing blood from pooling in the veins.

Additional health benefits gained by wearing compression socks are:

  • They can help ease swelling in the feet
  • They can provide some relief to tired and achy feet
  • They can help improve lymphatic drainage

When purchasing a pair of compression socks, there are a few things you should keep in mind:

  • They have different levels of pressure, measured in mmHg
  • You likely have the wrong size if they feel too tight or painful

If you are flying for an extended period, consider wearing compression socks. But first, speak with your healthcare provider to decide if they are right for you. Compression socks may do more harm than good if not worn properly or if they do not fit correctly.

All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.

Summer Skin Problems

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Many people tend to spend more time outdoors during the summer months. This is a welcome change from the colder months when we spend most of our time indoors. However, more time spent outdoors can present challenges to the health of our skin.

These are a few of the conditions that can affect the skin during the summer months:

  • Sunburn – Caused by prolonged unprotected exposure to UV rays from the sun
  • Skin cancer – Caused by being exposed for prolonged periods of time to UV rays from the sun
  • Acne – Caused by bacteria on the surface of the skin mixing which blocks pores
  • Sun allergy – Caused by taking certain medications or having sensitivity to the sun
  • Plant rashes – Caused by coming in contact with poison oak, ivy, or sumac
  • Melasma – Caused by the sun making brown spots on the skin more noticeable
  • Prickly heat – Caused by blocked sweat glands which form tiny bumps on the surface of the skin
  • Seabather’s eruption – Caused by a reaction to seawater
  • Athletes feet – Caused by walking barefoot on damp surfaces without shoes in places such as communal showers, gyms, and wearing other peoples’ shoes

Many of these summer related conditions can be prevented by applying sunscreen with an SPF rating of 30 or higher, keeping the skin clean, wearing insect repellant, not wearing alcohol based perfumes, wearing protective clothing, wearing a hat, showering after being out in the sun and after swimming in seawater, and also avoiding being out and unprotected during the hottest times of the day. Following these tips can help prevent some of the summer skin problems that can occur.

If you would like to schedule an appointment with a physician at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, please call 718-206-7001. If you are experiencing a severe reaction to any of the above conditions, seek medical care immediately.

All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.

Jamaica Hospital Signs Formal Agreements With Local Cure Violence Groups To Help End Gun Violence In Our Community

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On Monday, June 13th, Jamaica Hospital Medical Center held an important event to address the gun violence epidemic in our community.

On that date, the hospital signed official partnerships with three members of The NYC Crisis Management System – King of Kings, Life Camp, and Rock Safe Streets as part of its commitment to end gun violence in our community. The objective of the landmark agreement is for all involved to work together to prevent violence and assist in protecting the health of patients and community members.

According to the formal collaboration, Jamaica Hospital will designate employees who will support the provision of anti-violence and violence interruption services by responding to referrals of traumas associated with gun violence. These designated employees will also assist in coordinating the visitation of Responders (individuals appointed by Cure Violence groups) with patients and loved ones, with their consent and as authorized by the law.

Responders’ duties include conducting follow-up visits during the inpatient stay with identified hospital patients, upon a determination by Jamaica Hospital that the patient is stable. Responders will provide supportive services such as mediation, conflict resolution, and service referrals to assist in the prevention of re-injury to these patients or to prevent retaliation connected to gun violence incidents.

Participating in the event were many local elected officials including Congressman Gregory Meeks, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, Senator Leroy Comrie, and Chief Kevin Williams, NYPD Patrol Borough Queens South. Each official praised both Jamaica Hospital and the three members of The NYC Crisis Management System for working together to help end the gun violence crisis.

In addition, Dr. Katherine McKenzie addressed the audience to share information about Jamaica Hospital’s existing Violence Elimination and Trauma Outreach (VETO) program, which aimed to provide support for victims of gun violence as well as the hospital’s plans to create a dedicated center where gun violence victims can have all their clinical and social needs met as part of our Trauma Healing & Recovery Integrative Violence Elimination (THRIVE) Survivor Center.

After the presentation, Jamaica Hospital Medical Center President & CEO, Bruce Flanz signed formal Memos of Understanding to officially mark the occasion.

The event received significant media attention. To see the press clips, please click on the links below:

All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.