ALBANY MED

TODAYKNOWN FOR OUR EXPERTISE. CHOSEN FOR OUR CARE.

Trustco Bank Makes Half-Million-Dollar Gift to Albany Med Trustco Bank has made a gift of $500,000 to support several important initiatives at Albany Med, including $350,000 dedicated to The Massry Family Children’s Emergency Center.

The generous gift, which also includes commitments to the Fund for Albany Med and its signature events, helped the Medical Center reach the $16.4 million mark toward its fundraising goal of $20 million for the Massry Family Children’s Emergency Center, which, when it opens this summer, will be

the only pediatric emergency department in northeastern New York and western New England. It is the largest expansion project currently underway at Albany Med. The total cost of the project is $50 million.

Robert J. McCormick, president and CEO of Trustco Bank said, “We are truly lucky to have an institution like Albany Med in our community. The pediatric emergency center is a great example of how Albany Med stays on the forefront of medicine and how they

continuously work to make the Capital Region a better place to live. The services they provide are tremendous.”

Over the years, Trustco, the Schenectady-based bank, has magnanimously supported Albany Med through donations to the Patient Pavilion, which opened in 2013, as well as renovation and expansion of the Emergency Department and the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. The bank’s giving now stands at more than $1 million.

“Trustco’s generous support of Albany Med underscores its commitment to the community and to the health of the thousands and thousands of children and adults across our region who look to Albany Med to provide the best possible health care,” said Albany Med President and CEO Jim Barba. “Over the years Trustco has supported numerous initiatives that have allowed us to improve and expand patient care and to prepare for the future. Once again, they have shared our vision, and we are very grateful for their strong support.”

To learn more about The Massry Family Children’s Emergency Center, please visit: www.amc.edu/PedsED.

A Matter of Degrees in SaratogaAlbany Medical College awarded 225 degrees at its May commencement ceremonies at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. Graduates received medical degrees, Masters of Science in nurse anesthesiology and physician assistant studies, and master’s and doctoral degrees in the biomedical sciences and bioethics.

Feng Zhang, PhD, an investigator at the McGovern Institute for Brain Research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, delivered the keynote address. Dr. Zhang was part of a small team of scientists whose pioneering work on the genome editing tool CRISPR has been called the “discovery of the century.” He was one of the recipients of the 2017 Albany Medical Center Prize in Medicine and Biomedical Research.

In a new twist on the traditional ceremony, members of the Class of 2018 who wished to be acknowledged for their first-generation status (meaning their parents or guardians did not attend college) wore satin cords.

Vincent Verdile, MD, ’84, The Lynne and Mark Groban, MD, ’67, Distinguished Dean of Albany Medical College and senior executive vice president for system care delivery, was one of the day’s speakers. He quoted the author and

surgeon Atul Gawande, “‘We think our job is to ensure health and survival. But really it is larger than that. It is to enable well-being. And well-being is about the reasons one wishes to be alive.’

“How can we ‘enable well-being’?” Dr. Verdile said. “This is a core question that can guide all of us in all of our pursuits. Graduates, go to it.”

Area High-School Students STEP Into Learning at Albany Med / p.3

VOLUME 13 NUMBER 6 | JUNE 2018

STEP graduate Malika Umar

Members of Albany Med and Trustco’s leadership teams at a check presentation in May.

The Massry Family CHILDREN’S EMERGENCY CENTER at ALBANY MED

Foreground, from left: Anthony Okolo, ’18, and Nidah Khakoo, ’18.

Catherine Hernandez, ’18

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Capital Region Community ‘Salutes’ Albany Med NursesEarlier this year, as part of its “Salute to Nurses” initiative, the Albany Times Union asked readers across the region to send in the name of a nurse who has made a difference in their lives. In May, the newspaper announced that four Albany Med nurses were among a select group honored for nursing excellence.

Herma Lee, RN, of the Apheresis Unit, was chosen as a “2018 Nurse of the Year,” along with just nine other Capital Region nurses. Lee, left in photo, assists patients like Janie Bellamy, right, during blood treatment appointments. She has been a nurse at Albany Med for 15 years and recently completed a master’s degree in nurse management at Excelsior College.

Apheresis Unit Manager Kathy Gregg, RN, praised Lee’s clinical skill and judgment, adding that her “understanding of the emotional and spiritual needs of her patients has a tremendously positive impact on their care.”

Honored as “2018 Nurse of the Year Finalists” were Nancy Jones, RN, Pediatric Oncology and Medicine, and Cindy Conley, RN, Hematology and Oncology. Post-Partum Nurse Kathleen Buono, RN, was also recognized for her work as an assistant professor of nursing at Russell Sage College. Buono is a graduate of the former Albany Medical Center School of Nursing.

Student Research SpotlightNew Albany Medical College graduate Lucy Gee, MD, ’18, PhD, was one of 10 presenters whose work was selected from 1,500 research abstracts at the American Association of Neurological Surgeons’ national meeting in New Orleans in May. Dr. Gee’s study focused on how patients with chronic pain treated with spinal cord stimulation did better when not treated with opioids before and after surgery. In addition to her medical degree, which she received at May’s commencement ceremonies, Dr. Gee received her doctoral degree from Albany Medical College in 2009, working alongside Damian Shin, MSc, PhD, and Julie Pilitsis, MD, ’98, PhD, in the Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics.

Earlier this year, Gurleen Kaur, ’21, left in photo, and Wasila Mansouri, ’21, right, were recognized at the Eastern Atlantic Student Research Forum in Miami with awards for the best basic science posters. They were subsequently invited to present their work at the National Student Research Forum in Galveston, Texas, in April. Mansouri’s study, “AFPEP for the Treatment and Prevention of Breast Cancer,” was named best basic science poster, the first time an Albany Medical College student has won the top prize at

the national meeting. Mansouri and Kaur both completed their undergraduate work at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. They were first-year medical students competing against third-year students at the time of their honors.

Stella Smalls Receives ‘I CARE’ AwardEach month, Albany Med presents an ‘I CARE’ Staff Recognition Award to an employee who demonstrates exceptional professionalism and generosity of spirit on the job. Awardees are nominated by coworkers for exemplifying the qualities set out in the Albany Med CARES program, which calls on staff to be Compassionate, Accountable, Respectful and Engaged.

In May, Albany Med honored Patient Support Associate Stella Smalls.

Smalls works closely with nurses and staff on Albany Med’s inpatient vascular unit to meet the comfort care needs of patients.

She was praised by her colleagues for being able to “intuitively understand the emotional needs of patients” and for being an excellent role model with a great sense of humor.

One patient, who was very ill, wrote in a nomination letter: “On my last admission, I met Stella. She came into my room when I was crying and she talked with me. She cared for me when on one else understood how I was feeling.” Another nominator wrote: “She helped me heal, both physically and mentally. I believe that her care shortened my stay and led to an early discharge.”

Albany Med’s ‘40 Under 40’ Winners Celebrate Newest InducteeOluwaseun (Seun) Adetayo, MD, section chief of Pediatric Plastic Surgery and director of The Cleft-Craniofacial Center at Albany Med, was recognized in May by the Albany Business Review as a member of its ‘40 Under 40’ Class of 2018. Dr. Adetayo was chosen for demonstrating leadership, business know-how and community involvement. She was joined at a celebratory luncheon by previous winners of the ’40 Under 40’ award who also work at Albany Med. Together, they are, from left: cardiologist Mandeep Sidhu, MD, attending physician and assistant Dean for Medical Education and Student Research, Dr. Adetayo, James Kellerhouse, assistant vice president of Development, Christine Hayes, associate counsel in the Legal Department, and Ryan Watroba, associate director of Development.

A Bridge Between the College and the Larger CommunityThe annual Albany Medical College Community Partner Gratitude Luncheon was hosted in April by the Division of Community Outreach and Medical Education in collaboration with the Department of Family and Community Medicine. The event is held to thank the numerous community organizations who host medical students as part of the “Service Learning” program or who partner with the Medical College in other ways to enrich the educational experience. At the event, several medical students spoke about their service learning experiences, including Chris Mayer, ’20, and Angie He, ’20 (Successful Aging in Place), Elena Insley, ’20, and Kathleen Tedesco, ’20 (NICU Cuddlers), and Yufan Lin, ’20 (Care from the Start). The service learning curriculum exposes students to health challenges, particularly in underserved communities, to instill compassion and encourage a commitment to improving the health of the community.

VOL. 13, NO. 6JUNE 2018 Albany Med Today is published monthly by the Department of Policy, Planning and Communications at Albany Med. Comments and story suggestions can be directed to Public Relations at (518) 262-3421 or communications@amc.edu.

ALBANY MEDICAL CENTER OFFICERS

JAMES J. BARBA, JDPresident and Chief Executive Officer

STEVEN M. FRISCH, MDSenior Executive Vice President for the Integrated Delivery System

VINCENT VERDILE, MDThe Lynne and Mark Groban, M.D. ’67, Distinguished Dean of Albany Medical College and Senior Executive Vice President for System Care Delivery

GEORGE T. HICKMAN Executive Vice President for System Information and Data Services and Chief Information Officer

GARY J. KOCHEMExecutive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

FRANCES SPREER ALBERTExecutive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

FERDINAND J. VENDITTI, MDExecutive Vice President for System Care Delivery and Hospital General Director

JOHN DEPAOLAExecutive Associate Dean of Albany Medical College and Chief Administrative Officer for System Care Delivery

LOUIS FILHOUR, PHD, RNChief Executive Officer of Better Health for Northeast New York

MICHAEL GRUENTHAL, MD, PHDSenior Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs and President of the Faculty Group Practice

NOEL HOGANSenior Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer

MATTHEW JONES, JDSenior Vice President and General Counsel

KEVIN M. LEYDENSenior Vice President for Business Development and Strategic Partnerships

DENNIS P. MCKENNA, MDSenior Vice President and System Chief Medical Officer, Albany Med, and Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs, Albany Medical College

MOLLY NICOL Senior Vice President for Development and Communications

HENRY POHL, MDVice Dean for Academic Administration

KATHLEEN ROCHE, RN, MSSenior Vice President, System Chief Nursing Officer, Albany Medical Center Hospital Chief Operating Officer

DARLEEN SOUZASenior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer

ROBERT WELCH Senior Vice President for Diagnostic and Therapeutic Services

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Nursing ‘Pillars’ Honored for Outstanding Patient CareDuring Nurses Week in May, six Albany Med nurses received the prestigious Pillars of Nursing Award for 2018, the Medical Center’s honor given annually to six nurses who have demonstrated excellence in leadership and patient care.

This year’s winners were Emergency Department nurse Abby Carkner, RN, top right, who received her award while on assignment with the U.S.

Air Force Reserve, and, from left in photo below, Deborah Guptill, RN, Vascular Surgery, Cecilia Woodka, RN, Orthopaedics/Spine Unit, Teresa Caringi, RN, Neurosurgery, Maria Lacson, RN, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, and Tess Carstensen, RN, Emergency Department.

Kelli Arnold, at right in photo below, senior vice president of corporate responsibility at KeyBank, also

accepted a Pillars Award on behalf of KeyBank, which has generously supported Albany Med’s Grow Our Own nurse training program since its inception. Grow Our Own is a work-study opportunity that provides eligible employees with financial aid and academic resources to help them become registered nurses while they are working.

The Pillars winners were praised by Chief Operating Officer and System Chief Nursing Officer Kate Roche, MS, RN, CENP, for their “ability to see beyond the obvious and touch the human spirit.” Albany Med President and CEO Jim Barba said, “In an institution with so many exceptional nurses, these individuals stand out for their commitment, compassion and expertise.”

Distinguished Alumna HonoredBetty R. Vohr, MD, ’66, director of Women & Infants Hospital’s Neonatal Follow-up Program in Providence, Rhode Island, and medical director of the Rhode Island Hearing Assessment Program, recently received the Albany Medical College Alumni Association 2018 Distinguished Alumna Award. Her pioneering clinical work and research with infants with hearing loss was largely responsible for the implementation of universal newborn hearing screening in the United States. While on campus for Reunion Weekend in April, Dr. Vohr presented the Distinguished Alumna Lecture, “The Power of Language,” about her work with infants with hearing loss. She is pictured at left with Kevin Roberts, MD, ’77, president of the Albany Medical College Alumni Association and chair of the Department of Anesthesiology.

Albany Med’s STEP Graduates Celebrated for Big Strides in Scientific LearningSix seniors from area high schools were recognized in May as graduates of Albany Medical College’s Science and Technology Entry Program (STEP), which provides students from underrepresented backgrounds with learning opportunities in the STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).

Under the guidance of Medical College staff from the Division of Community Outreach and Medical Education, STEP students are nurtured, encouraged and supported as they explore these disciplines, as well as receive an immersive look into health science, thanks to the faculty and resources at Albany Medical College. The STEP program engages students primarily through workshops and mentoring, and also

offers counselling for financial, career and personal issues; college visits; tutoring for standardized test-taking and more.

The Class of 2018 is pictured above with the program’s faculty and staff.

“We will miss these students, but we’re excited about their future scholastic journeys,” said

Marva Richards, MPH, director of community outreach and service learning, who added that an additional benefit of the STEP program is getting to know the students’ parents.

“We are very committed to providing programming for parents, too,” Richards said. “The better they

know the landscape of the STEM fields, the better they can advocate for their children’s academic futures.”

The STEP program is funded by the New York State Education Department and administered by Albany Med’s Division of Community Outreach and Medical Education. For more information, please contact Marva Richards at (518) 262-5982.

Once again this summer, Albany Med is partnering with our neighbor Park Playhouse in Washington Park to bring a great summer season to the stage—and for the eighth year, employees will have the opportunity to enter a lottery to win a pair of tickets.

“Albany Med Nights at Park Playhouse” are on July 10 and 17 for “Damn Yankees” and on August 7 and 14 for “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.” Like in previous years, free reserved seats for these performances have been set aside and will

be available, while they last, through an online ticket lottery. There will also be special refreshments at intermission for employees who attend.

Watch your email for the Messenger Notice announcing the lottery in late June; winners will be notified by email.

Also, this summer Park Playhouse will celebrate its 30th anniversary with a special Producer’s Circle party on July 5 before

“Damn Yankees.” It will honor Albany Med and Jim Barba, president and CEO, for their steadfast commitment to our neighborhood and to free theater in Albany. For more information, please contact Pamela Sawchuk Brown, vice president of community development, at BrownP1@amc.edu.

ALBANY MED FOUNDATION43 New Scotland Ave., MC-119Albany, New York 12208(518) 262-3322 • Fax (518) 262-4769Email: development@amc.eduwww.amc.edu

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COMMUNITY MATTERS … AT ALBANY MED

Albany Med and Park Playhouse Partner for Summer Entertainment Under the Stars

Taking It to the Streets: Albany Med at the Workforce Challenge

Albany Med fielded a team of more than 300 employees for the CDPHP Workforce Team Challenge last month, comprising the largest non-profit team to participate in the 3.5 mile race. Albany Med’s team members joined thousands of other runners, walkers and volunteers for the event, which is the largest annual road race in the Capital

Region. Evening sun was abundant and the Albany Med showing was strong. Congratulations to all who participated and volunteered, including the first man and woman from Albany Med to cross the finish line: Lucas Popolizio, clinical project manager for Better Health for Northeast New York, and Claire Collison, ’19.