MediSys To Aid Biloxi Hospital

Hurricane Katrina created one of the worst natural disasters in the history of the country.
For days, hospitals were without water and electricity and forced to use antiquated medical practices to keep their patients alive. Now some hospitals within the affected areas will receive assistance from Queens.
MediSys Health network, a private hospital system which includes Flushing, Brookdale and Jamaica Hospitals, will provide relief to Biloxi Regional Medical Center, a related hospital in Mississippi.
Immediately after the hurricane hit the Gulf Coast Region, the MediSys Health Network’s Emergency Management Team, the New York State Emergency Management Office and the American Hospital Association pledged to provide support wherever needed.
The MediSys Network activated their Emergency Operations Center and began to coordinate a response to this unprecedented disaster. Biloxi Regional Medical Center, a 153-bed acute care hospital, responded to the call asking for assistance in key hospital departments like the Emergency Room, the Operating Room and the Intensive Care Unit.
“It has always been the philosophy of our 10,000 employees to respond and provide relief whenever and wherever the need arises,” said Bruce Flanz, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer of the MediSys Network.
He added, “We have a tremendous amount of experienced staff and so we felt compelled to help out those in need by sending our experienced team out there to help.
“We’re very proud that Monday, because of our staff, the hospital was able to do its first operative work since Katrina hit.”
Over 376 MediSys employees, including doctors, nurses and paramedics, responded with overwhelming support. They are sleeping in RV’s and on air mattresses in the hospital while they are down there.
The first group of assistance workers was deployed September 16th and to date were the only private hospital relief team to send relief funded fully through employee contributions.
The MediSys health network is no stranger to emergency response having provided support after Hurricane Andrew hit Florida in 1992 and again aiding in the relief efforts after 9/11. The network is one of only four centers in the city for bioterrorism preparedness planning.
More than $35,000 has been raised so far through a network-wide fundraising effort. MediSys is encouraging everyone to help donate to the cause. For more information, please call (718) 206-8613.
melissa@queenscourier.com