Northern Westchester Hospital Touts Patient Experience

At a conference yesterday with town officials from Mount Kisco and New Castle, the leadership of got a chance to highlight its achievements, with an emphasis on providing high-quality care and value to its patients.

The event comes just weeks after construction work started on the hospital's large parking garage, which was made possible due to approval from Mount Kisco (for ) and from New Castle (for ). NWH CEO Joel Seligman, noting that much of the recent discussion with local officials, took a moment to stress what the center has to offer.

“We’re not a construction company," Seligman told the audience. "We’re about providing great healthcare.”

“This place is all about patient-centered care. That’s our mantra, it’s something we work on every day, it’s something the board of trustees focuses on every month," said Robert Spolzino, who chairs the hospital's board of trustees.

The phrase "patient-centered care" was emphasized repeatedly by officials, to note that they are providing an experienced that's both holistic in nature and empowering to those who receive care.

Spolzino drew a connection between the garage and the hospital's mission of such care.

“The parking garage is going to make it possible for people to easily come in and out of this facility: Patients, visitors, family, caregivers. And if we can relieve the stress that people feel about coming in and out of here, that’s going to make the whole patient-centered experience a lot better.”

Marla Koroly, chief medical officer, described patient-centerdness as "very much an element in quality of healthcare."

“That means to us we want to empower our patients to participate in their healthcare," she said. "They’re a partner with us in it, as well as their families if they desire to include their families.”

Koroly also noted that the hospital is looking at value as a priority, because just focusing on quality alone does not sufficiently take into account costs.

“We have to stop increasing costs out of control,” she said, noting that NWH is working to be as efficient as they can.

Seligman noted that, in being efficient, treatments should only be done when necessary, and work needs to be done to make sure that people do not need to return to the hospital again.

“Our model is about providing the highest quality care, because we also believe coincidentally and happily, that that’s the most cost-effective way to produce healthcare as well," he said.

Hospital officials touted the myriad of awards they have received recently, ranging from a 6 out of 7 rating from the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, or HIMMS, for its technology offerings. They include giving quick access to the latest medical readings for physicians and making it easier to provide information about medications needed for patients.

Lauraine Szekely, chief nursing officer, described the array of services that the hospital provides. They range from using a Da Vinci robot for minimally invasive surgeries, to providing an interdisciplinary focus, such as offering pre-op education and talking about new eating habits to go along with weight loss surgery. The theme in discussing amenities is one that looks both at new technologies but also in building interdisciplinary teams of physicians. In total, NWH has about 600 physicians and more than 400 nurses.

Aside from the garage - Seligman said it will be completed next year, possibly in April or May - NWH has opened other major new facilties in recent years. They include the Mary and David Boies Emergency Department and the Cancer Treatment and Wellness Center.

Other major priorties for this year, according to Seligman, include expanding the existing spinal care institute and boosting the ambulatory care facility at Chappaqua Crossing.