Swinburne Health Center to Open March 8 |
|
On Tuesday, March 8, Whitney Young Health’s (WYH) new Swinburne Health Center will open at 526 Central Avenue in Albany. The new locale will launch with Women’s/Reproductive Health Services and Pediatrics, which will relocate from their current site at our 920 Lark Drive Health Center. Additionally, the Swinburne Health Center will offer a new WIC site which joins our Albany and Watervliet locations.
The opening of the new health center in the Swinburne building will bring medical and behavioral health services to an underserved area in a busy downtown corridor.
|
|
Ambulatory Care Nurses Week |
|
The American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing (AAACN) describes the ambulatory care as a unique specialty nursing practice that focuses on health care for individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations. Advanced practice nurses, registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and medical assistants work in many types of ambulatory practices.
During the week of February 7-13, 2022, Whitney Young Health (WYH) was proud to participate in the AAACN’s first ever Ambulatory Care Nurses’ week.
Although many people have never heard of Ambulatory Care nurses, they are at the heart of WYH’s mission to bring consistent quality healthcare to all our patients, regardless of income. Ambulatory Care nurses work with our physicians and physician’s assistants (PAs) to address the physical, mental, emotional needs of the various individuals we serve, as well as connecting them with spiritual, housing, food security, and transportation resources.
To show our thanks, Ambulatory Care Nurses Week banners were hung at each of WYH location (see the image with this story), our leadership team sent a note of thanks to their team members, and thank-you cookies were ordered from a local bakery.
We are grateful every day for WYH’s team of nurses who are responsible for safety and efficacy of care, referring patients for care management, educating patients in ways to optimize their health, collaborating with physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, care managers, and pharmacists.
|
|
WOW 2.0 Expands Access to Healthcare |
On February 17, 2022, an Open House was held in front of our Albany Health Center to introduce our staff to our second Whitney on Wheels (WOW) mobile health unit.
The new WOW - Called WOW 2.0 - is larger than the first unit, with two exam rooms and is accessible to people with mobility impairments.
The new unit features bright, highly visible graphics, which had been voted on by our staff, who chose between several designs.
|
The much-anticipated arrival of WOW 2.0 means that WYH will be able to serve more people, add locations, and treat patients with disabilities, who may not have been able to access the original WOW.
Our thanks go out to the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation, which supplied the grant to purchase WOW 2.0, and to Highmark Blue Shield of Northeastern NY for their support of the expansion of our mobile health program.
|
|
Donor Wall at Albany Dental Practice |
|
Whitney Young Health is proud to unveil our Donor Recognition wall at our 900 Lark Drive Dental Practice.
The plaque acknowledges the contributions of individuals and organizations to the Campaign for Smiles, an initiative to fund the state-of-the art dental facility which opened in 2019.
We are grateful for the generous donors who helped expand and enhance access to dental care in our community.
|
|
After a hiatus in 2021 caused by COVID, Whitney Young Health's School-Based Health Center (SBHC) program brought back its popular Hearts Contest in observance of SBHC Awareness Month!
Elementary-aged kids at each of the four schools where WYH operates a SBHC received a heart-shaped coloring template that they could decorate and write messages on about their SBHC.
All hearts from the elementary schools were posted on a survey website where WYH staff could see and vote on each of the entries.
Participating students were given small prizes, and the students whose designs got the most votes received gift bags with stuffed animals.
|
|
|
WYH Takes Part in "Blood Battle'
for the American Red Cross
|
|
Whitney Young Health is proud to help combat a critical national blood supply shortage by taking part in a "Blood Battle".
Run by the American Red Cross of Northeastern NY , this "Battle" is actually a friendly competition between local organizations to see whose staff can donate the most units of blood.
Starting in January and running through early March, the Red Cross is holding a series of blood donation clinics each sponsored by a participating local organization or business.
Whitney Young Health joins CDPHP, SEFCU, MVP Health Care, Albany Medical Center, Stewart's Shops and Living Resources in this donation drive. As of the time of writing, MVP is in the lead, with 56 units donated by staff. WYH employees have donated 12 units of blood, but it's not too late for WYH to pull ahead in the "battle" - two more drives are scheduled for March 4 and March 12.
To learn more about how you can help ease the blood shortage, click HERE.
|
|
The RED Bookshelf is a local organization created to promote book ownership for children in underserved communities. They have bookshelves full of donated new and gently-used books in several locations in Albany County, including the waiting room of WYH's Albany Health Center.
Our Community-Based Program (CBP) staff recently took part in a RED Bookshelf "Mending Party", cleaning and repairing torn pages on a batch of used books, which were then placed on the WYH RED Bookshelf, ready for kids to take home a free book of their own.
|
|
|
|
Be a part of the meaningful work we do at Whitney Young Health - Join our team!
It takes a village, and a variety of skills, to provide quality care to a growing community. Consider contributing your talents to our mission.
Learn more about our employment opportunities online at www.wmyhealth.org/careers, or call our Talent Acquisition Specialist, Olivia Fagan at (518) 591-4565.
|
|
Staying healthy is never out of season |
|
It may be icy and cold right now, but it's clear that the seasons are changing as the days get longer and we approach the start of spring in March.
One thing that doesn't change, however, is the need for people in our community to have access to consistent quality medical, dental and behavioral health care.
Your donation can help Whitney Young Health provide:
- Dental care for school children in underserved areas.
- Nutritional and health education for people living with chronic illnesses like high blood pressure and diabetes.
- Routine checkups to keep our patients healthy and up-to-date on vaccines.
Thank you for supporting Whitney Young Health in our mission to provide quality healthcare to some of the most vulnerable and underserved populations in our community.
|
|
Connect with Whitney Young Health |
|
|
|
|
|
|
