Maimonides Medical Center

Maimonides Medical Center
10th Avenue
Geography
Location	4802 Tenth Avenue, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, United States
Organization
Care system	Private
Hospital type	Teaching
Affiliated university	SUNY Downstate Medical Center College of Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York College of Osteopathic Medicine[1]
Services
Emergency department	Yes
Beds	705[1]
History
Founded	1911
Links
Website	www.maimonidesmed.org
Lists	Hospitals in New York

Maimonides Medical Center is a non-profit, non-sectarian hospital located in Borough Park, Brooklyn.^[2] Maimonides is both a treatment facility and academic medical center with 705 beds, and more than 70 primary care and sub-specialty programs.^[3] With a staff of nationally renowned physicians, Maimonides Medical Center strives to conduct quality research, care and education.^[4]

History

Early years

The institution was founded in 1911 as the New Utrecht Dispensary.^[5] Several small dispensaries merged with Utrecht in 1919 to form the Israel Hospital of Brooklyn.^[5] In 1920 it merged with Zion hospital and became United Israel Zion Hospital.^[5] The United Israel Zion Hospital and Beth Moses Hospital merged in 1947 to give rise to the Maimonides Medical Center.^[5] The institution is named after Rabbi Moshe Ben Maimon, the 12th century philosopher who established the concept of medicine as a natural science and authored ten medical books that set forth the foundation of modern medical training of physicians.

Deadly fire

In 1993, a faulty respirator supplying oxygen to an elderly woman exploded killing her and two other patients.^[6] Investigators said that an electrical fault in the machine had caused it to ignite. The fire created a blast fed by pure oxygen, which sent a fireball through a seventh-floor window.^[6] Fire officials said that two patients were burned to death, and a third patient across the hall, died of smoke inhalation.^[6] The faulty respirator, was manufactured by Puritan Bennett. Barry M. Spero, the hospital's president at the time, said that biomedical engineers routinely checked the equipment according to specifications by the manufacturer. He referred to the incident as, "truly a catastrophic disaster."^[6]

Expansion

The Maimonides Medical Center last expanded its emergency department in 1997 with the opening of the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Emergency Center. Beginning in September 2007 and continuing through the end of the year, the Medical Center anticipates opening additional space in the new building now under construction at the corner of 48th Street and Fort Hamilton Parkway.

Landmarks

The Maimonides Medical Center was the place of several innovations in clinical science. In 1961, the commercial pacemaker was developed in the Maimonides Research Laboratory.^[7] The same laboratory was co-developer of Intra-aortic balloon pump in 1970.^[7] Implantation of first partial mechanical heart was performed in the hospital in 1966.^[8] In the following year, the second human heart transplant in US was performed in the medical center by Dr. Adrian Kantrowitz.^[8] Several technical feats were achieved by the clinicians in the hospital, such as the first needle aspiration biopsy in US (in 1981), first robotic surgery for pediatric patients in US (in 2001), first angioplasty during a heart attack (in 1983).^[7]

In 2007, the NY Times reported that of an analysis of about 5,000 hospitals by the Department of Health and Human services, Maimonides was one of the top hospitals with the lowest mortality rates.^[9] In 2010, Maimonides received the HealthGrades Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence,^[10] ranking it among the top 5% of hospitals in the entire nation for overall quality outcomes. Maimonides was also listed among the top 5 individual hospitals in New York State for cardiology services, coronary interventional procedures, stroke treatment, and gastrointestinal medical services.^[11]

Information technology

Maimonides Medical center is a pioneer in implementing health information technology.^[12] and is consistently ranked one of the "Most Wired" Hospitals.^[13]

Five Centers of Excellence

• The Cancer Center^[14]
• Maimonides Infants & Children’s Hospital of Brooklyn. Here, at the The Stella and Joseph Payson Birthing Center, Maimonides handles more births than any other hospital in New York State.^[15]
• The ACE Unit focuses on elderly patients, their families and their home environments.^[16]
• The Jaffe Stroke Center.^[17] Maimonides has received the HealthGrades Stroke Care Excellence Award for 2008, 2009 and 2010.^[18]
• Cardiac Institute offers invasive and noninvasive, medical and surgical, adult and pediatric care. The Cardiac Institute is a partnership between referring doctors, cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons, nurses and professional staff.^[19] Maimonides has received the HealthGrades Cardiac Care Excellence Award (2010, 2009) and the HealthGrades Coronary Intervention Excellence Award (2010, 2009 and 2008.^[18]

Diversity

Due to its culturally diversified location, Maimonides has recruited multilingual physicians, nurses and staff.^[20] 67 languages are spoken at Maimonides Medical center ^[21]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "Maimonides Medical Center". FREIDA Online institution information. American Medical Association. http://www.ama-assn.org/vapp/freida/inst/0,1238,350366,00.html. Retrieved 2007-10-19. 
2. ^ http://www.maimonidesmed.org/Main/Public/AboutUs.aspx
3. ^ http://www.healthgrades.com/hospital-directory/new-york-ny-nyc-suburbs-long-island/hospital-awards-HGST410A7B36330194
4. ^ http://www.maimonidesmed.org/Main/OurHistoryMission.aspx
5. ^ ^{a b c d} "Our History and Mission". Maimonides Medical Center. http://www.maimonidesmed.org/clinical.cfm?id=38. Retrieved 2007-10-19. 
6. ^ ^{a b c d} Wolff, Craig (1993-09-02). "3 Patients Die In Explosion At Hospital". The New York Times (The New York Times Company). http://www.nytimes.com/1993/09/02/nyregion/3-patients-die-in-explosion-at-hospital.html?sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all. Retrieved 2010-09-27. 
7. ^ ^{a b c} "A Culture of Innovation". Maimonides Medical Center. http://www.maimonidesmed.org/clinical.cfm?id=10. Retrieved 2007-10-19. 
8. ^ ^{a b} "A History of Achievements in Cardiac Care at Maimonides". Maimonides Medical Center. http://www.maimonidesmed.org/clinical.cfm?id=91. Retrieved 2007-10-19. 
9. ^ http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/21/health/22hosp-list.html?sq=maimonides%20medical%20center, New York Times Mortality Rates US Hospitals
10. ^ http://www.healthgrades.com/hospital-directory/new-york-ny-nyc-suburbs-long-island/maimonides-medical-center-hgst410a7b36330194, HealthGrades Hospital Awards
11. ^ http://www.maimonidesmed.org/Main/CultureofInnovation.aspx, Maimonides Culture of Innovation
12. ^ Chris, Serb (June 2007). "Jump-starting a high-tech initiative". HHN Most Wired Magazine. Health Forum. http://www.hhnmostwired.com/hhnmostwired_app/jsp/articledisplay.jsp?dcrpath=HHNMOSTWIRED/PubsNewsArticleMostWired/data/07Spring/07Spring_MW_CoverStory&domain=HHNMOSTWIRED. Retrieved 2007-10-19. 
13. ^ HHN Most Wired
14. ^ http://www.maimonidesmed.org/Main/ClinicalServices/Cancer_Center_24.aspx
15. ^ Hartocollis, Anemona; Fessenden, Ford (2010-06-25). "Brooklyn Mothers Choosing Manhattan Hospitals". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/26/nyregion/26hospitals.html. 
16. ^ http://www.maimonidesmed.org/Main/ClinicalSubPages/Acute-Care-for-the-Elderly-ACE-85.aspx
17. ^ http://www.maimonidesmed.org/Main/ClinicalServices/Stroke_Center_100.aspx
18. ^ ^{a b} http://www.healthgrades.com/hospital-directory/new-york-ny-nyc-suburbs-long-island/maimonides-medical-center-hgst410a7b36330194
19. ^ http://199.117.41.140/clinical.cfm?id=88
20. ^ http://www.maimonidesmed.org/Main/Public/WeSpeakYourLanguage.aspx
21. ^ Salamon, Julie (2008-05-11). "‘Scrubs' Near the D Train". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/11/nyregion/thecity/11hosp.html?scp=1&sq=scrubs+near+the+d+train&st=nyt. 

External links

• Official website

Coordinates: 40°38′22″N 73°59′55″W / 40.63944°N 73.99861°W / 40.63944; -73.99861