Amma therapy, rooted in the principles of Asian medicine, is a form of deep tissue massage that stimulates specific body points to release blockages in the energy system, restoring balance to the body's natural "life energy," or chi. Participants learn techniques and basic points of energy that enhance their physical health and emotional well-being. Casual, comfortable clothing is suggested. This workshop is free and open only to current breast cancer patients and those who have had breast cancer. It is the first in the Paths to Wellness series offered by the Adelphi N.Y. Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline and Support program. Call 877-4325 to register or for information about other workshops. Pre-registration is required as space is limited.
Safe-sitter program
Mercy Medical Center's Department of Education and Development is sponsoring a safe-sitter babysitter education program for children between the ages of 11 and 13 who are interested in developing child-care skills. Important life-saving skills and information on handling emergency situations will also be taught. The class will take place Aug. 12 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The fee is $45 and spaces are limited. To register your child, call 705-1807.
Spa for the ladies
The Council of Leagues of Mercy Medical Center in Rockville Centre will sponsor and celebrate its 28th annual "Ladies Day of Sports and Spa" outing. The event will be held on Aug. 15 at the Hempstead Golf and Country Club. This year the ladies day will take on a new twist. The event will offer golf clinics, tennis and bowling, followed by an enjoyable evening program with dinner. Also being offered for the first time will be spa services provided by Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spas. For 28 years, the Council has held this event to raise funds for Mercy. The proceeds from this year's outing will support Mercy's Women's and Children's Outpatient Services. Experienced, caring and dedicated obstetricians, pediatricians and neonatologists and nurses specially trained in obstetrics and pediatrics, staff this service. Patients receive parental consultations, ultrasounds, fetal monitoring, aminocentesis and childbirth classes. This program provides assistance to those who are in need of healthcare coverage and support. For more information about this event, call Mercy's Medical Center's Development Department at 705-1021.
LIJ among NY best for angioplasty
A new state report shows that Long Island Jewish (LIJ) was one of only two hospitals in New York receiving a double-star ranking for angioplasty success rates from 2001-03, even though it routinely performs the procedure on high-risk patients. Angioplasty is a procedure that clear blocked heart arteries and increases blood flow. The New York State Department of Health recently released the latest three-year report, which reviews risk-adjusted angioplasty outcomes for 45 hospitals and more than 270 cardiologists performing the procedure. Double-star rankings are assigned to hospitals and physicians who have risk-adjusted survival rates that, from a statistical standpoint, are significantly better than the state average. The same report also showed that Dr. Barry Kaplan, director of cardiac catheterization at LIJ, was one of five physicians receiving a double star for New York state's lowest morality rate among cardiologists who perform angioplasty. Kaplan has now received a double-star ranking for each of the past four reporting periods. He is one of only two cardiologists in the state to receive this honor in every New York state report since 1998.Dr. Ezra Deutsch, director of the cardiac cath labs at Southside Hospital in Bay Shore, who performs the angioplasty procedure at both Southside and North Shore University Hospital, also received a double-star rating in the 2001-03 report.This is the second consecutive report demonstrating that LIJ had a statistically low-risk adjusted angioplasty mortality rate (0.42 percent), handling 4,390 cases during the that three-year period. During that same period, North Shore University Hospital was one of only two hospitals in New York state to receive a double star for emergency cases, including angioplasty, performed on patients while they are having a heart attack. In addition, North Shore had one of Long Island's lowest risk adjusted mortality rates for all angioplasty procedures. Included in the DOH report is the collective risk profiled of the angioplasty patients for each hospital and its physicians. "The DOH report revealed that LIJ performs procedures on the highest-risk patients - and still has one of the best success rates in the state," said Dr. Stanely Katz, vice president of cardiovascular services for the North Shore-LIJ Health system. LIJ is the only hospital in the state to perform a majority of angioplasty procedures using the radial approach, a technique in which the procedure is performed through the patient's wrist instead of the groin. The radial approach has been shown to reduce bleeding complications and allows for early ambulation after the procedure.
County recognized for excellence in health
Thomas Suozzi announced that four Nassau County programs have received national recognition. Three abstracts from the Department of Health and one abstract submitted jointly by the Department of Health and the Department of Senior Citizen Affairs were accepted for presentation at the American Public Health Association annual meeting in November 2005.The abstracts include an oral presentation, "Emergency Preparedness Planning and Older Adults: Lessons Learned from the 2004 Influenza Vaccine Shortage," and three poster presentations: "Integrating Emergency Preparedness: Strategies that Enhance Public Health Response," "Raccoon Rabies: A Public Health Response Utilizing Geographic Information System (GIS) Mapping," and "Timely and Rapid Distribution of a Scarce Resource in a Time of Crisis: The Response of a Large Suburban Local Health Unit to the 2004 Influenza Vaccine Shortage." "I congratulate the Department of Health and Senior Affairs,"Suozzi said, "for the leadership, innovation and responsiveness in addressing important and emerging regional health issues that seriously impact the health of the residents of Nassau County. These programs demonstrate how Nassau County and our community partners can effectively work together." The APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition is the olders and largest gathering of public health professionals in the world, attracting more than 13,000 national and international health specialists. The APHA meetings address current and emerging health science, policy, and practices issues in an effort to prevent disease and promote health.
