Elmhurst Hospital celebrated the opening of two new operating rooms with a ribbon-cutting event on Monday, Nov. 6.
The new operating suite was made possible through a $2.5 million capital investment from Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, who called in money well spent.
“We will always remember the round-the-clock care our NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst workers provided to keep people healthy when this part of Queens was the epicenter of the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Richards said. “And while the pandemic may be over, the work of NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst continues. That’s why I funded this new operating room suite and why it’s my mission to make sure Elmhurst is well-positioned to offer top-quality patient care for many more years to come.”
The operating rooms, on the hospital’s second floor, have been designed to serve as a dedicated suite that will allow physicians to perform a wide array of procedures, including general surgeries, orthopedic and neurosurgery procedures, and surgeries for the hospital’s gynecology, urology, plastics, ophthalmology, and hand surgery services.
“We are tremendously thankful to Borough President Donovan Richards for being a strong champion for healthcare in Queens through his $2.5 million investment in our surgical services,” said Helen Arteaga-Landaverde, Ph.D., CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst. “For a public hospital in an underserved community where demand for our services has continued to increase, this investment is huge. Our new operating suite, which has been outfitted with state-of-the-art equipment, will allow us to provide better care and faster recovery times for our patients, all within a beautiful, modernized space that utilizes the latest technological advancements.”
The new area will also allow for expanded use of the hospital’s da Vinci Robot surgical system. The hospital already has one da Vinci robot and plans to acquire an additional robot that can also be used in the new suite.
“We are very excited about the opening of these two new operating rooms,” said Dr. George Agriantonis, chief of surgery at NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst. “These [operating rooms] will be among the most technologically advanced surgical suites in the borough. This is a welcome addition to our surgical capability, especially since our surgical volume has increased dramatically over the last few years. Now we can more readily provide the most advanced surgical care to the people of Queens.”
Last month, Richards announced he had secured $4.8 million in city funds to support infrastructure improvements and enhance patient services at various Gotham Health sites across the borough. The funding will provide necessary upgrades including including an air handling unit replacement at Gotham Health, Springfield; HVAC modernization and flooring renovations at Gotham Health, South Queens; space modernization to improve dental, optometry and primary care at Gotham Health, Parsons; HVAC upgrades at Gotham Health, LeFrak; exterior enhancements-security screens at Gotham Health, Ridgewood; and administrative office modernization at Gotham Health, Woodside.
“Our Gotham Health clinics are lifelines in our communities — especially in areas where hospital service is limited or nonexistent — providing crucial primary and preventative care that our families need. That’s why I’m proud to have allocated nearly $5 million across six such clinics to ensure that residents in need receive the highest quality care possible,” Richards said. “Improving healthcare outcomes for Queens families will always be a top priority of mine, and the $33 million I’ve allocated across the borough’s health care system is truly just the beginning. I look forward to working with NYC Health + Hospitals and our Gotham Health heroes on these important improvement projects and many others in the years to come.”
