News from the University Hospital at Downstate
February 2022

A Message from David H. Berger, MD, MHCM, FACS, CEO of University Hospital at Downstate

"Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?’"  Martin Luther King, Jr

As the Omicron wave continues to wane I want to thank all the members of the staff and faculty of University Hospital at Downstate for your commitment to caring for our patients and for each other. It has been a challenge to continue the hard work and long hours when there doesn't seem to be an end in sight. We can report some good news from our experience with Omicron. It is clear that vaccines protected our staff and our patients from severe illness, mechanical ventilation, and death. The overwhelming majority of patients admitted with severe COVID during the Omicron wave were not vaccinated or were only partially vaccinated. This is good news when you take into account that all our staff, faculty, and trainees are vaccinated and 75% of New Yorkers are vaccinated.  We have seen that immunity from vaccines does decrease over time.  This is why we will be making boosters mandatory for all faculty and staff. Please make sure to get your booster in a timely manner. We will continue to move forward.

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” Martin Luther King, Jr

Introducing the Grand Opening of our New Outpatient Pharmacy

Downstate is proud to announce the grand opening of the SUNY Outpatient Pharmacy, our first onsite outpatient pharmacy.

The SUNY Outpatient Pharmacy will foster increased communication between prescribers, pharmacy staff, and patients.

Services include:

• Personalized patient and family education on medications and management;
• Medication therapy management services;
• Immunization services;
• Patient follow-up after discharge for any medication-related questions or concerns; and
• Employee discount perks.

Run by our very own Department of Pharmacy, the new outpatient pharmacy also provides clinical and operational pharmacy services to inpatients at Downstate. Its dedicated team of professionals collaborates closely with physicians, nurses, hospital administrators, and other healthcare professionals to ensure the safe and effective use of medications.

The pharmacy is conveniently located right outside of Outpatient Services in the hospital, at 470A Clarkson Avenue.

Discounts are available to staff and students at Downstate, so click here or call 718-270-MEDS (6337) for more information.

Toy Giveaway Event for Our Pediatric Patients

Last month, on January 14, the Department of Pediatrics held its annual toy giveaway for the pediatric Hematology and Oncology patients of Suite N. This heartwarming initiative is named for one of our benefactors, Dr. Madu Rao, who sadly passed away last year.

Darell Banks, Staff Assistant and Associate Program Coordinator, Dr. Stephen Wadowski, Chair, Dr. Yaoping Zhang, Director of the Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Division, Lezlie Woods, Nursing (Suite N), Phara Medy, Nursing (Suite N), and Masonic Lodge - St. James #114 helped organize and sponsor the event.

This amazing group gathered many safe toys for our Suite N pediatric patients to receive and enjoy. Please see a few pictures below from this wonderful event, which was held at our hospital entrance on Lenox Road.

Congresswoman Clarke Honors David A. Charles and Our Hospital

Congresswoman Yvette Clarke held a “Healthcare Heroes Appreciation” event on Tuesday, January 25, and honored our very own David A. Charles, the Interim Director of Environmental Services. This virtual event was held to highlight frontline healthcare workers and hospitals in Congresswoman Clarke’s district for all the extraordinary efforts and accomplishments in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the event, Congresswoman Clarke presented two awards –

(1) David A. Charles received an appreciation award for his and the Department of Environmental Services’ tireless work during the pandemic

and

(2) An award to UHD for our efforts during this pandemic.

Three cheers to Mr. Charles, his team, and everyone at the hospital for their incredible efforts and being recognized by our elected officials.

Employee of the Month for January – Troy Cort

Troy Cort, RN, has been a Staff Nurse at University Hospital at Downstate since 2006 and currently works in the Neuro/Stroke Stepdown unit, providing care to patients with various neurological ailments, including thrombotic and hemorrhagic strokes, seizures, and different spinal surgery therapies.

Mr. Cort is known for his remarkable bedside manner, as well as for an inspiring professionalism. No matter how complicated the situation, he treats his patients and co-workers with the utmost respect and dignity.

"When I reflect on my time spent as a nurse,” Mr. Cort says, “I am grateful for the many opportunities I have had to make a difference in patients' lives."

Mr. Cort strives to help everyone no matter what role they play in our hospital. His infectious smile has the ability to calm even the most anxious patient, and he is passionate about educating patients and their families and giving support to help them with the challenges of their diagnosis.

"I want to be able to provide my patients with the tools they need to take care of themselves and live a healthy life," he says.

Thank you, Mr. Cort! You are an extraordinary nurse who has gone above and beyond to give care at Downstate.