TBHC Times - June 2024

times TBHC

President’s Message: OUR ANNUAL LEGISLATIVE BREAKFAST

Gary G. Terrinoni

We invited local, state and federal elected officials and their representatives to join us at our annual Legislative Breakfast, held at the hospital on April 24. I was pleased to see that many community leaders along with State Senator Jabari Brisport, State Assembly Members Jo Ann Simon and Phara Souffrant Forrest, and Council Member Crystal Hudson, joined to hear and participate.

We were all fascinated to hear the keynote presentation, “Understanding and Reversing Racial Disparities in Maternity Care,” from Erroll I. Byer, Jr., MD, our Chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Dr. Byer told us this startling statistic: Black women are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than are white women.

Dr. Beyer pointed to poor access to healthcare, underlying chronic conditions, structural racism and implicit bias as major contributors to the startling statistics. He also explained that women of color are less likely than are white women to have access to quality maternal healthcare. Black women also have the highest uninsured rates among all women, are more likely to have chronic health conditions that are risk factors for maternal death, and are less likely to get care for disease prevention and management.

Important to note: TBHC beats these terrible statistics. We have excellent and above-the-national averages for maternal safety, thanks to Dr. Byer’s leadership. At TBHC, physicians and residents are taught to step up their communication, address implicit bias, and perform enhanced reviews, among other steps to avoid the dire numbers.

We always look forward to opportunities to collectively learn and discuss such important healthcare issues that affect our community. The Legislative Breakfast was a wonderful example of just that.

Erroll I. Byer, Jr., MD, TBHC’s Chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology

From left to right: State Senator Jabari Brisport; State Assembly Member Jo Ann Simon; State Assembly Member Phara Souffrant Forrest; and Council Member Crystal Hudson

Nurses Week 2024!

On May 6 through 12, we celebrated our hard-working nurses during National Nurses Week. The week included, among other things:

• A Blessing of the Hands by Chaplain Father Francis Obu-Mends.

• Daily access to a Recharge and Relaxation Room, meditation sessions, snacks, gifts and raffle giveaways.

• Several sponsored meals including from Municipal Credit Union, NYSNA, Abbott, Laz Parking, Grand Canyon University, St. Francis College, Raising Cane’s and Healthstream.

• A Nurse Executive Exam prep review session led by ED Nurse Manager Robert Davis.

• A Wellness for Healthcare workers session led by Senior Director of Nursing Michael Scicchitano.

• Schwartz Rounds on “Finding Meaning in Our Work: What it Means to be a TBHC Nurse, Transformative Experiences in Nursing.”

• A CUNY SPS Stroke Presentation by Kimberly Perez on “Get With the Guidelines Stroke 2024.”

• A Sigma Theta Thau International Education Webinar by Dr. Eugene Zamperion on “Testosterone and Men’s Health Using Herbs and Nutrition for Andropause.”

• An LIU Educational Breakfast on “The Impact of Covid 19 Pandemic in Nurses’ Mental Health” by Dr. Christina Wong and Dr. Yolima Vergara, followed by “Professional Generosity” by Dr. Julie Elting and Dr. Carol Martin.

• Nursing Leadership Luncheon, where several yearly awards were given (see below).

• The Nurses Expo and Nurses Spa.

Here are some fun snaps from the festive and informative week:

The Whitney Anne Buckholz Excellence in Nursing Award is named in honor of Board Chair Lizanne Fontaine’s late daughter. Shown here are this year’s winners, both with Ms. Fontaine: 1) Joan Grant, RN, Emergency Department nurse, and 2) Hakeem Salaam, RN, Critical Care nurse. 3) Krystana Browne, PCA, winner of the Razia Begum PCA/ MOA of the Year Award winner, with Dr. Shafiqur Rahman.

4) Friend of Nursing Award winner Raymond Sanchez, Valet, with LAZ Parking, with Kevin Skeete, Director of LAZ Parking. 5) Spirit week included some superheroes, 6) “Decades Day,” and 7 ) red shoes to signify that we’re on the road to Magnet! Sponsored meals included 8) a breakfast thanks to Grand Canyon and 9) lunch thanks to NYSNA, among many others. 10) Snacks were enjoyed, as was 11) ample time to relax and meditate.

Rounds

This spring has been a busy one in the community! TBHC has been out and about at so many events, including:

1) Flatbush YMCA’s Health Fair on April 20. Wendy Jacques and Nigeria Gordon, both from PATH.

2) Community Constituent Services Resource Fair at Boys and Girls High School, hosted by Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, State Senator Zellnor Myrie, Assemblywoman Stefani Zinerman and Councilmember Chi Osse, on April 27. Sakibeh Mustafa, Community Liaison; Senator Myrie; Henry Kimball, MD, Internal Medicine Resident; and Dady Joseph, PCA.

3) Community Board #2 Health Fair in Fort Greene Park on May 4. Panel discussion with Dr. Natasha Fievre and midwife Yvette Byer-Henry, CNM. Shown here a) Brandon Adrian, DPM, Chief Resident, Podiatry, and b) Ricardo Boyce, DDS, Vice Chair, General Dentistry, and his residents. 4) Medgar Evers College Spring Fest & Graduates BBQ held on May 8. 5) The Mount Ararat Annual Brownsville Job Fair held on May 13 and hosted by Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, and Councilmembers Darlene Mealy and Latrice Walker. Shown here: Yvette Denny, HR; Ms. Mustafa; Congressman Jeffries; and Nalonee

Rodriguez, HR. 6) A health fair at the Brooklyn Adult Learning Center on May 16. To the far left, Ms. Joseph and medical student Marwin Anandra performing two of the 126 blood pressure screenings given that day!

7 ) Audrey Lasenberg, Children’s Health Center, at the NYC Children’s Center’s health fair held on May 16.

8) Haitian American Cultural Flag Day hosted by HealthFirst on May 17. Ms. Joseph and medical students Hasan Khan and Anthony La.

Only You Can Make Them Stay!

You may have spotted the kick-off of the hospital’s new campaign, “Only You Can Make Them Stay.” Shown here, is the first of several eblasts you can expect to see throughout the summer, reminding us all how we can make TBHC the choice for patients and their families not just for one time, but for all their continuing healthcare needs.