Download the PDF of the April 2024 Issue

MIDDLETOWN, NY (April 19, 2024) — Garnet Health is pleased to announce that it is the first health system in the Hudson Valley to offer Aquablation therapy for the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

This advanced, minimally invasive treatment uses the power of water delivered with robotic precision to provide long-lasting BPH relief without compromise. Aquablation therapy is performed by the AquaBeam® Robotic System, the first FDA-cleared surgical robot utilizing automated tissue resection for the treatment of LUTS due to BPH. Aquablation therapy combines real-time multidimensional imaging, automated robotics and heat-free water-jet ablation for targeted, controlled and immediate removal of prostate tissue. 

“We are proud to be among the first in the Hudson Valley to offer a solution for men with BPH that provides significant, long-lasting symptom relief, with lower risk to their sexual function or continence,” said Samuel Abourbih, MD, urologist with Garnet Health Doctors and Garnet Health Medical Center’s department chair of urology. “Aquablation therapy is another step to furthering our commitment to robotic surgery and men’s health.”

BPH, or an enlarged prostate, is a noncancerous condition where the prostate has grown to be larger than normal. Aquablation therapy is the only BPH surgical procedure that integrates ultrasound imaging with the standard camera (called a cystoscope). This gives Garnet Health surgeons the ability to see the entire prostate in real time, allowing them to map which parts of the prostate they want to remove and which parts they want to avoid.

Both Dr. Abourbih and Gerard Galarneau, MD, urologist with Garnet Health Doctors, are trained in aquablation therapy.

“Current BPH surgical treatments often force men to choose between symptom relief and side effects, which can include irreversible complications such as incontinence and erectile dysfunction,” explained Dr. Abourbih. “Aquablation therapy offers low rates of irreversible complications and long-term relief.”

To learn more about aquablation therapy, visit garnethealth.org/aquablation. If you or someone you know is having prostate issues, call (845) 333-7575 in Orange County or (845) 333-8909 in Sullivan County to make an appointment with a Garnet Health Doctors urologist. 

About Garnet Health 

Garnet Health is a New York State not-for-profit corporation headquartered in Middletown, New York, approximately 60 miles northwest of New York City. It is the corporate parent of Garnet Health Medical Center, Garnet Health Medical Center – Catskills, Garnet Health Doctors, Garnet Health Urgent Care, Garnet Health Foundation and Garnet Health Foundation – Catskills. Garnet Health is dedicated to developing specialty services, medical programs and needed healthcare services that allow residents to remain close to home to receive quality care.

Providing healthcare to approximately 500,000 residents in Orange, Sullivan and Ulster counties, Garnet Health was designed to improve the quality, stability and efficiency of healthcare services in the mid-Hudson and Catskills region. Garnet Health provides the services of more than 4,000 employed professionals and over 850 medical staff members. An academic affiliate of the Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, Garnet Health retains compassionate professionals who continually strive toward the hospital’s mission to improve the health of our community by providing exceptional healthcare. To learn more about Garnet Health, visit garnethealth.org. 

About PROCEPT BioRobotics Corporation

PROCEPT BioRobotics is a surgical robotics company focused on advancing patient care by developing transformative solutions in urology. PROCEPT develops, manufactures and sells the AquaBeam® Robotic System, an advanced, image-guided surgical robotic system for use in minimally invasive urologic surgery, with an initial focus on treating benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). BPH is the most common prostate disease and impacts approximately 40 million men in the United States. PROCEPT designed Aquablation therapy to deliver effective, safe and durable outcomes for males suffering from lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) due to BPH that are independent of prostate size and shape or surgeon experience. PROCEPT has developed a significant and growing body of clinical evidence, which includes nine clinical studies and over 100 peer-reviewed publications, supporting the benefits and clinical advantages of Aquablation therapy.
 

MIDDLETOWN, NY (Apr. 12, 2024) — Garnet Health is pleased to announce Douglas James, MD, has been appointed as the Associate Program Director for the General Surgery Residency within Garnet Health’s Graduate Medical Education program. As a critical care surgeon, Dr. James serves as the Medical Director for Garnet Health’s Level II Trauma Center and has been with the organization since July 2021. 

Providing a clinical learning environment of excellence, Garnet Health Medical Center is a teaching facility and home to several residency programs. Residents are medical-school graduates with a Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree who take part in post-graduate training programs. Residents work in hospitals and outpatient doctors’ offices to continue their education and medical training in a specialized field under the supervision of attending physicians. 

During their residency, medical residents provide direct care to patients, including diagnosing, managing, and treating health conditions and injuries. General surgery is one of seven residency programs at Garnet Health, which also includes emergency medicine, family medicine, internal medicine, neurology, psychiatry and a transitional-year program. Each of Garnet Health’s residency programs is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), an organization that sets and monitors voluntary professional educational standards essential in preparing physicians to deliver safe, high-quality medical care to all patients. 

“Academic medical centers train the next generation of physicians, and many studies support better patient outcomes than at nonteaching hospitals,” said Ryan Punsalan, MD, FACP, FHM, Designated Institutional Official for Garnet Health’s Graduate Medical Education and Program Director for Garnet Health’s Internal Medicine Residency Program. “As a medical educator for many years, Dr. James joins an exemplary team dedicated to the highest of standards in education and medical care.”

Dr. James received his medical degree from Tulane University. He completed his residency in General Surgery at State University of New York – Downstate Medical Center, as well as two fellowships—one in Pediatric Trauma at Cohen Children’s Medical Center and the other in Trauma Critical Care at Westchester Medical Center/New York Medical College. He is board certified in General Surgery and Surgical Critical Care. 

To learn more about Garnet Health’s residency program, visit garnethealth.org/medical-education. 
 

About Garnet Health 

Garnet Health is a New York State not-for-profit corporation headquartered in Middletown, New York, approximately 60 miles northwest of New York City. It is the corporate parent of Garnet Health Medical Center, Garnet Health Medical Center – Catskills, Garnet Health Doctors, Garnet Health Urgent Care, Garnet Health Foundation and Garnet Health Foundation – Catskills. Garnet Health is dedicated to developing specialty services, medical programs and needed healthcare services that allow residents to remain close to home to receive quality care.

Providing healthcare to approximately 500,000 residents in Orange, Sullivan and Ulster counties, Garnet Health was designed to improve the quality, stability and efficiency of healthcare services in the mid-Hudson and Catskills region. Garnet Health provides the services of more than 4,000 employed professionals and over 850 medical staff members. An academic affiliate of the Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, Garnet Health retains compassionate professionals who continually strive toward the hospital’s mission to improve the health of our community by providing exceptional healthcare. To learn more about Garnet Health, visit garnethealth.org. 

A hospital stay can be an overwhelming time. The flurry of activity in and out of your inpatient room can be dizzying, all in the name of ensuring you get the highest quality of care—focused on helping you heal and return home to your normal activities.

While you may recognize the role of the nurses, specialists, and others who tend to you, you may not be as familiar with the vital role a hospitalist plays in your care. Their contributions sometimes can go unnoticed, but their impact is indeed profound.

Available 24/7 during your hospital stay, hospitalists are board-certified doctors whose specialty is managing the complexities of inpatient care. They function as in-house primary care doctors who help to diagnose your condition, coordinate your treatment plan during your hospital stay and collaborate with all members of your clinical team—helping to make sure you have the best possible care and experience. A hospitalist will also communicate key information to you and your family, explaining everything you need to know about your illness and what to expect in the treatment and recovery phases. 

What Hospitalists Do

• Coordinate your care. Think of the hospitalist as your primary point of contact during your hospital stay. They will communicate with you, your family, your primary care provider and others so that—from admission to discharge—there is seamless coordination and a continuity of treatment.
• Are available 24/7. Hospitalists are available around the clock, so they’re easily accessible in emergencies or when questions arise.
• Provide expertise in acute care. Hospitalists specialize in the clinical problems of acutely ill hospitalized patients. Their experience and expertise allow them to respond to emergent medical needs, make timely decisions and interventions, and promptly follow up on test results and procedures.
• Collaborate across disciplines. What makes a hospitalist so unique is their ability to collaborate and communicate with everyone, including nurses, doctors, therapists and pharmacists. Hospitalists will advocate for you. They will address your questions and concerns while also recommending the best course for treatment as established by your care team. 

During your hospital stay, should you or your family members need to speak with the hospitalist, simply ask your nurse to contact them. 

Garnet Health recently increased its hospitalist team to 46 providers, who care for inpatients at Garnet Health Medical Center and Garnet Health Medical Center – Catskills. With more hospitalists on staff 24 hours every day, they are more easily accessible, ensuring all patients have the best possible experience in our hospitals.

To learn more about Garnet Health’s hospitalist services, visit garnethealth.org/hospitalist-program. 

Download PDF of Garnet Health Foundation Newsletter
 

MIDDLETOWN, NY (Apr. 8, 2024) — Garnet Health Doctors has increased its hospitalist team to 46 providers, who care for inpatients at Garnet Health Medical Center and Garnet Health Medical Center – Catskills.

Hospitalists are board-certified internists and family practitioners whose core expertise is the care and safety of hospitalized patients. They work with other specialists to guide all major aspects of treatment during a patient’s hospital stay, from admission to discharge. 

Hospitalists at Garnet Health are experts in managing the complexities of inpatient care. They are adept at coordinating treatment plans, working with multidisciplinary teams and navigating the intricacies of the hospital environment.

“A hospitalist is a crucial member of a patient’s care team,” remarked Leroy Cordero Floyd III, MD, Garnet Health’s chief clinical transformation officer. “The addition of 12 hospitalists across our health system allows patients faster access to the same high-quality care. With more hospitalists on staff 24 hours every day, they are more easily accessible, ensuring all patients have the best possible experience in our hospitals.”

Hospitalists specialize in managing the day-to-day care of hospitalized patients. They facilitate collaboration and communication with all care team members within the hospital, respond to emergencies, are there when questions arise, and are a key component in preparing patients for discharge and their return to their primary care provider.

To learn more about Garnet Health’s hospitalist services, visit garnethealth.org/hospitalist-program. 

About Garnet Health 

Garnet Health is a New York State not-for-profit corporation headquartered in Middletown, New York, approximately 60 miles northwest of New York City. It is the corporate parent of Garnet Health Medical Center, Garnet Health Medical Center – Catskills, Garnet Health Doctors, Garnet Health Urgent Care, Garnet Health Foundation and Garnet Health Foundation – Catskills. Garnet Health is dedicated to developing specialty services, medical programs and needed healthcare services that allow residents to remain close to home to receive quality care.

Providing healthcare to approximately 500,000 residents in Orange, Sullivan and Ulster counties, Garnet Health was designed to improve the quality, stability and efficiency of healthcare services in the mid-Hudson and Catskills region. Garnet Health provides the services of more than 4,000 employed professionals and over 850 medical staff members. An academic affiliate of the Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, Garnet Health retains compassionate professionals who continually strive toward the hospital’s mission to improve the health of our community by providing exceptional healthcare. To learn more about Garnet Health, visit garnethealth.org. 

On Monday, April 8 the Hudson Valley is due to witness something that won’t happen again for another 55 years: a near-total eclipse of the sun. At 2:10pm, the moon will gradually pass between the Earth and the sun, covering up to 94% of the sun in Orange and Sullivan counties.

While no doubt hundreds of thousands will be ready to look up and witness this rare occurrence, without the proper protection, viewing the eclipse could permanently damage your vision.

From our region, we won’t get to witness the “diamond ring” effect of a total eclipse (that “path of totality” will travel further to the north and west of us) but we will experience significant darkening during the day and a view of a thin, crescent sun.

But this darkening is exactly why you should have eye-protection when viewing the solar eclipse. 

The iris, the part of your eye that may be colored brown, blue, hazel, or green, expands or contracts to let light into your eye through the pupil. Normally, when you are trying to see in low-light conditions, the iris expands, your pupil gets larger (dilates), and more light can enter your eye.

When you experience bright light, the iris contracts, making your pupil smaller, and less light enters. If too much light enters your eye, it can actually burn and damage the sensor cells at the back of your eyes (on the retina), in the same way that focusing the sun on an object with a magnifying glass can burn things.

During a solar eclipse, the overall light in your surroundings will decrease, causing your iris to expand and your pupils to dilate, letting in more light. However, the small piece of the Sun that is still visible (that 6%-7% not covered) is so bright that it can still burn your retina, even if viewed for just a few seconds. That damage may permanently reduce your vision –– a condition called solar retinopathy.

It is critical for the safety of your vision to view the solar eclipse using a real and safe pair of solar eclipse glasses. For direct viewing of the sun, solar glasses or filters should be labeled with the ISO 12312-2 international standard. Because some manufacturers fraudulently labeling their glasses, the American Astronomical Society has compiled a list of trusted manufacturers to use for ordering glasses.

Make sure to have your eye protection ready ahead of the eclipse, and keep the protection on for the duration of the eclipse. It’s also important that you monitor any children present, making sure they continue to wear eye protection throughout the eclipse. 

With these simple safety measures, the whole family can safely share and enjoy an (almost!) once in a lifetime experience! 

Download the PDF of the March 2024 Issue

The causes of obesity are complex, involving multiple factors beyond just food choices and physical activity. Access to healthy and affordable food, culinary skills and knowledge, poor sleep, genetics, and chronic stress are just a few other factors that play a role. Since 1975, the number of obese people has nearly tripled worldwide₁.

Some of these factors may be out of your control, like genetic makeup, but many of these behaviors can be worked on to improve your health, despite genetic predisposition. If you want to begin implementing healthier eating habits in your life, practicing mindfulness can be a simple, free, and effective place to start! It’s not about dieting or restricting – its all about slowing down, reflecting, and appreciating the food you are eating and thinking about how it is nourishing your body and mind.

Try these easy ways to incorporate mindful eating into your day:

1. Pause and Ponder – check in with yourself about your hunger level before you eat. What is driving you to eat and the food choice you are making? Are you feeling physical signs of genuine hunger, or are you eating out of boredom or sadness? Has it been too long since you last ate and you are now feeling ravenous and out of control seeking anything that is quick and easy to eat? You are more likely to consume excess calories when going too long without eating and getting to the point of being ravenous. 
2. Appreciate & Savor – take a moment to fully appreciate the food you are about to eat. How does it look and smell? Can you taste the different ingredients used in the preparation of the food? Enjoy the different colors and textures, appreciating the effort that went in to preparing the food (whether you made it or it was made by someone else), reflect on the nutrients in the food that are providing your body with what it needs to feel good and satiated, and feel grateful for the food that you are about to have.
3. Slow Down – this is a hard one for many people. Eating slower will help your brain keep up with your stomach, and allow time for those hormones to be released that make us feel full before overdoing it. Try setting your fork down in between bites, and chewing slowly and thoroughly. The more you chew your food, the less likely you will have digestive issues like bloating and gas as the grinding of the teeth and release of enzymes in the saliva is the beginning stages of digestion. 
4. Disconnect from Distractions – it’s hard to put all of these suggestions into practice if you are scrolling on your phone, driving, sending emails, or watching TV while you are eating.  Try to avoid these activities during meals to allow yourself to be fully present in the moment. 
5. Don’t Overdo It  - remember that hunger you were feeling before you started eating? As you are eating, check in with yourself to determine if you are still feeling true hunger, or are you feeling satisfied? If you are feeling satisfied, there is no reason to “clean the plate” if it means over eating and feeling uncomfortably full. You do not have to eat all of the food that is on your plate if you are full. Save any leftovers for another time. Food is supposed to give our bodies energy – if you feel tired and sluggish after eating, chances are you ate more than your body needed. Eating more calories than we burn is one of the main ways that weight is gained₂.

Putting all of these techniques together successfully takes time and practice. The more you do it, the more natural it will feel. Slowing down and being more mindful and present in the moment can also be applied to other areas of your life too.  Everyone is different, and having a conversation with a healthcare provider who specializes in weight loss can help you identify other lifestyle factors that may be making weight loss more difficult and recommend solutions. 

References:
1.    https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight

2.    https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/obesity/conditioninfo/cause

3.    www.heart.org/healthyforgood
 

MIDDLETOWN, NY (Mar. 5, 2024) — Garnet Health is pleased to announce the promotion of Pamela Murphy, MD, MHA, FACEP, ABQAURP, to the new position of Garnet Health Chief Medical Officer (CMO). The roles of CMO at Garnet Health Medical Center – Catskills and Garnet Health Medical Center have been consolidated into one systemwide position.

Dr. Murphy will oversee medical care provided at Garnet Health’s three hospital campuses—located in Callicoon, Harris and Middletown—and all hospital-based outpatient departments. She will also continue her executive leadership responsibilities in case management and continue to serve as the hospitals’ executive sponsor for the Medical Directors of Pediatrics, Trauma and Acute Surgery, Psychiatry, Neuroscience, Critical Care Intensivist and Hospitalist services

“Dr. Murphy’s tenure with Garnet Health and recent role serving as CMO of Garnet Health Medical Center makes her well suited for this new enterprise position,” remarked Jonathan Schiller, president and CEO of Garnet Health. “I am confident she will lead our efforts to streamline efficiencies, maintain and enhance our highly skilled medical team, and ensure our patients receive the high-quality care they have come to expect at our hospitals and outpatient facilities.” 

Dr. Murphy joined Garnet Health in October 1993. She received her bachelor’s degree in chemistry/biology from California State University and her medical degree from St. George’s University School of Medicine. She completed her residency at the Brooklyn Hospital Center in Brooklyn. Dr. Murphy is also a board-certified fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians. She holds a master’s degree in healthcare administration from Mount Sinai Medical School in New York.

Dr. Murphy has held a variety of leadership positions in the region, most notably as the medical director of the Orange County Department of Health; Garnet Health physician advisor; director of Urgent Care Center and Emergency Services for Crystal Run; medical director of the Hudson Valley Regional EMS Council; and a vetted member of the New York State Emergency Medicine Advisory Committee to New York’s Governor, among many other posts and positions.

“I am extremely honored and excited to take on this systemwide position,” said Dr. Murphy. “While the needs of each patient we treat are unique, having and maintaining consistent standards for quality of care throughout our health system will only enhance our ability to provide the very best care and positive outcomes for all we are privileged to serve.”

For more information about career opportunities at Garnet Health, visit careers.garnethealth.org.

About Garnet Health 

Garnet Health is a New York State not-for-profit corporation headquartered in Middletown, New York, approximately 60 miles northwest of New York City. It is the corporate parent of Garnet Health Medical Center, Garnet Health Medical Center – Catskills, Garnet Health Doctors, Garnet Health Urgent Care, Garnet Health Foundation and Garnet Health Foundation – Catskills. Garnet Health is dedicated to developing specialty services, medical programs and needed healthcare services that allow residents to remain close to home to receive quality care.

Providing healthcare to approximately 500,000 residents in Orange, Sullivan and Ulster counties, Garnet Health was designed to improve the quality, stability and efficiency of healthcare services in the mid-Hudson and Catskills region. Garnet Health provides the services of more than 4,000 employed professionals and over 850 medical staff members. An academic affiliate of the Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, Garnet Health retains compassionate professionals who continually strive toward the hospital’s mission to improve the health of our community by providing exceptional healthcare. To learn more about Garnet Health, visit garnethealth.org.