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Photo from SCWA

The Suffolk County Water Authority announced on June 10 that all treated water it supplies to customers is in full compliance with the federal drinking water standards for PFOA and PFOS—six years ahead of the 2031 compliance deadline set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The EPA finalized a new enforceable standard of 4 parts per trillion (PPT) for both PFOA and PFOS in April 2024. SCWA’s testing this past April confirmed that no treated water in its system contained PFOA or PFOS above that level. This achievement comes despite the widespread presence of PFAS in Long Island’s aquifer.

“Given the extent of PFAS detections across Long Island and the size of our system, this is a historic achievement,” said SCWA Chairman Charles Lefkowitz. “This result shows that with the right investment and urgency, we can stay ahead of emerging threats to public health.”

PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a class of synthetic chemicals that have been widely used for decades in products such as non-stick cookware, stain-resistant fabrics, food packaging and firefighting foams. These substances do not break down easily and have leached into groundwater in many areas, including Long Island. Long-term exposure to certain PFAS compounds—particularly PFOA and PFOS—has been linked to health effects including developmental issues, hormone disruption and certain cancers.

To meet the new federal standards well ahead of schedule, SCWA installed 17 granular activated carbon (GAC) treatment systems for PFAS in the past year alone. GAC filters remove PFAS by adsorbing the contaminants onto specially prepared carbon. Water is passed through these large vessels, and the PFAS compounds adhere to the carbon, allowing clean water to continue through the system. Testing by SCWA shows that GAC removes PFAS compounds to non-detectable levels.

“This didn’t happen overnight,” said SCWA Chief Executive Officer Jeff Szabo. “We’ve been working for years to build a treatment program that protects our customers and anticipates regulatory changes. The fact that we’re already in compliance—years ahead of the federal deadline—speaks to the expertise of our team.”

 SCWA continues to test regularly and will immediately remove any well from service if it detects PFOA or PFOS above 4 PPT if that well does not already have treatment in place. SCWA’s long-term goal is to supply water without any detectable levels of PFAS compounds, and additional treatment systems are planned for installation.

“This is about protecting public health,” said Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine (R). “I want to thank the Suffolk County Water Authority for acting early and doing what’s necessary to provide residents with some of the cleanest drinking water in the country. Their leadership and investment in treatment technology are making a real difference.”

“Ensuring public safety and preserving our water quality are two of the highest priorities for me and my legislative colleagues. The leadership of the Suffolk County Water Authority has again shown its commitment to protecting the public, and in this case has exceeded expectations set by the federal government in achieving safer, even zero levels, of PFAS compounds in our water,” said Presiding Office Kevin J. McCaffrey.

“Clean drinking water is essential to public health, and PFAS contamination is a serious threat that demands action,” said Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment. “Meeting the federal standards well ahead of schedule is a positive step forward in safeguarding Suffolk’s residents.”

SCWA’s accelerated timeline has been supported in part by $16 million in grant funding awarded by New York State. These funds have helped offset the significant cost of installing advanced PFAS treatment systems, allowing SCWA to move faster while minimizing the financial impact on customers. By leveraging state support and working efficiently, SCWA has been able to continue delivering high-quality water at some of the lowest rates in New York.

“This is one of the largest groundwater systems in the country—and one of the most complex,” Lefkowitz added. “We’ve proven that even in a region with serious PFAS challenges, we can deliver water that meets the highest health standards.”

SCWA is an independent public-benefit corporation operating under the authority of the Public Authorities Law of the State of New York. Serving approximately 1.2 million Suffolk County residents, the Authority operates without taxing power on a not-for-profit basis.

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Distinguished Professor Arie Kaufman demonstrating two applications in the FlexiCAVE. On the left is a protein volume (inner pivot ~10 degrees, outer pivot ~30 degrees), and on the right side is Submerse application – visualization for extreme weather flooding in urban environments (on a flat FlexiCAVE section). Photo from SBU

Technology Can Be Used in Multiple Areas Including Healthcare, Climate Change, Managing Natural Disasters, Architecture, Urban Planning and Drug Design

Stony Brook University’s Center for Visual Computing has completed construction of the FlexiCAVE—the world’s largest flexible, dynamically reconfigurable high-resolution stereo display facility. Housed on the first floor of the New Computer Science (NCS) building, the FlexiCAVE comprises 40 tiled, high-pixel-density monitors capable of rendering about 83 million pixels, all while physically transforming its shape to support a wide range of scientific and data-driven applications, improving  immersive visualization technology.

“We envisioned a display that would adapt to the data—not the other way around,” said Arie Kaufman, distinguished professor of Computer Science and the principal investigator behind the project. “With FlexiCAVE, we’re enabling researchers to literally shape their workspace to the needs of their analysis.”

Innovative Interaction and Applications

Unlike traditional static visualization walls or even curved displays, the FlexiCAVE is built on a modular architecture with rotatable display columns. The system can seamlessly transition between flat, L-shaped, U-shaped, or semi-circular configurations in real time. These transitions are not only cosmetic.  They directly influence the visualization, the user experience and the type of data interaction enabled.

A custom-built rendering engine powers the design that synchronizes stereo views and dynamically updates visualizations as users physically adjust the screen layout. The team calls this new interaction paradigm —PIVoT, which is an acronym for  Physical Interaction to Virtual Transformation.

“It’s more than a screen. It’s a physical and tangible interface for virtual exploration where users are immersed in the data, and the layout of the FlexiCAVE anchors their sense of whereness, helping them stay oriented as they navigate complex visual spaces,” noted Principal Research Scientist Dr. Saeed Boorboor, co-author of the recently submitted VIS 2025 paper which details the system.

Real-World Applications

Immersive virtual colonoscopy showing on the FlexiCAVE, where radiologists navigate inside the patient’s colon model to locate and analyze polyps (all pivot angles are ~40 degrees). Photo from SBU

The team has already demonstrated real-world applications in many areas including healthcare. For example, virtual colonoscopy shifts the layout from a flat 2D overview of the patient’s colon to a curved immersive 3D endoluminal view (see Figure 2). In medical imaging visualization, radiologists can tangibly move the FlexiCAVE displays to virtually “slice” through brain MRI or abdominal CT scans.

And in situations like in  urban flood simulations, emergency planners can  orient and navigate flooding scenarios spatially by reconfiguring the display (see Figure 1).

In addition, researchers are using FlexiCAVE to experiment with multivariate data visualization, dynamically switching between scatter plots and parallel coordinate plots by physically bending screen segments. This hands-on interaction transforms the way users explore complex datasets. In an early user study, participants preferred the flexibility of the system and reported improved spatial perception over traditional static layouts. Other areas that can be enhanced  include architecture, urban planning, geospatial data, biological systems, drug design, and many others.

Why Now?

As datasets continue to grow in both size and complexity—ranging from volumetric brain scans to climate models—there is a pressing need for immersive tools that allow researchers to explore data from multiple angles and scales. The FlexiCAVE, part of a  growing trend in large high-resolution tiled displays,takes a bold step forward by combining stereoscopy, dynamic curvature, and tangible interaction into one unified system.

With backing from the New York State and Federal agencies, the FlexiCAVE’s development represents years of engineering insight, including customized aluminum framing, inclinometer-equipped hinges, and powerful GPU clusters capable of real-time image updates in a noise-canceling cabinet.

Looking Ahead

While the current version requires manual adjustment of the display columns—a design challenge acknowledged by the team—future updates may introduce motorized column rotation for ease of use. The research group is also exploring new applications in collaborative analytics and adaptable visualization workflows.

“We hope FlexiCAVE becomes a blueprint for the next generation of immersive environments—not only here at Stony Brook, but also globally,” said Professor Kaufman.

 

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Mather Hospital
Harshini Devi Sobhan. Photo from Mather Hospital

Mather Hospital in Port Jefferson has expanded its Graduate Medical Education program with the addition of a PGY1 Pharmacy Residency program, starting on July 1, 2025. The Pharmacy Residency is a 12-month program that “aims to cultivate clinical, operational and leadership skills in pharmacists, all while delivering high-quality pharmaceutical care to patients,” according to a press release.

As licensed pharmacists the residents will participate in activities designed to deepen their knowledge of regulatory compliance, pharmacotherapy, medication safety, antibiotic stewardship, committee participation, and key pharmacy initiatives. The program provides residents with the opportunity to advance and strengthen their professional development, emerge as skilled practitioners, and prepare for PGY2 specialty training and board certification. 

“Our Pharmacy Department has long been dedicated to delivering exceptional, patient-centered care. Through the establishment of the pharmacy residency program, we reaffirm our commitment to preparing pharmacists to uphold elevated standards of practice,” read the release.

Allison Nicole Pollina. Photo from Mather Hospital

Program Director Maricelle Monteagudo-Chu, PharmD, said the pharmacy residents will be an invaluable addition to the team. “They will be entrusted with managing patients with complex disease states, a responsibility that requires a higher level of critical thinking and advanced clinical knowledge. They will also actively collaborate with physicians and other healthcare professionals to improve patient outcomes, ensure the safe and effective use of medications, and advance excellence in pharmaceutical care,” she said.

To kick off the inaugural year, the first two residents will be Allison Nicole Pollina and Harshini Devi Sobhan, who both completed their Doctor of Pharmacy degrees from the University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy and Touro College of Pharmacy, respectively. Sobhan also received her Bachelor of Science in Biology from City University of New York, York College and a Master of Science in Health Sciences and Public Health from Touro University Worldwide.

Mather Hospital’s Graduate Medical Residency Program was established in 2014 to address a growing shortage of physicians in our community and an increasing demand for primary care physicians. The program now includes more than 110 residents in Internal Medicine, Diagnostic Radiology, Integrated Interventional Radiology, Psychiatry, and Transitional Year as well as fellowships in Gastroenterology and Hematology Oncology. 

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Fiber-rich foods, including whole grains, seeds and legumes, as well as some beverages, such as coffee and wine, contain measurable amounts of lignans. Stock photo
Ozempic/Mounjaro don’t substitute for lifestyle changes

By David Dunaief, M.D.

Dr. David Dunaief

Type 2 diabetes management knowledge is always evolving. Here, we will examine how some diabetes management myths hold up against recent research.

Myth: Fruit can raise your sugars

Diabetes patients are often advised to limit whole, juiced, and dried fruit, because it can raise your sugars. This is only partly true. 

Yes, you should avoid fruit juice and dried fruit, because they do raise or spike glucose (sugar) levels. This includes dates, raisins, and apple juice, which are often added to “no sugar” packaged foods to sweeten them.

This is not true for whole fruit, which can be fresh or frozen. Studies have shown that patients with diabetes don’t experience sugar level spikes from whole fruit, even when they consume them in abundance (1). Another study showed that consuming whole fruit reduces type 2 diabetes risk (2).

In a third study, researchers considered the impacts of different types of whole fruits on glucose levels. They found that berries reduced glucose levels the most, but even bananas and grapes reduced these levels (3). The only fruit tested that seemed to have a mildly negative impact on sugars was cantaloupe.

Whole fruit is not synonymous with sugar. One reason for the beneficial effect is the fruits’ flavonoids, or plant micronutrients, but another is their fiber.

Myth: You should avoid all carbohydrates

Fiber is one type of carbohydrate that has important benefits. It can reduce risks for an array of diseases and improve outcomes. This holds true for type 2 diabetes risk. 

Two very large prospective observational studies, the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) and NHS II, showed that plant fiber helped reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes (4). Researchers looked at lignans, a type of plant fiber, specifically examining the metabolites enterodiol and enterolactone. They found that patients with type 2 diabetes have substantially lower levels of these metabolites in their urine when compared to the control group without diabetes. There was a direct relationship between the level of metabolites and the reduction in diabetes risk: the more they consumed and the more metabolites in their urine, the lower the risk. The authors encourage patients to eat a plant-based diet to get this benefit.

Foods with lignans include cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli and cauliflower; an assortment of fruits and whole grains; flaxseed; and sesame seeds (5). The researchers could not determine which plants contributed the greatest benefit; however, they believe antioxidant activity drives this effect.

Myth: You should avoid soy

In diabetes patients with nephropathy (kidney damage or disease), consuming soy has been associated with kidney function improvements (6). There were significant reductions in urinary creatinine levels and proteinuria (protein in the urine), both signs that the kidneys are functioning better.

This was a four-year, small, randomized control trial with 41 participants. The control group’s diet included 70 percent animal protein and 30 percent vegetable protein, while the treatment group’s diet consisted of 35 percent animal protein, 35 percent textured soy protein and 30 percent vegetable protein.

This is important, since diabetes patients are 20 to 40 times more likely to develop nephropathy than those without diabetes (7). It appears that soy protein may put substantially less stress on the kidneys than animal protein. However, those who have hypothyroidism and low iodine levels should be cautious about soy consumption; some studies suggest it might interfere with synthetic thyroid medications’ effectiveness (8).

Myth: Ozempic/Mounjaro helps with weight loss

One of the latest entrants in diabetes sugar-control/weight loss pursuit is GLP-1 receptor agonists, including tirzepatide (Mounjaro/Zepbound) and semaglutide (Ozempic/Wegovy). They have a primary focus on glucose control and a secondary effect of weight loss. It sounds like a dream, right? Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. It’s important to recognize that the phase III clinical trial of these drugs’ weight loss capabilities actually excluded patients with diabetes (9). While the trials did measure lean body mass at different points and doses, they did not report muscle loss.

In clinical use since their approval, further studies have found patients can lose significant muscle mass during treatment. Quoted numbers range between 10 and 25 percent muscle loss (10, 11). In my practice, I have seen an average of 50 percent muscle loss. Because of this tendency, those taking tirzepatide and semaglutide need to make lifestyle changes to offset this, including weight training and diet.

We still have a lot to learn with diabetes, but our understanding of how to manage lifestyle modifications is becoming clearer. Emphasizing a plant-based diet focused on whole fruits, vegetables, beans and legumes can improve your outcomes. 

If you choose a medical approach, you still need to make significant lifestyle changes to overcome its risks.

References: 

(1) Nutr J. 2013 Mar. 5;12:29. (2) Am J Clin Nutr. 2012 Apr.;95:925-933. (3) BMJ online 2013 Aug. 29. (4) Diabetes Care. online 2014 Feb. 18. (5) Br J Nutr. 2005;93:393–402. (6) Diabetes Care. 2008;31:648-654. (7) N Engl J Med. 1993;328:1676–1685. (8) Thyroid. 2006 Mar;16(3):249-58. (9) N Engl J Med 2022;387:205-216. (10) AACE Clin Case Reports. 2025 Mar-Apr.;11(2):98-101. (11) Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism. 2025 May. 27(5): 2720-2729.

Dr. David Dunaief is a speaker, author and local lifestyle medicine physician focusing on the integration of medicine, nutrition, fitness and stress management.

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Kidney health. METRO photo
Regular screening for CKD can help identify early stage kidney disease

By David Dunaief, M.D.

Dr. David Dunaief

In last week’s article about chronic kidney disease (CKD), we learned that roughly 90 percent of U.S. adults who have CKD are not even aware they have it (1). How can this be?

CKD can be asymptomatic in its early stages. Once it reaches moderate stages, vague symptoms like fatigue, malaise and loss of appetite typically surface. When CKD reaches advanced stages, symptoms become more obvious and troublesome.

Your kidneys are basically blood filters. They remove waste, toxins, and excess fluid from your body. They also play roles in controlling your blood pressure, producing red blood cells, maintaining bone health, and regulating natural chemicals in your blood.

When your kidneys aren’t operating at full capacity, you can experience heart disease, stroke, anemia, infection, and depression – among others.

When should you be screened for CKD?

Those at highest risk for CKD include patients with diabetes, high blood pressure and those with first-degree relatives who have advanced disease.

If you have diabetes, you should have your kidney function checked annually (2). If you have other risk factors, like high blood pressure, heart disease, or a family history of kidney failure, talk to your physician about establishing a regular screening schedule.

A 2023 study by Stanford School of Medicine recommends screening all U.S. adults over age 35. The authors conclude that the costs for screening and early treatment are lower than the long-term cost of treatment for those who are undiagnosed until they have advanced CKD (3). They also project that early screening and treatment will improve life expectancy.

How can you protect your kidneys?

Walking regularly and reducing protein and sodium consumption can help. One study shows that walking reduces the risk of death by 33 percent and the need for dialysis by 21 percent (4). Those who walked more often saw better results: participants who walked one or two times a week had a 17 percent reduction in death and a 19 percent reduction in kidney replacement therapy, while those who walked at least seven times per week experienced a 59 percent reduction in death and a 44 percent reduction in the risk of dialysis. The study included 6,363 participants with an average age of 70 who were followed for an average of 1.3 years.

With CKD, more dietary protein may be harmful. In a meta-analysis of 17 studies of non-diabetic CKD patients who were not on dialysis, results showed that the risk of progression to end-stage kidney disease, including the need for dialysis or a kidney transplant, was reduced 36 percent in those who consumed a very low-protein diet, rather than a low-protein or a normal protein diet (5).

How much sodium is too much? Results of one study showed that modest sodium reduction in our diet may be sufficient to help prevent proteinuria (protein in the urine) (6). Here, less than 2000 mg per day was shown to be beneficial.

What role do high blood pressure medications play?

Certain medications, ACE inhibitors or ARBs, are regularly prescribed to patients who have diabetes to protect their kidneys. ACEs and ARBs are two classes of high blood pressure medications that work on the kidney systems responsible for blood pressure and water balance (7). 

What about patients who do not have diabetes? Study results show that these medications reduced the risk of death significantly in patients with moderate CKD. Most of the patients were considered hypertensive. However, there was a high discontinuation rate among those taking the medications. If you exclude discontinuations, the results are robust with a 63 percent reduction in mortality risk.

What about NSAIDs?

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which include ibuprofen and naproxen, have been associated with CKD progression and with kidney injury in those without CKD (1). NSAIDs can also interfere with the effectiveness of ACE inhibitors or ARBs. Talk to your doctor about your prescription NSAIDs and any other over-the-counter medications and supplements you are taking.

What should I focus on?

It’s critical to protect your kidneys. Fortunately, basic lifestyle modifications can help; lowering sodium modestly, lowering your protein consumption, and walking frequently may all be viable options. Talk to your physician about your medications and supplements and about whether you need regular screening. 

References:

(1) cdc.gov. (2) niddk.nih.gov (3) Annals of Int Med. 2023;176(6):online. (4) Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2014;9(7):1183-9. (5) Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020;(10):CD001892. (6) Curr Opin Nephrol Hypertens. 2014;23(6):533-540. (7) J Am Coll Cardiol. 2014;63(7):650-658.

Dr. David Dunaief is a speaker, author and local lifestyle medicine physician focusing on the integration of medicine, nutrition, fitness and stress management. For further information, visit www.medicalcompassmd.com or consult your personal physician.

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Our Lady of Hope grotto at Hope Academy in Mount Sinai. Photo courtesy Hope House Ministries

By Fr. Francis Pizzarelli

Fr. Francis Pizzarelli

Recently there have been a series of articles in our major newspapers indicating that our overdose death rate due to heroin and fentanyl are down.

This evidence, although very positive, is also very misleading. As someone who has been in the trenches working with addiction for more than three decades, I do believe that overdose deaths are down. However, I don’t think it’s accurate to conclude that the abuse of heroin and fentanyl is down.

Since the opioid epidemic gained national recognition, most states started to provide Narcan training which is a simple nasal spray that can reverse an overdose.

Since Narcan kits are very accessible and the training is very simple, more and more people are making sure they have a Narcan kit at their parties.

Every morning when I wake up in the little cottage that I live in on the grounds of Hope Academy in Mount Sinai, I see Our Lady of Hope grotto. Nestled in the trees behind the grotto, I see 120 crosses in the garden of remembrance. They represent the 120 mostly young people who have overdosed and died in our larger community since the pandemic.

People come to that garden to find peace and to remember a loved one who has overdosed and died because of the opioid epidemic. It has become holy ground; a safe place for people to gather without shame, blame or guilt.

As most treatment programs will report, no matter what their model, there are no beds available and there are endless waiting lists for people to be treated. In addition, we do not have enough trained professionals in the area of mental health and substance use disorders to treat the epidemic need.

What further alarms me are the proposed Medicaid cuts that will profoundly impact those battling addiction and mental health. If those proposals are put in place, we will clearly see an increase in this senseless loss of life.

Addiction, alcoholism and mental health challenges can be overwhelming for the patient and for the family. But people do recover and reclaim their lives. To empower people on the road to recovery, we need more comprehensive treatment services, not less. We need more profoundly dedicated professionals, not less, if we hope to substantially temper this terrible human tragedy. 

If we stand up to this very important life issue with a loud voice so all can hear us, I am hopeful that we can empower people to stay on the road to recovery and wellness and reclaim their lives.

Father Francis Pizzarelli, SMM, LCSW-R, ACSW, DCSW, is the director of Hope House Ministries in Port Jefferson.

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From left, Tim Matejka, Chief Development Officer, Gurwin Jewish Healthcare Foundation; Maureen Fagan, Assistant Director of Corporate Communications, Gurwin Healthcare System; Stu Almer, President & CEO, Gurwin Healthcare System; Jennifer Carpentieri, VP and Administrator, Gurwin Jewish Nursing &Rehabilitation Center; and Nicole Hopper, Director of Therapeutic Recreation, Gurwin Jewish Nursing & Rehabilitation Center. Photo courtesy of Gurwin

Gurwin Healthcare Systems’ cutting-edge Immersion Room in Commack recently took home top prize in the Innovation Category in the 13th Annual Long Island Imagine Awards.  

Designed for residents with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, Gurwin’s Immersion Room was lauded for delivering immersive virtual reality experiences that enhance resident quality of life. 

The annual Imagine Awards competition was created by Cerini & Associates LLP to showcase the good work being done by Long Island’s nonprofit sector. The region’s top organizations are selected to receive the prestigious recognition in the following competitive categories: Arts & Culture, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility (DEIA), Innovation, Leadership Excellence, Rising Star and Social Impact.  

The Innovation Award, sponsored by Flagstar Private Bank, is given to the nonprofit that has been innovative in adopting new platforms that have led to a significant increase in the organization’s ability to meet its mission. 

“We are truly honored to be the recipient of the Flagstar Innovation Award,” said Stuart B. Almer, President and CEO of Gurwin Healthcare System. 

“The Gurwin Immersion Room is bringing patient-centric care to a whole new level for our residents, helping to ease dementia symptoms as well as creating new memorable experiences for visiting families and their loved ones. We are literally putting our residents back in the driver’s seat, helping them reconnect with parts of themselves that in some cases have been lost for years. It is our goal to roll out this transformative technology throughout our other communities within the Gurwin Healthcare System,”  he said.

Located in the heart of the Gurwin Jewish Nursing & Rehabilitation Center’s Memory Care Unit, the Gurwin Immersion Room is the first of its kind in long-term care on Long Island, and was made possible through collaboration with Besser Rooms of Amityville, and grant support from the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. The Immersion Room incorporates state-of-the-art projector technology, custom-made props and immersive   experiences with stimulating sights, sounds and scents to engage the senses, mitigate symptoms and stir memories from bygone days. Calming scenes are customized to match resident interests, such as a snowy forest, quiet chair yoga, a lively, hands-on virtual drive, or even a roller coaster experience for thrill-seeking residents.

Details about Long Island Imagine Awards and the list of winners in all categories are available at https://www.imagineawardsli.org/finalist/.

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Northwell Health’s Michael Dowling (left) and Dr. John D’Angelo. Photo by Lee Weissman/Northwell Health

Northwell Health has announced that after serving as Northwell’s first president and chief executive officer for more than 23 years, Michael J. Dowling will step down effective October 1, 2025 and transition to the role of CEO Emeritus, where he will serve in an advisory capacity, supporting the advancement of key public health initiatives, and focusing on teaching and writing, according to a press release on May 14.

Dowling’s transition marks the end of an extraordinary tenure characterized by significant growth, industry innovation, and a steadfast commitment to enhancing health for all. Over the past two decades, his visionary leadership has transformed Northwell from a network of Long Island-based hospitals into one of the nation’s ten largest health systems, renowned for its clinical, academic, and research excellence. Under his leadership, Northwell became New York State’s first integrated health system in 1992 and now includes 28 hospitals across New York and Connecticut, employing 104,000 individuals, with over 14,000 affiliated physicians, 1,000 care locations, and a comprehensive network of home care, rehabilitation, and end-of-life services.

As president and CEO of Northwell, Michael Dowling spearheaded the system’s remarkable expansion, championing investments in research, leading to the growth of the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research and positioning Northwell at the forefront of bioelectronic medicine. His dedication to innovative medical education through the Zucker School of Medicine, the Hofstra-Northwell School of Nursing, and Northwell’s Center for Learning and Innovation has cultivated the next generation of health care professionals.

Additionally,  Dowling has taken a leadership role in addressing gun violence, the leading cause of death among children in the United States, recognizing it as a critical health care issue. He has mobilized over 60 health care CEOs nationwide to support gun violence prevention. For 18 consecutive years, he has been named to Modern Healthcare magazine’s list of the “100 Most Influential People in Healthcare,” achieving the magazine’s #1 ranking in 2022.

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Above, Dr. John D’Angelo will succeed Dowling in the fall.

After an extensive nationwide search, and confirmed in a unanimous vote, Northwell’s Board of Trustees has appointed John D’Angelo, MD, who currently serves as executive vice president of the health system’s central region, to succeed Dowling as president and CEO in October. Dr. D’Angelo began his more than 25-year tenure at Northwell as an emergency medicine physician at Glen Cove Hospital before advancing into health system-wide clinical and administrative leadership roles.

“It has been an extraordinary privilege to lead Northwell through a period of unprecedented growth and clinical transformation that has enabled our team members to make a meaningful difference and improve the lives of the tens of millions of patients and families who we’ve cared for over the last 25 years,” said Dowling in the release.

“In Dr. D’Angelo, the Board of Trustees has selected a tremendous leader who will lead Northwell to greater heights. John is someone who understands and champions Northwell’s unique and differentiated culture and his clinical and operational acumen coupled with skills as a decisive and collaborative leader will enable Northwell to raise the bar on the quality of care we deliver to the communities we serve in New York and Connecticut. I look forward to partnering with Dr. D’Angelo in the coming months to help ensure a seamless transition to what will be an exciting new chapter in the 33-year history of Northwell,” he added.

“I am humbled and honored to be selected to succeed Michael Dowling as Northwell President and CEO. I am committed to build on his unparalleled legacy and vision that grew Northwell from a Long Island-based health system into a regional and national health care leader,” said Dr. D’Angelo. “Health care is a calling. Every minute of every day, we have an opportunity to change someone’s life for the better, and I look forward to leading our more than 100,000 team members who contribute to this critically important mission. Together, we will continue advancing better health for all.”

As president of Northwell’s central region, Dr. D’Angelo leads a dynamic health care network serving 2.8 million residents in western Nassau County and Queens, a network that includes six hospitals, over 270 ambulatory practice locations, and a dedicated team of 24,000 employees. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. D’Angelo was at the forefront, orchestrating Northwell’s operational response and later becoming Chief of Integrated Operations, charged with streamlining system operations in the post-pandemic era.

Before this role, Dr. D’Angelo was the senior vice president of Northwell’s Emergency Medicine service line, where he managed 18 emergency departments and a network of 60+ urgent care centers, serving 1.5 million patients annually. With nearly three decades of experience as an emergency medicine physician, Dr. D’Angelo possesses a deep understanding of clinical care delivery, quality, process improvement, and operational management.

“The Northwell Board of Trustees is enormously grateful for Michael Dowling’s extraordinary tenure, and we are delighted to name Dr. D’Angelo as our next CEO,” said Board Chair Margaret Crotty. “Dr. D’Angelo is an experienced administrator, leading a region that itself would rank among the country’s largest health systems. He is a trusted mentor for so many Northwell leaders; a respected manager who inspires his team to consistently drive results; and a strategic leader who deploys technology toward the best health outcomes. John clearly stood out among an impressive slate as the best person to bring Northwell into a new era of care.”

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METRO photo

By David Dunaief M.D.

Dr. David Dunaief

Your kidneys do far more than filter waste and fluid from your body. They maintain your blood’s health, help control your blood pressure, make red blood cells and vitamin D, and control your body’s acid levels. With all these functions relying on them, it’s crucial to keep them operating well.

When kidney function degrades, you can experience hypertension or cardiovascular problems. In later stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD), you may require dialysis or a kidney transplant. For the best outcomes, it’s critical to identify CKD early and arrest its progression to more serious stages. However, of the estimated 35.5 million U.S. adults who have CKD, as many as 9 in 10 are not even aware they have it (1).

Unfortunately, early-stage CKD symptoms are not obvious and can be overlooked. Among them are foamy urine, urinating more or less frequently than usual, itchy or dry skin, fatigue, nausea, appetite loss, and unintended weight loss (2).

Fortunately, simple tests, such as a basic metabolic panel and a urinalysis, can confirm your kidney function. These indices include an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), creatinine level and protein in the urine. eGFR is a calculation and, while the other two indices have varying ranges depending on the laboratory used, a patient with an eGFR of 30 to 59 is classified as having mild disease. The eGFR and the kidney function are inversely related, meaning as eGFR declines, the severity of CKD increases.

What can be done to address early-stage CKD, before you experience complications? Several studies have evaluated different lifestyle modifications and their impacts on its prevention, treatment and reversal.

What creates the greatest kidney risks?

Among the greatest risks for your kidneys are uncontrolled diseases and medical disorders, such as diabetes and hypertension (1). If you have — or are at risk for — diabetes, control your blood sugar levels to limit kidney damage. Similarly, if you have hypertension, controlling it will put less stress on your kidneys. For these diseases, it’s important to have your kidney function tested at least once a year.

In addition, obesity and smoking are risk factors and can be managed by making lifestyle changes.

How can diet help protect your kidneys?

Fruits and vegetables may play a role in helping patients with CKD. In a one-year study with 77 patients, results showed that fruits and vegetables work as well as sodium bicarbonate in improving kidney function by reducing metabolic acidosis levels (3).

What is the significance of metabolic acidosis? Body fluids become acidic, and it is associated with CKD. The authors concluded that both sodium bicarbonate and diets including fruits and vegetables helped protect the kidneys from further damage in patients with CKD. Alkali diets are primarily plant-based, although not necessarily vegetarian or vegan. Animal products tend to cause an acidic environment.

In the Nurses’ Health Study, results show that animal fat, red meat and sodium all negatively impact kidney function (4). The risk of protein in the urine, a potential indicator of CKD, increased by 72 percent in those participants who consumed the highest amounts of animal fat compared to the lowest, and by 51 percent in those who ate red meat at least twice a week. With higher amounts of sodium, there was a 52 percent increased risk of having lower eGFR levels.

The most interesting part with sodium was that the difference between higher mean consumption and a lower mean consumption was not large, 2.4 grams compared to 1.7 grams. In other words, a difference of approximately a quarter-teaspoon of sodium per day was responsible for decrease in kidney function.

The National Kidney Foundation recommends diets that are higher in fruit and vegetable content and lower in animal protein, including the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet and plant-based diets (2). 

In my practice, when CKD patients follow a vegetable-rich, nutrient-dense diet, they experience substantial kidney function improvements. For instance, one patient improved his baseline eGFR from 54 to 63 after one month of dietary changes, putting him in the range of “normal” kidney functioning. Note that this is one patient, not a rigorous study.

How often should you have your kidney function tested?

It is important to have your kidney function checked as part of your regular physical. If your levels are low, you should address the issue through medications and lifestyle modifications to manage and reverse early-stage CKD. If you have common risk factors, such as diabetes, smoking, obesity or high blood pressure, or if you are over 60 years old, talk to your doctor about regular testing. 

Don’t wait until symptoms and complications occur. In my experience, it is much easier to treat and reverse CKD in its earlier stages.

References:

(1) CDC.gov. (2) kidney.org. (3) Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2013;8:371-381. (4) Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2010; 5:836-843.

Dr. David Dunaief is a speaker, author and local lifestyle medicine physician focusing on the integration of medicine, nutrition, fitness and stress management. For further information, visit www.medicalcompassmd.com or consult your personal physician.

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Scene from Long Island Veterans Home Memorial Day ceremony 2025. Photo courtesy Stony Brook Medicine
Scene from Long Island Veterans Home Memorial Day ceremony 2025. Photo courtesy Stony Brook Medicine
Scene from Long Island Veterans Home Memorial Day ceremony 2025. Photo courtesy Stony Brook Medicine
Scene from Long Island Veterans Home Memorial Day ceremony 2025. Photo courtesy Stony Brook Medicine
Scene from Long Island Veterans Home Memorial Day ceremony 2025. Photo courtesy Stony Brook Medicine
Scene from Long Island Veterans Home Memorial Day ceremony 2025. Photo courtesy Stony Brook Medicine

Long Island State Veterans Home at Stony Brook University honored our fallen heroes at their annual Memorial Day ceremony on May 23.

New York State Assemblyman Steve Stern (AD-10), Chairman of the NYS Assembly Veterans’ Affairs Committee, gave the Memorial Day keynote address to veterans and residents and then joined other elected officials in honoring the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving in our armed forces with the laying of a memorial wreath. The ceremony included a color guard, firing detail, taps memorial, wreath laying ceremony and “tolling of the bells” memorial service.
The event was also attended by New York State Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay, New York State Assemblyman Michael Fitzpatrick, New York State Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio, Suffolk County Comptroller John Kennedy, Suffolk County Legislator Chad Lennon, Suffolk County Legislator Nick Caracappa,  Suffolk County Legislator Steve Englebright, Town of Brookhaven Councilwoman Jane Bonner, Fred S. Sganga, Executive Director of the Long Island State Veterans Home, Joseph Cognitore representing VFW Post 6249 in Rocky Point, other local elected officials, LISVH veterans and residents, and many veteran service organization members.
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The Long Island State Veterans Home at Stony Brook University is a 350 bed skilled nursing facility that also operates a 40-registrant medical model Adult Day Health Care program to care for honorably discharged veterans. Operated under the auspices of Stony Brook Medicine, the LI State Veterans Home is one of a few nursing homes in the country that is fully integrated into the health and educational mission of an academic medical center. Since opening its doors in October 1991, the Long Island State Veterans Home has provided care to more than 15,000 of Long Island’s veterans.  For more information,  call (631) 444-VETS.
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