ARTHUR A. GIANELLI, PRESIDENT/CEO OF THE NASSAU HEALTH CARE CORPORATION ANNOUNCES THE KICK-OFF OF THE INSTITUTE FOR HEALTHCARE DISPARITIES, TO BE LOCATED WITHIN THE NEW FREEPORT/ROOSEVELT COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER, WITH A MISSION TO GREATLY REDUCE OR ELIMINATE DISPARITIES IN HEALTH CARE ACCESS AND OUTCOMES IN NASSAU’S VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES

East Meadow, New York,…. Arthur A. Gianelli, President/CEO of the Nassau Health Care Corporation (NHCC) announced today the kick-off of the Institute for Healthcare Disparities (IHD) within the Meadowbrook Medical Education Research Foundation (MMERF) and the appointment of Aloysius Cuyjet, MD, MPH, chair of the department of medicine at Nassau University Medical Center (NUMC) and vice president of clinical effectiveness and minority health initiatives, as the IHD’s first chairman. The IHD, to be located within the new Freeport/Roosevelt Community Health Center, will have a mission to greatly reduce or eliminate disparities in health care access and outcomes in Nassau’s vulnerable communities.

 “As the principal safety net provider for Nassau County’s underserved communities, the NHCC will develop and implement programs that focus on health disparities by creating an Institute that will serve as the centerpiece of our efforts on health care disparities and as a model for how to create a healthcare system that is more accessible to communities of  need, with a commitment to the highest level of quality of care,” stated Mr. Gianelli.

            Nassau County Executive, Thomas R. Suozzi, whose support of the IHC was crucial, said: “The new Institute will help eliminate healthcare disparities for Nassau County’s vulnerable populations. This facility is essential for the long term sustainable health of all Nassau County residents and I am 100% confident it will serve as a national model of how such a facility should operate.”

The Institute’s mission to greatly reduce or eliminate disparities in healthcare access and outcomes experienced in Nassau county’s minority communities, will focus primarily on adult cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, cancer, pediatric asthma and obesity through education, outreach, facilitating access to screening, medical treatment and follow-up care, forging partnerships with health, welfare and advocacy organizations and translational research. The Institute will be initially established as a program of the Meadowbrook Medical Education and Research Foundation (MMERF) whose Board of Directors will empower a standing committee to oversee the operations of the Institute with Dr. Cuyjet as the chair of this committee. The board will also designate an advisory committee to the Institute, consisting of local and national members with experience addressing disparities in the delivery of health care to minority populations.

Accordingly to Steven Walerstein, MD, NHCC’s Senior Vice President for Medical Affairs and Medical Director:  “The Institute has two key responsibilities:  to develop and offer services and programs dedicated to the prevention, detection and management of diseases that have disproportionate impact on minority communities and to connect those residents in the community whose disease is identified, to user-friendly culturally compatible health care providers so that early intervention in the care and treatment of the patient can be started.”
    

“These types of health care statistics are inexcusable in the 21st Century because we have the tools to address and eliminate disparities and that’s the primary intent of the IHD, focusing on prevention, patient education, detection, screening, management and treatment in order to eliminate barriers to access,” added Dr. Cuyjet.  “The Institute will provide educational and research outreach to communities of need and access to services in a way not currently available.   The IHD is envisioned as being a central clearinghouse to coordinate currently ongoing efforts to eliminate disparities,” continued Dr. Cuyjet.

According to Martin Cantor, director of the LI Economic and Social Policy Institute at Dowling College,: “Minority communities bear a disproportionate burden of disease and disability in Nassau County, resulting in lower life expectancy, decreased quality of life and loss of economic opportunities. I applaud the NHCC’s efforts to reduce or eliminate disparities by the development of the IHD, with its mission to improve health care access and outcomes in Nassau’s vulnerable communities.”

Lawrence Levy, executive director of the National Center for Suburban Studies at Hofstra University said: “Art Gianelli and Nassau University Medical Center should be commended for their commitment to tackling the critical issue of delivering health care, fairly and adequately to all, regardless of race or income level.”
 
Iris Johnson, CEO, Economic Opportunity Commission of Nassau, expressed her excitement about the IHD by stating: “Nassau County has some of the nation’s greatest hospitals, providing the best of care.  However, thousands of Nassau residents do not have access to this care.  We excitedly look forward to working with the NHCC’s IHD to change this situation and improve the lives of thousands of our families.”

Dr. Cuyjet added: “Part of the proceeds from the recent “Heroes in Healthcare Gala” fundraiser will be directed to immediately fund an intervention for our patients with both diabetes and hypertension as an indication of NHCC’s commitment to the disparities effort.  Those patients would be provided, at no cost to them, home blood pressure monitors to improve their blood pressure control.  Additionally, a nurse educator, specifically dedicated to this effort, will focus on reinforcement, on-going education and monitoring of patients’ logs.”

A request has been made to the county for allocation of $6 million from the proceeds of the county’s recent Tobacco Re-securitization to support the Institute’s program to address minority health disparities.  As set forth in the Updated Strategic Plan, it is anticipated that the staff of the Institute will seek additional Grant/Contacts from Federal State, Foundation, and corporate sponsors to continue support initiatives in the future. 
           

Capital funding for reconstruction of the Freeport/Roosevelt Community Health Center, the Institute and related Information Technology projects is being provided through the HEAL II Grant.  NHCC had received $24 M of Capital funds under Phase II of HEAL NY funds.
The cost for constructing a new health center and the IHD is approximately $7,050,726 with $4,935,508 derived from HEAL funds and $2,115,218 from local match.

“The majority of NUMC’s inpatient, outpatient and emergency services are provided to residents of these vulnerable communities, and NUMC is the dominant provider of inpatient care to these residents.  As a safety net health care system and an essential provider for these 33 federally designated vulnerable communities, NUMC plays a key role in addressing health disparities in Nassau County.  Reducing or eliminating disparities is one of the most important national and local public health goals,” concluded Mr. Gianelli.