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A Message From The President

"One of the biggest reasons that there are health disparities is that African-Americans and Latino-Americans are much more likely not to have health insurance. And so if we set up a system in which everybody’s got health insurance, some of those disparities are immediately going to be reduced." ~ President Barack Obama

Welcome to North General Hospital

Despite the looming challenges facing many healthcare facilities across the nation — the continuing decrease in Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements to hospitals, coupled with an increased need for critical medical care among economically disenfranchised populations — 2009 still managed to be a banner year for North General. In addition to 2009 being a major milestone year, marked by the 30th anniversary of the founding of this unique medical institution by visionaries Eugene McCabe and Randolph Guggenheimer, we also celebrated many other achievements. I would like to take this opportunity to share a few of these highlights with you.

 

North General Hospital Receives "Full Accreditation Status" for Three Years

In 2009, The Joint Commission awarded North General Hospital "Full Accreditation Status" for three years. The majority of the focus of the agency’s rigorous accreditation survey was based on patient safety, prevention of infections, medications safety, and environment of care. It is with great pride that we accepted the Joint Commission’s "Gold Seal" of approval.

 

Renovated State-of-the-Art Emergency Department

On October 19, North General celebrated the opening of its newly renovated Emergency Department, which was made possible by congressional funding through Congressman Charles Rangel and a grant provided by the New York State Department of Health. The modernization project was undertaken to accommodate current and future growth, and ensure the continued delivery of safe, quality medical services to our patients. Upgraded Emergency Department features include:

• Larger Triage Area
  The additional space allows for timely medical evaluation by nurses as soon as a patient enters the Emergency Department.
• 360° Degree Visualization of Patient Care Areas
  This new design keeps all patients in direct view of clinical team members, which improves patient safety.
• Urgi-Care Area
  This new area is dedicated to those patients who are less seriously ill or injured so that they receive appropriate care in a shorter amount of time.
• State-of-the-Art Equipment
  Our new cardiac monitoring systems and other equipment ensure the highest quality of care for our patients.

 

The Department of Special Services (HIV/AIDS) Expands Its Offerings

As a New York City HIV/AIDS Care Designated Hospital for nearly eighteen-years, North General remains committed to educating the Harlem community about HIV risks and prevention, and testing everyone who is interested in knowing their status. Now, in addition to the Department of Special Services, HIV testing is also offered in our ambulatory care clinics and inpatients wards. The Special Services team has expanded its menu of clinical and complementary services to now include: comprehensive primary care, medical adherence, Hepatitis C screening and treatment, case management, mental health services, ophthalmology, nutrition management, gynecological screenings, acupuncture and massage therapy.

 

Coordinating a Rapid Response to the H1N1 Virus

In 2009, North General convened an H1N1 Task Force to prepare for the possibility of a large surge of influenza-infected patients. Our goal was, and still is, to protect our patients and employees should an outbreak occur. 

 

North General is prepared for Public Health Emergencies

In today’s environment, the threat of terrorism has prompted hospitals to maintain the highest level of emergency preparedness possible. This year, North General was awarded a grant from the New York City Department of Health’s Healthcare Emergency Preparedness Program to complete their DECON Operations Level Training Program so that we may provide for all of our patients during emergency conditions.

 

Increased Outreach and Health Education Efforts in the Community

In our ongoing efforts to empower Harlem residents to take charge of their own health, and improve their overall well-being, North General increased the number of free health fairs, forums, workshops and special events it offered in 2009.

After thirty-years of growing with our community, and caring for your health, there are now new opportunities brought about by the current healthcare environment. Unfortunately, these opportunities are caused by poor outcomes in the management of chronic diseases, increases in avoidable admissions to hospitals, and the ever-present issue of healthcare disparities and lack of adequate healthcare coverage among the African-American and Latino communities.

Going forward, North General will change its model of service to adapt to this changing healthcare climate. We will continue to develop programs that best serve our community yet, at the same time, reduce the cost of these services, meanwhile maintaining high-quality, and experiencing better health outcomes. As 2010 progresses, we will share with you the evolving changes in our services that are designed to meet the current and future needs of the Harlem community.

Sincerely,

Samuel J. Daniel, MD
President and CEO