What Type Of Flu Vaccine Is Best For Seniors

Posted on December 2, 2019 by Jamaica Hospital Medical Center

With flu season upon us, it is recommended that everyone six months and older receive their annual influenza (flu) vaccine. This is especially true for senior citizens as they are at a greater risk of developing serious complications from the flu. While there is no debate over whether or not seniors should get their flu shot, there is one about what type of vaccine they should receive.

Many providers are now recommending that patients over the age of 65 receive the vaccine Fluzone, a higher dose injectable vaccine formulated specially for seniors. Like other flu vaccines, Fluzone is comprised of three different strains of the influenza virus that are most likely to cause the flu during the upcoming season. However, Fluzone contains four times the amount of antigen (the inactivated virus that promotes a protective immune response) as a regular flu vaccine and produces a stronger immune response.

This high-dose vaccine was created specifically for seniors because their immune defenses are weakened due to their age. It is estimated that approximately 75% of seasonal flu-related deaths have occurred in people 65 years and older and between 50% and 70% of seasonal flu-related hospitalizations have occurred among people in this age group.

The results of seniors who have taken high-dose vaccines are promising. Initial studies have indicated that 25% fewer cases of influenza occurred in adults 65 years or older who took the high-dose vaccine compared with those who took the standard-dose vaccine, but other studies also revealed that seniors who received the high-dose vaccine were more likely to develop side effects, such as a fever and soreness at the injection site, during the week after vaccination.

If you are over 65 years old and still haven’t received your flu vaccine this year, speak to your doctor about whether or not a high-dose vaccine is right for you.

If you would like to make an appointment with a doctor t Flushing Hospital, please call 718-206-7001.

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.

Pain Caused By Under-Using Our Muscles

Posted on October 25, 2019 by Jamaica Hospital Medical Center

One of the most common reasons we experience pain in our joints and muscles is from overuse. Whether it is through overdoing at the gym, at home, or in the yard, we have all experienced pain when we over-exert our muscles but are you aware that you can experience pain by under-using your muscles?

The truth is there can be serious consequences to our bodies from inactivity. In fact, studies have concluded a clear connection between inactivity and chronic pain. This condition has been given the term “disuse syndrome” which refers to the changes that happen in the body as a result of being sedentary or inactive.

Disuse syndrome has been known to cause deterioration of the musculoskeletal system. When a muscle is not being used regularly, the muscle will begin to atrophy, (the process of wasting away, especially as a result of the degeneration of cells). The clearest example of this is when someone has a cast removed from one of their arms or legs. Usually, the immobilized limb is much smaller than the other due to a lack of exercise.

The same logic applies to the other muscles of the body. The less frequently the muscles in our body are used, the smaller and weaker they become. This decrease in muscle mass and strength can lead to chronic pain in the body. Disuse syndrome is a well-known cause of chronic back pain. When the muscles that are meant to hold the weight of the body become weak, the weight of the body falls on the skeletal system, specifically the spine. This can lead to degeneration and chronic back pain.

The best way to avoid or reverse the effects of disuse syndrome is through physical activity. It is also an excellent way to manage and decrease already existing pain. Regular exercise and the proper diet are the essential tools you need to combat chronic pain and maintain your good health.

If you suspect that your pain in your body is the result of disuse syndrome, speak to your doctor about how you can incorporate more physical activity in your lifestyle and reduce your chronic pain.

If you would like to make an appointment with a doctor at Jamaica Hospital’s Ambulatory Care Center, please call 718-206-7001.

Meet Dr. Jebun Nahar

Posted on October 23, 2019 by Jamaica Hospital Medical Center

Jamaica Hospital would like to introduce you to Dr. Jebun Nahar, MD, FACP; internist in the hospital’s Department of Medicine for 11 years.

Dr. Nahar provides a comprehensive range of primary care services for her patients, but one condition that she is extremely passionate about treating is hypertension. According to Dr. Nahar, “I feel that hypertension is largely preventable and can be managed through lifestyle modifications. If not addressed, it can lead to a variety of other health issues including diabetes and heart disease.”

Dr. Nahar believes in developing a close connection with her patients that is based on trust. She also feels that her years of experience and her understanding of the community’s needs help her as a physician. One aspect of working at Jamaica Hospital that particularly appeals to Dr. Nahar is the diverse population that it serves.

One group that has especially benefitted from Dr. Nahar’s expertise is the Bengali population. “As someone who is from Bangladesh, I can relate to and help them with not only their health, but other issues they might be encountering.” She is even a member of multiple physician groups that represent that region including the South Asian IPA and the Bangladesh Medical Association of North America.

In addition to providing high-quality care to her patients, Dr. Nahar also has a love for mentoring the next generation of doctors at Jamaica Hospital and is an active part of the hospital’s teaching faculty.

Dr. Nahar sees patients at the following locations:

TJH Medical Services
134-20 Jamaica Avenue
Jamaica, NY 11418
718-206-6742

Grilled Chicken Taco Salad Recipe

Posted on October 8, 2019 by Jamaica Hospital Medical Center

It’s TacoTuesday and today we’re making a healthy Grilled Chicken Taco Salad with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette.

This is a quick dinner recipe shared by Chef Peter Ieraci from our Nutritional Services Department. It’s delicious and easy to make. Enjoy!

Salad Ingredients:

Cilantro

Grilled chicken

Corn tortilla chips

Shredded cheddar

Diced tomatoes

Cucumbers

Corn

Limes

Red Onions

Black beans

Lettuce

Sour cream -optional on top

To make the salad dressing you will need :

2 cups fresh cilantro

1 garlic clove

¼ cup lime juice

2 teaspoons maple syrup or honey

½ teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon sea salt

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Meet Dr. Gagandeep Singh

Posted on July 22, 2019 by Jamaica Hospital Medical Center

Jamaica Hospital would like to introduce Dr. Gagandeep Singh to the community.

Dr. Singh is an Interventional Cardiologist who has been with Jamaica Hospital for two years.

He specializes in treating patients who have had or are at risk of heart attacks, heart failure, and other cardiovascular complications.

As an interventional cardiologist, Dr. Singh has advanced training in diagnosing and treating cardiovascular diseases, congenital and structural heart abnormalities by way of complex catheter-based and imaging procedures. Dr. Singh’s expertise in performing procedures such as coronary angiograms and coronary stenting has gained him recognition as a leader in his field.

He takes great pride in being able to help patients and families take charge of their heart health and improve their overall wellness. “I am most happy when I help my patients to successfully manage their health because I know that I am also, directly and indirectly, helping their loved ones.”

Dr. Singh is very excited about practicing at Jamaica Hospital, as he is very familiar with our community. “I am a New Yorker; I was raised in Queens and went to school in the area. So in many ways, taking care of this community is very personal to me. I want to make sure that everyone is provided with very best in heart health care.”

Dr. Singh treats patients at Jamaica Hospital’s Ambulatory Care Center for an appointment, please call 718-206-7001.

Jamaica Hospital Receives Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation

Posted on July 17, 2019 by Jamaica Hospital Medical Center

The average American is living longer now than ever before, and while this is very good news, it does require the healthcare industry to adapt to caring for a growing senior population.

Senior citizens utilize the hospital system at higher rates than non-seniors and they often require treatment for multiple chronic conditions. While seniors make contact with the healthcare system at many different points of care, the place where they most often receive their care is in the Emergency Department.

Understanding the special needs of its geriatric patients, Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s Emergency Department has made many special accommodations to treat them. In recognition of their efforts, the hospital recently received a Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation by the American College of Emergency Physicians. Jamaica Hospital is the only hospital in Queens to receive this accreditation.

“By receiving this designation, Jamaica Hospital has demonstrated a commitment to addressing the specific healthcare needs of our older patients,” stated Dr. Shi-Wen Lee, Vice Chairman of Emergency Medicine at Jamaica Hospital.

To achieve this accreditation, Jamaica Hospital had to meet many criteria, including ensuring that physician and nursing staff receive focused education in geriatric emergency medicine. This training is aimed to help providers better understand and address the complex social and physical challenges of the geriatric patient.

In addition to receiving focused education, the hospital also needed to implement geriatric emergency care policies and guidelines, ensure geriatric patients received access to specific equipment and supplies, and even make accommodations to the emergency department’s physical environment.

According to Dr. Nathan Washburn, ER attending integrally involved in the accreditation process, “The process to achieve this designation was not an easy one; it required hard work and dedication by many, but ultimately we feel that it displays a commitment to elevating the level of care we provide to our geriatric patients.”

Sunscreen and Skin Cancer Prevention

Posted on July 2, 2019 by Jamaica Hospital Medical Center

Many of us enjoy soaking up the sun in the summer, however, it is important that we do so safely and with discretion to prevent skin cancer.

One of the best ways to protect our skin from the sun’s harmful rays is to wear sunscreen. Studies show that using sunscreen regularly reduces the incidence of melanoma (a form of skin cancer) by 50-73%.

Sunscreen works by preventing the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation from reaching the skin. Your sunscreen’s ability to prevent radiation from damaging your skin is measured by its SPF (Sun Protecting Factor). It is highly advised that you use sunscreens with an SPF of 15 or higher, as this offers better protection.

The Skin Cancer Foundation also recommends using a broad-spectrum sunscreen which offers protection against UVA and UVB radiation. Too much exposure from either type of radiation has been linked to skin cancer.

Additional recommendations for proper sunscreen use include:

Applying sunscreen approximately 30 minutes before sun exposure to ensure the product has enough time to properly bind to the skin
Applying sunscreen generously and regularly
Checking product instructions for how often sunscreen should be applied
Reapplying sunscreen after swimming or excessive sweating

It is important to keep in mind that protecting your skin from the sun does not only include wearing sunscreen. Remember to wear protective clothing or accessories such as broad-brimmed hats and long-sleeved shirts and limit the amount of time spent in the sun.

Jamaica Hospital’s Patient Navigation Department

Posted on June 28, 2019 by Jamaica Hospital Medical Center

The goal of the Patient Navigation department is to act as a liaison between the MediSys Health Care System and the patient. Navigators work with providers to assist patients with chronic conditions and identify barriers to care while helping patients overcome them. As Qualified Medical Interpreters, Navigators help to eliminate the language barrier and act as cultural brokers between patients and providers. Patient Navigators receive extensive training to be able to provide health education for patients with diabetes, hypertension, asthma, lactation concerns and looking to cease smoking.

The Navigators have spearheaded many community outreach efforts throughout our MediSys clinics like highlighting Asthma Care and treatment to our patients with a series of Asthma Day events. As well as making a presence at the Farmers Market during the 2018 and 2019 seasons and at Jamaica Hospital’s End of Year Health Fair & Employee Wellness Day, these served to inform the community about smoking cessation resources, including hospital and state initiatives to help persons quit smoking and meet their health goals.

In an effort to improve our patients’ health outcomes, the Patient Navigation department is tasked with contacting our patients to assist them in scheduling and completing essential services, among other things preventative screenings (Colon, Breast & Cervical Cancer screenings, HIV tests), specialty visits (Podiatry, Ophthalmology, Gynecology), assessments (Care of Older Adults, Asthma Action Plans) lab test and wellness check-ups.

Meet Dr. Sophia Jagroop

Posted on June 26, 2019 by Jamaica Hospital Medical Center

Jamaica Hospital would like to introduce Dr. Sophia Jagroop to the community.

Dr. Jagroop has been with Jamaica Hospital for two years and is the Director of Endoscopy.

In addition to performing many of the standard gastrointestinal procedures, such as endoscopies and colonoscopies, Dr. Jagroop’s training allows her to perform advanced endoscopic procedures.

These procedures include Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS), a minimally invasive procedure to assess the digestive tract and surrounding organs and Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), a procedure to examine the pancreatic and bile ducts.

Dr. Jagroop is very excited to be practicing medicine at Jamaica Hospital, as she is very familiar with the community. “I grew up in the community as my father is also a doctor and his office is in Richmond Hill. I understand and can relate to the healthcare needs of the community and I’m happy to be able to offer them these advanced services that patients would have otherwise need to travel out of Queens to receive.”

Dr. Jagroop treats patients at 134-20 Jamaica Avenue. To schedule an appointment, please call 718-206-8755.

Jamaica Hospital Offers Sleep Study Testing In the Comfort Of Your Home

Posted on June 21, 2019 by Jamaica Hospital Medical Center

It is estimated that 22 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea, with 80 percent of the cases of moderate and severe obstructive sleep apnea undiagnosed.

One of the reasons for this is the diagnosis process. Sleep studies are typically performed in a sleep lab, which requires an overnight stay. Spending a night outside the comforts of your own home and being observed by others while you sleep is enough reason for many individuals to skip having this potentially very dangerous condition diagnosed and treated.

To alleviate this concern, Jamaica Hospital now offers accurate home sleep studies to diagnose sleep apnea. To conduct a home sleep study, patients simply come to Jamaica Hospital’s Sleep Center and receive a portable, easy to use take-home sleep kit, which includes a monitor, leads, bands, pulse oximeter, and nasal cannula. Before taking the kit home, the staff at Jamaica Hospital’s Sleep Center provides a detailed orientation on how to use the device.

After conducting your sleep apnea diagnosis test in the comfort of your own home, you return the kit the next day. The information gathered from the home kit is downloadable and the results are available within days, as opposed to the long waiting time typically associated with sleep lab studies, which is a major benefit to those who need immediate results.

Another benefit of conducting a home sleep apnea test is appointment availability. While most lab-based sleep tests involve a long waiting period to get an appointment, take home sleep kits are usually readily available. According to Ruth Mompoint, Director of Jamaica Hospital’s Sleep Lab, “The demand for home sleep studies has been so strong, we recently had to order additional kits to meet the growing demand.”

If obstructive sleep apnea is diagnosed, further lab-based studies may be required to determine the correct course of treatment.

For more information about Jamaica Hospital’s home sleep studies, please call 718-206-5916.