• 2021
  ~ The formal affiliation between Rochester Regional Health (RRH) and St. Lawrence Health (SLH) is realized on January 1.

  ~ Patients of the St. Lawrence Region have expanded access to specialized virtual and in-person maternal healthcare, through which local specialists and colleagues from RRH combine their knowledge and experience to provide patients advanced pre- and post-delivery care.

  ~ Mimicking RRH’s successful work flow, protocols, and best practices, SLH stood up its Communications Center. Local team members and RNs work as an extension of provider practices to manage incoming calls, answer questions, and schedule appointments. The Center maximizes efficiencies between provider offices, ensuring patients receive faster answers, earlier appointments, and an enhanced patient experience. 
• 2022

  ~ The MyCare Patient Portal services are launched throughout SLH in May. It offers a safe platform for patients to manage their appointments, access test results, request prescription renewals, communicate with provider offices, and pay medical bills.

  ~ The Groundbreaking Ceremony is held in June for the SLH Regional Care Pavilion at Canton-Potsdam Hospital (mentioned above). After years of planning, the affiliation afforded SLH with the opportunity to move forward on this multimillion dollar addition. The project is on target to open in 2024.

  ~ RRH opens a branch of its Isabella Graham Hart School of Practical Nursing in Potsdam, with its first class of students beginning in August.

• 2023

  ~ The Canton-Potsdam Hospital Surgical Services team is trained in robotic surgery at Rochester General Hospital. The SLH team later performs its first surgery in March with its brand new da Vinci Xi Robotic Surgical System, and the department is among the first in the nation to have the latest Stryker Surgical Video Camera.

  ~ At the conclusion of an appointment, patients needing a referral to another provider are scheduled before they leave. Thanks to the newly implemented Fast Pass, if that referred appointment is more than seven days away, our patients now have the option to be notified if an earlier appointment becomes available.

• 2024

  ~ Virtual Urgent Care is offered in February to patients throughout Northern New York with providers from SLH and RRH alike. 

  ~ The Wound Care Center at Massena Hospital opens to the public in April.  Through the RRH affiliation, the Center acquired two hyperbaric oxygen chambers from its Wound Healing Center.

  ~ Also in April, the Canton-Potsdam Hospital surgical team, including CPH Surgeon Apostolos Kandilis, MD, and an RRH surgeon perform the first Thoracic Surgery in Potsdam.

Thoughts & Facts

• How does this benefit our community?

  Healthcare as we know it continues to transform, which is why it is important for us to be on the forefront of navigating these changes. By becoming part of RRH, we give our patients access to more resources, innovative practices and technology, all while working to lower costs. SLH and RRH believe the affiliation benefits the residents of Northern New York by creating a comprehensive, regional integrated healthcare system. The affiliation allows each organization to improve its population-healthcare management capabilities to better meet the healthcare needs of the patient populations served.

  One of the more immediate benefits our community has experienced was the implementation of Epic Electronic Health Record (EHR) and access to the MyCare patient portal. Epic EHR is a secure, digital environment for patient’s health information accessible to physicians throughout RRH and SLH health systems to better coordinate care. Epic is a tool that will help transform the way we provide care, improve the patient experience, and deliver better health outcomes for those we serve. Each member of the SLH health system is connected to a single medical patient record and embedded clinical intelligence. It ensures that clinical decisions are based on the most up-to-date information available to them. Epic also provides patients with the ability to privately view their own medical record anytime, anywhere through a secure, digital portal called MyCare, with the ability to track things like appointments, test results, and medications, it makes personal health information more easily accessible and adds value to our patients’ experiences.

• Why did SLH decide to join RRH?

  RRH is a proven healthcare leader with national recognition in patient outcomes, quality and safety, nursing, stroke care and more. This alignment allows us the opportunity to have seamless integration with a like-minded health system that will ultimately expand our patients’ access to the latest in healthcare.

• Importance of the Integration   
  Sr. Leaders were asked how important the expanded integration is between RRH and SLH.
  A few of their comments follow: 
  

  • “In emulation of Rochester Regional Health, we are dedicated to growing and developing healthcare more strategically into what our local communities need and deserve. It is through our integration that we have implemented many initiatives that enhance upon the way we access specialty care locally.”  ~ Donna McGregor, SLH President
  • “Through our partnership with Rochester Regional Health, we have an incredible opportunity to provide our patients high quality connections to deliver higher complexity services they offer.”  ~Michael Rulffes, SLH & CPH Chief Operating Officer
  • “The affiliation provides us an opportunity to explore and expand services to our region we would not be able to provide otherwise on our own as a small rural health system. Through the integration we have gained access to more than we could have ever imagined. Rochester Regional Health’s commitment to grow locally with us is an asset.”  ~ Brent Bishop, MH Associate Chief Operating Officer/SLH VP Business Development
  • "The affiliation provides our small rural hospitals a greater opportunity to expand services, improve access to specialty care, and utilize innovative technology while serving our local community.  Rochester Regional Health is committed to supporting St. Lawrence Health in our growth journey to assure local community members can receive great care close to home."  ~ Christina Latta, GH Associate Chief Operating Officer