NUHEALTH HURRICANE SANDY UPDATE #18 WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2012 4:00PM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 7, 2012
PRESS CONTACT:
Shelley Lotenberg
shelley@numc.edu
516-572-6055
NUHEALTH HURRICANE SANDY UPDATE #18 WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2012 4:00PM
East Meadow, NY….Arthur A. Gianelli, President/CEO of the NuHealth System announces the following Hurricane Sandy update:
The admitted census at the Nassau University Medical Center is hovering around 510 patients, with the census at the A. Holly Patterson Extended Care Facility at 526, with both facilities at over licensed capacity and significantly over normal volumes. Our ambulatory sites are operational, both on the East Meadow campus and at the various Family Health Centers, located throughout Nassau County. Those residents at shelters, who may need primary medical care and may not be able to return to their homes for their medications, are urged to contact our various ambulatory centers in Nassau County at 516-572-5107, for an appointment and evaluation. Supplies and power remain adequate throughout our health system.
The federal Disaster Medical Assistance Team, with 45 physicians, nurses, physician assistants, paramedics, etc.., continues providing support to the clinical staff at the Nassau University Medical Center, due to the influx of patients and nursing home residents following Hurricane Sandy. The team is supplementing our staff in the emergency department as well as on the patient floors. We are grateful for their responsiveness and assistance during these past days as they have provided invaluable assistance to our staff and our patients. The number of discharges remains steady, with additional nursing home capacity availability expected to occur in coming days. We are working to decompress the hospital in anticipation of today’s storm, which may create another surge of patients. The challenge remains the placement of those patients, especially the elderly who may be ready for discharge, but who may not have suitable and safe housing to return to.
Mental health counseling is being provided on an ongoing basis for those employees in need, following the devastation that occurred to their homes and belongings. The last few days have been extremely difficult for all who live and work in the path of Hurricane Sandy. Many challenges still lie ahead. Life will never be the same for some NuHealth employees and their families who lost their homes, cars and personal possessions in the storm. While many have experienced disruption from the storm’s aftermath, including the absence of electricity and heat, NuHealth is focusing its relief efforts on those who are in greatest need of assistance. Already, we are aware of a number of NuHealth families who have been displaced from their homes due to fire and severe flooding, and are suffering catastrophic loss. NuHealth is working to provide support and assist our employees during this difficult time.We are working with our local union, CSEA, to determine which employees have been displaced and could take advantage of our unused housing units on the NUMC campus. CSEA has offered to assist with beds, blankets and sheets for those employees who have been displaced from their homes and who will be using the housing units on our campus that we will make available in the next few days to them temporarily, until their homes are safe to return to.
Again, we are grateful and need to recognize our staff for their outstanding dedication, commitment and caring in helping us meet the needs unleashed by Hurricane Sandy.
ABOUT NUHEALTH
NuHealth is a Long Island health care organization delivering essential medical care and disease and lifestyle management to everyone at every stage of life. Also known as Nassau Health Care Corporation, NuHealth is a public benefit corporation managing the operations of Nassau Medical Center, A. Holly Patterson Extended Care and a network of Family Health Centers that bring primary and specialty care out into the community. By emphasizing wellness, cultural sensitivity and collaborative efforts with the North Shore-LIJ Health System, NuHealth is working to make good care more affordable and easier to access.
For more information about NuHealth or its Centers of Care, visit www.nuhealth.net.