Submitted By Marion Ciciarelli
Oswego Health, the area’s healthcare leader has had another stellar year, as it attracts some the area’s most knowledgeable and highly-trained physicians to practice locally and is honored with several prestigious quality honors.
This past fall, Oswego Hospital was the only hospital in an 80-mile radius to earn an “A” from the Leapfrog Group. The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit organization of employers and other purchasers of healthcare, is committed to safer and high-quality care. Using 28 evidence-based measures of patient safety, The Leapfrog Group calculates a numerical score for all eligible hospitals in the United States. This score is then translated into a patient safety letter grade with A being the highest possible grade.
Two other health system accolades include a Centers for Medicaid and Medicare report that declared that Oswego Hospital ranked third best among 25 Central New York hospitals for its treatment of sepsis infections. In fact, the healthcare facility ranked better for its sepsis prevention care than all three of the Syracuse hospitals.
In addition, The Manor at Seneca Hill, Oswego Health’s skilled nursing facility, experienced its best NYS Department of Health (DOH) survey, which recognized the outstanding resident care provided at the healthcare facility. Each year The Manor undergoes a thorough unannounced DOH survey that evaluates all aspects of patient care.
New physicians welcomed
In 2018, Oswego Health welcomed several outstanding physicians. Among these highly-knowledgeable physicians is Fellowship trained Breast Surgeon Lisa Lai, MD. Following her arrival, Oswego Health developed a breast care team that is delivering a wide range of comprehensive services not previously available. Other new physicians include General Surgeons Duane Tull, MD and Howard Simon, MD; Psychiatrist Cecile Matip and Family Practice Physician Jill Peterson, D.O., who provides care at the PrimeCare Medical Office in Central Square.
Also joining Oswego Health in 2018 were four surgeons from Colon Rectal Associates of Central New York. These well-known providers include David Nesbitt, MD, Michael Moffa, M.D, John Nicholson, MD, and J. Alan Ziegler, MD. The board-certified and fellowship-trained physicians are providing colon and rectal cancer screening and care of anorectal disorders in Oswego Hospital’s modern seven-suite surgery center and are offering office visits at the Fulton Medical Office Building.
Another well-regarded practice joining the health system last year was Oswego Family Physicians. The practice, one of the largest practices in Oswego County, became part of Oswego Health’s captive professional corporation, Physician Care P.C., which provides physician services in bariatrics, cardiology, general surgery, primary care, orthopedics, and otolaryngology (ear, nose and throat). This new collaboration will allow Oswego Health to recruit additional primary care providers to our community.
2019 plans
Oswego Health will kick off two major construction projects in 2019. Later this spring, the health system will begin construction of its new Behavioral Health Services center at the site of the former Oswego Price Chopper store. The renewed healthcare facility will offer more efficient care in an appropriate setting that offers many client and patient comforts. Patients and clients will also be able to conveniently access primary care services at the new facility.
Helping to support the project is a $13 million NYS Department of Health grant. The new BHS facility will be attractive, well-maintained and will surly become a model for similar healthcare providers across the country.
Along with its BHS project, the health system is investing more than $7.6 million to renovate Oswego Hospital’s third and fourth floors featuring private rooms with their own bathrooms that offer a hotel-like feel. These comfortable and attractive private rooms will lead to safer, quicker more restful healing. Plans also include comfortable areas for families and loved ones.
In the upcoming weeks, Oswego Health will announce a major new service, which has attracted two highly-trained and experienced physicians to practice locally. The health system is constructing an office suite with the latest medical technology and patient comforts at the Fulton Medical Center for this soon-to-be announced service.
Finally, in an effort to reduce Oswego County’s obesity rate, Oswego Health, Oswego County and the Shineman Foundation, along with the county’s nine school districts implemented a Healthy Highway program this fall in all 24 county elementary schools. The program uses traffic themes and metaphors to promote healthy food choices and the importance of being active and fit.
Marion Ciciarelli is senior director of communications at Oswego Health, 110 West Sixth St., Oswego; 315-349-5601, [email protected].
