St. Lawrence Health System

The Canton-Potsdam Hospital Foundation expresses their sincerest gratitude this holiday season to the businesses and organizations that supported the hospital during this challenging time. Those interested in supporting patient care in our community may contact April Grant, Executive Director of the CPH Foundation, at (315) 261-5418.

Canton-Potsdam Hospital’s Colton Walk-in Center at 8 Golf Road, Colton; and Potsdam Urgent Care Center at 49 Lawrence Avenue, Potsdam, will be closed or have modified hours for Christmas and New Year’s day. Both locations will be closed on December 25, 2020, and January 1, 2021. The Colton Walk-In Center will also be closed on December 24. Urgent Care will be open on December 24 and December 31 with modified hours of 8:00am to 4:00pm. The Canton-Potsdam Hospital Emergency Dep...artment at 50 Leroy Street, Potsdam, is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Normal business hours for the Colton Walk-In Center are 7:00am to 5:30 pm, Monday Thursday; and normal hours for Urgent Care are daily from 8:00am to 8:00pm.

New York is in Phase 1 of the rollout for the #COVID19Vaccine. Please visit the SLHS COVID-19 page below for more information about the rollout and the full New York State vaccination plan. The timeline for this rollout will depend on when vaccines become available and how long it takes to complete the earlier phases.

This year, even during a worldwide pandemic, St. Lawrence Health System was able to sponsor American Red Cross blood drives through Gouverneur Hospital and Canton-Potsdam Hospital that resulted in 160 units of blood being collected. That is the equivalent of 480 lives potentially saved. We are so grateful to our community for stepping up for those in need, and look forward to registering even more donors in 2021.

Hospitalist Haritha Schultz, DO, has joined the medical staff at St. Lawrence Health System’s Canton-Potsdam Hospital. I picked Canton-Potsdam Hospital because its mission is to be a community hospital dedicated to treat every patient to its best ability. It has a very communal and familial feel, and I gravitate to that approach to patient care, Dr. Schultz said. I am looking forward to working with everyone here to provide excellent care to our community." As a Hospitalis...t, Dr. Schultz specializes in the care of hospitalized patients. As a member of the care team, she coordinates acute-level care with primary care practitioners, case managers, allied health members, and specialists. For more information about Dr. Schultz: https://www.stlawrencehealthsystem.org/hospitalist-dr-schul

Canton-Potsdam Hospital Director of Pharmacy Dave Sogoian, RPh, BS, opens the first shipment of Pfizer-BioNTech #COVID19 vaccines before placing them in the Hospital's ThermoScientific freezer. SLHS will be vaccinating its clinical staff members at Canton-Potsdam Hospital, Gouverneur Hospital, Massena Hospital, and other neighboring hospital facilities in accordance with governmental guidelines. Healthcare hospital personnel are designated a top priority because of their e...xposure to the virus and their critical role of keeping hospitals functioning. Not every hospital will receive the vaccine in the first allocation; however, all hospital personnel working in high-risk settings will be afforded equitable access to this vaccine, said SLHS Chief Administrative Officer Jeremy Slaga. https://www.stlawrencehealthsystem.org/covid-19-vaccine-rec

St. Lawrence Health System’s Clinical and Rural Health Research Department is offering a community education session about COVID-19. The topic is COVID-19: Fact Versus Fiction, and the guest speaker will be Canton-Potsdam Hospital Infectious Diseases Physician Assistant Kylie Broughal. Discussion will include: COVID-19 compared to the flu, the effectiveness of masks and social distancing, and COVID-19 testing. COVID-19, Fact Versus Fiction... Date: Wednesday, October 28, 2020 Time: 12:00pm - 1:00pm Register for this free session here: https://bit.ly/COVIDFactvsFiction

The first round of Pfizer-BioNTech #COVID19 vaccines for St. Lawrence Health System arrived this morning. Director of Nursing Education Amy Nugent administered the first vaccine to SLHS Associate Chief Medical Officer and St. Lawrence County Board of Health President Andrew Williams, MD, FACP at Canton-Potsdam Hospital earlier today.

St. Lawrence Health System is sponsoring a Red Cross Blood Drive on: Friday, December 18 Potsdam Presbyterian Church 42 Elm Street, Potsdam... 10:00 am to 4:00 pm Donors are asked to wear a mask to their appointment. They must be healthy, at least 16 years of age, and weigh at least 110 lbs. Please consider a Double Red donation if you are O Neg, O Pos, A Neg, or B Neg. Registration can be made online at www.redcrossblood.org, or by contacting 1 (800) RED CROSS. First time donors and walk-ins are welcome.

General Surgeon Kiri Brandy, MD, has joined St. Lawrence Health System’s Canton-Potsdam Hospital (CPH) medical team. She has offices in the lower level of the E.J. Noble Medical Building, 80 East Main Street, Canton; and at Gouverneur Hospital’s CPH Specialty Suite, 77 West Barney Street, Gouverneur. I have lived and worked in St. Lawrence County for my entire professional career and it is definitely a place I call home. The people of the North Country are extremely special ...to me, Dr. Brandy said. I look forward to being able to continue to serve the community and help my patients through their healthcare needs. Assisting each patient as an individual is something I am passionate about. As a general surgeon in Potsdam and Gouverneur, Dr. Brandy specializes in laparoscopy, and performs minimally invasive breast surgery, minimally invasive venous treatments, gall bladder surgery, hernia surgery, vascular access, and skin excisions (including neoplasia). https://www.stlawrencehealthsystem.org/providers/kiri-brandy

The Clinical and Rural Health Research Department with St. Lawrence Health System has been selected to take part in the National Operation Warp Speed COVID-19 clinical trials, which are currently at the forefront of the research community. Operation Warp Speed is aiming to accelerate the development, manufacturing, and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics. Because there are so few treatment options for COVID-19, being part of these programs brings treatment options to the North Country, and equips the St. Lawrence Health System COVID-19 treatment team with additional tools to combat the pandemic in our community, stated Clinical Research Manager Carly Lovelett, CCRP, MS. Read more here: http://bit.ly/SLHSWarpSpeed

The Center for Cancer Care at Canton-Potsdam Hospital has enhanced its treatment technology, cutting down on the length and number of visits required to complete radiation therapy, while delivering some of the most advanced care available. Patients are able to spend less time in treatment and more time doing the things they love. With extensive upgrades, the Radiation Oncology team is now equipped to perform SBRT (stereotactic body radiation therapy). This technology, also known as radiosurgery, targets tumors with high-precision radiation beams. The treatment is used to treat both lung cancer and brain tumors, and offers a chance for cure to some patients who cannot undergo surgery. Read more here: https://bit.ly/CancerCenterSBRT

St. Lawrence Health System is inviting you to a blood drive on Friday, October 23 in Potsdam. Red Cross Blood Drive Potsdam Presbyterian Church 42 Elm Street, Potsdam... 10:30am to 4:00pm During Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, you can help fight the good fight by giving blood or platelets with the American Red Cross. Many cancer patients need blood and platelet products during chemotherapy, surgery, or other treatments. Make your appointment today with the American Red Cross, and get entered into its drawing to win a $1000 Amazon Gift Card: rcblood.org/unite.

Pediatrician Susan Atkinson, MD, has joined St. Lawrence Health System’s team at Canton-Potsdam Hospital. Her office is located at the EJ Noble Building, 80 East Main Street, Canton. Children are such precious gifts and I love being part of their growth and well-being. My devotion to children stimulates my compassion for them and is a source of great joy I receive each day while I interact with them and their families, Dr. Atkinson said. I feel privileged to have the oppo...rtunity to be involved in their lives, and I’m driven to provide thorough pediatric care to each of my treasured patients. Dr. Atkinson comes to Canton-Potsdam Hospital with experience in caring for children with diverse concerns ranging from acute infectious diseases and illnesses to chronic illnesses, along with developmental behavior conditions such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, anxiety, mood disorders, and developmental delays. https://www.stlawrencehealthsystem.org/provi/susan-atkinson

We've set up rigorous procedures to make sure that when you need care, we're ready to provide itsafely.

In line with St. Lawrence Health System’s ongoing patient-centered initiatives, the Clinical and Rural Health Research Department is hosting a 3-part web series on patient-centered research. Part I of this series will be held on October 14 at 9:00am, covering an introduction to and examples of patient-centered research. You may register for the free Zoom event here: https://bit.ly/344jfj2

Pediatrician Miriam Alvarado, MD, has joined St. Lawrence Health System’s team at Canton-Potsdam Hospital. Her office is located at the EJ Noble Building, 80 East Main Street, Canton. I wanted to be part of a small community where I believe I can make a lasting impact with positive guidance, and prevent lifelong consequences through teaching and preventive medicine for the future of tomorrow. This is why I chose Canton-Potsdam to practice, she added. I fell in love with th...e area’s natural beauty, and the people I met have been welcoming. The atmosphere is serene, safe, and provides great educational opportunities. I am looking for a work-life balance, and quality of life for my family. I strongly believe a society with a firm foundation is like a family, and being a part of Canton-Potsdam Hospital will provide me with that balance I desire so much. As a pediatrician, Dr. Alvarado manages the health of children, including physical, behavior, and mental health issues. She is trained to diagnose and treat childhood illnesses, from minor health problems to more complex diseases. https://www.stlawrencehealthsystem.org/prov/miriam-alvarado

October 4-10 is National Midwife Week. Combined, SLHS has 3 Nurse Midwives, who provide exceptional women’s health services in our community: Megan Gagner https://www.stlawrencehealthsystem.org/provide/megan-gagner Barbara Drake Hillis... https://www.stlawrencehealthsystem.org//barbara-drake-hill Laurie Mousaw https://www.stlawrencehealthsystem.org/provid/laurie-mousaw

As cooler days make their way into the North Country, warm up with a fast and easy Butternut Squash Chili made from fall vegetables. Add ground beef or turkey for more protein, or leave as is for a vegetarian option.

Board Certified Nurse Practitioner Erin Mundy has joined St. Lawrence Health System’s medical team at Gouverneur Hospital. Her office is located inside the Hospital, where she provides Behavioral Health, Substance Use Disorder, and Psychological services. St. Lawrence County is a beautiful area and very near where I spent my childhood. As a lifelong resident of Upstate New York, I am proud to serve the communities within the region, Ms. Mundy said. My husband and I enjoy b...eing out in the beautiful countryside with our children, along with kayaking, hiking, and paddle boarding. As a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, Ms. Mundy evaluates and diagnoses patients, and can treat them with psychotherapy. She may prescribe medication and focuses on a holistic approach to healthcare. In addition to helping patients with a substance use disorder, Ms. Mundy can assist patients experiencing mental health issues, anxiety, and depression. https://www.stlawrencehealthsystem.org/providers/erin-mundy

You and your family deserve access to safe, reliable, and quality care. Our care. In the face of any challenge, we are stronger together and ready for what's next.