NYU Langone Emergency Center Reopens
NEW YORK — Eighteen months after Superstorm Sandy damaged the NYU Langone Medical Center, the medical center has reopened the new Ronald O. Perelman Center for Emergency Services.
The center, funded by a $50 million grant by hospital trustee Ronald O. Perelman, was designed to withstand harsh future weather conditions with floodwalls and significant infrastructure improvements.
“Since reopening the hospital, returning critical emergency services to New York City has been our top priority, and we are proud to introduce the Ronald O. Perelman Center for Emergency Services,” said Robert Grossman, MD, dean and CEO at NYU Langone, in a statement. “This comfortable, state-of-the-art facility gives patients from the community access to advanced adult and pediatric emergency care.”
The new facility features spacious treatment rooms and bedside registration;
state-of-the-art imaging facilities for quick testing and diagnosis; efficient intake and discharge processes to make treatment areas available sooner for incoming patients; a New KiDS of NYU Pediatric Emergency Care Center to provide a child-focused and family-centered environment; expedited service for non-acute patients; and direct access to NYU Langone’s Comprehensive Stroke Care Center.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo spoke to the symbolism of resiliency in the emergency center’s renovation.
“For more than a year, New York has been rebuilding and reimagining itself for a new weather reality that affects all of us. I toured this site a couple weeks after the storm, and I believe that the work done on NYU Langone’s ED truly demonstrates the resilience and dedication of New Yorkers who come together in times of great crisis and emerge stronger than before,” said Cuomo said in a statement. “The storm left the entire region severely battered, but still our spirit was strong, and I am happy to stand here today and celebrate the opening of NYU Langone’s Perelman Emergency Center.”
The new facility incorporates flood mitigation. When the superstorm hit, generators, monitors and other equipment were destroyed. This forced hospital staff to transfer patients through dark stairwells. Now, vital equipment is placed on higher floors, reducing the risk of serious flooding.
“From day one, we’ve prioritized recovery and rebuilding for the New York City neighborhoods impacted by Sandy,” said New York Mayor Bill de Blasio in a statement. “Opening the Perelman Emergency Center is a great accomplishment for NYU Langone, and an even greater resource and comfort for the citizens of New York. I want to thank NYU Langone’s faculty and staff for continuing to provide necessary services to New Yorkers and visitors alike, even after the ED was forced to close.”
The new emergency department is triple the size of the old department. The 22,000-square-foot emergency services department offers 40 emergency care treatment spaces to serve the expected 50,000 annual visitors.
“NYU Langone is a critical pillar of New York’s hospital system that must be running on all cylinders for a healthy New York,” said New York Senator Charles Schumer in a statement. “From day one of the Hurricane Sandy disaster I worked with the hospital and FEMA to get the support needed for NYU Langone to come back better and stronger than ever — and today we have done just that. We are thrilled to restore important emergency care services to the people of New York City.”