Finnegan Alexander Wilson was born on Thursday, Feb. 29, at UMMC, making him a Leap Year Baby.

The nation's defense secretary's treatment for prostate cancer has put the disease in the public spotlight again, and officials at Rochester Regional Health/United Memorial Medical Center had a specialist talk with reporters on Wednesday to help people better understand detection and treatment.

About two dozen people — construction workers, staff, donors and officials — braved bone-chilling winds and huddled in the parking lot of the future Healthy Living campus Monday morning to observe a final "topping off" ceremonial step for the project before a ribbon-cutting next fall.

It was an auspicious

Press Release:

The Jerome Foundation, a Batavia-based organization that receives, manages and distributes non-profit funds for health-related purposes, donated $150,000 to Rochester Regional Health’s United Memorial Medical Center (UMMC), and specifically its plans for a new, state-of-the-art Intensive Care Unit (ICU).  

The renovated ICU will triple in size and bring crucial medical care to patients who are often the sickest, most vulnerable, and most in need in Batavia and the surrounding communities. 

“Building a new, expanded and modern Intensive Care Unit is a priority project for United Memorial Medical Center, and another example of Rochester Regional Health’s unwavering commitment to the health and wellbeing of our rural residents.  It means in a time of crisis, our community can get lifesaving critical care right here at home, reducing the need for difficult trips to bigger cities,” said Dan Ireland, RRH President & Chief Operating Officer, Finger Lakes Rural Hospitals.  “We want to thank the Jerome Foundation for this generous donation, and for its continued support that allows us to provide world-class health care to our patients here in the Genesee County region.”

Over the years, the Jerome Foundation has supported several UMMC projects including the construction of a new Healthy Living Campus and new Radiology Department.

“The Jerome Foundation has a long history of supporting worthwhile organizations in our community and what can be more appropriate to our mission than continuing our financial assistance to United Memorial Medical Center (UMMC),” said Robert Balbick, The Jerome Foundation President.  “UMMC provides our community with invaluable professional medical services and its commitment to do so in the future in part depends upon contributions from our community. This $150,000 gift to UMMC is an investment in that future for every one of us in this community.”

The expanded ICU will triple in size from its current space and include:

• Ten private patient rooms with bathrooms
• One bed dedicated to pediatric patients
• Central nurses station, with workstations outside each room
• Cutting-edge technology in each room including integrated telemedicine and enhanced monitoring capabilities, and additional lift and transfer equipment in the rooms
• New ICU waiting room

UMMC is still completing all the future ICU’s design details and continues with its fundraising efforts. 

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.

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.

Previously: RRH's 'one-stop' medical campus ready to open

"That's the biggest thing," said Lori Aratari, senior development officer for UMMC. "We're getting kids involved in philanthropy at a young age and showing them the importance of giving back and especially supporting health care in our community."

Rochester Regional Health has launched a new strategic workforce education program for its more than 19,000 employees. The Advance U Education Program will support career mobility for Rochester Regional employees, with tuition paid upfront by the health system. This latest addition to Rochester Regional’s robust array of workforce development programs reflects the health system’s commitment to creating career-long advancement opportunities for its employees. In its vision to “lead the evolution of healthcare to enable every member of the communities we serve to enjoy a better, healthier life,” Rochester Regional understands that its most powerful asset is an educated, engaged workforce.

Starting April 4, Rochester Regional’s Advance U will be available to employees across the health system’s hundreds of New York locations. The program will support Registered Nurses (RNs) to obtain BSN degrees (bachelor’s of science in nursing), and will provide entry-level employees the opportunity to gain skills and earn certifications in in-demand career fields such as Medical Assisting or Medical Coding. In the future, Advance U will grow to include additional education opportunities to help Rochester Regional team members advance their careers with the organization.

Advance U is the newest addition to Rochester Regional’s continuing investments in workforce education and career development. The health system’s Isabella Graham Hart School of Practical Nursing since 1964 has prepared students to launch careers as Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs). The College of Health Careers Associates in Nursing Program opens an LPN-to-RN pathway. In addition, Rochester Regional continues its longstanding Clinical Laboratory Technology Program at Rochester General Hospital, and its Certified Nursing Assisting and Certified Home Health Aide Training programs.

For Rochester Regional team members, Advance U removes the financial burden of education for career advancement. The health system will cover 100% of tuition for degrees and certifications earned through Advance U. The cost of higher education can be a significant barrier to healthcare jobs, particularly for employees in entry-level roles with limited discretionary income to invest.

“The first step to any career is getting that first opportunity. At Rochester Regional Health, we want our employees to grow and advance with us, so that whatever role they start in can be a stepping stone to a lifelong career with our health system,” said Dr. Richard “Chip” Davis, Rochester Regional Health CEO.

Rochester Regional is the second largest employer in Rochester and provides essential care for communities across New York. For many of its entry-level employees, their job with Rochester Regional is their first; by offering upfront tuition coverage for skills and certification courses, the organization hopes that the first job marks the beginning of a long and robust career at Rochester Regional.

Advance U was designed in partnership with InStride, a global leader in strategic workforce education.

“In healthcare, unlike many other industries, a significant number of roles require professional certification,” said InStride co-founder and Chief Operating Officer, Jonathan Lau. “Rochester Regional Health is investing in their employees by providing the education they need to earn those certifications at no cost to them while they work. With the Advance U Education Program, Rochester Regional Health is not only filling the roles they need today, they are also building the workforce their system will need in the future.”

Press release:

Rochester Regional Health‘s United Memorial Medical Center (UMMC) achieved Magnet recognition in March, a reflection of its nursing professionalism, teamwork and superiority in patient care. The Magnet Recognition Program® from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) distinguishes organizations that meet rigorous standards for nursing excellence.

Just 595 U.S. healthcare organizations out of over 6,000 U.S. hospitals have achieved Magnet recognition.  UMMC now joins other RRH hospitals that have a proud history of Magnet achievement, including Rochester General, Unity, Clifton Springs Hospital & Clinic and Newark-Wayne Community Hospital, and our Primary Care and Ambulatory Specialty Institute (PCASI), which was the first primary care organization in the nation to achieve this prestigious designation.

“Magnet recognition provides our community with the ultimate benchmark to measure the quality of patient care,” said Sheri Faggiano, Chief Nursing Officer for United Memorial Medical Center. “Achieving Magnet recognition reinforces the culture of excellence that is a cornerstone of how we serve our community. It’s also tangible evidence of our nurses’ commitment to providing the very best care to our patients.”

Research demonstrates that Magnet recognition provides specific benefits to healthcare organizations and their communities, such as:

• Higher patient satisfaction with nurse communication, availability of help and receipt of discharge information.
• Lower risk of 30-day mortality and lower failure to rescue rates.
• Higher job satisfaction among nurses.
• Lower nurse reports of intentions to leave their positions.

Magnet recognition is the gold standard for nursing excellence and is a factor when the public judges healthcare organizations. U.S. News & World Report’s annual showcase of “America’s Best Hospitals” includes Magnet recognition in its ranking criteria for quality of inpatient care.

The Magnet Model provides a framework for nursing practice, research, and measurement of outcomes. Through this framework, ANCC evaluates applicants across a number of components and dimensions to gauge an organization’s nursing excellence.

The foundation of this model comprises various elements deemed essential to delivering superior patient care. These include the quality of nursing leadership, coordination and collaboration across specialties, as well as processes for measuring and improving the quality and delivery of care.

To achieve Magnet recognition, organizations must pass a rigorous and lengthy process that demands widespread participation from leadership and staff. This process includes an electronic application, written patient care documentation, an on-site visit, and a review by the Commission on Magnet Recognition.

Photos via UMMC

Due to the winter storm and icy roads that are expected in much of the area we serve, we will close some care offices early.  Please note the United Memorial Medical Center Hospital and Emergency Department are and will remain open for all emergencies.  Given regional travel advisories and for the safety of patients and staff, some outpatient offices will be closing at noon and calling their patients directly to reschedule appointments.

• United Memorial Medical Center Hospital- OPEN
• United Memorial Medical Center Emergency Department-OPEN
• Primary Care Offices- CLOSE AT NOON, some morning visits are virtual and appointments are being rescheduled, phone lines remain open
• Specialty Care Offices (Cardiology, Surgery, Women’s Care, Pain Center, Wound Center, Lipson Cancer Institute and Orthopedics)- CLOSE AT NOON, some morning visits are virtual and appointments are being rescheduled, phone lines remain open
• UMMC Imaging at Jerome Center- CLOSES AT NOON
• Physical Therapy- CLOSES AT NOON
• UMMC Lab at Jerome Center- CLOSES AT NOON, CLOSED SATURDAY
• Outpatient Pharmacy- CLOSES AT NOON
• Healthy Living Center- CLOSES AT NOON

All essential staff members are required to report to work.

Patients and families with any questions should first reach out to their Primary Care or Specialty Care offices; for other questions, call 585-343-6030 for more information.