News Releases

DERBY, CT (May 9, 2012) – Griffin Hospital has received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Silver Plus Quality Achievement Award.

The award recognizes Griffin Hospital’s commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of stroke care by ensuring that stroke patients receive treatment according to nationally accepted standards and recommendations.

To receive the Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Silver Plus Quality Achievement Award, Griffin Hospital achieved at least 12 consecutive months of 85 percent or higher adherence to all Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Quality Achievement indicators and achieved at least 75 percent or higher compliance with six of 10 Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Quality Measures during that same period of time, which are reporting initiatives to measure quality of care.

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DERBY, CT (January 12, 2012) - The Lower Naugatuck Valley Boys & Girls Club and Father Leonard Kvedas, pastor of St. Michael’s Parish in Beacon Falls, will share honors as recipients of the 4th Annual “Caring Heart” Award.  The award is presented each year to an individual and a community organization in recognition of initiatives that support, promote, and improve the general health and well-being of the community. 

Sponsored by the Woman and Heart Disease Committee at Griffin Hospital, in conjunction with American Heart Month, the award presentations will take place on February 2nd at Grassy Hill Lodge in Derby. Registration and a silent auction will begin at 5:00 pm, followed by dinner at 6:00 pm and the program and awards. The guest speaker...

DERBY, CT (January 3, 2012) - In conjunction with American Heart Month, the Women and Heart Disease Committee will host its 7th Annual Women and Heart Disease program on Thursday, February 2, 2012 at Grassy Hill Lodge in Derby. Reservations for the event, which is open to the public, can be made by calling 203-732-7584 or 203-732-1137. The cost is $35.

Event registration and a silent auction will start at 5:00 pm, followed promptly at 6:00 pm by dinner and the program, which features guest speaker Samantha Heller, MS, RD, CDN, Nutrition Coordinator at the Center for Cancer Care at Griffin Hospital.

In addition to her duties at Griffin Hospital, Ms. Heller is a nationally known health and media expert, consultant, and author of Get Smart:...

DERBY, CT (December 28, 2011) - Griffin Hospital will offer a free four-week nutrition course beginning Wednesday, January 18. The free course, "Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Nutrition, But Were Afraid to Ask," will be held over four sessions, January 18 and 25, and February 1 and 8 from 5:30-6:30 p.m. at the Center for Cancer Care at Griffin Hospital, 350 Seymour Avenue, Derby.

This groundbreaking series of fun, informative classes is taught by registered dietician and exercise physiologist Samantha Heller, a nationally known nutrition expert who regularly appears on television and radio programs such as Good Morning America, the TODAY Show, the CBS Early Show, and Doctor Radio on Sirius XM.

Participants will learn about a variety of nutrition topics, including how to:

Reach and maintain a healthy weight...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DERBY, CT (September 15, 2011) - Griffin Hospital was named one of the nation’s top performers on key quality measures by The Joint Commission, the leading accreditor of healthcare organizations in America.

Griffin Hospital was one of 405 U.S. hospitals and critical access hospitals earning the distinction for attaining and sustaining excellence in accountability measure performance and the only Connecticut hospital named.

This is the first time that The Joint Commission, the healthcare industry’s standard setter, is recognizing top performers and including them in its “Improving America’s Hospitals” annual report.

Griffin Hospital was recognized by The Joint Commission based on data reported about evidence-based clinical processes that are shown to improve the effectiveness of care for certain conditions including heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia and surgical care. Inclusion on the list is based on an aggregation of public accountability measure data reported to The Joint Commission during the previous calendar year, in this case 2010.

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DERBY, CT (July 25, 2011) - The Valley Gateway to Health, a community healthcare collaborative involving Griffin Hospital and neighboring long-term care facilities and home care agencies, invites the community to attend a free educational event on preventing Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) hospitalizations at 5:00 pm Tuesday, August 23, 2011 at Griffin Hospital. The collaborative, which was founded to empower CHF patients and their caregivers with education and tools they need to manage their disease, is hosting the free event to celebrate the implementation of its “Heart Success Program.” The event will feature free giveaways, heart-healthy appetizers (with recipes provided), and an overview of CHF by cardiologist Neil Pearson, MD. There will also be brief presentations by Valley Gateway to Health members Kathleen Martin (representing Griffin Hospital), Debra Samorajczyk, (representing Bishop Wicke), and Lisa Nardelli (representing New England Home Care) on how the collaborative is working with our community...

Women's Day of Health, a day FOR women, BY women, is being co-sponsored by Griffin Hospital and the Women & Heart Disease Committee on Saturday, May 7, from 9 AM- 2 PM.  The half-day event, which takes place at Griffin Hospital, will feature keynote addresses by Center for Breast Wellness Medical Director, Dr. Zandra Cheng, and Center for Cancer Care Dietician, Samantha Heller. Activities include breakout sessions on health and well-being issues, free health screenings, and informational resource tables to...

DERBY, CT - Do you snore? Are you frequently tired during the day? Do you wake during the night feeling breathless? If you answered yes to just one of these questions, you may be suffering from a sleep disorder.

Most people who suffer from snoring and sleep apnea are unaware of the consequences of how it affects their daytime and nighttime functions. A person with sleep apnea finds it hard to breathe during sleep due to a partial or complete collapse of their breathing passage. The airway collapse is usually identified by a family member complaining of loud snoring. Untreated, sleep apnea can lead to potentially life threatening diseases such as a cardiac disease, stroke, and diabetes.

On Wednesday, December 15, at 6:30 pm, Dr. K. Marya Chaisson, Director of Griffin Hospital's Sleep Wellness Center, will present "Snoring - It's No Laughing Matter!" Dr. Chaisson is board certified in sleep medicine, internal medicine,...

DERBY, CT (August 16, 2010) - Griffin Hospital will offer a Fall session of its free 10-week “Mini-Med School” course beginning Thursday, September 16, 2010. The free course, which will be conducted over 10 consecutive weekly sessions by various Griffin Hospital physicians who serve as faculty, will meet Thursdays from 6:30 – 9:00 pm in the hospital’s Meditation and Learning Center. The Mini-Med School will culminate with a “graduation” ceremony for participants on November 18.

The course is specifically designed for the layperson with little or no medical background, providing a unique opportunity to gain a greater understanding of how the human body works, insight into common disorders of the various organ systems, as well as information about disease prevention. Each weekly session will be divided into two hour-long presentations on different medical topics with a refreshment break between presentations and ample time for questions and answers.

This is the seventh time Griffin Hospital has offered...

DERBY, CT - The Sleep Wellness Center at Griffin Hospital has recently completed a state-of-the-art equipment upgrade to its equipment, adding advanced digital and video technology.

The Center, which is fully accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), has been diagnosing and treating sleep disorders for more than 12 years. The Center's new equipment upgrade will improve patient comfort and allow the Center to perform polysomnographs - or sleep studies - at the highest level of diagnostic quality, according to the Center’s Medical Director, K. Marya Chaisson, M.D., a board certified sleep medicine specialist.

"Griffin Hospital's highly trained staff and patient-centered Planetree approach to care help ensure that our patients are comfortable and relaxed throughout the course of their sleep study. Now, thanks to our recent...

The 5th Annual Community Health and Safety Fair For All Ages will take place on Saturday, May 22, from 10 am to 2 pm. at the Ansonia Armory, 5 North State St.  Sponsored by Griffin Hospital, the Valley Parish Nurse Program, Valley NAACP,  Valley YMCA, the City of Ansonia, and the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven Neighborhood Small Grants, the free event will feature a variety of activities including free cholesterol, diabetic, osteoporosis and blood pressure screening. It is open to the entire community. Attendees may park in the Assumption School lot.

In addition to the health screenings for adults and children, health and safety activities include child bike helmets and bike rodeo, the CHIPS (Childhood Identification) program, car seat checks and installation, health, wellness and safety display booths and educational materials, vision...

In conjunction with American Stroke Month, the Women and Heart Disease Committee of Griffin Hospital will host its Annual "Desserts for the Heart" Program, at 6:30 PM on Thursday, May 20, 2010, in the Dining Room of Griffin Hospital. The free program is open to all. Dr. Dorothea Wild, MPH, Chief Hospitalist and co-director of the Griffin Hospital Stroke Program, is featured speaker. An assortment of heart-healthy desserts will be provided. Those interested in attending should call 203-732-1137 by May 13 to reserve a seat. Seating is limited. Free stroke assessments are being offered from 5:30 to 6:30 PM and immediately following the program.

According to the American Stroke Association, each year approximately 795,000 people suffer a stroke - 610,000 are first attacks and 185,000 are recurrent. Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States is suffering...

DERBY, CT - The Caring Heart Award, in recognition of initiatives that promote and improve the general health and well-being of all, will be presented to three recipients - Griffin Hospital, Clarence Canfield of Ansonia and Jeanette Connelly of Derby. The presentations will take place during the 5th Annual Women and Heart Disease Dinner Program on Thursday, February 11, at Griffin Hospital in Derby. Dr. John A. Elefteriades, author of The Woman's Heart - An Owner's Guide is guest speaker.

Registration, silent auction and social begin at 5 PM with Dinner at 6 PM. Tickets are $30 per person and may be obtained by calling 203-732-7584 or 203-732-1137. The event is open to all persons interested in learning more about heart disease and the best choices for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

DERBY, CT - In conjunction with American Heart Month, the Women and Heart Disease Committee of Griffin Hospital will host its 5th Annual Women and Heart Disease Program, on Thursday, February 11, 2010, in the dining room of Griffin Hospital. Registration, silent auction and social begin at 5 pm with dinner at 6 pm. John A. Elefteriades, MD, author of the book The Woman's Heart: An Owner's Guide is guest speaker. Presentation of the 2nd Annual "Caring Heart" Awards to Griffin Hospital volunteers, Clarence Canfield of Ansonia, and Jeannette Connelly of Derby, will highlight the evening. Tickets are $30 per person and may be obtained by calling 203-732-7584 or 203-732-1137. The event is open to all persons interested in learning more about heart disease and the best choices for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

Dr. Elefteriades directs the Yale Center of Thoracic Aortic Disease, one of the nation's largest facilities for treatment of the dilated thoracic aorta. In addition to TThe...

DERBY, CT (August 14, 2009) - The latest imaging and diagnostics technology, chronic knee or hip pain, single incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS), arthritis, and syncope, a temporary loss of consciousness or fainting, are among the scheduled talks by Griffin Hospital physicians to be presented as part of the ongoing Health Empowerment Series. Other topics include shoulder pain, reconstructive breast surgery, congestive heart failure, and complementary medicine. Registration is requested. Please call (203)732-1511 or register online at www.griffinhealth.org.

The schedule of topics and presenters is:

Aug. 20, “A Radiologist’s View,” Dr. Diego Nunez Aug. 25, 6:30 pm and Oct. 15, 2:30 pm – “Is Chronic Knee or Hip Pain Slowing You Down?” Dr. Ignatius Komninakas...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DERBY, CT (August 3, 2009) - The Fall 2009 session of Griffin Hospital's popular "Mini-Med School" course will begin Thursday, September 17, 2009. The free course, which will be conducted over 10 consecutive weekly sessions by various Griffin Hospital physicians who serve as faculty, will meet Thursdays from 6:30 - 9:00 pm in the hospital's Meditation and Learning Center. The Mini-Med School will culminate with a "graduation" ceremony for participants on November 19.

The course is specifically designed for the layperson with little or no medical background, providing a unique opportunity to gain a greater understanding of how the human body works, insight into common disorders of the various organ systems, as well as information about disease prevention. Each weekly session will be divided into two hour-long presentations on different medical topics with a refreshment break between presentations and ample time for questions and answers.

This is the sixth time Griffin...

DERBY, CT - An event for all ages is the focus of the 4th Annual Community Health and Safety Fair for children and adults on Saturday, May 30, from 10 am to 2 pm. at the Ansonia Armory, 5 North State St.

Sponsored by Griffin Hospital, the Valley Parish Nurse Program, the Valley N.A.A.C.P., the Valley YMCA, the City of Ansonia and the Community Foundation of Greater New Haven Neighborhood Small Grants, the free event will feature health screenings for adults and children including cholesterol, diabetic, osteoporosis, blood pressure screenings and stroke assessments.

Fitted bike helmets will be given to the first 250 children and there will be a bike rodeo and car seat safety checks and installation. Volunteers will be on hand to register youngsters for the CHIPS (Childhood Identification Program)...

DERBY, CT - The Griffin Hospital Dining Room will again serve as the setting for the 2nd Annual "Desserts for the Heart" program sponsored by the Women & Heart Disease Committee. The event will take place on Thursday, May 28, at 6:30 p.m., 130 Division St., Derby. This year's program features Griffin Hospital's newest cardiologist, Dr. Lavanya Bellumkonda, a specialist in heart failure, cardiac imaging and women's heart disease. In addition, in conjunction with Stroke Awareness Month, free stroke assessments will be offered from 5 - 6:30 pm and immediately following the program. A variety of desserts and heart-healthy treats will be served.

Dr. Bellumkonda is affiliated with Doctors Anthony D'Souza, Martin Plavec and Stephen R. Woodworth at Heart Specialists PC of Southern Connecticut in Oxford and Shelton.

The Women and Heart Disease Committee is focused...