Highland Announces Modernization Plan to Create Nearly All Private Rooms for Patients

Nearly all Highland Hospital patients will benefit from private rooms, through a recently announced modernization plan. Providing patients with private rooms will further Highland Hospital’s ongoing efforts to improve patient care, help reduce the risk of infections, and offer more adequate, therapeutic space during recovery. The hospital is applying to the city of Rochester to rezone the facility as a planned development district (PDD) to allow the project to move forward.

New Registration/Triage Area in ED Designed for Faster Arrival to Triage Time

In the past decade, Highland’s Emergency Department has seen volume on the path to doubling from 28,000 in 2007 to 49,000 in 2018.

Timothy E. Lum, M.D., Chief of Emergency Medicine, and staff are continually initiating ways to address the growing volume and make the ED experience safer, quicker, and more efficient.

Chin-Lin Ching, M.D., Named Director of Palliative Care Program

Chin-Lin Ching, M.D., has been appointed Director of the Highland Hospital Palliative Care Consult Service. Dr. Ching follows Daniel Mendelson, M.S., M.D., who became the first palliative care physician at Highland in 2000.

Highland Hospital’s Palliative Care Program Receives Joint Commission Advanced Recertification

Highland Hospital’s Palliative Care Program has received Advanced Recertification from the Joint Commission, the nation’s main accrediting body in health care. This is the third recertification for the program. Highland first received Joint Commission Advanced Certification for palliative care in 2012 and recertification in 2014, 2016, and 2018.

Michael Mendoza, M.D., M.P.H., M.S. Receives Recognition

Congratulations to Highland Family Medicine physician Michael Mendoza, M.D., M.P.H., M.S., Commissioner of Public Health, Monroe County Health Department, who was recently recognized by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence - Rochester Area with The Charlotte Hegedus Award.