ARTHUR A. GIANELLI ANNOUNCES AMBITIOUS AGENDA TO RADICALLY TRANSFORM NHCC’S AMBULATORY CARE SERVICES BY CREATING DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY MEDICINE, INCLUDING DIVISION OF CORPORATE AND OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE, AND DESIGNATING A CONSULTANT FOR CONVERSION OF HEALTH CENTERS INTO FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTERS

January 28, 2008
Contact:
Shelley Lotenberg
(516) 572-6055
shelley@numc.edu

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

East Meadow, New York….Joined by Chairman Payson and members of the Board of Directors of the Nassau Health Care Corporation, representatives from administrative and clinical leadership teams, and following his recent announcement of the 6% volume growth at the Community Health Centers, Arthur A. Gianelli, President/CEO, announced an ambitious agenda to transform NHCC’s ambulatory care services in a radical and dramatic way to benefit Nassau’s most vulnerable patients.
“Included in the centerpiece for transforming NHCC’s ambulatory care services, are the creation of the Department of Community Medicine with a Division of Corporate and Occupational Medicine, designating a consultant to transition to FQHC for additional reiumbursement, better continuity of care, increased community involvement, lower pharmaceutical costs, all significant developments that will radically change the way we provide ambulatory care services,” stated Mr. Gianelli.

“Combined with two new health centers in Roosevelt and Hempstead, a stand-alone imaging center and proposing creative strategies to better serve our ambulatory care patients, this transformation signals NHCC’s commitment to expanding its presence in the primary as well as secondary service areas, all designed to provide better continuity of care for Nassau’s most vulnerable patient population,” added Mr. Gianelli.
Dr. Mitchell Rubin, who has significant experience in both the public and private sectors of ambulatory care, will lead the new clinical Department of Community Medicine, encompassing ambulatory care services at the various Community Health Centers and at the outpatient centers at Nassau University Medical Center, in order to offer a new model for primary practice in the community:  “This new model for primary care is patient centered, employing dedicated full time pediatricians, internists, ob/gyn and behavorial providers at specific locations. There will be shortened wait times, better communication and improved continuity of care. In addition, there will be more efficient and seamless referrals to NUMC specialty and inpatient services. Patients, who expect and deserve a medical home with an identifiable provider, will get to know and rely on their providers for their full array of medical care.”

The Department of Community Medicine, encompassing the Division of Corporate and Occupational Medicine with Jorge Gardyn, MD, as its division chief, will address various employee related needs and health concerns of workers in Nassau County.  The NHCC has entered into a relationship with Dr. Gardyn’s Island Occupational Medical Resources to provide occupational health and corporate medical services to various governmental units, corporate entities, universities, school districts, towns and villages throughout the region.  “This is a very large untapped health care need and opportunity, under this joint venture arrangement, for services to be delivered in the most effective and efficient manner.  Additionally, NUMC is entering into a lease arrangement with Dr. Gardyn, PC, to enhance NHCC’s delivery of primary care services to residents of Nassau County and is another step in NHCC’s attempt to develop connectivity and partner with local community physicians,” added Mr. Gianelli.    

Steven Walerstein, MD, NHCC’s senior vice president for medical affairs and medical director stated: “The addition of two physicians, recently appointed to the newly created Department of Community Medicine, Laurie Ward, MD as the medical director for ambulatory care and community medicine and Christine Brown, MD, as the assistant medical director for ambulatory care and community medicine will enhance  the delivery of primary care services for those vulnerable communities that we serve.”

“The designation of a consultant for the purpose of assisting the NHCC to transform the community medicine into Federally Qualified Health Centers, none presently existing in Nassau County, will lead to more active community involvement, increased reimbursement funding and availability of 340B pharmaceutical pricing, providing lower pharmaceutical pricing to benefit our patients,” added Mr. Gianelli.
“The transformation of our ambulatory care sites, coming at the heels of the beginnings of their turnaround, following the implementation a year ago of an improved services reform plan, is part of NHCC’s overall strategic plan for its ambulatory care services.”