42 The Courier sun • health • november 7, 2013 for breaking news visit www.couriersun.com Jamaica Hospital ready for Obamacare BY LIAM LA GUERE [email protected] Residents looking for more information about insurance ▶health under the new Affordable Care Act need not search too far. Officials from Jamaica Hospital said they are planning to reach out to the community to help people learn about plans under New York State of Health, the state’s dedicated health care marketplace under the health care reform law. “The hospital wants to be a resource for the community in helping them understand,” said Michael Hinck, Jamaica Hospital spokesperson. Jamaica Hospital will send officials to explain New York State of Health to community groups, answer questions about insurances plans and try to eliminate any “confusion” residents may have. They will also post information about the marketplace on the hospital’s website and they plan to add a dedicated phone line so people can call with any questions. Hinck added hospital staffers have been trained to be knowledgeable about the new health care law and New York State of Health so they can answer patients’ questions when they come for care. With more people having access to health insurance, officials acknowledge that it will increase the number of patients coming to the hospital, but they believe Jamaica can withstand the surge. “January first is a little bit of an unknown,” said David Evangelista, director of managed care at Jamaica. “I think Jamaica Hospital more so than most should be well positioned to serve the population.” THE COURIER/Photo by Liam La Guerre Officials at Jamaica Hospital are planning various ways to inform the public about health insurance plans under New York State of Health. THE COURIER/Photo by Liam La Guerre Officials at Jamaica Hospital are planning various ways to inform the public about health insurance plans under New York State of Health. Advances in ACL Surgery Get People Back on Track Faster Answorth Allen, M.D. 176-60 Union Turnpike, Suite 190, Fresh Meadows, New York 800.757.9589 • www.hss.edu/queens One of the most common knee injuries is a torn ligament, and the anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, is the one we often read about in the sports pages. Athletes who participate in “pivoting” sports such basketball, football and skiing, are more prone to an ACL injury. But an ACL tear can happen to anyone at any age, from a recreational soccer player in his teens to a woman in her fifties who slips and falls on some steps. Often, people know when it happens. “They may hear a ‘pop’ at the moment the tear occurs. Their knee may be quite painful, it will likely be swollen, and they may not be able to move their knee or put weight on it,” says Dr. Answorth Allen, an orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine at Hospital for Special Surgery Physician Office in Fresh Meadows and at the main hospital in Manhattan. An ACL tear does not heal on its own. And since it’s one of the ligaments that stabilize and support the joint, the knee may give way or people may have trouble walking, even after the initial swelling and pain subside. Advances in ACL reconstruction over the past several years have been of great benefit to patients, according to Dr. Allen, who also sees patients at Hospital for Special Surgery Physician Office on Long Island. “Innovative surgical techniques allow us to more precisely reproduce the anatomy and function of the original ACL,” says Dr. Allen, who generally uses a graft from one of the patient’s own tendons. The surgery is performed arthroscopically, so the ACL is reconstructed through very small incisions. Whether or not one needs surgery depends on a variety of factors, including lifestyle, activity level, and how well one does in rehabilitation after the injury, according to Dr. Allen, a team physician for the New York Knicks and a former team physician for the New York Mets. Many people can get by fine without an intact ACL. In physical therapy, they can strengthen the thigh muscles to provide more support and stability to the knee. But some will continue to have problems. “For people who experience ongoing symptoms and find their knee giving way, for younger active patients, or for individuals of any age who want to pursue certain sports or an active lifestyle without restrictions, ACL reconstruction is often the answer,” Dr. Allen explains. At Hospital for Special Surgery, the procedure is most often performed using regional anesthesia in the form of an epidural. Patients may be awake with light sedation, or they have the option of being asleep. They can usually leave the hospital on the same day they have the surgery. Nowadays, accelerated physical therapy programs often allow patients to get back to athletic activities within six to eight months, according to Dr. Allen. There was a time when it took a year and a half to return to sports. Dr. Allen recommends that anyone considering ACL surgery make sure the orthopedic surgeon is experienced in the latest techniques and inquire about the hospital safety and infection rates. For more information about Dr. Answorth Allen and the other specialists at HSS Queens, visit www.hss.edu/Queens HSS QUeeNS
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