This national recognition highlights RRH’s unwavering commitment to advancing mental and behavioral health care across the communities it serves. The systems on the list were selected based on editorial research and nominations, and inclusion cannot be purchased.
“True community health means addressing both physical and mental wellness, and this honor reflects our continued dedication to providing comprehensive, accessible, and inclusive care,” said Mary Marrocco, MD, Executive Medical Director of Behavioral Health.
“Being recognized by Becker’s is a testament to the extraordinary work our teams do every day to care for individuals with mental and behavioral health needs,” said Eve Hosford, Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of Behavioral Health at RRH.
Rochester Regional Health operates one of the most comprehensive behavioral health systems in New York State, including:
176 inpatient psychiatric & chemical dependency beds
Six acute crisis programs
More than 370,000 outpatient visits annually
55 school-based clinics across the region
A network of adult and adolescent mental health centers
Mobile crisis teams in collaboration with law enforcement
Home-based therapy programs, which have helped 93% of youth avoid hospitalization
RRH is equally focused on equity in mental health, offering anti-racist care, Indigenous-focused psychotherapy, and culturally competent treatment. The organization partners with BIPOC-led agencies and supports regional behavioral health workforce development to create a more inclusive system of care.
Becker’s recognition reinforces RRH’s leadership in addressing mental health challenges with innovation, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to community well-being.
Rochester Regional Health (RRH) teamed up with Batavia-area Girl Scouts to offer a Fun Patch educational event at United Memorial Medical Center (UMMC). Over a dozen Girl Scouts ages 6–12 earned the RRH Stroke Superstar patch by learning what to watch for when it comes to strokes and how to call for help.
The girls received a behind-the-scenes tour of UMMC, had an up-close look at state-of-the-art medical equipment and the inside of an ambulance, and met real-life healthcare heroes. The girls also donated blankets they made to the Lipson Cancer Center to be given to cancer patients and family members.
Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States suffers a stroke. Since 1990, incidences of stroke in people aged 49 and under have steadily increased. Healthcare workers noted that children were often present when a caregiver experienced a stroke, making it essential for all ages to recognize the signs and know how to engage Emergency Medical Services quickly.
Rochester Regional Health remained committed to the well-being of the community. Educating the public on life-saving health knowledge, such as recognizing the signs of stroke, was one of many ways RRH partnered with the community to promote better health outcomes.
File Photo of RTS buses lined up at Batavia City Centre by Joanne Beck.
When Rochester Regional Health officials launched a new site in September 2023, the Batavia Medical Campus on the north side of the Thruway entrance, they were aware of some residents’ disappointment in having a facility that much farther out of reach for a pedestrian.
At the time, Dan Ireland, the newly promoted Chief Nursing Executive and Patient Care Officer, recognized the fears expressed by some people that this new place is out of bounds for someone with no dependable means of transportation and too far for one to walk.
Rochester Regional Health had been coordinating a solution with Regional Transit Service in Genesee County to provide an on-demand service for rides to the medical center. That has now been expanded effective June 16.
RTS Genesee announced Monday that it will offer a new free express service that will travel from Batavia City Centre to University of Rochester and Rochester Regional Health medical centers in Batavia from morning to afternoon throughout the week.
The express route will run in a loop four times per day, departing from City Centre for transfer and/or continuation on to URMC and RRH. This service is subsidized by URMC and RRH, which means it is free to any and all customers who use it.
Providing this “free, reliable service” will help ensure that people can access the care they need, United Memorial Medical Center Associate COO Sonja Gonyea said.
“Rochester Regional Health is proud to support the new RTS Genesee Express Service, connecting riders to key medical destinations in Batavia, including our Batavia Medical Campus. Transportation is a common barrier to care, especially in rural areas,” Gonyea said. “This partnership reflects RRH’s ongoing commitment to improving access and supporting community health.”
Likewise, the transportation service is “happy to partner” with URMC and RRH, RTS Chief Executive Officer Miguel Velázquez said.
“Medical Centers like these are among the most important destinations we connect our customers to, and it is our hope that this partnership and new service meets that need for many years to come,” Velázquez said. “I thank the teams at URMC and RRH for their partnership and support, and the RTS team for bringing this important service to life.”
The express service schedule, which includes specific departure and arrival times, is available on the RTS website. Customers are encouraged to contact RTS Genesee with questions at 585-343-3079.
The American Heart Association and Rochester Regional Health (RRH) to host free Hands-Only CPR demonstration on Wednesday, February 12.
The American Heart Association and Rochester Regional Health are teaming up to create a Nation of Lifesavers. Trainers will teach Hands-Only CPR to local religious leaders, who can then share this life-saving skill with the community.
The event will take place at the Rochester Regional Health Healthy Living Campus, located at 211 East Main Street, Batavia.
The demonstrations for local religious leaders will be held from 2 to 3 p.m., followed by Hands-Only CPR demonstrations open to the public from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.
The American Heart Association is challenging everyone to join the Nation of Lifesavers and commit to learning CPR during American Heart Month in February.
More than 350,0000 people experiencing cardiac arrests outside of a hospital, including 23,000 children. CPR is a critical skill that kids as young as 9 years old can learn.
CPR, especially if performed immediately, can double or triple a cardiac arrest ictim’s chance of survival – which is key since nearly 90% of people who suffer out-of-hospital cardiac arrests die. Nearly 70% of cardiac arrests happen at home, so it is likely that the person who needs CPR will be a family member or friend.
Knowing CPR is an essential skill anyone can perform, and it could mean the difference between life and death.
Rochester Regional Health (RRH) is pleased to share that Becker’s Healthcare has named Jennifer Eslinger one of America’s COOs to Know.
This list features standout healthcare leaders nationwide who “expand service lines, foster employee engagement, and spearhead transformative organizational improvements.” It celebrates executives who “lead the charge in crafting and executing initiatives that elevate operational efficiency and fuel success across their organizations.”
“This honor only cements what we at RRH already know - that Jennifer Eslinger is a skilled leader who supports the continued success of this organization and, by extension, the health of our community,” said Richard “Chip” Davis, PhD and CEO of Rochester Regional Health. “Her wealth of healthcare experience, visionary leadership, and care for our team members and patients are measurable by her many accomplishments. We at RRH are proud to work alongside Jennifer and celebrate this well-deserved recognition of her incredible contributions to our purpose and the communities we serve.”
Eslinger serves as President of Healthcare Operations and Chief Operating Officer at Rochester Regional Health. She is a seasoned healthcare executive with almost 25 years in the industry and proven experience establishing, growing, and managing complex, efficient hospital and health system operations. She has worked extensively in both for-profit and not-for-profit healthcare sectors.
Since joining the organization in 2022, she has led a system-wide reorganization with a focus on expanding and supporting rural healthcare. She has implemented transformative workstreams that have enhanced efficiency and streamlined processes throughout the care delivery model.
Furthermore, she successfully integrated and standardized operations across the Rochester Regional Health nine hospitals in Western New York, the Finger Lakes and St. Lawrence region.
A native of Georgia, Eslinger earned her undergraduate degree from Georgia Southern University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Georgia. She is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and a Baldrige Executive Fellow.
The inclusion of Eslinger on this list is based on national editorial research. It further establishes RRH as a national leader in strategic healthcare operations and confirms an enduring commitment to bringing efficient, equitable, reliable, and quality healthcare to our community.
Healthy Living campus ribbon-cutting Thursday in Batavia: Rob Walker, chief executive officer, YMCA, Dan Ireland, President and Chief Operating Officer Finger Lakes Rural Hospitals, Chip Davis, chief executive officer of Rochester Regional Health, local businessman Pete Zeliff, consultant David Ciurzynski, and Vincent Esposito, Empire State Development. Photo by Howard Owens.
Thursday was carved out of the week to celebrate a partnership that literally has merged Rochester Regional Health United Memorial Medical Center and GLOW YMCA programs under one roof to provide a holistic approach to wellness through educational, physical and supportive offerings in one Downtown Batavia space.
Chip Davis, chief executive officer of RRH, spoke of pride in the movement to help reshape rural health care in the United States and closer to home in New York.
“Our organization has a purpose to uplift humanity through care for the community. As an organization, I would tell you, we try to live that way each and every day. And I believe that this facility and all the things that Dan and his team and our sponsors at the Y are doing really represent what we're trying to facilitate in Batavia and beyond,” he said during a ribbon-cutting of the new Healthy Living campus at Main and Wiard streets. “A lot has changed since 2014 when we first announced United Memorial Medical Center would merge into Rochester Regional Health. It has been quite a 10-year journey, as I understand it, and I do believe that both organizations have been firmly committed to truly some remarkable activities for the residents of Batavia and beyond."
Expanding telemedicine options and leveraging innovative approaches to help facilitate access to world-class quality care sets the ultimate goal “to help improve the quality of life of all the residents within the region,” he said.
“Our efforts are absolutely grounded in a spirit of collaboration and partnership. The Healthy Living campus here at Batavia is truly, I think, a testament to that collaboration overall ... we have tried to create a space that is not just for medical care but for our comprehensive wellness experience. And I will tell you that there are a few places around the country that have this type of model where you can go from your workout to your primary care," he said. "There's a number of innovative activities here, including an intergenerational center, group exercise room, and, of course, the preschool facility.
"So at Rochester Regional Health, we truly believe that treating illness is not just about medical care, it is about healthier outcomes for everyone," he said. "We believe that this is the future of healthcare. This is what it looks like. It's innovative, it's collaborative, and it's focused on the needs of each and every one of you.”
Dan Ireland, president and chief operating officer of Finger Lakes Rural Hospitals, thanked Davis for helping to fulfill the vision and “champion the idea of innovation and thinking differently.”
This new place is a location where one can feel the out-of-box thinking that came together for the group of people he worked with, Ireland said. That included Rob Walker, chief executive officer for GLOW YMCA.
“And I think, as Rob and I have talked over the years, this concept, this idea, came from our community voice from the day we came together to talk about a simple idea of what more could we do to the hundreds, and I mean hundreds of people in the Batavia and Genesee County community that came together to really bring forth what's important. What do we want to see, even down to where should it be?" Ireland said. "We really decided through a voice of this community and really helping us grow and develop along the way. I want to thank you, especially for our partnership. As I referenced Rob, we've been along this journey. We talk about the fact that as the date this will open, it will have been 10 years from that first conversation and such an important journey along the way, and I can't think of a better partner."
Healthy Living has moved several programs under the roof of this new $33.5 million building next to the old YMCA awaiting demolition this spring. Programs include diabetes education, prevention and support groups, nutrition and basic life support classes, a cancer services and MOMS program, childbirth and infant feeding class and Baby Cafe.
“From the early morning phone calls to the drive on the way home phone calls, we had to say, 'let's solve this hurdle. Who do we get involved there?' And you know, the nicest part about that is we've been able to lean on you, our partners in the community, to help us solve challenges that every project has along the way, and I’m so, so grateful for that,” Ireland said. “Our work here in Batavia, from a health system standpoint, is not just providing that medical care, but it's really providing an integrated health care model, and that's the vision this was built on."
He said they would integrate primary care medicine and healthy outreach, two of Rochester Regional's core services, to partner with the wellness community. They answered that the Teaching Kitchen helps teach people to cook better for healthier lifestyles so "they can live to be the very best that they can be."
"And that ripples out into our community, that ripples out into a healthier community that can really do wonderful things as we go down the road,” he said.
“This is just the shell of the future of how health and wellness come together,” he said. “But this shell will grow into something that we will do to make a difference in healthcare, make a difference to you, your friends, neighbors and our loved ones, and help us grow health and wellness in a rural community such as Batavia.”
The new GLOW YMCA has preschool and child care programs, a pool and splash pad, and boasts “state-of-the-art” weight and cardio equipment and an EGYM station, walking track, full court gym, dance and exercise studios, and men’s, women’s and family locker rooms.
This type of project was talked about for years — creating a space where people of all ages could come together and build lasting connections — Walker said.
“And now, thanks to your unwavering community support and the hard work of countless individuals, that dream has become a reality,” he said. “This Healthy Living campus will create a hub of activity, offering first-class programs and services for our youth, resources for our seniors and spaces for our families to create memories, from aquatics programming to youth sports to fitness programs and the medical services provided by Rochester Regional Health UMMC, these walls will echo with the sounds of laughter, learning and healthy living.
"But let's not forget the journey that brought us here," Walker said. "It took the vision of our community leaders, our donors, the city and community support and the state acquiring DRI funding and other grants, and the sweat and determination of our construction team.”
Vincent Esposito of Empire State Development said that it's been a long time coming and has taken a lot of work and a lot of vision to get here. Batavia received a Downtown Revitalization Initiative grant in 2017, nearly eight years ago, and this project was one of the main reasons this community was selected, he said, because of a winning application.
“And to see it come to fruition, and to see it be, honestly, bigger and more beautiful than I even expected it to be, is really gratifying,” he said. “I can only imagine how good it feels for those of you who’ve been involved in this project. I'd like to thank my colleagues in New York State government who helped work on this … It really is transformational for a lot of communities," he said. "I know it's helped to really spur a lot of great things in Batavia. You know, there’s well over $5 million from New York State just in this one project. It's pretty cool to see it happen. So congratulations. Best of luck to everyone who gets to utilize this facility. It's really spectacular.”
The Healthy Living campus is now open, and the new YMCA opens Jan. 2. The old YMCA is set to be demolished in the spring.
David Ciurzynski, construction consultant on the project, delivers opening and closing remarks. "So intentionality, vision, thoughtfulness and care are the terms that define the leaders that help us get here. And there's a bunch of leaders in here that I can't name everybody by name, because they're numerous. But you all have intention, vision, thoughtfulness and care for this community, and we thank you for your leadership, and we look forward to the future," Ciurzynski said. "Leaders are going to help this community grow and help this Healthy Living campus serve the people of Genesee County and city of Batavia." Photo by Howard Owens
Photo by Howard Owens.
Chip Davis, CEO of Rochester Regional Health. Photo by Howard Owens.
Vincent Esposito, VP, Regional Director, Finger Lakes Regional Office, Empire State Development. Photo by Howard Owens.
Rob Walker, executive director GLOW YMCA. Photo by Howard Owens.
Has your family’s elf been looking a little too chill on the shelf lately? If you woke up to find your mischievous holiday helper hasn’t moved from their spot- or worse, skipped their nightly trip to the North Pole – fear not! Rochester Regional Health’s beloved Elf-mergency Care Center is open and ready to save the season. Rochester Regional Health is pleased to open the doors again this year for the health and well-being of your family’s exhausted elf.
From Snowdrift Sniffles to Glitter Lung, our expert team is equipped to handle every elf ailment with care. Whether your elf is suffering from an allergy to human contact or simply needs a little holiday TLC, we’ll get them back to their shenanigans in no time.
Here’s what you’ll get:
Doctor’s Note – Proof of a thorough elf checkup, because even magical beings need a paper trail.
Photo & Video Evidence – Visual reassurance of your elf’s recovery, including virtual visit footage that proves we’ve worked our North Pole magic.
Custom Care – Whether your elf needs a quick candy cane splint or a sprinkle of holiday cheer, we’ve got it covered.
And while the “Elf-mergency Care Center” specializes in elves, let’s not forget the humans in your house. If anyone in your family is feeling less-than-jolly this season, Rochester Regional Health offers plenty of care options—whether it’s in-office, at one of our urgent cares or online. You can find the right fit for your needs at rochesterregional.org/get-care-now.
Rochester Regional Health (RRH) is proud to announce its inclusion once again in the Becker’s Hospital Review list of the 100 hospitals and health systems with top-performing orthopedic programs, celebrating their leadership in advancing orthopedic care nationwide. These institutions are at the forefront of minimally invasive treatments, pioneering discoveries and innovative clinical trials that significantly improve patient outcomes. Their commitment to enhancing the quality of life for orthopedic patients sets a national standard of excellence.
"Rochester Regional Health’s inclusion in Becker’s Hospital Review list of top-performing orthopedic programs for the second time is a testament to the dedication and expertise of our orthopedic team," said Richard 'Chip' Davis, PhD, CEO of Rochester Regional Health. "At RRH, we are committed to advancing orthopedic care through innovative treatments and a relentless focus on improving patient outcomes. This recognition reflects our ongoing mission to enhance the quality of life for our patients and to set a national standard of excellence in orthopedic care."
Designated as a DNV Orthopedic Center of Excellence, Rochester Regional Health performs 18,000 orthopedic surgeries and manages more than 180,000 outpatient visits annually. RRH is a regional leader in joint replacement, performing more than 6,000 procedures yearly for hips, knees, shoulders, elbows, ankles and cervical spines. Increasingly, more of those procedures use state-of-the-art, minimally-invasive robotic techniques. RRH completes over 1,000 robotic-assisted total knee replacements annually.
“Each and every day, the orthopedics team across Rochester Regional Health delivers nationally recognized orthopedic care to thousands of people in the communities we serve,” said M. Gordon Whitbeck, MD, Executive Medical Director of Orthopedics at Rochester Regional Health. “We know that our patients are eager to receive relief from pain, restore mobility and get back to doing the things they love – we are here for it.”
Many of the patients seeking those procedures are older adults. RRH is among a select few health systems in the country offering a verified Geriatric Surgical Program that provides older adult patients personalized surgical plans, including comprehensive pre-op evaluations before they even enter the operating suite. Those individualized plans lead to improved surgical outcomes, fewer complications and shorter hospital stays.
RRH is also proud of its Sports Medicine division, which serves athletes of all levels and abilities as the designated provider of athletic training to 17 school districts and high schools and five colleges and universities.
The Becker’s editorial team curated the Top 100 list by evaluating rankings and accolades from trusted organizations like U.S. News & World Report, Newsweek and Healthgrades, along with reviewing nominations. Organizations cannot pay for inclusion on this list.
Rochester Regional Health (RRH) is proud to announce its inclusion in Becker’s Hospital Review’s esteemed list of the nation's Top 100 Health Systems with Outstanding Oncology Programs.
This recognition highlights the exceptional work of the Lipson Cancer Institute and its dedication to providing top-tier, patient-centered cancer care. The list recognizes institutions which have “garnered national acclaim for advancing cancer care via their cutting-edge clinical trials and life-changing research.”
Becker's Hospital Review, a leading source of business and legal information for healthcare industry leaders, evaluates hospitals and health systems based on their cancer care services, patient outcomes and overall excellence. Organizations cannot pay to be featured on this list, making this recognition a true testament to the quality of oncology care provided by Rochester Regional Health.
“This recognition of the quality of cancer care being provided by the Lipson Cancer Institute is just one more example where Rochester Regional Health is distinguishing itself as a leader in healthcare in our community, our state and across the nation,” said Richard “Chip” Davis, PhD, CEO of Rochester Regional Health. “Our team’s dedication and expertise make us a leader in oncology, and we are grateful that they go above and beyond to ensure that our patients and their families receive the best care possible.”
This recognition by Becker’s comes on the heels of another recent accreditation for Rochester Regional Health. In August, the Lipson Cancer Institute received a three-year full accreditation as a Network Cancer Program from the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer. This accolade distinguishes Rochester General and Unity Hospitals as the only network of cancer centers in upstate New York granted this honor.
“Lipson Cancer Institute is proud to have met the rigorous guidelines required by the American College of Surgeons to achieve this prestigious accreditation,” said Prad Phatak MD, Executive Medical Director of Oncology at RRH. “This honor underscores the work of our multidisciplinary oncology teams who tirelessly provide gold-standard cancer care for our patients while understanding that treatment extends far beyond the physical to include mental and emotional health as well.”
These recognitions by Becker’s and The American College of Surgeons continue to shine the spotlight on Rochester Regional Health and the Lipson Cancer Institute as a beacon of excellence in cancer care, reinforcing the clinical expertise and dedication our clinicians and team members demonstrate every day.
The Sands-Constellation Heart Institute (SCHI) Advanced Heart Failure and Mechanical Circulatory Support team at Rochester Regional Health (RRH) has been recognized as the 2024 Outstanding Heart Failure Care Team by the Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA). The Rochester team is traveling to the annual HFSA Scientific Meeting in Atlanta to receive the award.
“For years, patients with serious heart conditions, including heart failure, often had to travel outside the region to find specialized care. This award affirms what we’ve always known: world-class cardiac care is available right here at Rochester Regional Health,” said Dr. G. Randall Green, MD, JD, MBA and Executive Medical Director of SCHI. “This national recognition underscores our commitment to delivering exceptional, life-saving care to the patients and communities we serve every day.”
The Advanced Heart Failure and Mechanical Circulatory Support Team is made up of physicians, Advanced Practice Practitioners, nurses, pharmacists, nutritionists, social workers and support team members, who treat thousands of patients a year. Patients travel to Rochester if necessary to receive the latest and most advanced treatments or even take part in groundbreaking clinical trials. They can then continue their treatment plans and receive services close to home in one of our many community-based SCHI provider offices. The team integrates modern technologies such as remote monitoring and teleconferencing to look for symptoms and stay connected.
“Our team and our patients have become family, and we live our purpose of uplifting humanity through care for our community by providing nationally-recognized cardiac care in a geographically isolated and underserved region of New York State,” said Dr. Scott Feitell, MD, Heart Failure Expert with the Sands-Constellation Heart Institute. “Whether we are conducting a clinical trial to examine the effectiveness of new, cutting-edge treatment options or developing treatment plans for those suffering from heart failure, my team and the professionals at the Sands-Constellation Heart Institute are here for our patients.”
To learn more about the RRH Sands-Constellation Heart Institute Advanced Heart Failure and Mechanical Circulatory Support team, heart disease, diagnostic and monitoring technology and heart failure treatments that include lifestyle and medical management support visit rochesterregional.org.
As cold and flu season coincides with children returning to school, Rochester Regional Health (RRH) is prepared to meet the rising demand for urgent care services. Healthcare providers often see an increase in ear infections, bronchitis, strep throat, colds, and the flu during this time of year.
Additionally, sports-related injuries such as sprains, fractures, and strains tend to spike as student-athletes hit the field. RRH provides three convenient urgent care options to ensure families can get the care they need, whenever and wherever they need it.
In-Person Urgent Care: RRH’s in-person urgent care centers are available any day of the week to treat a wide variety of illnesses and injuries, including seasonal colds, flu, ear infections, bronchitis, and more. They are also equipped for vaccinations, X-rays, and physical exams. Patients can visit the RRH Urgent Care website to find a location close to home and check wait times at each site.
Virtual Urgent Care: For those who prefer not to leave home, RRH Same-Day Virtual Urgent Care has expanded its hours to provide even more flexibility. Available seven days a week, Virtual Urgent Care connects patients with expert providers through a smartphone or computer. With an average wait time of just 15 minutes, it’s a convenient option for handling cold and flu symptoms, infections, and minor injuries without ever stepping out the door.
Dedicated Orthopedic Urgent Care: With student-athletes returning to sports, RRH has two dedicated Orthopedic Urgent Care centers located in Victor and Henrietta. These specialized centers offer walk-in, no-appointment-needed care for orthopedic injuries like sprains, fractures, and muscle strains. Patients can access expert orthopedic care quickly and efficiently, avoiding long waits at emergency rooms.
“Rochester Regional Health offers patients easy and convenient access to care where and when they need it most. We understand that many patients prefer to avoid busy hospital emergency rooms, which can involve long wait times. That’s why we continue to expand our urgent care options to serve the community close to where they live, work, and play,” said Mary Parlet, Rochester Regional Health Chief Ambulatory and Clinical Services Officer.
RRH offers Urgent Care locations throughout the region, including Batavia, Brighton, Canton, Chili, Geneseo, Greece, Henrietta, Penfield, Potsdam, and Webster. In the City of Rochester, patients can visit our centers at St. Mary’s Campus and the Wilson Multicultural Medical Campus. For specialized orthopedic care, walk-in services are available at our dedicated Orthopedic Urgent Care locations in Henrietta and Victor.
Rochester Regional Health's assessment of the worldwide CrowdStrike IT outage has shown minimal impact on our systems.
All RRH hospitals and outpatient sites are fully operational. Patients with scheduled procedures and appointments should continue with those as planned.
If you have any questions, please contact your provider’s office.
Leonard Woltz, Jr., of Akron, treated at the UMMC Wound Care Center for a rare bacterial infection. Photo by Howard Owens.
Akron resident Leonard Woltz, Jr. was likely just days from death in October when he encountered the UMMC wound care treatment team.
Now, he is nearly healed, and Dr. Joseph Canzoneri expressed confidence that he will walk again.
Woltz had a necrotizing fasciitis infection in his foot. The infection is caused by a rare, flesh-eating bacteria.
"It just absolutely blew up over a matter of three or four days," Woltz said. "And that's it. I got a football on the end of my foot, and then that one day we came in, and I got right in, and you know, they started treatments and everything in the hospital. But the care here, and the folks here are just they are -- it's absolutely incredible."
On Tuesday, Woltz attended a ceremony honoring the Wound Care Center for its eight consecutive years of being honored by Healogics, the nation’s largest provider of advanced wound care services. This year, the clinic received the President’s Circle Award along with the Center of Distinction and Robert A. Warriner III Clinical Excellence awards for 2023.
The trio of awards was dubbed the hat-trick, after the sports metaphor that originated in England among cricket players.
The awards recognize the center's quality care, consistent compassion for patients, and expertise. The center, according to a Healogics representative, had an 86 percent heal rate in 2023 and a patient satisfaction rate of 94 percent.
Healolgics works with more than 600 hospitals nationwide and only 34 are receiving the 2023 Presidents Award, and only two in New York.
"These awards are achievements well deserved, well acknowledged," said Toni McCutcheon, director of operations for Healogics. "It really comes from the people-first patient-centered processes they have here. They're healing patients, they're taking care of their patients, they love their patients. If it wasn't for that, this wouldn't happen. So it's always about the patient and will always be about the patient."
That's precisely how Woltz feels about the center.
"From the time you walk through the door and you talk to Mary Beth, you know you're amongst friends and people who care about you," Woltz said.
Canzoneri said Woltz presented one of the most challenging cases the clinic has faced.
"This is one of the worst types of infection," Canzoneri said. "It travels up the foot and very quickly results in sepsis and can often result in death and high incidence of leg amputation."
Woltz was admitted on a regime of IV antibiotics and drainage of the wound.
"We then took him back to the operating room for limb salvage procedures to preserve as much of this foot as possible to avoid below-knee amputation," Canzoneri said. "It is crucial to prevent below-knee amputations because it results in high mortality rates within three to five years. And almost 80 percent of patients who sustain a below-knee amputation never walk again and are confined to wheelchairs or assisted living."
The infection was contained with a mid-foot amputation and aggressive treatment, including use of the center's hyperbaric oxygen chamber.
At the gathering, Canzoneri pronounced Woltz "almost healed" and that he would almost certainly be totally healed within weeks.
Woltz said he's gone from the psychological trauma in October of wondering what his future would be like, and if he even would have a future, to looking forward to resuming most of his prior activities.
"Now we're down to this part here where this thing is closing so rapidly now because of all the stuff we've done before and the brilliant move that Dr. Joe made with my foot," Woltz said. "It's all coming down to 'Wow, I'm going to be okay.' I'm gonna be able to do 97 percent of the things I used to do. You know, I'm not gonna be running marathons anytime soon, but yeah, it's all right."
Lisa Albanese Klein, program director, Wound Care & Hyperbaric Medicine, at UMMC Photo by Howard Owens
Teresa Clark, click nurse manager, Dr. Joseph Canzoneri, Lisa Albanese Klein. Photo by Howard Owens
The UMMC Wound Care Center team. Photo by Howard Owens.
Rochester General Hospital (RGH) is the first hospital in the region to offer Aquablation therapy, a minimally-invasive treatment for lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), or enlarged prostate.
One in two men ages 51 to 60 have BPH, and the incidence increases every decade of life. RGH completed the first Aquablation therapy procedures at the hospital on Thursday.
“Rochester Regional is proud to be among the first in the Finger Lakes, Western and Central New York to offer a solution for men with BPH that provides significant, long-lasting symptom relief with lower risk of sexual dysfunction or incontinence,” said Dr. Louis Eichel, Division Chief of Urology at Rochester General Hospital.
“Aquablation therapy is the next step to furthering our commitment to robotic surgery and men’s health. This new tool is the latest move by Rochester Regional to step up our game as we modernize and transform health care.”
Aquablation therapy uses the AquaBeamâ Robotic System, the first FDA-cleared, surgical robot utilizing automated tissue resection for the treatment of LUTS due to BPH. Using precise imaging, surgeons create a personalized treatment plan tailored to each patient’s anatomy. Once the map is complete, the robotically controlled, heat-free water jet ablates the prostate tissue, avoiding critical structures to preserve sexual function and continence.
The procedure is performed while the patient is under anesthesia in an operating room, and typically takes about 45 minutes – almost half as long as traditional surgical options.
BPH, or an enlarged prostate, is a non-cancerous condition where the prostate has grown to be larger than normal. If left untreated, BPH can cause significant health problems, including irreversible bladder or kidney damage, bladder stones, and incontinence. Several current BPH surgical treatments often force men to trade off between symptom relief and side effects like incontinence or erectile dysfunction.
As with any major construction project, there were a few delays for the Batavia Medical Campus on the north side of the Thruway entrance; however, a preview glimpse of the campus Wednesday showed off the multi-floor, 95,000 square-foot facility with ample windows and natural light that’s now ready to serve, officials say.
Dr. Shan Dhanda is among the first occupants to move in, offering family medicine services.
“We’ll be moving in as of Monday. We’re very excited about that. It’s a combination practice of Batavia Internal Medicine as well as the old Oakfield Family Medicine, which Dr. Barcomb owns. We’re very excited to move in here and get going,” Dhanda said during a media tour of the spit-polished site at 8103 Oak Orchard Road, Batavia. “What's fantastic about the facility is that for patients, it's a nice resource where they'll be able to get multiple aspects of their medical care underneath one roof. So a patient can come in here and at the same location, they can have their primary care provider, they can have their cardiologist, they can have their orthopedic specialist. They can also bring their kids in here for the pediatric department. In addition, they can get their lab work done here, as well as their imaging. So it's a very nice resource for the community.”
Come Monday, the Rochester Regional Health facility, easily visible from Route 98, is open for business, with more than a dozen specialty offerings, including cardiology, neuroscience, otolaryngology, orthopedics, plastic surgery, primary, urgent and pediatric care, and vascular surgery, a patient draw laboratory and imaging center.
There will be some shifting of offices and services from other areas within the city that are closing to move over to this new location and make room for new purposes, including imaging, the laboratory, orthopedics, pediatric and cardiology care.
Daniel Ireland, president and chief operating officer of the Fingerlakes Rural Hospital for RRH, said that the facility is designed and created to be an access point for a variety of different services related to health care — offering “everything from primary care and pediatrics through specialty care such as orthopedics, general surgery, vascular surgery, plastics and bariatric surgery.”
“We're also going to offer a comprehensive cardiology office and clinic here and neurology services inclusive of pain management and pain management therapies. Additionally, the site will be the home of a new urgent care that will have replaced the urgent care from the Jerome Center, as well as lab and radiology services, including ultrasound DEXA, scanning mammography and Gen X-ray services here in the building,” Ireland said. “We are bringing a lot of services from disparate locations to one. It brings all those services under one roof. So from a patient experience standpoint, they are coming to one destination in order to get the care that they need. But even further, it allows us to expand the amount of services provided in many of the locations today. We've reached the limit of those buildings to be able to offer additional services and bring in more physicians.
“And so this building has allowed us to add, for instance, in cardiology, we've been able to add two additional cardiologists to the program and be able to rotate through specialty cardiologists into the community here,” he said. “So it not only expands, in relocates services under one roof, it allows us to grow and offer more services to the community, and hopefully improving access for those around us.”
The new building has an updated blueprint and technology, versus the more antiquated locales, the former St. Jerome’s Hospital of decades ago, for example, he said.
“They're not efficiently designed for today's style of medical practice. You'll note when you walk through some of the facilities here we have what we call an on-stage off-stage area where patients will enter one door to the exam room, and the clinical team will be behind another door to be able to come in. And that allows for highly efficient care and keeps care moving through the process,” he said. “Those existing facilities don't have the geographic footprint to be able to do that. Additionally, we have a number of buildings, especially around our main campus, that have reached, really, the end of life. And they’re going to cost significant investment to upgrade without a lot of ability to expand. So we'll be able to take some buildings down on the main campus and improve parking around the hospital, which is a win-win, as we're able to grow services in the community but also make access to the main hospital just as convenient.”
Ireland is aware of the fears expressed by some people that this new place is out of bounds for someone with no dependable means of transportation and too far for one to walk. The new location is a strategic position for patients from both inside Genesee County and also from Orleans and Wyoming counties that seek care from RRH specialists, he said.
“I think patients are going to find that to be convenient. I know initially, the fear is that it is traveling right outside the city. But we are very, very close to the city line. We have coordinated with the regional transportation services, and they are able to offer patients transportation out here on demand. So patients who don't have the ability to drive will still be able to get to this campus very easily and conveniently,” he said. “And for those that are driving, it is really right over the Thruway bridge. So I think the little bit of drive out to the facility will be offset by the convenience they're going to get by the amount of services they're able to access in one stop, and hopefully make life for their health care much easier.”
What’s more, those who do drive can park in the garage underneath the building during winter to avoid a blustery walk to their vehicle to and from the appointment. That accommodation, plus easy access to offices and natural light, was incorporated from staff and patient surveys during the planning phase of the project.
Rural health care is in crisis right now, he said. In a post-COVID era,hospitals and health systems are downsizing, and some of the first places where that seems to be happening is in rural communities, he said. That’s why the completion of the medical campus — its survival through the pandemic — is so “critically important,” Ireland said.
"But what it does is it makes an investment in our rural communities and helps continue to grow access to health care, instead of shrink it in the transformation of healthcare that we are going to see going forward, that will be critically important to be able to bring care to where people are, instead of trying to ask people to drive to distant locations for care. Every time we add a layer of driving to care, we add a barrier for a lot of our patients, we want to break down those barriers, and that is part of where healthcare is going," he said. "Part of this building will also serve in some capacities to be able to link up with other specialties. So it becomes a destination point for people to get multiple types of care, even through one office in the building. So it is part of what the transformation of healthcare is leading to. And part of how Rochester Regional Health is really looking to solve the crisis in health care today."
Rochester Regional Health (RRH) is delighted to announce the appointment of Tricia Gatlin, Ph.D., RN, CNE, Dean of the Wegmans School of Nursing at St. John Fisher University, as the new Chair of the Health Care Services Board at RRH. Gatlin, a distinguished healthcare professional and researcher, is also one of the leading nursing education advocates in the region and will bring a wealth of experience and expertise to this prestigious role.
Gatlin will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in shaping the strategic vision and direction of Rochester General Hospital (RGH) and Unity Hospital in her new role as Chair of the Health Care Services Board. The Health Care Services Board provides strategic guidance and oversight to each of these hospitals. Her exceptional leadership skills and comprehensive understanding of healthcare challenges and opportunities will contribute significantly to the continued excellence of Rochester Regional in providing quality patient care and pioneering healthcare solutions.
“I am honored to be the first nurse to chair the Health Care Services Board. I am passionate about and committed to advancing the overall quality of patient care,” said Gatlin. “I look forward to working with fellow board members over the coming years and continuing to improve the overall health quality of individuals who seek care within the Rochester Regional Health care system.”
Gatlin joined St. John Fisher University and the Wegmans School of Nursing as Dean in 2020. Throughout her career, she has made significant contributions to nursing education and research. Gatlin often presents at national and international conferences on nursing topics, and her research findings have been published in peer-reviewed journals.
Much of that work has focused on self-care and vulnerable populations. At Fisher, Gatlin has secured grants from the Mother Cabrini Foundation and Health Resources and Services Administration totaling more than $2 million to support efforts to improve nursing education through technology and diversify the workforce pipeline.
Gatlin’s knowledge as an educator and dedication to the nursing profession, practical experience as a Registered Nurse, and international leadership in adopting augmented and virtual reality into nursing education add tremendous value to her influence on the delivery of high-quality health care.
"We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Tricia Gatlin as the new Chair of the Health Care Services Board,” said Richard “Chip” Davis, Ph.D., CEO of Rochester Regional Health. "Her impressive background in nursing education, her passion for research, and her commitment to improving community health care make her the ideal Chair of our esteemed Health Care Services Board."
Gatlin previously served as an Associate Professor and Associate Dean at the School of Nursing at the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) and held various academic positions at esteemed institutions such as the University of Portland's School of Nursing, Clark College in Washington, and Clackamas Community College in Oregon. Here in Rochester, she sits on numerous boards and committees. She is also a member of the New York State Council of Deans, American Association of Colleges of Nursing, New York Nurses Association, American Nurses Association, New York Organization for Nursing Leadership, and NurseTrust.
Gatlin holds a Ph.D. in Nursing Science from the University of Arizona, an M.S. in Nursing Leadership from the University of Portland, a B.S. from the University of Memphis, and an AA in Nursing from Dyersburg State Community College.
Overdose Awareness Day at Austin Park on Wednesday featured messages of hope from community members on the dangers of opioids. Photos by Steve Ognibene.
Cheryl Netter and Scott Davis are two of the fortunate ones. They are people who have survived the grip of addiction and have emerged on the other side, now devoting their lives to helping others who are struggling with substance use disorder.
So many others didn’t make it. More than 100,000 in the United States over the past year alone – and nearly 80 Genesee and Orleans County residents who died of a drug overdose over the past four years.
Netter (photo at left) and Davis briefly shared their stories of anguish successful recovery on Wednesday afternoon at the annual Overdose Awareness Day at Austin Park.
The event, organized to raise awareness of the dangers of opioids and to remember those who have succumbed to an overdose, was coordinated by the Genesee-Orleans-Wyoming Opioid Task Force, in conjunction with the National Institute of Health’s HEAL (Helping to End Addiction Long-Term) Initiative.
Recognized as a community “hope coach,” Netter said she is “an overdose and suicide attempt survivor.”
“Leading up to my (suicide) attempt, much of my struggle and pain I chose not to allow people to see. I spent my younger years masking my way through life, not recognizing or even acknowledging my inner struggles,” she said. “This led me to dabbling with mental health issues, risky behavior, substance use and trying to (commit) suicide. I stand with you today only by the grace of God, and with many years of recovery and I'm able to tell my story in my own voice.”
She quickly shifted her focus off of herself to speak about those who are no longer with us because of drugs.
“We're here and I want to remember and acknowledge those individuals gathered here today, along with their families and friends. Those who aren’t able to tell their story with their own voice due to …losing the struggle of addiction and to talk about the crisis we’re all facing right now.”
Netter encouraged family members and friends to keep the stories of those departed alive.
“We’re sowing seeds of hope and healing, not only in the hearts and lives of others, but also in our own hearts and our own life,” she said. “Strength and recovery can be found by giving a voice to the stories of those who may otherwise go unseen and unheard.”
Davis (photo at right) has been a certified peer recovery advocate for the Rochester Regional Health system for the past two years – a far cry from where he was for most of his adult life while addicted to heroin and fentanyl.
He shared that when his mother died in 2008, his life spiraled out of control, and the result was incarceration, institutions and near death. Eventually, and with the help of medication for opioid use disorder and support from family and friends, Davis pulled himself up, and continues in his recovery.
Two years ago, his brother died from an overdose, a searing pain that he said he is “working through.”
“Every day, there is something that reminds me of him,” he said. “He’s always there with me.”
Other speakers included John Bennett, chief executive officer at Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse; Paul Pettit, public health director for Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments, and Dawn Stone, peer advocate at Spectrum Health in Wyoming County.
John Bennett: We’re Working to Save Lives
“You would think that in the year 2023, with all of the people who have come out publicly – all the movie stars and athletes that have come out and talked about their addiction – that the stigma would reduce? But it hasn’t. It’s still there,” Bennett said. “So, I just want to thank all the people here today who are recovery warriors. It’s the work that you guys do every day. The support agencies like GCASA, to support the people in the community, that really make a big difference.”
He mentioned how the agency has grown in recent years from 65 to almost 200 employees and adding needed services such as housing for various groups, childcare, transportation and The Recovery Station social meeting place on Clinton Street Road.
“We also provide services for the homeless, particularly through a homeless housing grant that we recently got,” he said. “We’re going to be working on coming up with transitional housing crisis beds for these folks, where they will have a place to stay for seven to 15 days. Those are hard to find, but we’re working to make those come true.”
Bennett said recovery workers are making a difference by trying to save lives.
“My heart goes out to all of you who have lost a loved one. I can’t imagine the grief and loss. But know that we’re trying to make a difference behind the scenes to help future loss of life,” he said.
Paul Pettit: An ‘Urgent Public Health Threat’
Pettit said that data shows that the opioid epidemic continues to be a “very urgent public health and public safety threat in our communities.”
“Drug overdose deaths continue to be the number one leading cause of injury mortality in the United States,” he said. “It’s been that way for many years now. And unfortunately, it's probably going to continue to be the number one cause of death. It's more than vehicle accidents and other types of injuries.”
More than 100,000 people died by overdose last year in the U.S., he said, adding that since 2019, there have been 56 overdose deaths in Genesee County and 23 overdose deaths in Orleans County.
“That’s 79 individuals that have lost their lives to overdoses that we could have prevented; that we are working to prevent it. And that's why we're here today -- to bring awareness to that and to honor them,” he said.
Pettit credited the GOW Opioid Task Force, a three-county coalition founded in 2017, and the more recent HEALing Genesee initiative for examples of community human services agencies coming together to fight this epidemic.
“Three areas that we continue to focus on in the community is opioid overdose prevention and education and naloxone (Narcan) distribution … medication for opioid use disorder and linking individuals to treatment, and safer opioid prescribing and dispensing.
Dawn Stone: ‘It Takes a Community’
Noting that she provides support and encouragement for people from the age of 5 to 90, Stone said “it takes a community” to combat the increasing mental health and substance use epidemic.
In recovery for 19 years, she said that 21 people have died due to an overdose in Wyoming County in recent years, with 41 being the average age of those individuals.
“It’s not just young people,” she said. “Substance use affects all ages. We need to ask our elders, ‘Are you OK?’ and offer them the help they need.”
To conclude the program, Brandi Smith of Batavia, who has been in recovery from heroin, fentanyl and cocaine for six years, read a poem, No Hero in Heroin, in memory of her brother, Jason, who died of an overdose.
In part, the poem states, “So alone, so filled with fear, but I kept on swimming, well, drowning in tears; I never gave up, finally said my goodbyes, found beauty in life, without you by my side; You’re part of my past now, no longer a friend, despite you name, there’s no HERO in heroin.”
Disclosure: Mike Pettinella is the publicist for GCASA.
Photos by Steven Ognibene.
Information sharing was a big part of the event as representatives of more than 20 human service agencies participated.
Children joined in on the experience by taking part in educational exercises.
Amy Kabel, left, and Sue Gagne served as co-chairs for the observance. Here they stand in front of flags representing those who have died due to an overdose.
Seven-year-old Elizabeth Dorchak getting her face painted at a GCASA booth.
A media tour scheduled for Wednesday morning at the new Batavia Medical Center has been canceled, along with the grand opening of the Batavia-based facility set for Monday, Rochester Regional Health officials said.
RRH was waiting for a final letter from New York State signing off on the project, but that letter has not yet arrived. A new opening date has not been determined but will likely be sometime in mid-September, spokesperson Cristina Domingues Umbrino said Tuesday.
The health facility hosted a small tour for dignitaries at the new 95,000 square-foot site on Oak Orchard Road last Friday, with the plan to open it up to media this week in anticipation of an opening slated for Aug. 28.
While some areas in New York are seeing an uptick in COVID cases — enough to warrant stricter masking policies — that hasn’t been the case in Genesee County so far, Genesee and Rochester Regional Health officials say.
Two Upstate Medical hospitals recently reported revised policies to reinstate mandatory masking for all staff, visitors and patients in clinical areas of the hospitals’ spaces, and masking was also strongly encouraged for non-clinical areas as well, according to news reports.
Genesee Orleans (GO) Health’s Public Information Officer Kaitlin Pettine said that there’s been an increase in COVID cases in the second week of August, but there has not been any new masking policy considered.
Her agency is reflecting the recommendations set forth by the state Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at this time, even though “medical centers/systems can also determine their protocols at their own discretion.”
"For the week of August 9 to 15, Genesee County had 10 new cases,” Pettine said. “As expected, we are seeing new strains of COVID. Each strain will present with varying levels of transmissibility and severity. We will continue to monitor activity in our communities and provide recommendations as indicated."
Rochester Regional Health is seeing some increase in COVID inpatient admissions, but the number is considered “rather small,” communications specialist Cristina Domingues Umbrino said.
“We are not considering reinstituting the mask mandate at this time,” she said. “Some restrictions remain in high-risk areas.”
With an opening date of Aug. 26 drawing closer, Rochester Regional Health celebrated the completion of its new medical campus in Batavia on Friday with a brief ceremony that included a ribbon cutting and a first look inside the building for a few dignitaries.
Many of the medical offices and services offered by United Memorial Medical Center and RRH at St. Jerome's and other medical buildings are moving into the new medical campus, making it more of a one-stop shop for area residents receiving out-patient medical care.
RRH invested nearly $45 million in the 95,000-square-foot facility.
Hospital officials describe the facility as "centrally located right off the Thruway, in a convenient place both for local residents and those coming from around the region."
There will be more than a dozen specialty services all under one roof, including primary care, pediatrics, orthopedics, otolaryngology, plastic surgery, vascular surgery, neurosciences and Sands-Constellation Heart Institute cardiologists.
Lab services will also be offered at the campus.
The campus will also offer urgent care seven days a week.
