To Our Patients and Friends

I hope this post finds you well.  I am writing to notify you that I am leaving my clinical practice of colon and rectal surgery to pursue interests in healthcare policy and administration.  This news will come as no surprise to those of you who have over the years adapted to changes in my office hours and availability to accommodate graduate studies and my position as Assistant Vice President of Medical Affairs at John T. Mather Memorial Hospital.  Some have been patient and kind enough to engage me in conversations around the changing healthcare landscape and the important need for visionary and compassionate healthcare leaders.

My staff and I would like to make this transition as simple as possible for you and have posted here a short list of colon and rectal surgeons in your area.  Your primary care physician is the most important resource in directing your medical care and you might take my departure as an opportunity to consult with him or her to find the specialist that best serves your needs.  You may also contact your medical plan to obtain a list of physicians in the area who are eligible to become your physician. Finally, you may also contact the Suffolk County Medical Society at (631) 851-1400 for a list of physician names and phone numbers.

Once you have selected a new physician, you will need to complete an authorization to release your medical records so that I can forward a copy of your records to your new physician. Unfortunately, your medical records cannot be released without a written authorization from you. Click here for an authorization form for you to complete and return to our medical records office once you have selected a new physician. 

Thank you for having chosen me as your physician. On behalf of Joe, Ted, and everyone at North Country Colorectal Surgery, P.C., it has been our pleasure and honor to care for you. I wish you and yours continued health and wellness.           

Kindest regards,
Maria A. Basile, M.D.

Colonoscopy: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Colorectal cancer affects both men and women equally – 140,000 people are
diagnosed with the disease every year. But colorectal cancer is preventable, and
can be successfully treated and is often curable when detected early.

To lower your risk of colorectal cancer, the American Society of Colon and Rectal
Surgeons recommends that you:

• Get regular colorectal cancer screenings after age 50. Between 80-90%
of colorectal cancer patients are restored to normal health if their cancer
is detected and treated in the earliest stages.
• Eat a low-fat, high-fiber diet.
• If you use alcohol, drink only in moderation. If you use tobacco, quit.
If you don’t use tobacco, don’t start. Alcohol and tobacco in combination
are linked to colorectal cancer and other gastrointestinal cancers.
• Exercise for at least 20 minutes three to four days each week. Moderate
exercise such as walking, gardening or climbing steps may help.

Colorectal cancer is extremely preventable if polyps that lead to the cancer are
detected and removed, and it is very curable if the cancer is detected in its early
stages. Since there are very few symptoms associated with colorectal cancer,
regular screening is essential. Talk to your colorectal surgeon or other healthcare
provider about colorectal cancer and what kind of screening test is right for you.

March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness
Month, founded by the Cancer Research Foundation
of America. Talk with your heath care provider about
colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer is preventable,
and is easy to treat and often curable when detected
early. Ask you health care provider what kind of
screening test you should have and when.

Office closed Feb 8-10 due to Inclement Weather

See the full gallery on Posterous

Thanks for understanding. Please, everyone stay safe!

Resources Following Hurricane Sandy

Important Phone Numbers
American Red Cross: Nassau County: (516) 747-3500
American Red Cross: Suffolk County: (631) 924-6700
NYS Emergency Management Office: (518) 292-2200
Nassau County Emergency Management Office: (516) 573-0636
Suffolk County Fire Rescue & Emergency Services: (631) 852-4900
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): 1-800-621-FEMA

Websites
Nassau County Office of Emergency Management http://www.nassaucountyny.gov/agencies/OEM/
Suffolk County Office of Emergency Management http://www.suffolkcountyny.gov/Departments/FireRescueandEmergencyServices/Off...
National Hurricane Center http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/
LIPA http://mobile.lipower.org/mt/www.lipower.org
National Weather Service http://www.weather.gov/

Twitter
Federal Emergency Management Agency: @fema
FEMA Region 2 (Covering the NY Region): @femaregion2
Red Cross New York: @redcrossny National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: @NOAA
FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate: @craigatFEMA
Long Island Power Authority: @LIPANews National Weather Service for New York: @NWSNewYorkNY
Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano: @edmangano
News 12 Long Island: @news12LI
Fios 1: @FiOS1News_LI
Newsday: @newsday

Preparing for Hurricane Sandy with Dr. Basile

Our Port Jefferson office at 41 North Country Road will remain closed until Friday, 11/2/2012.  Hope you and all those dear to you staying safe, too.  I wanted to share some information with you that my family and I are finding useful during this severe weather.

You can closely monitor the storm's path, using local radio and television or online reports and pay close attention for Emergency Alert System (EAS) messages that carry local emergency orders, such as evacuation or travel restrictions. The best way to receive emergency information is to subscribe to NY-ALERT, the State's alert and notification system. Visit www.nyalert.gov and sign up for free today.

There is also an extremely informative State website, http://www.dhses.ny.gov which contains critical information regarding the storm and instructional information about how we can best prepare ourselves in case the worst predictions turn out to be accurate.

Here’s a checklist of things that I have personally done to keep my family and home safe during Sandy… you can, too!

Have food and emergency supplies in your home

·  Keep a three-day supply of food and water for every member of your family. The same applies if you have pets. One gallon of water per person per day is recommended. Canned foods or dehydrated foods are a good choice.

·  Flashlights and extra batteries. Keep these in several rooms in the house.

·  Keep a portable radio with extra batteries so you can listen to the weather report in case telephone and cable lines are damaged by storms.

·  Keep all of your important documents (birth certificates, Social Security cards, etc.) in a waterproof container.

·  Keep a first aid kit and make sure all members of your family know where it is.

·  Have extra sets of your home and car keys.

·  Keep tools like wrenches to turn off gas and water supplies if needed.

Discuss emergency plans in advance with your family

·  Phone lines in your area might be damaged during severe storms. If you have friends or relatives who live outside of your area, designate them as the people for all your family members to contact if you get separated.

·  Discuss with your family where you will go if you are told by authorities to evacuate the area.

Prepare by removing potentially dangerous objects outside

·  Remove damaged or diseased branches on trees near your house.

·  Take in all lawn furniture and other objects that could potentially damage windows or walls of your house.

Wishing you all safety and good health during this severe weather situation.   We'll be in touch when the office reopens.