St. Mary’s Healthcare is currently in the process of transitioning to a new Health Information System to better serve our patients. Upon completion our new system will combine St. Mary’s inpatient, emergency, primary/specialty care, outpatient services and testing into a single electronic medical record system (EMR). This will allow our care teams to more efficiently access patient data and improve the patient experience.

The new system will also allow access to a new patient portal that patients can access right here on the St. Mary’s Healthcare website. The new patient portal will feature many useful features including the ability to pre-register for appointments allowing you to save time and plan your visits accordingly.

IMPORTANT:
Please be aware, during this transition period patients and visitors may experience longer than normal wait times and notice additional support associates in our offices and hallways. These additional staff members are on hand to better ensure disruptions are minimal.

Additional Information:
The St. Mary’s Patient Billing office will be closed until February 7 as they transition to the new system. If you need to make a payment during this time, please call (518) 282-3416 or click HERE to make a payment.

We appreciate your understanding and patience during this process.

Gabrielle Spencer, FNP-C and Maureen Russell, FNP-BC join our network of healthcare professionals 

St. Mary’s Healthcare is excited to welcome two new providers to its healthcare ministry – Gabrielle Spencer, FNP-C, and Maureen Russell, FNP-BC.

Gabrielle Spencer, FNP-C joins the Amsterdam Family Health Center located at 4950 State Highway 30 In Amsterdam. Gabrielle is a board-certified nurse practitioner whose prior experience includes working as a float nurse with St. Mary’s Healthcare providing care in the Medical Surgical Unit, Intensive Care Unit, Radiology, and the Birthing Center.

Gabrielle received her master’s degree from SUNY Polytechnic Institute and began her career in nursing at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Albany Medical Center. She received her certification from the American Association of Nurse Practitioners.  

“I have a passion for caring for patients across the lifespan,” said Spencer. “The best part about caring for patients in my community is the ability to meet new people and build relationships with friends and neighbors to provide them the best personalized care.”      

Gabrielle Spencer is now accepting new patients at the Amsterdam Family Health Canter. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call (518) 841-3770.  

Maureen Russell, FNP-BC will be seeing patients at the Gloversville Family Health Center located at 84 East State Street in Gloversville. Before becoming a nurse practitioner, Maureen has been a registered nurse caring for patients at St. Mary’s Healthcare for 11 years. Along the way Maureen provided comprehensive, safe, and compassionate care to patients from multiple units within St. Mary’s Healthcare including the Medical Surgical Unit, Progressive Care Unit, Emergency Department, and Intensive Care Unit. 

Maureen graduated with her master’s degree from SUNY Polytechnic Institute in 2021 preceded by her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from Suny Delhi in 2015.  

“My beliefs about nursing are more than treating an acute or chronic problem but to treat a patient as a whole,” said Russell. “I also have a responsibility to the public and community to provide safe, holistic, patient-centered care. As a nurse, being able to apply my personal experience to contribute to a patient’s wellness and healing gives me a sense of pride.” 

Maureen Russell is currently accepting new patients at the Gloversville Family Health Center. For more information on scheduling, please call (518) 773-8894.  

Recently, two of our pharmacists completed their board certifications, each in their own specialty. Congratulations to Erin Graves, PharmD, BCSCP in her completion of being Board Certified as a Sterile Compounding Pharmacist and Gabriele Sasso, Pharm.D, BCPS in his Board Certification as a Pharmacotherapy Specialist.

Erin’s Board Certification in the Sterile Compounding Pharmacist (BCSCP) Program credentials her as a pharmacist who has met the eligibility criteria and who in her unique practice is responsible for ensuring that sterile preparations meet the clinical needs of our patients. Erin’s advanced education and experience better ensures the quality, safety, and environmental control requirements in all pharmacy phases of preparation, storage, transportation, and administration in compliance with established standards, regulations, and professional best practices.

Being Board Certified as a Pharmacotherapy Specialist, acknowledges Gabe’s commitment and his advanced expertise to optimize medication use, improve patient outcomes, and serve as an objective, evidence-based source for therapeutic information and recommendations for the St. Mary’s Ministry. Gabe’s certification in coordination with our providers positively benefits the organization to design and/or modify patient’s medication therapy regimens, recommending adjustments to dosage or alternate medications when appropriate.

Kathleen Chestnut, St. Mary’s Healthcare Director of Pharmacy stated, “Erin and Gabe are both exceptional and dedicated pharmacists. By them becoming board certified, it further demonstrates their commitment to excellence here at St. Mary’s. Their expertise and experience will help ensure we continue to provide the best quality of care for our patients.”

Board certification through the Board of Pharmacy Specialties® is the gold standard for determining which pharmacists are qualified to contribute at advanced practice levels. Through the rigorous examination standards mandated by the Board of Pharmacy Specialties®, the BPS board certified pharmacists are uniquely trained and educated to meet the continually expanding expectations of other healthcare team members and the specialized needs of the patients they serve.

As we continue to see an increase in patient volume and COVID-19 in our area, Scott Bruce, St. Mary’s President and CEO, and Dr. Mahvash Majeed, Pediatrician at the St. Mary’s Amsterdam Family Health Center wanted to provide an update directly to our community. We also want to ask for the community’s patience as we are seeing record volumes across most of our sites and the wait times will be longer than normal.

The St. Mary’s Healthcare Auxiliary is excited to announce its 14th Annual Christmas in November fundraising event: The Something New..Drive Through on Friday, November 19th from 5pm to 9pm, and Saturday, November 20th from 10am to 4pm.

The public is invited to join us as we embark on a self-guided holiday home tour throughout Amsterdam visiting over 20 homes all displaying their unique holiday decorated front doors, porches, and in some cases, their front yards.

Due to the Pandemic, this annual event has been changed to an outdoor driving tour, but still includes all the festivities at the Carondelet Pavilion Auditorium on Guy Park Avenue across from the St. Mary’s Hospital. Festivities include basket raffles, vendors, giveaways and more. Participants who visit the Carondelet Pavilion can also enter to win a one night stay at The Amsterdam Castle, dinner, and a holiday gift basket.

Ticket donations are $10 and will include a map of the locations on the tour. Tickets can be purchased at the St. Mary’s Hospital Gift Shop, June’s Cards & Gifts, White Cottage Gardens in Amsterdam, Studio Herbage, Second Wind Coffee in Johnstown, Mohawk Harvest in Gloversville and at the door at the Carondelet Pavilion on the day of the tour.

Ticket proceeds will be used to support the mission of St. Mary’s Hospital including supporting the new Rao expansion project on route 30 in which the auxiliary has pledged $500,000. At this time, the auxiliary has given $300,000 to the expansion project.

St. Mary’s Healthcare Auxiliary members are looking forward to hosting this event once again and would like to extend their appreciation to all the homeowners who will have their homes on display in benefit of this fundraiser.

Contact:
Colleen Hardies-Medwid
P- (518) 841-7136

Amsterdam, NY (November 3, 2021) – St. Mary’s Healthcare is pleased to announce 3 newly appointed officers and 3 new members to the St. Mary’s Board of Directors. Appointed to officer positions earlier this year were: Michael J. Pepe, Chairman; Scott Bruce, Vice Chair; Thomas Cichy, Treasurer; and Dr. Mohammed Ghazi, returning for his third year as Secretary. St. Mary’s also welcomes the appointment of Jason Packer, David Santos, and Benjamin Ziskin as new members to the St. Mary’s Board of Directors which meets monthly at the hospital.

Michael J. Pepe, is the Vice President and Senior Relationship Manager for NBT Bank and lifelong resident of Amsterdam. Michael has 42 years of experience in the banking industry and has over 35 years of Board and leadership roles at numerous organizations including Fulton-Montgomery Community College Foundation, St. Mary’s Hospital Foundation, Catholic Charities of Montgomery County, Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Montgomery County, Fulton County Economic Development Corp., and Fulton Montgomery Community College Board of Trustees.

Michael was elected twice to the Montgomery County’s 7th Legislative District seat in 2016 & in 2019 and served as Budget & Finance Chairman from 2017-2020. In 2021, he was elected Chairman of the Montgomery County Legislature by his fellow legislators. In addition to his recent involvement,     Michael also served 15 years on the St. Mary’s Healthcare Board of Directors prior to his appointment as Chairman and previously served as  Treasurer.

Scott Bruce, is the President and CEO of St. Mary’s Healthcare. Scott has a long and successful association with St. Mary’s Healthcare having worked at St. Mary’s for over 25 years where he served as Vice-President of Operations beginning in 2005 until his appointment as CEO in 2020. Scott is a graduate of Siena College and earned an MBA at the University of Connecticut. In previous positions at St. Mary’s, Scott has managed numerous important service expansion and construction projects including the award-winning Rao Pavilion, the establishment of several new Urgent Care, Specialty and Primary Care Centers and the expansion of diagnostic and treatment services in Medical Imaging, Laboratory and the Surgical Suite. His role in the transitioning of Amsterdam Memorial Health Care into St. Mary’s Healthcare was integral to the success of that unification in 2009.

Thomas F. Cichy C.P.A., a graduate of Siena College, is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants. He is also a member of the Tax Division of the American Institute of Certified Public Accounts. Prior to his recent retirement, he served as the Administrative and Engagement Partner in the CPA accounting and consulting firm L C S & Z, L.L.P. In his role, Mr. Cichy was responsible for oversight of various administrative functions of the firm and information technology. A partner since 1981, Tom offers extensive experience in professional services, construction, fabricating, processing, and importing and manufacturing industries which included non-for-profit organizations. Tom retired several years ago but maintains a deep commitment to improving the quality of the community.

Mohammed Ghazi, M.D., is a specialist in the field of Urology. He is certified by the American Board of Urology and is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. Locally, Dr. Ghazi is a past president of the County Medical Society, has served on the SMH Medical Staff Executive Committee, to mention only a few of his accomplishments. He is also a physician member of the New York State Board of Professional Medical Conduct. Previously, the Boy Scouts of America presented Mo and his wife, Taiyebeh, with the “Sir William Johnson Good Scout Award” in recognition of their outstanding community service. Dr. Ghazi is a long-time member of the Board and a past president.

The St. Mary’s Healthcare Board of Directors are also pleased to welcome Jason Packer, CEO of Hill & Markes; David Santos, Vice President with D.A. Construction; and Benjamin Ziskin, Vice President and Business Banking Manager with NBT Bank as new Board members.

Scott Bruce, President and CEO of St. Mary’s, commented; “The St. Mary’s Healthcare members of the Board of Directors continuously demonstrate a commitment to quality healthcare for our community. Their leadership and knowledge, strengthened by the vision of our legacy to serve all with compassion and excellence, sets the foundation by which the Directors live our mission, vision and values.”

Other members of the St. Mary’s Board of Directors in 2021 include: Gregory Abbattisti, John Daly, Susan Davis, Ed.D., Emily Etzkorn, M.D., Andrew Heck, Sr. Mary Anne Heenan, CSJ, and Father Robert Longobucco.

Amsterdam, NY (October 14, 2021) – St. Mary’s Healthcare is pleased to announce the public phase of its first Capital Campaign in over 6 years. This project, “Preserving our Promise…The Campaign for St. Mary’s Healthcare,” expands on the St. Mary’s Rao Outpatient Pavilion, which opened its doors in 2015, to an integration of primary care, behavioral health services, and a retail pharmacy, which is being deemed as a “Medical Village.” This location also provides access to much needed outpatient services all under one roof.  In addition, this campaign also includes the expansion and renovation of the inpatient chemical dependency unit, which will be located on the St. Mary’s Healthcare Memorial Campus.

“This is an extremely exciting time for St. Mary’s Healthcare as we embark on the public phase of this campaign, and now we could use the community’s support more than ever. It is evident that this project has already been met with positivity and generosity during a challenging time in health care. St. Mary’s has many great ways for you to get involved and support this campaign. With your help through online donations, and assistance in supporting the goals of this campaign, we will be able to continue to serve our community for years to come,” stated Bri Giulianelli, Executive Director of the St. Mary’s Foundation.

The “Medical Village”, which opened to the public on June 14, 2021, serves as “one-stop shopping” for St. Mary’s patients. St. Mary’s has combined three of their primary care practices located in Amsterdam under one roof, along with behavioral health specialists, diabetes education, pastoral care services, and a retail pharmacy (set to open later this year).  When a patient visits their primary care provider, they will be able to easily pick up their prescriptions following their visit. If they need to visit the Rao Outpatient Pavilion next door for lab work, medical imaging, urgent care, breast health or cancer medicine, they can use the connecting corridor to access those services.  A healing garden has been planted, as well, for patients and associates to find a peaceful place to meditate and reflect.

“Throughout the pandemic we have been witness to many donations and messages of support from in and around our area. I am humbled at the level of generosity from our established donors, associates, and community members. For over 100 years St. Mary’s has led the way in excellent health care for the Fulmont region and our goal to continue that legacy remains unchanged,” stated Scott Bruce, President and CEO of St. Mary’s Healthcare.

St. Mary’s has been fortunate enough to garner support from wonderful community leaders and businesses. These amazing early community supporters include, but are not limited to Alpin Haus, Hill and Markes, Stewart’s Shops, BBL Construction, Beckmann Converting, Rose and Kiernan, and St. Mary’s Healthcare Auxiliary have all pledged their support to this campaign. We are thankful for their belief in the mission of St. Mary’s, which is to serve our most poor and vulnerable neighbors. We hope that we can count on our community, as well.

If you would like to donate to this campaign, please contact Bri Giulianelli at bgiul001@nysmha.org or 518-770-7584. You can also donate directly on the St. Mary’s website at: www.smha.org/foundation

Photo Description: New Rao Outpatient Expansion

Contact

Bri Giulianelli
Executive Director of the Foundation at St. Mary’s Healthcare
(518) 770-7584
bgiul001@nysmha.org

St. Mary’s Healthcare is proud to announce that Erika Iler has accepted the Director of Primary and Urgent Care position. In this new role, Erika will oversee all care teams in the 6 primary and 4 urgent care locations across Amsterdam, Broadalbin, Canajoharie, Charlton, Gloversville, Johnstown, Northville and St. Johnsville, including the COVID testing location.

Erika came to St. Mary’s in 2019, as a primary care practice manager which most recently included the oversight of the new St. Mary’s Amsterdam Family Health Center at the Rao Outpatient Pavilion. Erika played a pivotal role in the planning, opening and consolidation of the existing practices into this new location.

This practice of thirteen medical providers, integrated behavioral health, care management, nutrition and chaplain services provided a solid foundation for her transition into her newest role.

Having been educated and worked as a licensed practical nurse (LPN) for a number of years, Erika also brings unparalleled experience of previous direct patient care roles in clinical settings. Erika’s experience on both the administrative and clinical sides of health care, gives her a unique perspective to meet the ever-changing medical needs of our community and our St. Mary’s associates. With a love for improving employee relations, she is excited to build on her previous roles and focus on the patient as well as the associate experience.

Erika has a passion for learning and growing, which has led her to complete a Bachelor of Science degree with an emphasis in Healthcare Management.

Please join us in welcoming Erika to her new role as Primary and Urgent Care Director.