Community Memorial marked our 70th anniversary in 2022 and the Board of Directors, Providers and staff remain committed to providing the highest quality of care. Through the final months of the COVID pandemic in 2022, we witnessed the perseverance, dedication, and compassion of the frontline providers and staff of Community Memorial. I quickly learned what sets Community Memorial apart from other hospital systems: our people.

The Providers and staff at CMH worked through the most challenging time in healthcare, caring for the sickest patients who have come through our doors, with the most significant staffing shortages the industry has ever seen.

Despite the COVID pandemic’s challenges, we had many successes in our 70th year. In July, we gathered with Providers and staff to celebrate our legacy of providing healthcare in our community. We welcomed new medical staff, expanded our services and advanced our medical technology as a testament to our commitment to expanding and growing our services.

2022 was a year where we saw challenges as an opportunity to become stronger, more aligned and more focused as an organization. The Board of Directors and Administration team look forward to completing the strategic plan that will let us prioritize our focus areas and align our strategic initiatives. We strive to continue our development of service lines that will meet our community’s needs and ensure that we can continue to deliver the highest quality of care for another 70 years to come.

This annual report will highlight 2022 service line growth and volumes, updates from our partners at the Community Wellness Center and the Community Memorial Auxiliary, recognize our wonderful donors to the Community Memorial Foundation and more.

Thank you for choosing Community Memorial for your healthcare, Jeff Coakley.

Back Row (left to right) Jason Liebel, Vice President of Finance; Dr. Michael Walsh, Chief Medical Officer; Jeffery Coakley, President and CEO; Shannon Ruane, Director of Physician Services

Front Row (left to right) Leeann Light, Vice President of Human Resources; Keara Connors, Executive Director of Community Relations; Heather Bernard, Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President of Clinical Services

Avneet Singh, MD, FACC

Cardiology

Community Memorial welcomed Dr. Aveneet Singh in October of 2021. Dr. Singh studied medicine at Maulana Azad Medical College and graduated with his Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery in New Delhi, India. Singh also completed his education in internal medicine before completing his residency and fellowship in cardiology at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse. Dr. Avneet Singh welcomes new patients at the Hamilton Heart Center, where he focuses on patient-centric cardiovascular disease prevention, non-invasive diagnostic testing, and cardiac critical care.

Richelle Takemoto, MD

Director of Robotic Surgery, Orthopedics

Dr. Richelle Takemoto came to the Hamilton community in the fall of 2021, and she quickly began leading the way in developing a robotic surgery program at Community Memorial. As Director of Robotic Surgery at CMH, Dr. Takemoto was instrumental in the relationship with DePuy Synthes and in bringing the new technology to our operating room. In February of 2022, Dr. Takemoto began robotic-assisted surgeries at CMH. She is the first female worldwide to use the VELYS DePuy Synthes robotic-assisted technology. In 2022, Dr. Takemoto broke another record, being the first surgeon to perform more than 100 surgeries with the VELYS Robot.

Gregory Ripich, MD

General Surgeon

In the fall of 2022, CMH expanded its General Surgery team with the addition of Dr. Gregory Ripich. Ripich joins Dr. Martin Ernits in providing patients with elective procedures and surgeries, emergent cases and collaboration with onsite hospitalists. Ripich specializes in various surgeries such as colon/rectal, breast, thyroid, skin and wound. A board-certified surgeon with the American Board of Surgery, Ripich attended SUNY Health-Science Center in Syracuse, NY and completed his residency and training at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Ann Arbor, MI. Dr. Ripich sees outpatients in both the Cazenovia and Hamilton offices and offers procedures right at CMH in Hamilton.

2022 Highlights

QUARTER 1 

• Dr. Kareem Hamad joined CMH as a new Hospitalist.
• The first Robotic knee surgery performed by Richelle Takemoto, MD.
• The Quality Assurance Committee of the Board of Directors was restructured to address bylaw requirements & strengthen reporting to the Board of Directors.
• Diane Chase, Chief Nursing Officer, retired after 33 years of service with Community Memorial.
• Heather Bernard, DNP CIC FAPIC joined the organization as Chief Nursing Officer following the retirement of Diane Chase.
• Dr. Matt McKay, MD joined the organization as a new Hospitalist.

QUARTER 2

• Advanced marketing efforts to reach a wider audience is being driven by Keara Connors and new media consultant, MPW Marketing.
• The Transformation Project’s loan guarantee was approved by USDA to pursue construction financing. The revision of the plans and updated project bidding has commenced.
• The CMH Foundation hosted a Meet the CEO event held at the Colgate Inn to introduce Jeff Coakley to community members.
• Jason Liebel is welcomed as the head of Finance in collaboration with Finance Consultant Jason Lesch.
• The new Leadership Performance Improvement (PI) Committee led by Dr. Walsh and Heather Bernard commenced work on centralizing the quality assurance functions of Community Memorial.
• Jeff Coakley and Dr. Michael Wolk presented the Future of Healthcare for the first time at the Colgate Alumni series.

QUARTER 3

• The Board of Directors made a motion to accept the revised bylaws of CMH with Crouse Health removing Crouse control of the Board.
• Dr. Trevor McGinley and P.A. Amy Rowe were named Co-Directors of the Emergency Department.
• CEO and staff participated in the Hamilton Independence Day Parade.
• CMH celebrated employees at our 70th Anniversary employee recognition dinner at Hamilton Inn.
• CMH Foundation hosted its annual Mike Martin Memorial Golf Tournament.
• Dr. Gregory Ripich started practice as a new General Surgeon.
• CMH partnered with Stroudwater Associates to complete a market assessment as the first phase of formalizing a strategic plan.
• Focused on building stronger relationships in the communities we serve by hosting presentations in Waterville and Hamilton.

QUARTER 4

• Began implementation of Team-Based Care to support Providers with systems of care and additional staffing to improve access for patients.
• Collaborated with Colgate to provide Women’s Imaging Services.
• The Hospital Board of Directors held its holiday meeting at the Hamilton Inn with Foundation Board members.
• Recognition was provided to the clinical staff in the hospital for their continued support of the highest volumes in the ED since 1995.
• Dr. Takemoto was the first surgeon to perform over 100 surgeries with VELYS assisted robotic technology.
• The Finance team reported that CMH’s Annual Net Revenue increased by 16% from 2021 to 2022.
• Emergency Department volume increase by 23% from 2021 to 2022.
• All three Rural Health Centers met their productivity standards.

Community Wellness Center

173 Utica St. Hamilton, NY

Hours:
Monday – Friday: 6:00 am – 7:30 am;
8:00am – 11:45 am; 1:00-4:30 pm

2022 Highlights:

• 2022 Membership increased 61% year-over-year
• Partnered with Colgate University’s Psychology Department to serve clients from Heritage Farms
• Received a grant from the 1886 House Benevolent Society Foundation in Oneida to provide memberships to six individuals that met the criteria
• Awarded William McNeiece Foundation grant to support the Wellness Center operations
• Partnered with Colgate University to increase community awareness of the Wellness Center
• Welcomed Lukas Harmon to join Gary Morris as on-site trainers for our members
• Expanded equipment availability, such as a new TRX system

CMH Auxiliary

The Auxiliary of Community Memorial was eager to resume its meetings after a long hiatus due to the pandemic. After two years, the group began its regular meetings in March of 2022.

On March 16, 2022, the Auxiliary presented the hospital with a check for $20,000. The check represented the final payment of the committee’s pledge of $100,000 to the hospital to support its capital transformation project.

The Auxiliary’s Holiday Sale also made a return in 2022. After months of planning and volunteer committee, the group held the event at St. Thomas’ Church in Hamilton on December 3, 2022, and raised $8,000.

The Auxiliary continues to fundraise and support the hospital through volunteer hours. Volunteers assist our main entrance staff during visiting hours, completing visitor registration.

For community members interested in joining the Auxiliary, please email auxiliary@cmhhamilton.com.

MONEY DONATED IN 2022 (ANNUAL FUND) stats from 1/22-11/30/22

$78,976.45

2022 Golf Tournament

The Community Memorial Foundation hosted the 6th annual Mike Martin Memorial Golf Tournament to benefit Community Memorial Hospital (CMH) on Monday, August 1, 2022. With ‘Putting for Progress’ as the theme, the proceeds from the competition and supporting sponsors went towards the capital project currently underway at Community Memorial Hospital, as the organization celebrated its 70th anniversary.

One hundred twenty-eight golfers attended the event, hosted at the beautiful and challenging Seven Oaks Golf Course of Colgate University in Hamilton. This event was named to remember a long-time and dedicated volunteer, Mike Martin, who was sadly lost to the community in October 2016. Deeply committed to the Hamilton area, Martin served on the board of the Community Memorial Foundation and chaired the tournament in its very successful inaugural year. The tournament recognizes his leadership skills, commitment to the hospital and the local community, and wonderful personality.

The sun was out all day with typical warm August golf weather, and after a brief welcome at noon, the players tee’d off. After the golfers completed their game, an awards dinner was hosted at the Hamilton Inn. The event raised almost $100,000 in its 6th year and was supported by The Hayner Hoyt Corporation as Tournament Sponsor and SCP Health as Presenting Sponsor – thank you to every one of the event sponsors, participants and volunteers for making this another success!

2019-2022 EMPLOYEE GIVING – CAPITAL CAMPAIGN
219 EMPLOYEES $244,025.57
RAISED IN PLEDGES & CASH GIFTS