Mercy Medical Center given high marks by HealthGrades

Mercy is one of just 15 percent of the nearly 5,000 hospitals analyzed in the sixth annual "HealthGrades Hospital Quality in America Study" to receive the five-star rating. It is the third year in a row that the hospital has received the five-star score for knee replacement surgery and overall the rating places Mercy among the top 10 percent in the nation for joint surgery. "HealthGrades" developed the study and ratings information to help consumers understand the differences in care from different hospitals. The ratings are available free to consumers at www.Healthgrades.com. The hospital quality ratings are compiled annually using three years of the most currently available Medicare patient data licensed from the federal government's Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), part of the Department of Health and Human Services. A five-star rating indicates performance better than expected and among the best in the nation.

South Nassau gets grant

South Nassau Communities Hospital in Oceanside has been awarded $392,840 in state funds for an education and retraining program designed to ease work-force shortages in health care. The approved projects include training in hemodialysis for registered and licensed practical nurses; perioperative RN training; medical coder training; radiology technologist training; dietary planning training; and computer training. Completion of most projects will take one year.In conjunction with the Town of Hempstead Work-force Investment Board, South Nassau has participated in numerous work-force retraining initiatives, including the Nurse Aid Training for Incumbent Workers and the Hempstead Works Skills Shortages Phase II Initiative to Address Local Skills Shortages. The hospital was also awarded funding for a New York State Department of Labor grant for "Career Ladder Training for Billers." Nearly 30 South Nassau employees throughout the hospital enrolled in the course earlier this year.

Helping cope with cancer

Franklin Hospital Medical Center in Valley Stream will host a free program titled "Look Good...Feel Better" to teach women how to cope with the appearance-related side effects of cancer treatment, on Wednesday, Oct. 29, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Professional cosmetologists will teach special techniques to minimize the effects of skin changes and hair loss, including application of makeup, how to use turbans and scarves to the best advantage and appropriate choice in care of wigs. Complimentary cosmetic kits will be provided to each participant to use at home. The program is offered in partnership with the American Cancer Society, National Cosmetology Association and the Cosmetic Toiletry and Fragrance Association (CTFA) Foundation. The program will be offered bi-monthly.Seating is limited and reservations are required. For further information or to reserve a space for the program call (516) 256-6012.

South Nassau screenings

South Nassau Communities Hospital in Oceanside presents the following screenings and programs.

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Flu vaccination for seniors on Friday, Nov. 7, 2003 in the morning by appointment only. Registration is limited.

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A program titled "New Treatments For Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders" on Tuesday, Oct. 28 at 7:30 p.m. in the Albert Conference Room, with Patricia Tan, MD, physiatrist, as the speaker.

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A program titled "Weight Loss Made Easier" on Wednesday, Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. in the Albert Conference Room, with Diane Barilli, who is the director of South Nassau's weight management program, as the speaker.

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A program titled "Modern Radio Therapeutic Approaches to the Management of Prostate Cancer" on Thursday, Nov. 6 at 7:30 p.m. in Conference Room #2, with Edward Mullen, MD, the director of radiation oncology, as the speaker.

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A program titled "Breakthroughs in Pain Management" on Thursday, Nov. 20 at 1:15 p.m. in the Albert Conference Room. Neal Kirschen, MD, will be the speaker. For further information on all the screenings and programs one may call (516) 377-5333.

North Shore-LIJ forms alliance for early childhood

As a way of strengthening early intervention and preschool services for infants and children with developmental disabilities in Nassau County and Queens, a strategic alliance has been formed between the Nassau County Chapter of the Association for the Help of Retarded Children (AHRC) and the North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System. A first step in the new partnership was North Shore-LIJ transferring oversight of the LIJ Early Childhood Development Program, at 1983 Marcus Avenue in Lake Success, to AHRC, which created a new tax-exempt organization called the "Marcus Avenue Early Childhood Development Program, Inc." Even though the program will be run by AHRC as a subsidiary corporation, it will continue to be affiliated with the North-Shore-LIJ Health System. The Marcus Avenue Early Childhood Development Program offers clinical, educational and therapeutic and support services for infants and children up to the age of five with developmental disabilities, as well as daycare services for all children up to age five regardless if they have a disability.With the addition of the 300 children enrolled at the Marcus Avenue site, AHRC now serves more than 800 pre-school and school-age children with developmental disabilities. With an education budget of $20 million, AHRC is Long Island's largest program for children with disabilities.