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Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, together with the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC), today opened a new Queens Hospital Center in Jamaica, in southern Queens. This state-of-the-art, seven-story, 200-bed hospital replaces the previous facility, which was built in 1935 and could not keep pace with the advances in medical technology or the changing health care needs of the community.

"This modern and efficient hospital will provide superior services to the Queens community in the 21st Century," Mayor Giuliani said. "The rebuilding of Queens Hospital is evidence of HHC's ability to achieve major modernization projects ahead of schedule and within budget."

Increased Financial Strength

This major project was made possible by HHC's increased financial strength, which began in 1996, the first year in the Corporation's 26-year history that ended with a positive balance sheet. That trend has continued for five consecutive years, ending a long history of deficits.

The financial markets were quick to respond to HHC's improved financial performance. Soon after posting its first positive year-end results, HHC was able to gain access to the capital it needed to start the major rebuilding effort at Queens and at many other public hospitals. The new $149-million Queens facility is one of the first major developments that HHC has completed in its partnership with The Dormitory Authority of the State of New York, the largest public building construction company in America.

"The competitive health care environment and the impact of managed care have resulted in changing patterns of utilization at Queens Hospital," said Richard T. Roberts, Chairman of HHC's Board of Directors. "This new Queens Hospital is responsive to the changing trends in health care delivery, and the demands of managed care."

Dr. Luis R. Marcos, President of HHC noted, "This is the new HHC. We are spending $1.1 billion to modernize our hospitals and clinics. As opposed to the early 90's when some of our hospitals failed in the accreditation standards, today all of our hospitals have full 3-year JCAHO accreditation with scores averaging 94 while the national average is 89, and our patients tell us that we are better than ever."

Queens Borough President Claire Shulman said, "Today we celebrate the opening of a state of the art hospital that was absolutely necessary here in Queens. The construction of this "new" Queens Hospital Center, which replaces an antiquated plant, has been one of our highest and greatest goals. It is essential for helping us improve the quality health care delivery system in Queens. With its three Centers of Excellence, the Queens Hospital Center will provide access to the most advanced technology for care and treatment.

"I want to express my deep gratitude to Mayor Giuliani for recognizing and responding to the need to build this new hospital, and, on behalf of the thousands of patients it will serve for years to come, I say thank you. We are deeply grateful for your support and commitment to the people of the borough of Queens," Borough President Shulman said.

A Hospital for the 21st Century

Originally built in the mid-1930's, Queens Hospital Center serves the communities of Southeast Queens, including Jamaica, St. Albans, Laurelton, and South Ozone Park. Queens Hospital today handles approximately 310,000 ambulatory care visits annually, including emergency services.

The new 360,000 square-foot hospital consolidates all services in a single, more efficient building. This ultra-modern facility boasts more than $20 million in state-of-the-art equipment, including a linear accelerator for radiation oncology to be used in the treatment of cancer and special monitoring equipment for intensive care and emergency room patients. In contrast to the multi-bed wards of the past, this new facility was designed with private and semi-private rooms, providing privacy and a more personalized environment for the delivery of care.

Centers of Excellence

The new Queens Hospital Center also prominently features several comprehensive Centers of Excellence, specializing in Cancer Treatment and Women's Health. The Women's Health program is designed to provide for every stage of a woman's life, offering obstetrics and gynecology; labor and delivery; neonatal and postpartum care; inpatient units; and mammography. A Diabetes Care Center of Excellence, focusing on prevention and outpatient care, will be located in an adjacent building.

"Our Centers of Excellence provide a higher level of care for patients in our community. We are responding to the needs of a very diverse patient base and are now offering treatment that was never before available to them," said Pete Velez, Executive Director of Queens Hospital Center. "This project is a demonstration of the Corporation's continued commitment to providing the best quality care for this community."

In addition, the new hospital will offer primary care clinics for Medicine and Pediatrics; Surgical Services and a Medical/Surgical Intensive Care Unit; Special Diagnostic Services; Neonatal Intensive Care; a Mental Health Inpatient Unit; comprehensive Radiological Services; and Adult, Pediatric and Psychiatric Emergency Services.

HHC is a $4.3 billion public benefit corporation that operates eleven acute care hospitals, four skilled nursing facilities and six diagnostic and treatment centers. Each year 1.3 million people - or one in six New Yorkers - are treated in an HHC facility, including more than 560,000 uninsured New Yorkers. In a recent survey, eight out of ten patients said that they would recommend HHC hospitals to family and friends.

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