Employee Spotlight Shines on Paula Utilla

Posted on July 8, 2021 by Andrew Rubin

We are proud to shine our Employee Spotlight on Paula Utilla, Lactation Coordinator in the OB / GYN Department. Paula has been at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center for seven years.

Paula moved to the United States in 2003 from Canada where she grew up in Pickering a small town on the outskirts of Toronto. She attended Holy Redeemer Elementary School, St. Mary’s High School and Durham College. Paula currently lives in Brooklyn with her husband and their two children, a son who is 14 years old and a daughter who is 18 years old. Also living with them is their very sweet one-year-old 120-pound pit bull named Canelo.

Paula spends her free time gardening, jewelry making, and assisting her daughter in the kitchen with baking all kinds of goodies. She loves traveling to places that have cultural and historical significance. She has already visited Egypt and Rome and her goal is to get to Greece one day. She enjoys all types of food, the spicier the better. Paula likes to listen to music from the nineties especially Hip Hop and R&B.

Paula is a very big advocate for a woman’s right to breastfeed. Teaching moms how to breastfeed is something she is very passionate about. She aims to make a difference in the lives of moms and their newborn babies.

Paula enjoys working at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center for many reasons, one of which is the diversity of the patients that she sees. We are fortunate to have Paula on our team and we look forward to her continuing to make a difference in the lives of mothers and their babies for a long time to come.

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 Warns Against Using Fireworks This July 4th

Posted on June 30, 2021 by Andrew Rubin

With July 4^th holiday approaching, Jamaica Hospital Medical Center wants everyone to know the potential dangers associated with fireworks so you can avoid injuring yourself or others.

Fireworks are ILLEGAL in New York State, and are extremely dangerous when they are not being used by a professional. They burn at extremely high temperatures and can rapidly burn through clothing and skin. Items such as sparklers are mistakenly thought to be safe, but they are actually quite dangerous too.

In states where it is legal to purchase and operate fireworks, please be sure to follow the following safety tips:

Never allow young children to handle fireworks
Older children should use them only under the close supervision of an adult
Never light fireworks indoors
Only use them away from people, houses and flammable material
Do not try to re-light or handle malfunctioning fireworks
Soak unused fireworks in water for a few hours before discarding
Keep a bucket of water nearby to fully extinguish fireworks in case of fire

This year, have a safe Fourth of July and leave the firework displays to the trained professionals. If you have questions about fireworks displays and safety, you can visit The National Council on Firework Safety webpage at http://www.fireworksafety.org. Take the test and learn just how much you know about fireworks safety.

MediSys Family Care Center in East New York

Posted on June 17, 2021 by Andrew Rubin

This month, we would like to shine our spotlight on the MediSys Family Care Center in East New York, Brooklyn.

The center is located at 3080 Atlantic Avenue and is the only MediSys Health Network facility in the borough. It was originally opened in 1996 and later expanded in 2000. This site currently offers 30 state-of-the-art exam rooms and is staffed by 45 employees.

The MediSys Family Center in East New York offers a wide range of services including:

Family Medicine
Podiatry
Pediatrics
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Social Services
X-ray
Dental
Nutrition
WIC
Pulmonary Medicine
Dermatology

Our staff has been warmly embraced by the community and a few of our providers have shared their thoughts as to why they enjoy working at this site. “We treat our patients like family. We love what we do, and we love serving the East New York Community,” said Dr. Anastasia Fokas. Beth Giaquinta, Physician Assistant, shared that she has been at this location for 23 years and has seen generations of patients during that time. Dr. Angelo Canedo added, “The East New York team is united, and we have one common purpose, to serve a community in need”.

The hours of operation are:

Monday 7:30 AM – 7:00 PM
Tuesday 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Wednesday 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Thursday 7:30 AM – 7:00 PM
Friday 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday 7:30 AM – 4:00 PM

To schedule an appointment at Medisys East New York please call 718-647-0240.

June is Cataract Awareness Month

Posted on June 2, 2021 by Andrew Rubin

The American Academy of Ophthalmology has designated June as Cataract Awareness Month. The purpose of this designation is to help educate the public on what cataracts are and how to treat them once they are diagnosed.

Cataracts are a clouding of the lens of the eye. This will result in blurry vision, and since less light is being transmitted, objects will appear darker as well.

It is estimated that 25 million people in the United States age 40 and older will be diagnosed with a cataract, and by the time people reach the age of 80, more than half of the population of the United States will be affected with the disease.

Risk factors for developing cataracts include:

Age
Diabetes
Smoking
Prolonged exposure to sunlight
Obesity
High blood pressure
Hereditary factors
Prior eye injuries

Cataracts are classified by what causes them. Age is the biggest factor, followed by eye trauma, congenital causes and secondary to taking certain medications like steroids.

There are a few ways to lower the risk of developing cataracts, but they may not be completely successful.

Wearing sunglasses when outdoors
A diet rich in vitamin C foods
Avoiding smoking

Treatment for cataracts involves a surgical procedure which removes the old lens of the eye and replacing it with a synthetic one. It is a very common procedure and considered relatively safe. If you would like to schedule an appointment with an eye doctor at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, please call 718-206-5900.

We Shine Our Employee Spotlight on Jayson de Jesus

Posted on May 20, 2021 by Andrew Rubin

We are proud to shine our employee spotlight on Jayson de Jesus, a Patient Information Representative on 4 South.

Jayson has worked at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center for over 25 years. He enjoys the daily interactions he has with his colleagues, many of whom he considers to be his friends, as well as with patients and their families. Jayson is very much a “people person” and is known by everyone to be caring, kind and always willing to help. He is always interested in learning about other people’s cultures.

Jayson is originally from the Philippines, where he completed most of his education. He attended elementary school at GSCS, high school at St. Paul College and graduated from the Central Escolar University in Manila. Jayson continued his education at St. John’s University when he first moved to Hollis, New York. He now resides with his family in Nassau County. Jayson has been married to his wife for over 18 years and they have a son who is 17 years old and a daughter who is 5 years old. Also sharing their home are their pet birds. Spending time with his family is one of his favorite things to do.

Around the hospital Jayson is known for his skills as a DJ. He has kept every holiday party lively with his musical talent. In his free time Jayson enjoys gardening, carpentry, playing basketball, and camping. His hobbies include working on cars and collecting sneakers.

Jayson enjoys traveling and has visited over 30 of the 50 states so far, the furthest one being Hawaii. He also enjoys eating all types of food. Jayson is very active in community activities and takes great pride in being an Assistant Scout Master with the Boy Scouts.

We are very proud to have Jayson as part of the Jamaica Hospital team and we look forward to having him with us for many more years.

Can You Get Covid-19 More Than Once ?

Posted on May 13, 2021 by Andrew Rubin

The COVID-19 virus is a new disease and there is still much to be learned about it. One of the questions people have is whether or not they can be re-infected if they have already had the virus. The simple answer is “Yes”.

Typically when a person is infected with a virus their body develops a certain amount of immunity which lessens the chances that they will become re-infected with the same virus. However, in the case of COVID-19, a small but significant amount of people have been re-infected. A lot has to do with the amount of time that elapses between the first bout and the second. In some cases the second bout of COVID-19 is less severe than the first but there have been cases where the second bout is more severe than the first. At the present time, nobody knows how long the immunity our bodies develop to the virus lasts. Because the COVID-19 virus is so new, there needs to be more research done and more data gathered to say with certainty how the virus acts.

Our Employee Spotlight Shines On Jonathan Toval

Posted on April 29, 2021 by Andrew Rubin

We are proud to shine our Employee Spotlight on Jonathan Toval, Lead Medical Assistant in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery.

Jonathan has been at Jamaica Hospital for the past eight years. He was born and spent the first few years of his life in Lima, Peru and moved to New York City in 1999. He attended Intermediate School 61 in Queens, and graduated from John Bowne High School in 2005. Jonathan currently lives in Forest Hills. In his free time Jonathan enjoys spending time with his friends and his family. His two main past times are playing competitive soccer and poker playing. His favorite soccer team is Real Madrid. He enjoys traveling to any place there is a beach, but his travel plans have been curtailed in the past year due to the pandemic.

He really values his relationship with his family and enjoys their company. They provide him with wonderful conversations and lots of laughter which they frequently share with one another. He enjoys all types of music and believes that listening and dancing to salsa makes him happy. His favorite type of food is Peruvian but he also enjoys sushi and steak.

Being in a position to work with a diverse group of patients is something that Jonathan really likes. He enjoys being able to meet patients and colleagues at work who come from all over the world. This gives him an opportunity to learn other languages and about other cultures. Working at Jamaica Hospital is like being at his second home and it has had a great influence on his life.

We are very happy to have Jonathan on our team for the past eight years and we look forward to having him remain with us for many years in the future.

COVID-19 and the Potential for a Stroke

Posted on April 22, 2021 by Andrew Rubin

As more details are being learned about COVID-19, evidence suggests that having the virus may increase the risk of stroke.

A stroke may occur in patients who have contracted COVID for several reasons. Here are a few believed to be contributing factors:

The pre-existence of underlying cardiovascular conditions such as hypertension or heart disease
The development of infections and inflammation caused by COVID that can lead to stroke
The formation of blood clots which can lead to stroke

Studies have shown that some COVID positive individuals are more at risk than others for having a stroke. It has been found that males, 65 years of age or older, are more likely than females to have an ischemic stroke after contracting the virus and African Americans are at higher risk than Caucasians.

Research also indicates that people who have a stroke and COVID spend about twice as long in the hospital as patients who do not have COVID (22 days versus 10 days). Patients with COVID who have a stroke are also twice as likely to die than non-COVID stroke patients.

If you are at risk of having a stroke or other cardiovascular issues you should visit your doctor for regular checkups to prevent complications. It is also important to take preventative measures to avoid the COVID-19 virus. This includes wearing a face mask when in public spaces, proper and frequent hand washing, and getting vaccinated.

To schedule an appointment with a cardiovascular specialist at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, please call 718- 206-7001

A Covid-19 Vaccine Myth

Posted on April 9, 2021 by Andrew Rubin

There are many myths being spread about the COVID-19 vaccines and this is causing some people to be hesitant about getting it. The vaccines currently being administered within the United States have been proven to be safe.

One myth is that the vaccines are made with egg-based products and people who are allergic to eggs may have a reaction. It should be clear that neither the Pfizer/BioNTech nor the Moderna COVID vaccines are made with egg-based products.

Even though these vaccines are not made with egg-based products, those who have a history of allergic reactions to vaccines should still mention this before receiving the vaccine. All patients, regardless of their history of allergic reactions should be monitored for 30 minutes after receiving the vaccine.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome Awareness Month

Posted on April 1, 2021 by Andrew Rubin

April is Irritable Bowel Syndrome Awareness Month (IBS). This is a condition that affects the large intestine resulting in the following symptoms:

Bloating
Gas
Nausea
Abdominal cramps
Diarrhea or constipation

There is no general rule of what to eat and what to avoid in treating IBS. A physician will go through a patient’s daily diet and see if there are certain foods that are more likely to act as triggers. The foods that physicians who treat this disease may recommend avoiding include:

Wheat
Carbonated Drinks
Dairy products
Beans
Cabbage

Some of these symptoms can be relieved by modifying the diet as well as taking certain medications.

The classifications of medications include:

Antibiotics

Anti-diarrheal agents

Anti-spasmodics

Prescription laxatives

Prescription pain medications

If you are experiencing recurring intestinal distress and would like to speak with a physician at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, please call 718-206-7001.