Alone we can do so little;
together we can do so much.
It is my great privilege to deliver my final Health Extensions message as president of Greenwich Hospital. It has been an honor to lead and to work in collaboration with extraordinary men and women dedicated to caring for those who trust us with their healthcare needs. There have been highs. There have been lows. We expanded key service areas like cancer care, pediatrics and behavioral health. We fought hard against COVID and came through with new skills and renewed energy. Through the ups and downs, one thing remained constant: togetherness. The unwavering willingness routinely displayed by Greenwich Hospital staff members to help a colleague in need is something that will always remain with me. This edition of Health Extensions is a testament to that camaraderie.
Our cover story, “One common goal: Emergency Department and Stroke Center partner to save life of young athlete,” highlights the collaboration between our Emergency Department and our award-winning Stroke Center that sprang into action to protect the life and future of a collegiate soccer star. The two groups worked together, as always, like a well-oiled machine, showcasing the communication and trust needed to provide exceptional health care.
In Meet the Health Expert, Dr. Shah delves into sepsis and how the infection is cared for by the Greenwich Hospital team.
More helpful information follows as Greenwich Hospital infectious disease physician Gavin McLeod, MD, lays out five tips for people and their loved ones on how to stay healthy during the coming flu season.
In Community Connections is a recap of the Youth Access Healthcare Explorers program that was held at the hospital over the summer. We also have a piece on our collaboration with the YMCA of Greenwich, which has donated spin bikes and the services of a live spin instructor for Closer to Free: Spin Ride in the Garden several years in a row.
From there, readers can learn about our monthly community health programs geared toward educating the public.
It then brings me tremendous joy to spotlight the innovative efforts taking place at our hospital and clinics. Inside Greenwich Hospital features laryngologist Michael Lerner, MD, and his Botox® treatment for people who cannot burp, and how awareness for the affliction is growing. Neurologist Kunal Desai, MD, speaks about our ALS Clinic and the multidisciplinary approach required to tend to the disease. The section is then capped off with a look at the newly implemented procedures for chronic back pain at the Greenwich Hospital Center for Pain Management.
The issue concludes with a delicious recipe for pinto bean chili and a tribute to the amazing breast cancer care team in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month. I am forever grateful that I have had the opportunity to be part of Yale New Haven Health, working alongside the finest people I have known in my 40-year career. Health care has been not just a job, but an intrinsic part of who I am. Hopefully this issue of Health Extensions offers a glimpse into why I love it.
— Diane P. Kelly, DNP, RN
