Maimonides Medical Center
Encyclopedia
Maimonides Medical Center is a non-profit, non-sectarian hospital located in Borough Park, Brooklyn
. Maimonides is both a treatment facility and academic medical center with 705 beds, and more than 70 primary care and sub-specialty programs. With a staff of nationally renowned physicians, Maimonides Medical Center strives to conduct quality research, care and education.
Dispensary. Several small dispensaries merged with Utrecht in 1919 to form the Israel Hospital of Brooklyn. In 1920 it merged with Zion hospital and became United Israel Zion Hospital. The United Israel Zion Hospital and Beth Moses Hospital merged in 1947 to give rise to the Maimonides Medical Center. 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.
. 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."
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.
was developed in the Maimonides Research Laboratory. The same laboratory was co-developer of Intra-aortic balloon pump
in 1970. Implantation of first partial mechanical heart was performed in the hospital in 1966. In the following year, the second human heart transplant in US was performed in the medical center by Dr. Adrian Kantrowitz
. 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).
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. In 2010, Maimonides received the HealthGrades
Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence, 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.
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
. Maimonides is both a treatment facility and academic medical center with 705 beds, and more than 70 primary care and sub-specialty programs. With a staff of nationally renowned physicians, Maimonides Medical Center strives to conduct quality research, care and education.
Early years
The institution was founded in 1911 as the New UtrechtNew Utrecht, Brooklyn
New Utrecht was the last of six towns to be founded in what is today the borough of Brooklyn in New York City. It was named after the city of Utrecht, Netherlands. In 1652 Cornelius van Werckhoven, a surveyor born in Utrecht and a principal investor in the Dutch West India Company, began purchasing...
Dispensary. Several small dispensaries merged with Utrecht in 1919 to form the Israel Hospital of Brooklyn. In 1920 it merged with Zion hospital and became United Israel Zion Hospital. The United Israel Zion Hospital and Beth Moses Hospital merged in 1947 to give rise to the Maimonides Medical Center. 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. 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. Fire officials said that two patients were burned to death, and a third patient across the hall, died of smoke inhalation. The faulty respirator, was manufactured by Puritan BennettPuritan Bennett
Puritan Bennett has been a provider of respiratory products since 1913 originally as a medical gas supplier. In addition to critical care ventilation, Puritan Bennett provided medical devices for patients outside of the acute care environment...
. 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."
Expansion
The Maimonides Medical Center last expanded its emergency department in 1997 with the opening of the Harry and Jeanette WeinbergHarry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation
The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation is a non-profit philanthropist organization founded by businessman Harry Weinberg and his wife Jeanette Weinberg .-Life:...
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 pacemakerPacemaker
An artificial pacemaker is a medical device that uses electrical impulses to regulate the beating of the heart.Pacemaker may also refer to:-Medicine:...
was developed in the Maimonides Research Laboratory. The same laboratory was co-developer of Intra-aortic balloon pump
Intra-aortic balloon pump
The Intra-aortic balloon pump ' is a mechanical device that increases myocardial oxygen perfusion while at the same time increasing cardiac output. Increasing cardiac output increases coronary blood flow and therefore myocardial oxygen delivery...
in 1970. Implantation of first partial mechanical heart was performed in the hospital in 1966. In the following year, the second human heart transplant in US was performed in the medical center by Dr. Adrian Kantrowitz
Adrian Kantrowitz
Adrian Kantrowitz was an American cardiac surgeon who performed the world's first pediatric heart transplant at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn on December 6, 1967...
. Several technical feats were achieved by the clinicians in the hospital, such as the first needle aspiration biopsy
Needle aspiration biopsy
Needle aspiration biopsy , may refer to fine needle aspiration cytology , fine needle aspiration biopsy and fine needle aspiration , is a diagnostic procedure sometimes used to investigate superficial lumps or masses...
in US (in 1981), first robotic surgery for pediatric patients in US (in 2001), first angioplasty during a heart attack (in 1983).
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. In 2010, Maimonides received the HealthGrades
HealthGrades
HealthGrades Inc. is a U.S. company that develops and markets quality and safety ratings of health care providers, including hospitals, nursing homes, physicians and dentists. Quality ratings are devised from publicly available patient safety data and analyzed with proprietary technology developed...
Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence, 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.
Information technology
Maimonides Medical center is a pioneer in implementing health information technology. and is consistently ranked one of the "Most Wired" Hospitals.Five Centers of Excellence
- The Cancer Center
- 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.
- The ACE Unit focuses on elderly patients, their families and their home environments.
- The Jaffe Stroke Center. Maimonides has received the HealthGrades Stroke Care Excellence Award for 2008, 2009 and 2010.
- 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. Maimonides has received the HealthGrades Cardiac Care Excellence Award (2010, 2009) and the HealthGrades Coronary Intervention Excellence Award (2010, 2009 and 2008.