Of interest this summer

Here are interesting notes for the summer.

First
The newest OB/ GYN physician on the medical staff at Community General Hospital was himself born at Community.

Last month Fadi Makhlouf, MD, joined the staff and the medical practice of Howard Weinstein, MD, and Edith Westphal, MD.

With offices in Liverpool and downtown Syracuse, the practice provides OB/ GYN services for women in Onondaga and Oswego counties. Dr. Makhlouf's medical degree is from St. George’s University School of Medicine, and his residency training in obstetrics and gynecology was at the University at Buffalo. Dr. Makhlouf is a junior fellow of the America College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Before he returned to Syracuse, Dr. Makhlouf was with OB/GYN Associates of Ithaca, NY.

Second
Last week 10 college interns at Bristol-Myers Squibb delivered “positively pink” packages to the Wellspring Breast Center at Community General. The packages include educational and inspirational materials to help women combat breast cancer.

The students toured Wellspring and met with its staff to learn more about the services available at the Wellspring Breast Center.


Third
This month Community welcomed 38 junior volunteers who are with us during the summer, helping others.

These area high school students are volunteering more than 250 hours each week through early September. They are from Fabius-Pompey, West Genesee, Marcellus, Baldwinsville and Fayetteville-Manlius high schools.

As they assist others, the young people get to see first-hand the variety of health careers. They are volunteering in departments such as the diagnostic center, radiology, pharmacy, physical therapy and Wellspring Breast Center.

Welcome to all!

Gala showcases our own "ER"

Click on the video to see Community General Hospital's homage to the opening credits of the popular NBC television show ER. The homage is the attention-getting start of a short video that was shown last evening at the annual gala of the Community General Foundation. (The video is also available at this YouTube link.)

The video highlights advanced technology at Community, which is acquired with the help of charitable contributions. The video shows more than technology -- it shows the way technology affects individual lives. Two recent patients at Community describe their experiences. It's quite poignant. My thanks to Andrea and Vinny for allowing us to hear their stories.

Shown in the video are the daVinci S Surgical System for robot-assisted surgery, the "RxD2" pharmacy robot, Community's PACS (Picture Archival Communications System), and the new digital mammography equipment at the Wellspring Breast Center.

Thanks to those attending yesterday's gala, the Foundation raised $300,000!

The evening was a success because of the hard work of many people. I'd like to thank master-of-ceremonies Scott Matukas, Chair, and the entire Board of the Community General Foundation. Thanks especially to Board members (and Gala Committee Co-Chairs) Jim Barger of Key Bank and Mark Re of Gallinger Realty USA. I am grateful to Dottie DeSimone, Auxiliary President, and to the Board and members of the Auxiliary to Community General Hospital -- they sponsored the silent auction at the gala. I'd also like to acknowledge the hard work of John Zacharek and his team in Community's External Affairs Division for their organization, their attention to detail, and their follow-through.

One more word about the ER-like opening sequence. All the "stars" identified in the sequence are real physicians, stars in their professional lives at Community General Hospital.