News from the University Hospital at Downstate
April / May 2025

A Message from Patricia A. Winston, DNP, MS, RN, NEA-BC, FACHE 
Interim CEO of University Hospital at Downstate

Winners From the Patient Safety and Quality Fair!

On Tuesday, March 18, nearly 40 teams presented projects aimed at improving patient safety and enhancing the quality of care at Downstate.

Congratulations to the winning teams listed below!

Thank you to all who participated. Your efforts and enthusiasm are essential to advancing high quality patient-centered care and maintaining a transformative culture of patient safety. 

2025 Patient Safety and Quality Fair Winners

Improving Organizational Health Literacy in Pediatric Clinic

Presenter: Cynthia Lugol-Iglesias, M.D.

Analyzing the Prescriptions and Disease Burden of the Patients Seen at the Anne Kastor Brooklyn Free Clinic

Presenters: Emma Schulz and Kevin Quirk

Blue Bracelet Program: Raising Awareness and Improving Detection and Treatment of Pre-Eclampsia

Presenters: Sheila Hyppolite-Francis, RN, MSN-WHNP-S, and Theresa Uva, MS

Reducing Hospital Acquired Clostridium difficile Infection (CDI) by Implementing a C. diff Stewardship Program

Presenter: Anisa Davis, MSN, RN

Improving Timely Submission of MRI "Safety Sheet" for Inpatients

Presenters: Jeannie Bonvino, BS, MS, RDMS, Dwain Brown, LSSGB, and Cavelle Pierre, LSSGB

Our Youth-Led Emergency Preparedness Education Day

On April 14, SUNY Downstate hosted a Youth-Led Emergency Preparedness Education Day as part of our ongoing collaboration with the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) and efforts to strengthen community engagement.  

The event brought more than 50 middle and high school students to campus for hands-on training sessions that included:

• Active Violence Emergency Response Training featuring Stop the Bleed techniques, situational awareness, and effective response strategies.
• Emergency Planning Workshops, held in collaboration with NYC Emergency Management (NYCEM), in which students learned how to assemble an emergency to-go bag and create basic response plans for their homes.

This innovative, youth-led initiative empowers young people to take active roles in crisis preparedness and response. With support from University Police, Government Affairs, and Volunteer Services, the program reflected Downstate’s leadership in advancing community resilience across Brooklyn and New York City.

Youth involvement in emergency preparedness is critical. When young individuals are equipped with practical emergency skills, they help raise preparedness levels in schools, families, and neighborhoods—leading to quicker, more coordinated responses in times of crisis.

UHD Acknowledges