March is... National Nutrition Month Social Work Month Women’s History Month
LINCOLN MARCH 2024
Employee Spotlight Judy-Catherine Valite Health Informaticits Please join Dr. Ann Williams, Chief Health Informatics Officer in welcoming Judy Catherine Valite, as Health lnformaticist. Judy has been with New York Health + Hospital/Lincoln since 2012. Her journey began in bedside nursing, where she gained valuable experience in various clinical settings, including Labor & Delivery and Ambulatory Surgery Subspecialty. In her role as Health lnformaticist, she collaborates with interdisciplinary teams to implement and optimize electronic health records, streamline clinical workflows and improve clinical outcomes. Judy possesses a strong understanding of Epic, data analytics, and evidence-based practice, allowing her to drive informed decision-making quality improvement initiatives. Congratulations Judy and welcome to Health Informatics.
LINCOLN MARCH 2024
LINCOLN MARCH 2024
N YC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln unveiled a new mural as part of the Community Mural Project run by the health system’s Arts in Medicine department. The mural, Legacy at NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln, was developed by artist Dister Rondon through a series of focus groups with community members, staff and patients and brought to life at a paint party where the community was invited to paint the mural together. Legacy is one of nine new murals that have been created in the past year, building on the 26 murals created in the first wave of the Community Mural Project, which are featured in a new book, Healing Walls: New York City Health + Hospitals Community Mural Project 2019-2021. A video of the artist and members of the community speaking about the mural is available here. This program is made possible through the generous support of the Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund. Legacy depicts the Young Lords’ takeover of Lincoln Hospital in 1970 as a pivotal moment in the fight for improved healthcare and patient advocacy. Through their activism–alongside residents of the neighborhood–they not only challenged the deplorable health conditions for patients and staff, but also confronted racial and class inequalities embedded within the healthcare system. Holding a megaphone is Felipe Luciano, a key figure in the Young Lords movement, along with protesters Iris Morales
and Denise Oliver-Velez, raising their fists and embodying the spirit of activism and resilience as they unite in the fight for social justice and equality. On the right side of the mural, a tender depiction of a woman cradling her baby adds depth to the narrative. Her arm bears a tattoo of roses, representing beauty and strength amidst adversity. These elements contrast with the vibrant roses in red, pink, and violet hues located in the bottom left corner, highlighting the interconnectedness of struggle and hope within the community. “So being at the focus groups is one thing where many ideas come out, but now it comes to fruition, and we get to paint it, you see the fruits of your labor,” said Chris Roker, CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln. “It’s a beautiful thing. It’s almost like us taking care of our patients. They’re coming in sick and we’re able to help them. Same thing with surgery, primary care and our specialties. I love it. We’re doing art, and Arts in Medicine brings everybody together, our community, my staff.
LINCOLN MARCH 2024
It helps to release stress. And then they get to see the CEO painting with an Environmental Services worker. It just brings everybody together.” “This mural stands as a tribute and ode to The Young Lords and their movement — a testament to the collective strength of people united against the illusion of a sustainable capitalist system,” said artist Dister Rondon. “While our journey continues, The Young Lords reshaped healthcare, not because of America, but despite it.”
LINCOLN MARCH 2024 MAYOR ADAMS COMPLETES CITYWIDE EXPANSION OF LIFESTYLE MEDICINE PROGRAM, NEW SITE LAUNCHES AT NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS/LINCOLN N ew York City Mayor Eric Adams and NYC Health + Hospitals announced its nationally recognized Lifestyle Medicine chronic conditions, such as Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. The Lifestyle Medicine Program’s team supports
Program has launched a new location at NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln, marking the first time the program is available in the South Bronx. The pilot program launched at Bellevue in 2019 with the support of then-Brooklyn Borough President Adams has already served hundreds of patients. Together, the program’s seven sites will serve approximately 4,000 patients each year, providing them with tools and support to prevent and manage common
patients in making evidence-based lifestyle changes, including a healthful plant-based diet, increased physical activity, improved sleep habits, stress reduction, avoidance of substance use, and stronger social connections. Adults living with prediabetes, Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, or health concerns related to excess weight are eligible to enroll.
LINCOLN MARCH 2024
“Today, we are again sending a clear message that New York City will not stand by and keep feeding the chronic disease crisis,” said Mayor Adams. “This is personal for me: I have seen up close how chronic disease can hijack your life. My mother reversed her Type 2 diabetes thanks in part to a plant-based diet and lifestyle changes, and a plant-based lifestyle helped save my life. Pill boxes, prescriptions, injections, and endless appointments should not define the lives of New Yorkers. Now, families in the South Bronx, and across New York City, will have access to the care they need. New York City is leading the nation by expanding these lifestyle medicine programs, and, together, we are building a healthier, more prosperous future for all.” “I am thrilled to celebrate the launch of the Lifestyle Medicine Program at NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln,” said Michelle McMacken, MD, FACP, DipABLM, executive director of nutrition and lifestyle medicine, NYC Health + Hospitals. “Healthy lifestyle behaviors are foundational to preventing and treating common chronic conditions, such as Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. The Lifestyle Medicine Program’s talented interdisciplinary team will provide patients with the guidance they need to adopt healthier habits, while also helping to address food insecurity and other key barriers to lifestyle changes. Kudos to NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln for offering this invaluable resource to patients and the community.” “The launch of the Lifestyle Medicine Program is an outstanding
development in NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln’s capacity building to engage our patients and community to continue to improve our health outcomes,” said Akinola Fisher, MD, chief of ambulatory care, NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln. “Healthy lifestyle behaviors with regards to what we eat, especially if we adopt plant-based nutrition, the activity we engage in, and improved sleep, go a long way to preventing and improving control of blood pressure, diabetes, and other chronic diseases. The multidisciplinary team of the Lifestyle Medicine Program, collaborating with our patients and community partners, will help guide and coach adoption of healthy behaviors to continue to improve our chronic illness control and overall health outcomes.” “The underlying causes of most of the chronic medical conditions that our patients, families, and at times ourselves face like hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and fatty liver disease are due to risk factors that can be modified with lifestyle changes such as healthy eating habits, regular physical activity, restorative sleep, stress management, avoidance of risky substances, and positive social connections,” said Carmen Oviedo Hilario, MD, medical director, Lifestyle Medicine Program, NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln. “These behavior modifications are the foundation of the Lifestyle Medicine practice. Recognizing the impact of lifestyle habits in our health and adopting these healthy behaviors have proven to be effective in the prevention, management and at times remission of chronic diseases. Our goal with the implementation of this program in our hospital is that we get to motivate, empower, and support our patients and their families to adopt and maintain behaviors that will
LINCOLN MARCH 2024 improve their health and quality of life and lead them to happier, healthier, and more fulfilling lives.” The Lifestyle Medicine Program at Lincoln can accommodate 48 new patients each month, and the care team includes physicians, a nurse practitioner, a dietitian, a health coach, a program coordinator, a psychologist, community health workers, and an exercise trainer. Current patients of NYC Health + Hospitals can get a referral to the program from their provider, and people who are not yet patients of NYC Health + Hospitals can see if they qualify to enroll in the program by contacting 347-507-3695. The nine-month lifestyle medicine program provides every patient with the following resources: • Six to nine one-on-one counseling sessions: Patients will have two to three visits each with a physician, nurse practitioner or certified nurse midwife, a dietitian, and a health coach to develop and implement a personalized care plan. • 14 weekly group classes: Topics will include reading nutrition labels, grocery shopping, meal planning and preparation, and sleep and stress management techniques. • Eight weekly exercise classes: Patients will work with an exercise trainer and take home a resistance band for strength training. • Six free, monthly deliveries of seasonal fresh produce: Patients will work with dietitians to learn about incorporating fruits and vegetables into their diet across culinary traditions and skill levels. Delicious and healthy recipes developed by the team’s dietitians will accompany each produce box. This offering will launch in early 2024. Health Bucks: Patients will have access to Health Bucks, $2 coupons that can be used to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at New York City farmers’ markets. Five of the seven program
sites have farmers’ markets on their campus. • Culinary skills videos: Patients can learn new culinary skills through short videos developed by NYC Health + Hospitals, in partnership with an online culinary school Rouxbe. The videos will feature healthy cooking across various culinary traditions, including Caribbean, South American, Central American, and South Asian, and will be translated into Spanish, Mandarin, Bengali, and Haitian Creole. This offering will launch in summer 2024. • A plant-based cookbook: Cookbooks on plant-based eating for Type 2 diabetes will be available. • Support accessing benefits: Community health workers and food navigator referrals will help eligible patients access Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits and nutrition resources. Each site will partner with local community- based organizations to explore ways to support community members as they improve their nutrition, as well as make other lifestyle changes. The Lifestyle Medicine Program at NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln will collaborate with the Mott Haven Community Partnership. “Mott Haven is the poorest congressional district in the country, and many families struggle to eat healthy because they cannot afford fresh vegetables,” said Nahomy Vasquez, community outreach specialist; and host, ‘Coffee with Mott Haven,’ Mott Haven Community Partnership (MHCP). “We have high hopes for the Bronx and our families. MHCP’s dedication to addressing food insecurity, improving the lives of Mott Haven families, and making resources available to residents is why partnering with lifestyle medicine is crucial to our mission. Both organizations focus on preventive measures, and this collaboration will help us directly impact the health journey of these families. We believe in our partnership with residents, and our commitment to them is to help them be informed so they can make
LINCOLN MARCH 2024
better decisions for themselves and their families. Knowing that we can count on the lifestyle medicine partnership to deliver on our promise to families makes me happy and excited for the opportunity to begin this journey together.” Particular attention has been placed on ensuring that the program is relevant for patients from
diverse backgrounds and experiences. For example, the Spanish-language curriculum reflects cultural adaptations, not simply a translation of the English-language version, and individual visits with the medical providers, dietitians, and health coaches allow for tailored behavior change recommendations based on each patient’s social, financial, cultural, and family context.
LINCOLN MARCH 2024
Lincoln hosted a baby shower for our expecting patients and their fami- lies. The room was full to capicity and 85 pregnant mothers attended with their families. All gifts were raffled and parents were invited to tour our birthing center. The event was held in partnership with Bronx Healthy Start Partnership, Nurse Family Partnership and MetroP- lus Health.
LINCOLN MARCH 2024
Councilman Rafael Salamanca , Jr . Check Presentation LINCOLN MARCH 2024
C ouncilman Salamanca, Jr. was proud to join leadership and staff for a check presentation of $3 million to upgrade our sterilization equipment. As a former healthcare worker Councilman Salamanca said he will always invest in healthcare facilities and the people who work in them. To date, his office has allocated $40,241,000 in capital funds in District 17, of which $10,469,000 was distributed to Lincoln Hospital
LINCOLN MARCH 2024
The Dermatology Department at NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln is excited to announce the recent acquisition of a new, cutting- edge multi-headed microscope.
LINCOLN MARCH 2024
This state-of-the-art equipment underscores our commitment to excellence in patient care and resident education. With its advanced features, the microscope serves as an optimal tool for ensuring a robust clinical-pathologic correlation for all biopsies performed in the dermatology department. Accurate diagnosis of neoplastic and inflammatory skin disease relies heavily on correlation between clinical and pathologic findings. The multi- headed functionality of the new microscope facilitates seamless
collaboration between our dermatologists and dermatopathologist. Dr. Maira Fonseca, Chair of the Department of Dermatology, shared her thoughts on this recent acquisition: “Lincoln’s investment in this state-of-the-art equipment empowers our dermatologists to collaboratively analyze skin biopsy specimens with our dermatopathologist, Dr. Adnan Mir. This real-time discussion of the patient’s clinical presentation and pathology findings allows us to give patients accurate diagnoses, which ultimately have a profound impact on patient care.” The multi-headed microscope also serves as an invaluable tool for teaching dermatopathology
to the Weill Cornell dermatology residents who rotate at NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln. Its multi-user capability and high-resolution imaging enable residents to view their own biopsies, actively participate in case discussions, gain hands-on experience, and deepen their understanding of dermatopathology. This collaborative approach fosters a culture of knowledge sharing and continuous learning within our department. By leveraging the best technology available in dermatopathology, we aim to enhance diagnostic accuracy, improve patient outcomes and satisfaction, and ensure an optimal learning environment for our resident physicians.
PATIENT SAFETY AWARENESS WEEK
DOCTORS DAY Each year on March 30th, National Doctors’ Day the skill, dedication and commitment of physicians are recognized. Every day of the year, we witness these characteristics in our Lincoln Hospital physicians.
Our physicians treat emergent, life-threatening needs, help our patients to receive routine care they need to stay well and address health issues. They provide their utmost commitment to patients while sometimes risking their own health and safety. In doing all these things, our physicians are making entire communities healthier now and for years to come. Doctors’ Day provides us with another opportunity to pause and express our gratitude — we hope you will join us in thanking our doctors today and making a practice of doing this year-round.
~Dr. Amer
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