Rusk selects Margaret Tietz for their rehab network

The world-renowned Rusk Rehabilitation Institute officially announced their affiliation with Margaret Tietz Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Jamaica in order to expand their rehabilitation network into Queens and beyond.
&#8220Both Margaret Tietz and Rusk have wonderful reputations, and together we're going to be great,” said Gerald Hart, Executive Director at Margaret Tietz.
Rusk has also contracted with six other rehabilitation facilities throughout the City, and will have affiliations in four boroughs and the county of Westchester.
&#8220Services of this quality weren't available before,” Hart said. &#8220Our affiliation will serve the entire Queens community, and now patients won't have to travel to NYU to receive Rusk-level care.”
The primary advantage of the affiliation between Rusk and Margaret Tietz is the ability to bring in thousands of patients who in years past may have been denied. Not only will patients not need to travel to Manhattan for service, but the new facilities will also open up more space for patients, and enable them to cater to their specific needs.
&#8220For many years Rusk had to reject thousands of patients for medical and insurance reasons,” said James Karkenny, Executive Director of Continuing Care at the NYU Medical Center. &#8220It was a huge undertaking to relate to seven facilities, but now we can cater to more patients then ever before.”
NYU Medical Center became home of Rusk's acute inpatient and outpatient programs three years ago as a supplement to Rusk's family of services.
The affiliation became official in January after two years of negotiations. Rusk has maintained all along that the level of care received by patients would not be diminished when going to an outside facility.
&#8220We chose Margaret Tietz based on the criteria that they were not-for-profit, they show great facility leadership, a superb quality of care, and they have a fantastic reputation,” Karkenny said.
Margaret Tietz is a six-floor complex that provides 200 patient beds and 40 short-term rehabilitation beds. In addition to recently renovating the 6th floor, the facility will be building a state-of-the-art 1,500-square-foot addition to serve exclusively as the Rusk rehabilitation area.
&#8220The program is fully on its feet,” Hart said. &#8220We've been growing every month and it's just a matter of getting the word out that we're in an alliance with Rusk.”
On hand to cut the ribbon were Assemblymembers William Scarborough, Nettie Mayersohn and Ann-Margaret Carrozza.
&#8220We know the wonderful reputation of Margaret Tietz and we take special pride in their selection,” Mayersohn said.