Good Samaritan Hospital in the News

Here's how Good Samaritan Hospital made news this past week:

-  Good Samaritan Hospital was recently awarded $10,000 donation from the New York Community Bank Foundation for their pediatric services (pictured). 

- SterilMed Inc., a Minnesota-based health care cost containment company, recognized Good Sam as a top performer for reducing medical waste sent to landfills. 

The hospital said they are only one of two facilities in New York State to receive the Best Practice for Environmental Excellence award and are among the top 100 hospitals recognized nationwide. 

According to hospital officials, the American Hospital Association and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency called for health care facilities to reduce medical waste.  Due to its reprocessing efforts over the past year, Good Samaritan has diverted nearly 54,000 devices from landfills, resulting in a reduction of more than 20,000 pounds of waste. 

"The implementation of maximizing the life of single-use medical devices, surgical instruments, power tools, endoscopes and video equipment is a critical step in decreasing medical waste, thus saving the environment," Kathleen March, RN, director of perioperative services at Good Samaritan Hospital said in a statement.  "This allows health care facilities to free up critical financial resources through better device and equipment utilization, while maintaining the highest levels of patient safety." 

- Good Sam's Cardiac Rehabilitation Program has achieved certification from the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation, according to hospital officials. 

The hospital said they were the first community hospital in Suffolk County to perform primary angioplasty to swiftly open blocked arteries during a heart attack and was the first in the county to offer the combination of primary elective angioplasty and a cardiac rehabilitation program.  

According to Good Sam, the certification is based on the achievement of high practice standards, including the caliber of work being performed, as well as staff efficiency, quality assurance programs and adequacy of space. 

Upcoming lectures:

Caregivers Support Group: Wednesday, Nov. 17, 11 a.m.- 12:30 p.m.

Coping With the Holidays Afer a Loss: Thursday, Nov. 18, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

What's New in Diabetes Medication: Thursday, Nov. 18, 7 p.m.