News from the University Hospital at Downstate
June 2024

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

I wanted to start by highlighting some recent changes and promotions at the hospital. We have promoted several of our outstanding team members at Downstate Health. Please join me in congratulating our recently promoted leaders:

Mohamed Rami Nakeshbandi, M.D., MHA, FACP, Chief Medical Officer

Adeola O. Dabiri, MSc, MPA, CPHQ, AVP for Regulatory Affairs

Kijana Corbin, MBA, AVP of Hospital Facilities

Congratulations to Rami, Adeola, and Kijana! We look forward to your continued leadership and success.

On a different topic, I encourage everyone to take some time off during the summer months. Reconnect with family and friends, enjoy the outdoors, and make the most of the summer.  Let us enjoy the summer and take time to relax and unwind.

Yours sincerely, and with gratitude for your continued dedication and support.

Celebrating Our Team at Downstate Health

Last month, we celebrated National Hospital Week and National Nurses Week in grand style and showed appreciation for everyone at the hospital and our clinical sites.

This year’s theme for Nurses Week, ‘Nurses Light Up the Sky,’ highlighted our gratitude. Special thanks to the Nurses Week Committee, Reverend Sharon Walker, and the Department of Pastoral and Spiritual Care for their efforts to make the week memorable. Events included Nurses-at-Play, Work-Life Balance, and a Tea for the Soul “Par-Tea”, along with the traditional Blessing-of-the-Hands. 

We would also like to thank everyone who helped organize the Casino-themed Hospital Week events, which contributed to the fun and helped create a memorable celebration.

Finally, thank you to every department, every team member, every nurse, and everyone who makes it possible for us to give patients the best patient care and experience. Your service, commitment, and dedication make Downstate unique. 

Please enjoy the pictures from our events and celebrations during National Hospital Week and National Nurses Week:

National Hospital Week

National Nurses Week

Our Partnership with Hospice of New York 

As part of our ongoing commitment to community care, UHD has expanded its services to include acute hospice care through a collaborative partnership with Hospice of New York (HONY). This partnership ensures that patients facing life-limiting illnesses receive optimal care, accessible either at home or within our hospital.

This innovative partnership allows patients requiring General Inpatient Level hospice care to receive seamless services on our premises. HONY provides specialized care directly to patients and their families, eliminating logistical barriers and enabling immediate access to comprehensive hospice services, including holistic family support.

Our initiative enhances pain management and symptom relief for patients, whether they are at home, in a long-term care facility, or within the hospital. It aims to deliver comprehensive, short-term acute care to hospice patients, ensuring they receive tailored benefits regardless of their location in the hospital.

This program facilitates a smooth transition for patients moving from acute care hospitals or nursing homes, providing continuous management to maximize comfort before shifting to home-based care. It also offers intensive care temporarily for patients needing more support than can be provided at home. For those who may pass away in the hospital, this initiative allows them to spend their final moments in a private room, surrounded by loved ones, under specialized care.

Distinctive Downstate Elements:

• The hospice care team travels to the patient's location, preventing the need for patient transfers.
• All Downstate staff, across all departments, receive specialized training in end-of-life care, underscoring our commitment to providing dignified and comfortable care as a core part of our culture.
• HONY conducts monthly training sessions and collaborates on services, supplemented by regular quality and leadership meetings.
• The COMFORT Cart enhances bedside care, offering music, bottled water, aromatherapy, flameless candles, and other sensory-soothing amenities.

Criteria for Eligibility:

• Active treatment is required for pain or other symptom management.
• Continuous close monitoring is necessary for unstable or recurring medical conditions.
• Ongoing symptom management is needed during transitions from acute care to home or long-term care.
• Home care is not feasible, and life expectancy is limited.
• Patient must be enrolled with HONY.

For more information on our new services provided by HONY at the hospital, please call 718-472-1999.

Spotlight on Sophia Bellegarde, M.D., MBA, MLS(ASCP)CM

Sophia Bellegarde's story is one of remarkable determination and achievement. Born in Haiti, she moved to the United States as a young girl and has since excelled in the fields of medicine and science.

Sophia's academic journey began in Miami, Florida, where she graduated as valedictorian from William H. Turner Technical Arts High School in 2010. Her pursuit of excellence led her to St. Joseph’s University in New York, where she earned dual degrees in Biology and Medical Laboratory Science, and later, an MBA in Health Administration.

Sophia joined our team at Downstate in 2014 and has recently worked as a Clinical Laboratory Scientist in Laboratory Services. She has also held positions at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, NYP Methodist Med-Tech, and NYHHC’s Coney Island/South Brooklyn.

In 2020, she enrolled in the American University of Antigua College of Medicine. In July, she will begin a residency in pathology at Harvard/Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

We celebrate Dr. Bellegarde’s journey from immigrant to physician and educator. We are proud of her accomplishments and confident that she will continue to excel in her new role. Congratulations, Dr. Bellegarde, on your well-deserved success!