Category Archives: Health / Community Services

COVID-19 Issues Cause Slowdown In Sales At Medical Device Maker AngioDynamics

May 14, 2020

In the three months prior to the pandemic, AngioDynamics reported sales of $69.8 million, but like many corporations, COVID-19 has had an adverse effect on business.

By Christine Graf

Medical device manufacturer AngioDynamics is experiencing a decline in sales as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the three months prior to the pandemic, the company reported sales of $69.8 million. This represented a 6.5 percent increase compared to the prior-year quarter, according to the company. The growth was in all three of its business units—oncology, vascular interventions and therapies, and vascular access.

Officials said sales for medical device manufacturers began to plummet after hospitals were forced to postpone non-essential surgeries—surgeries that are able to be delayed without placing undue risk to the current or future health of a patient. These surgeries typically account for 40 to 50 percent of revenue at U.S. hospital.

“Because our customers are healthcare providers, many of the cases we support have been reclassified as elective,” said AngioDynamics communications director Saleem Cheeks.

Hudson Headwaters Finds Telehealth Network A Big Help During Pandemic

May 14, 2020

If anything good comes from the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth will fall into that category, Hudson Headwaters Health Network Chief Medical Informatics Officer Dr. Kevin Gallagher said.

“I think this is an exciting time in health care and a really great opportunity for us to redesign our care delivery,” he said in an interview about the organization’s telehealth program, which expanded rapidly to accommodate COVID-19 concerns and social distancing guidelines.

“I think we’re just at the tip of the iceberg with how we can get creative with this.”

Hudson Headwaters Community Relations Manager Jane Hooper said the network was planning to introduce telehealth this year over a number of months, but the pandemic dramatically upped that timeline.

Gallagher joined Hudson Headwaters March 2, and just days later telehealth became the main focus of his work as the organization had to start addressing how to minimize COVID-19 exposure for patients and providers.

Glens Falls Hospital Adds Second MRI, Providing For Improved Patient Access

May 17, 2019May 17, 2019

Dr. Richard Jackson, a neurologist at Glens Falls Hospital, stands next to an MRI machine. With a rise in the demand for services, the hospital recently added a second machine.
Courtesy Glens Falls Hospital

Glens Falls Hospital has added a second Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) system on its main campus, providing improved access to this important diagnostic service, particularly for people in need of outpatient testing.
The MRI system, conveniently located in the Pruyn Pavilion at Glens Falls Hospital, will be primarily used for outpatient care. Appointments are now available for the ‘MRI at Pruyn’.

Adirondack Thunder Team Names James Henry Its Community Service Award Winner

May 17, 2019May 17, 2019

James Henry, in the Adirondack Thunder uniform, poses with his wife Ashley, along with, from left, head coach Alex Loh, and Anthony Muscatello and Eric Gaudreau of Better Than Painting.
Courtesy Adirondack Thunder

James Henry of the Adirondack Thunder hockey team was selected as the recipient of the 2018-19 ECHL Community Service Award.
Each ECHL team was given the opportunity to nominate a player for their efforts supporting community and charitable causes during the 2018-19 season.
The nominations were voted on by league office personnel.

Grant Awarded To Northwestern Mutual’s Sherry Finkel Murphy Will Help Wellspring

May 17, 2019May 17, 2019

Sherry Finkel Murphy, center, Northwestern Mutual financial advisor and 2019 Most Exceptional Community Service Award winner, will donate her grant to Wellspring.
Courtesy Northwestern Mutual

From connecting families with housing and food resources, to providing valuable mentorship opportunities to local youth, Northwestern Mutual financial advisors aim to lead impactful change in communities across the country.
Through its foundation, the company is recognizing these efforts through its 2019 Community Service Awards program by awarding nearly $300,000 in grants to nonprofits nationwide.

Grants To Adirondack Health Institute Will Help Fund Innovative Health Care Projects

May 17, 2019May 17, 2019

AHI staff and other awardees pose after receiving word they will get more than $530,000 to undertake innovative health care projects in the Glens Falls area.
Courtesy AHI

More than $530,000 has been awarded by the AHI Performing Provider System (AHI PPS) to partner organizations in the Glens Falls region to undertake innovative health care projects.
Innovation funding, part of the state’s Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment (DSRIP) Program’s efforts to fundamentally restructure the Medicaid system, will support the implementation of five progressive projects involving 18 regional organizations.

Glens Falls Hospital Earns Designation As ‘Center Of Excellence For Alzheimer’s Disease’

May 10, 2018May 11, 2018

Glens Falls Hospital was designated as a Center of Excellence for Alzheimer’s Disease.
Courtesy Glens Falls Hospital

Glens Falls Hospital has received the designation as a Center of Excellence for Alzheimer’s Disease by the state Department of Health to serve the Northeastern region of the state.

It is one of 10 such centers in New York State.

Funded through a five-year, $2.1 million grant, the center offers an interdisciplinary approach to diagnose and manage Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementias. The program’s mission is to identify the disease early in its progression, provide education to patients, families, and caregivers, and offer updates to physicians on diagnostic procedures.

Warren-Washington CARE Center Educates, Does Intervention For Abuse Victims, Families

May 10, 2018May 11, 2018

Michael Guglielmoni, executive director, and Shy Watters, outreach coordinator of the Warren Washington CARE Center pose in the child-friendly forensic intervew room.

By Maureen Werther

Warren Washington CARE Center, located at 24 Dix Ave. in Glens Falls, serves the community by helping victims of child abuse and their families.

The agency does training, education and outreach, all focused on recognizing and preventing abuse, and intervention in cases when necessary.

The center has been in existence for approximately 13 years and is funded partially through the state Office of Child and Family Services, as well as community fundraising efforts. Since its creation, it has worked with thousands of teachers, childcare professionals, and members of the medical community.

Bank’s $500,000 Donation To Albany Med Includes Funds For Pediatric Emergency Dept.

May 10, 2018May 11, 2018

This rendering is part of the proposed Pediatric Emergency Department at Albany Med.
Courtesy Albany Medical Center

Trustco Bank, which has branches in Glens Falls, Hudson Falls, Lake George and Queensbury, has committed $500,000 to support several initiatives at Albany Medical Center, including $350,000 for its new pediatric emergency department, recently named The Massry Family Children’s Emergency Center.

The gift, which also includes commitments to the Fund for Albany Med and its signature events, has helped Albany Med reach the $15.4 million mark toward its fundraising goal of $20 million for the pediatric emergency department, hospital officials said. The total cost of the project is $50 million.

When it opens in summer 2018, it will be the only one of its kind in northeastern New York and western New England, according to the hospital.

Adirondack Trust Co. Honored For Offering Financial Literacy Courses To Area Students

May 12, 2017May 12, 2017

The Adirondack Trust Co. was honored at the third annual Financial Capability Innovation Awards presented by a leading technology innovator, EverFi Inc.

Presented at Nasdaq Marketsite in New York City, the award recognizes the company’s “significant efforts to improve the financial capability of local teenagers through unique online learning initiatives,” officials said in a new release.

Adirondack Trust has partnered with EverFi to bring the EverFi and Vault Financial Literacy Courses to local students at no cost to schools or taxpayers and has reached over 2,000 students since the 2014-2015 school year. The web-based program uses the latest in simulation and gaming technologies to bring complex financial concepts to life for today’s digital generation, officials said.

Charles V. Wait Jr., bank executive vice president, said the company “is honored to receive the Financial Capability Innovation Award from EverFi and Nasdaq. As a community bank, we feel it is important to encourage students in our local communities to learn about financial education and we are proud to be able to provide it through the EverFi program.”

He said he is committed to providing students with the skills and knowledge needed to successfully navigate the increasingly complex financial world.

“Each year, we travel to the birthplace of the American financial system to honor institutions that are truly dedicated to going above and beyond in service to their communities,” said Ray Martinez, EverFi President of Financial Education. “The Financial Capability Innovation Awards have given us the opportunity to share and celebrate the tremendous investment these institutions are making and continue to make in the communities where they live, work, and serve. For EverFi, our time here reminds us just how critical the role innovation continues to play in empowering Americans to pursue economic opportunity and achieve financial security for themselves, their families, and their community.”