Mending Hearts at Sinai

by Beth Markowitz, Manager, Volunteer Services at Sinai

Sinai Hospital is extremely fortunate to host the only Baltimore chapter of Mended Heart Patient Visitors. The volunteers each have personal experience with heart disease, and are able to connect on an emotional level when they visit our patients at the Heart Center at Sinai.

Mended Hearts is a national nonprofit organization affiliated with the American Heart Association, and offering the gift of hope to heart disease patients, their families and caregivers for more than 50 years. Recognized for its role in facilitating a positive patient-care experience, Mended Hearts partners with 460 hospitals and rehabilitation clinics and offers services to heart patients through visiting programs, support group meetings and educational forums. Their mission is to "inspire hope in heart disease patients and their families." There is also a program for families of children with heart disease called Mended Little Hearts.

Sinai currently has seven mended hearts volunteers who visit patients on the second floor and offer support and assurance to patients and families. This connection often inspires the volunteers to go above and beyond. For example, one of our Mended Hearts recently waited for a patient through their procedure when they had no family. Another Mended Heart comforted a patient for more than an hour when the patient was feeling depressed. Pictured above are two of our Mended Hearts volunteers, Fran and Jack Becker.

In my opinion, Mended Hearts are a wonderful complement to the comprehensive care given in the Heart Center at Sinai Hospital!

To learn more about Volunteer Services at Sinai, you can call 410-601-WELL (9355).

Sinai Hospital Successfully Weathers 2011’s “Mini Snowmageddon”

During last night’s winter storm, once again Sinai Hospital employees pulled together to provide patients with seamless care. A Snow Command Center was enacted to ensure that all patient needs would continue to be met. To help essential staff members who were stuck at home because of the treacherous road conditions, gracious volunteers with AWD vehicles provided transportation to the hospital.

Here’s how Incident Commander Sharon Rossi, RNC, MS (also director of Women's and Children’s Services) summed up last night’s and this morning’s efforts:





Sinai ended its Code Yellow snow emergency at 10:15 this morning, but if you must venture out on the roads today, please be careful and take extra time. There are still plenty of ice, snow and disabled vehicles to watch out for.

As the Sinai staff was busy keeping patients safe, Neil Meltzer, Sinai president and COO, had an incident of his own. While he making his way home from work last night, Meltzer was one of the many unlucky drivers who were stuck on Interstate 83 (JFX) because of the snowy conditions and a jackknifed tractor trailer. For over eight hours, Meltzer was stranded in his car, at times trying to make his way through an obstacle course of abandoned cars. During long periods of idling, he passed the time by talking to family and friends and checking Facebook.

“Since I’m from Massachusetts, I always have an emergency kit in my car,” said Meltzer. “I was prepared but I did not anticipate an eight hour commute home.” Since Meltzer was stranded during the typical dinner hour, he made due by subsisting on two tins of sugar-free mints.

Meltzer stayed in touch with Sinai’s Snow Command Center while he was stranded to ensure that the weather was not causing any problems for the staff or patients. “I felt very confident that Sharon and the entire clinical management team were prepared and managing the situation appropriately.”




Have any snow stories from yesterday’s/this morning’s storm? Share them in the comments section.

-- Betsy Haley and Holly Hosler

No Link Between Vaccines and Autism

This week yet another report showed that a study linking vaccines to autism was fraudulent.

The controversy began more than a decade ago. In 1998, British physician Andrew Wakefield published a study indicating that the common MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) vaccine was linked to childhood autism.

"After this initial study was released linking the MMR vaccine to autism, huge amounts of time and money were spent attempting to corroborate these findings," explains Sinai physician Anthony Caterina. "When no links were found after numerous large studies, there was a backlash against the medical community with many people, including some overly vocal celebrities, claiming there was a conspiracy taking place to protect vaccine manufacturers."

Since Wakefield's study was published, many parents opted out of vaccinating their children, causing numerous outbreaks of these deadly diseases. Autism rates continue to climb. An editorial in the British Medical Journal described Wakefield's study as "an elaborate fraud."

"That study wrongfully tarnished the reputation of vaccinations and the medical community. Vaccines are one of the greatest achievements of mankind, and hopefully this new information regarding the unethical and criminal nature of Dr. Wakefield's actions will hopefully begin the process of reversing the damage already caused," Caterina says.

To find a pediatrician at Sinai Hospital, call 410-601-WELL (9355).

Sinai Welcomes First Baby of the Year

It was an extra special day for Louis and Henrietta Blaustein Women's Health Center at Sinai on Saturday: Baltimore's first baby of the year was born here at 12:41 a.m. on 1/1/11. Danny and Nechama Gordon welcomed a 7-pound, 14-ounce girl who was 20.5 inches. Both mother and baby are doing well, and Sinai wishes them health and happiness in the year ahead!

When a Big Stomach is More Than a Big Stomach

When is a big stomach more than visible proof of eating way too much fatty food? When it is an accumulation of fluid, and not fat, that is causing the abdominal distension. It is called “ascites,” a medical condition for an accumulation of fluid in the peritoneal cavity, which is the gap between the wall of the abdomen and the organs that are contained within the abdomen.

“Ascites is a symptom of a disease. It is not a disease itself,” said H. Franklin Herlong, M.D. Dr. Herlong presented a talk on “Management of Ascites” at Sinai’s Grand Rounds last week.

Dr. Herlong, a visiting professor from Johns Hopkins, is a gastroenterologist. “Ascites is one of the most frustrating symptoms that can dramatically alter a patient’s life,” Dr. Herlong said. Ascites is usually a symptom when a patient has cirrhosis and severe liver disease. “Fluid leaks out of the liver and that is how ascites is formed,” he said. “Cirrhosis is the most common cause of ascites.” However, ascites may be a symptom of other serious illnesses including congestive heart failure.

Ascites can be managed but it is important to treat the underlying disease itself, he cautioned. Treatments include salt restriction and properly prescribed diuretics. People who can manage their ascites will be able to eat better, move around more easily and probably improve their self-image. “Patients feel better,” Dr. Herlong said. And that is the best reason for managing ascites.

-Sandra Crockett

Hess Garden Provides A Place of Respite

Those visiting Sinai Hospital now have an additional place to sit, relax and take in natural beauty: the Jacqueline H. Hess Memorial Garden.

"This is a place of quiet respite for employees, patients and visitors," said Carol Macht, the landscape architect and senior principal of architecture firm Hord Coplan Macht.

Jacqueline H. Hess was a founder of the Sinai Auxiliary and Gift Shop. Sitting outside of the Lowell and Harriet Glazer Atrium, her memorial garden is part of the heart of the new additions to Sinai.

This is the third location of the Jacqueline Hess Garden, as the previous two were moved because of Sinai building projects. A gift from George Hess and his sister Diane Pelham Burn in 1984 established the Hess Garden Fund. Burn also created the metal tree sculpture, and grandchildren David and Bill Hess created the new sun dial in the garden. David Hess also created the benches.

Pictured above are LifeBridge Health CEO Warren Green and Sinai President Neil Meltzer with George and Betsy Hess, and their sons David, Bill and Michael.

Flowers and trees in the garden include ginkgos, river birches, roses, hydrangeas, and nepetas.

This version of his mother's garden "is the nicest of the three," George Hess said. "My mother would be pleased. This is a fitting tribute to her."

Macht says the garden completes the landscape, as it sits outside of the Greenspring Cafe, designed by Hord Coplan Macht in 1995. The cafeteria, atrium, south tower and garden form a modern look reflecting Sinai's vision of moving forward.

"We commend Sinai for seeing the value of incorporating these architectural elements in a cohesive fashion," Macht says.

Donate Blood Today

It's not too late to give blood and give the gift of life.

The Sinai Hospital blood drive will run until 12:30 p.m. today. The LifeBridge Health goal in 2010 is 550 units.

According to the American Red Cross, the need for blood donations goes up during the summer. Here are some more facts from the Red Cross:

• Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood.
• More than 38,000 blood donations are needed every day.
• The average red blood cell transfusion is approximately 3 pints.
• The blood type most often requested by hospitals is Type O.

Employees like Anthony Gilbert, Levindale Environmental Services, and Karen Chapman, Sinai Business and Guest Relations, both pictured, did their part at the July and August drives by giving blood. Join them in helping save lives!