Health Beat: fire department blood drive, hospital gets Gold Seal

• Southold Town will sponsor a blood drive at the Southold Fire Department on Wednesday, March 30, 2:15 to 8:15 p.m. Donors must be between the ages of 16 and 76, weigh at least 110 pounds and be in good health. A photo or signature identification is necessary and you must know your Social Security number. Call Louise Egert at 477-1273.

• Eastern Long Island Hospital has earned the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for accreditation, demonstrating compliance with the commission’s national standards for health care quality and safety. ELIH underwent a rigorous, unannounced on-site survey by a team of commission staffers to earn the honor.

“When evaluated for compliance with standards of care specific to the needs of patients, including infection prevention and control, leadership and medication management, ELIH demonstrated its commitment to the highest level of care for its patients,” said D. Patricia Pispisa, ELIH vice president for patient care. The commission accreditation provides a framework for taking the organization to the next level and helps “create a culture of excellence,” hospital president and CEO Paul Connor III said.

• Cutchogue-New Suffolk Library will host a series of pilates classes on Mondays, beginning March 28 and continuing through May 9, with no class on April 18. Sessions are at 6:30 p.m. There’s a $60 fee for the full eight-week program. To register, call 734-6360.

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