1. About Us...

Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center, celebrating its 84th year, is dedicated to meeting the health care needs of one of Brooklyn’s most culturally diverse communities. Located in the East Flatbush section of Central Brooklyn, Kingsbrook was founded in 1925 as a chronic care facility to serve the then Jewish Community within a cultural context. As the community evolved and diversified, Kingsbrook expanded its programs and services to meet the needs of the large immigrant and ethnic minority population it now serves.

Kingsbrook is a community hospital, comprised of a 326-bed acute care division with an active medical training program. Kingsbrook shares its campus with Rutland Nursing Home, a 538-bed adult and pediatric skilled nursing long-term care facility.  Kingsbrook’s centers of excellence include: The Kingsbrook Rehabilitation Institute, Brooklyn’s only NYS licensed Traumatic Brain Injury and Coma Recovery Unit, a Geriatric Inpatient Psychiatry Service, a Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Center (offering hyperbaric oxygen as one of the treatment modalities for those with diabetes and other individuals with hard-to-heal-wounds), a Non-Invasive Vascular Laboratory/ Vascular Center of Excellence, a Women’s Wellness Center (featuring gynecological services and laparoscopic surgery), Ophthalmology & Neuro-ophthalmology and Orthopedics & Joint Replacement.

Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center is accredited by the New York State Department of Health, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations (JCAHO), the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) and the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). The long term-care facility, Rutland Nursing Home, is accredited by the New York State Department of Health.The Medical Center is a voluntary not-for-profit institution and a member of the Greater New York Hospital Association (GNYHA) and the healthcare Association of New York State (HANYS).

In 2008, Kingsbrook provided 84,312 inpatient days of care, more than 28,000 emergency room visits and 108,466 outpatient visits.

Our Mission

Our mission is to partner with our culturally diverse communities to provide a continuum of outstanding health care services to individuals and families through a caring and trustworthy staff.

Our Vision

Our vision is to be distinguished as a premier hospital and trusted partner that advances the well-being of the individuals, families and communities we serve. We uphold the values of compassion, respect, ethics, excellence and dedication.

2. Kingsbrook Service Area

Communities Served

• Primary Services Area: 11203, 11212, 11213, 11225, 11226, 11236, 11207, 11208, and 11216.
• Secondary Service Area: 11221, 11238, 11233, 11218, 11210, 11234.
• Also serve areas of the Rockaway’s and Queens for specialized programs

Demographics of Primary Service Area

3. Public Participation & Notice

Kingsbrook Community Advisory Board

Kingsbrook’s Community Advisory Board (CAB) is made up of residents, local business leaders, clergy and community based organizations who are interested in supporting the health of their community. The purposes of Kingsbrook’s Community Advisory Board are:

• To inform and update CAB members of Kingsbrook’s new and innovative programs and services, so that they may act as Kingsbrook’s ambassadors to the larger community.
• To receive the community’s feedback on the services offered by Kingsbrook.
• To gain insight into the best vehicles of communication to the community.
• To survey members about what services are important to them and their neighbors.

Meeting dates and agenda items during 2008-2009:

January 29, 2008

• The Advisory Board discussed the Emergency Room Advancements that include the emergency department information system (EDIS), NRC Picker ratings (4th quarter, 2007) that were above state and national averages in cleanliness, physician/nurse courtesy and over all quality of care. Also discussed the improved turnaround time for patients and Kingsbrook’s affiliation with the Fire Department of New York.

April 2, 2008

• Discussed recent Radiology Advancements that address the increased need for radiology services. Discussed all new digital connectivity and picture archiving communication systems, including state-of-the-art technologies such as the 64-slice CT scan, MR and digital mammography modalities.

February 6, 2009

Kingsbrook’s Prevention Agenda Items: Focusing on: Access To Quality Health Care, Chronic Disease and Infectious Disease.

Conversations re: Access To Quality Health Care and our early detection focuses on breast cancer, resulted in coordination plans for KJMC’s upcoming Previvor Program: designed to offer guidance regarding options for monitoring, detection and prevention to individuals in our diverse community identified at increased risk for developing breast and/or ovarian cancer secondary to the presence of the genetic mutations, BRCA1 and BRCA2. 

• Community Advisory Board structure and expansion. Increasing interest and membership participation via more community involvement.

April 21, 2009

• Previvor Program update and planning: Symposium Coordination for fall 2009.

Discussion re: program participants, program outline and co-sponsorship options.

• Volunteer solicitation and program updates

June 17, 2009

• ADL Rehabilitation kitchen remodel and advancements. Discussion around the advancements in rehabilitative care for those who are wheelchair bound.

September 11, 2009

• Community Service Plan and Prevention Agenda Follow Up
  Outlined KJMC’s three year-action plan for Prevention Agenda Items: Access To Quality Health Care, Chronic Disease and Infectious Disease.  Reviewed recent data pertaining to these conditions and the efforts we will be taking moving forward to initiative education, detection and awareness options for the community from 2009-20012.

Other Community Health Initiatives and Meetings:

June 4, 2009- Organizing for Healthier Communities. Kingsbrook sponsored this community forum which was designed to assess community health need and encourage community health planning.  Other community provider participants included: SUNY/Downstate, Brooklyn Perinatal Network, Partners on the Brooklyn Task Force of Infant Morality, Family Health and the Central Brooklyn Health Crisis Coalition. The Workgroup Strategic sessions were facilitated by The Agenda for Children Tomorrow (ACT), Dudley Hamilton Associates and the Children’s Defense Fund.

The Community was notified of this event via mass mailing, banner signage on the facility’s exterior and via our website under Community Events/Programs.

The agenda for this forum was the following:

Meeting Agenda:

• Health Status of Brooklyn communities, with a special reference to the Central Brooklyn neighborhood. Dr. Yvonne Graham, Deputy Brooklyn Borough President (BBP) and Co-Author of the book Community Based Health Organizations: advocating for improved health.
• Local Community Health Planning Comes to Central Brooklyn – At Last:  Dorothy Fyfe, Director Department of Planning/SUNY-DMC
• Development of a New Comprehensive Family Health Center In East New York; A Victory of Community Health Action: Collette Pean, Director of Funded Programs, BMS Family Health Center and Yanick Manigat, Assistant Operating Officer, Brownsville Community Development Corporation.
• Central Brooklyn Community Collaborative Responses to the Health Crisis and Disparities in Health Outcomes – panel presentations.
• The Brooklyn Task Force on Infant and Maternal Mortality and Family Health, the Central Brooklyn Health Crisis Coalition: Advocacy efforts, programs, plans and policy initiatives that are actively addressing aspects of the crisis with disparities in health and wellness, from childbirth and beyond.
• The Potential Opportunities Offered via the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act/ Stimulus Package Funding. The Center for Social Inclusion, Linda Turtet; Medgar Evers College Dubois Bunche Center for Public Policy. Former State Assemblyman Roger Green, now a distinguished CUNY Lecturer and Executive Director of the Center.

Initiative Presentations:

• The Brooklyn Infant Mortality Reduction Initiative- (BIMRI) with NYCDOH; a NYC Council funded initiative – Dr. Georgianna Glose, Executive Director/ Fort Green (Strategic Action Neighborhood Partnership)Co – Chair of Brooklyn Task Force on Infant Mortality Reduction Maternal Child and Family Health Initiative
• The Bedford Stuyvesant Community Partnership Initiative –with Administration for Children Services- Denise West, Deputy Executive Director of Brooklyn Perinatal Network
• The Child Health Coalition –Advocacy Initiative, Commission on the Public’s Health System (CPHS) – Judy Wessler, Executive Director

Workshops Included:

• What a Healthier Community Supportive of Wellness for Our Children Should Look Like
• Applying  Community Organizing to Give Our Children a Healthier Start in Life and Across Life Span
• Community Engagement for the Development of the New BMS Family Health Center
• Addressing Racial and Ethnic Disparities  in Health Outcomes Through Community-Based Participatory Approaches

June 23, 2009 Brooklyn Healthcare Improvement Project Kick-off Meeting.  Kingsbrook partnered with SUNY Downstate and several other regional medical facilities to form a coalition focused on local health planning initiatives. This forum held its first meeting on June 23, 2009 and focused on the creation of a unique and currently unavailable inventory of primary care services providers and a utilization database for Central Brooklyn.  This project will support effective community level planning and will provide the coalition with the necessary information to make recommendations to the New York State DOH on the services needed in our communities.

The Agenda for this meeting was the following:

Meeting Agenda:

A.         GIS of Health Care Resources-Jeanne Stellman, PhD-Professor, Department of Environment  and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, SUNY DMC.
B.         Emergency Service Utilization-Michael Gusmano, PhD-Assistant Professor, Department of Health Policy & Management, School of Public Health, SUNY DMC.
C.         Insurance Data Analysis Studies-Grace Wong, MBA, MPH-Vice President, Managed Care & Clinical Business Plan Development, SUNY DMC.

Initiative Presentations:

• Coalition Building: Development of Mission for BHIP, operationally defining goals and objectives, development of workgroups for (3) key research areas: GIS of health care resources, emergency services overuse, insurance data analysis and studies
• Comprehensive Health Resources Inventory: will involve data identification, collection and needs assessment
• Over utilization of Emergency Services: Issues affecting over utilization rates, identification of service delivery issues, patient characteristics and other key factors influencing overuse
• GIS Database: Development of dynamic, cutting edge information reservoir for planning,
• Integration of data and training in use of a comprehensive database, which includes key elements for community health care services planning
• ACS Admissions: data collection and analysis from public sources and claims in information from insurers and hospitals to analyze primary care services, capacity and availability, identification of variables associated with high ACS admission rates

August 21, 2009 Claire Heureuse Community Empowerment Planning Team.Kingsbrook held a kick off meeting in partnership with Claire Heureuse Community Center, as part of the “Community Empowerment Planning” team, to assess the health care needs of the elderly population in Central Brooklyn over a 12 month period.

The Agenda for this meeting was the following:

Meeting Agenda:
A.         Synopsis of commitments for the Claire Heureuse Community Center (CHCC) and its newest project: The Community Empowerment Planning Project---Dr. Carnegie Valery.
B.         Assess and evaluate the pressing needs of the senior citizens residing in community board 17. Identify the needs of the aging population to report needs --Executive Director, Ms. Gisele Josme.
C.         Steering Committee participants/ areas of focus -- Ms. Diana Silverman.
D.         Increasing Health Issues/Barrier for Community Seniors—Ms. Gisele Josme.
Meeting and Initiative Goals:

• Identify the needs of the aging population in Central Brooklyn (CB 17: housing needs, elder abuse, recreation for the aged, immigration and legal issues, lack of health care, sexual health and education, HIV/AIDS, transportation) and the emphasis was geared mostly toward the importance of a constructive and impressive outreach format.
• Electing and nominating the members of the Executive Steering Committee for implementation of information gathering in various areas of need.
• Outreach avenues necessary to reach the elderly via survey and counseling without fear of judgment and or legal or immigration profiling.
• Current barriers for senior citizens in the community: language, immigration status etc…
• The growing health issues of seniors including HIV, diabetes, depression, elder abuse etc…

Upcoming meeting schedule for the Claire Heureuse initiative

(Meetings to be held at Kingsbrook):

Friday September 18, 2009                                Friday October 23, 2009           
Wednesday November 19, 2009                         Friday November 20, 2009
Friday December 18, 2009                                 Friday January 22, 2010
Wednesday February 18, 2010                           Friday February 19, 2010          
Friday March 19, 2010                                       Friday April 23, 2010                 
Friday Wednesday May 20, 2010                        Friday May 21, 2010
Friday June 18, 2010                                         Friday July 23, 2010
Wednesday August 19, 2010

Community Partners of the Claire Heureuse initiative:

Carmel Pierre-Louis                   Haitian Center Council, Inc.
Yvrose Charles                          African-American Institute
Gail Greenbridge                       Kings County Hospital
Ginette Petersburg                    Sweet Academy
Yvon Rosemond                       Haitian Centers Council, Inc.
Beverly Slatter                           Family & Youth Initiative of New York, Inc.
Diana Silverman                        Family & Youth Initiative of New York, Inc.
Frantz Armans                           N&C Alarm, Inc.
Lystra Collis                              The Office of Congresswoman Yvette Clark
Patricia Messena                       Diaspora Community Services, Inc.
Gerald Constant, MD.                Haitian Centers Council, Inc.
Jaqcues Vilfort,                                     Caribbean Magazine TV
Wilfrid Ignace, Art Director,        CHCC
Joseph I. Dormeus,                   Bedford Haitian Community Center, Inc.
Admin Staff,                             Claire Heureuse Community Center, Inc.

4.    Assessment of Public Health Priorities
        A.     Targeted programs and services:
As it has reviewed the needs of the patients directly presenting to its institution, Kingsbrook has developed the following programs and services to address those needs:
Emergency Care

Between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2008, Kingsbrook’s Emergency Department has seen the demand for the services of its Emergency Department increase by 13.8 %. Kingsbrook’s Emergency Department is committed to providing outstanding urgent care services to members of our community. Accordingly, Kingsbrook has made sure to keep the ED on the cutting edge of advancement and technology by implementing a state of the art Electronic Medical Records (“EMR”) System for the Emergency Department.  Kingsbrook’s system allows for the clear documentation of a patient’s healthcare needs among physicians, nurses and other hospital providers, and is an essential tool that has enabled Kingsbrook to enhance the overall quality of care for Emergency Department patients, decrease patient wait times and increase patient satisfaction.  Additionally, Emergency Department staff utilizes a low frequency cellular phone system that allows for expanded immediate communication access among ED staff members and other key Hospital departments.

In conjunction with the Fire Department of the City of New York (“FDNY”), Kingsbrook and FDNY identified the need for additional community training sites for FDNY paramedics.  Accordingly, Kingsbrook is the only voluntary hospital to establish a clinical affiliation with FDNY whereby Kingsbrook provides training to FDNY paramedics in, among other things, medication administration, IV insertion, endotrachael intubations, and patient history and assessment.

Radiology and Imaging Services

The members of Kingsbrook’s community who present to the Hospital for services require the benefits of advanced imaging services.  During 2008 Kingsbrook has continued to work to provide the residents of Central Brooklyn with advanced state-of-the-art imaging modalities.  During 2008 (and before) Kingsbrook had implemented the following advanced systems: 

• Picture archiving communications system (PACS) (providing Kingsbrook with a completely Film-less Radiology Department
• Voice Recognition Transcription System resulting in instantaneous turn around time for Radiology reports once dictated by a Radiologist
• New 6-Slice CT Scanner
• New 64 Slice CT Scanner, which allows for advanced cardiac studies, among others
• New MRI

During 2009, Kingsbrook’s efforts to enhance its community’s access to state-of-the-art imaging services continues, as Kingsbrook is in the process of acquiring and implementing new improvements to the following modalities offered by Kingsbrook (with capital support from New York City and New York State):

• Digital Mammography
• Angiography
• Ultrasound
• Nuclear Medicine

Advanced Pharmaceutical Administration
Kingsbrook’s patients require advanced pharmaceutical care.  To address this, Kingsbrook implemented a computerized physician order entry system (“CPOE”), and is recognized as being among the early adopters of such a system that is recognized as being critical to advanced safe patient care.  During 2008 Kingsbrook built upon this through the final full implementation of a closed loop medication administration system.  Such a system ensures that a patient receives medications that have been dispensed and administered only after computerized confirmation of the medication and its dosage, and further checking of the medication for the particular patient using bedside bar code technology.  Kingsbrook believes it is among only 5% of hospitals throughout the United States that has effectively implemented such a system for the benefit of its patients.  Pharmaceuticals also represent a major cost center to any hospital, and through these improvements, Kingsbrook has been able to achieve annual savings of approximately $5 million per year, which has supported Kingsbrook’s efforts to provide ongoing care to its community.
During 2009, Kingsbrook’s efforts with respect to providing its patients with advanced pharmaceutical care have continued to be recognized. Kingsbrook was recently awarded a $300,000 grant from The New York State Department of Health Office to open a new centrally-located Drug Information Center which will provide drug information to physicians, pharmacists, nurses, allied healthcare professionals, and patients affiliated with Kingsbrook.  It will also enable patients with medication and health-related questions or meet with the Drug Information Pharmacist for face-to-face consultations.  The Drug Information Pharmacist will have access to the patient's electronic medical records and can provide patient-specific recommendations averting medication misadventures and properly triaging adverse drug reactions.  The goal of the center is to provide a centralized hospital resource of unbiased, up-to-date, and comprehensive drug information for health professionals and patients at Kingsbrook enhancing the quality of patient life and care.

Comes-Lois Family Resource Lounge

As Kingsbrook cares for its patients, using its state-of-the-art modalities, we try not to forget the family members of our patients who also need our compassion and support.  Accordingly, during 2008, Kingsbrook developed a new surgical waiting lounge which provides caregivers and family members a light, airy and comfortable area in which to wait for patients having surgery and other ambulatory procedures.  Volunteers from our community assist the families and provide them updated information about the status of their loved ones.  The lounge also provides a room for physicians to speak with families in private.  Magazines, a television and coffee are available to make the lounge as comfortable as possible for concerned caregivers. 

Kingsbrook Rehabilitation Institute

Kingsbrook has a long and respected history of providing quality rehabilitation services to its community members who must rehabilitate from the devastating effects of the illnesses that are prevalent in its medically underserved community (such as those effects following a stroke or following an amputation which resulted from uncontrolled diabetes or other vascular disease).  During 2008 Kingsbrook reinvigorated its rehabilitation program in a number of ways.  It completed the renovation of its in-patient gym and other facilities and re-branded its Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Medicine as the Kingsbrook Rehabilitation Institute.  It also began a partnership with the Home Depot which resulted in the completion during 2009 of a new Activities of Daily Living (“ADL”) kitchen for Kingsbrook’s rehabilitation patients.    The ADL kitchen and room provide an area where patients, working with their experienced Kingsbrook therapists, can regain their daily living activity skills in a supportive environment, enabling them to return home as an active and productive member of the family and society.

Dialysis Clinic in Nursing Home

During 2008, Kingsbrook continued its partnership with its affiliate Rutland Nursing Home to provide Rutland’s residents with access to quality healthcare services.  Accordingly, Kingsbrook and Rutland began the construction process on a dialysis clinic to be operated by Kingsbrook within Rutland’s advanced ventilator dependent unit.  The 30-bed dedicated Ventilator Unit at Rutland Nursing Home is a specialized unit which provides skilled nursing care for ventilator dependant residents.  An interdisciplinary team comprised of a board certified Pulmonologist, Nurse Practitioner, Respiratory Therapist and Charge Nurse oversee the clinical plan of care.  The dialysis clinic, which is being completed during 2009, will enable these clinically compromised residents to be dialyzed in a dedicated area without having to move them throughout the facility or outside of the facility for these critical services.  The clinic will effectively enhance the services provided by this Rutland unit, which has a reputation for successfully weaning residents off of ventilators and returning them to less restrictive regular skilled nursing units and even to their homes within the community.  By partnering with Rutland in this way, Kingsbrook enhances the quality of life of not only the residents of Rutland, but their families and friends within the Central Brooklyn community.
Palliative Care
As technology has increased the ability of Kingsbrook, and all hospitals to provide state-of-the-art diagnosis and treatment of disease, the importance of caring for the person with the illness must never be lost.  To that end, during 2008 Kingsbrook established a palliative care program to care for the pain and other needs of its chronically ill patients and those who happen to be at the end of life.   To support this program Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center received a grant from the Fan Fox & Leslie Samuel Foundation, Inc. to support its Palliative Care Program.  The grant fund aggressive program expansion and supports expenditures for personnel, training and educational efforts undertaken during 2008 and 2009.   It also supports a committed effort to increase local provider and community awareness about the benefits of palliative care via outreach and education.

Technological Advancements:

Ambulatory Care Electronic Health Record (EHR)

In addition to implementing an EMR within its Emergency Department, Kingsbrook partnered with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (“NYC DOHMH”) to implement an Ambulatory Care EHR within its clinic setting.  2008 an 2009 have shown continued acceptance of the system by Kingsbrook’s providers and advancements within the system.  The particular system which forms the basis for the partnership among Kingsbrook and DOHMH provides the Kingsbrook and the public health authorities with improved tracking and response capabilities regarding public health issues that may initially present themselves in the ambulatory care setting.  This capability will prove to be critical as the community confronts public health challenges such as H1N1 influenza.

Brooklyn Health Information Exchange (BHIX)

During 2008 and 2009 Kingsbrook strengthened its partnership with other Brooklyn healthcare institutions through the activities of the Brooklyn Health Information Exchange (BHIX). BHIX is a regional health information organization designed to improve the quality of care for Brooklyn’s 2.5 million residents, (many of whom are elderly and struggling with chronic and co-morbid conditions), through the use of advanced information technology. By advancing the use of a secure, computerized health care information network which empowers patients to grant viewing access to authorized health care providers, BHIX streamlines the flow of health information and improves the delivery and outcomes of healthcare for the Brooklyn community. The data available through BHIX comes from a growing variety of health information sources.

B.       Assessment of Public Health Priorities:

In addition to monitoring the healthcare needs of patients who present to Kingsbrook every day,
Kingsbrook also utilizes essential data from, among other things, the Centers of Disease Control’s Cancer & Diabetes Registries and the NYS Department of Health’s “Take Care NY Community Health Profiles: for Central Brooklyn, East New York and Flatbush” to assess the healthcare needs of our local communities. The data published by these agencies evidences the clear healthcare disparities confronting the Central Brooklyn community, particularly with respect to access to quality health care. 

Limited access to healthcare services contributes to the overwhelming disease rates, which are more than double the state and national averages, faced by the lower income racially diverse residents of Central Brooklyn.  These reports identify Central Brooklyn as one of the epicenters of Diabetes in New York City.  Within our primary services areas (Central Brooklyn, East New York and Flatbush) close to 38% of our community members live with diabetes themselves, let alone a family member.  Women in our primary service areas are seek and receive mammograms for breast cancer at a rate well below the 85% target.  This translates into a mortality rate for Central Brooklyn women of 34 deaths per 100,000 from breast cancer, compared with 26 deaths per 100,000 throughout New York City.  Moreover, cancer-related death rates among Central Brooklyn women due to lung, breast and colon cancer are also unusually high. 1

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1.  Take Care NY: Central Brooklyn pg. 11 ,

Women are not alone within our community in confronting increased cancer rates.  Men in our primary service area (especially those of African American and/or Caribbean descent) experience the highest New York City death rates  due to prostate cancer. (2) Prostate cancer remains the 2nd highest cancer among men in this region, with men being diagnosed at an increasingly younger age. Data also reveals that lack of education and motivation to participate in early detection initiatives contribute to these high instances. The overall death rate due to cancer has remained fairly steady in Central Brooklyn for the past ten years.

Additionally, the average annual HIV-related death rate in Central Brooklyn is more than twice the Brooklyn and New York City averages. Currently, the HIV rate within the Central Brooklyn community of 318,000 residents is over 2,285 persons per 100,000.  (3)   As a result, we can estimate that there are approximately 7,000 individuals within Central Brooklyn living with and confronting HIV on a daily basis.  In order to address this epidemic in 2008 Kingsbrook worked to have one of its ambulatory care centers receive the designation of “Designated AIDS Center”, which designation has been granted by the New York State Department of Health.

Based upon Kingsbrook’s experience in caring for its community, and upon the data published by (among others) federal, state and local health agencies, Kingsbrook has focused its prevention agenda items around Access to Quality Health Care, Chronic Disease, and Infectious Disease.

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(2).  Take Care NY: Central Brooklyn pg. 8,  (3) the Centers of Disease Control’s Cancer & Diabetes Registries, prostate cancer instances/death rates

C. KJMC’s Prevention Agenda Items:

ACCESS TO QUALITY HEALTHCARE 

CHRONIC DISEASE

INFECTIOUS DISEASE

1.         ACCESS TO QUALITY HEALTHCARE.  Access requires screening, education and an ability to obtain treatment services.  Kingsbrook works to accomplish all three.

A.         Generalized Annual Free-Screening Initiatives (Existing Program)

Objective:   Increased screening and educational opportunities for our community residents is vital to provide for their access to healthcare services and support their ongoing health needs. To achieve these objectives, Kingsbrook collaborates with other community providers and not-for- profit entities, and also (when appropriate) acts independently to provide screening and preventative treatment services to its community members. Kingsbrook provided free screening opportunities to over 3,000 individuals and hopes to provide over 4,000 during 2009.  

Scope: Understanding that early detection is key in treating diseases such as asthma, hypertension, diabetes, prostate cancer, HIV/AIDS, and stroke, during 2008 Kingsbrook developed a partnership with the Foundation for Medical Evaluation and Early Detection in an effort to support a more substantial number of screenings annually in these categories. The Foundation is a community based organization that partners with regional health care facilities in effort to support early detection initiatives in New York City.

Kingsbrook’s efforts with the Foundation are supplemented by input and support from our local community partners and include Kingsbrook’s own ongoing participation annually in 60 community health fairs.   Through these and other efforts, Kingsbrook has established early detection opportunities all year-round, free of charge, for under or uninsured community residents regarding diabetes, stroke risk, prostate cancer, breast cancer, asthma, hypertension, HIV/AIDs etc…. Additionally, for those who do not access the screenings via one of these community events, through its website, Kingsbrook offers coupons for free screenings. Individual appointments for the screenings can be scheduled via our ambulatory care department.

Our schedule of activities report monitors and measures the effectiveness of this effort by monitoring the number of events we participate in and the number of screenings provided during each event.  Our screening program is modified to include extended outreach and education to spread the word about the program’s offerings and to capture residents in this category of need.

Accomplishments: During 2008 and year to-date 2009, Kingsbrook held over 70 screening events in conjunction with the following community partners: God’s Battalion of Prayer, Fort Greene/Albany Senior Center, 1199 SEIU, St. Joseph’s College, Bedford-Central Presbyterian Church, Progressive Youth Empowerment, St. Augustine’s Church, Winthrop Lions Club, St. Alban’s Church, St. Luke’s Guild/St. Mark’s, St. Jude’s Medical Center, Women of Faith, Christian Fellowship Church, New Dimension Community Church, 25th Street Block Association, St. Barnabas Church, East New York Day, New Life Tabernacle, Martin Luther King Concert Series—Senator Eric Adams, Brooklyn College Student Health Fair, Health & Human Services, St. Thomas Episcopal, Panamanian Association, Brooklyn Faith Adventist, Bethel Tabernacle, Sesame Flyers, International, Berean Community & Family Life Center and Community Health Awareness Day.

B.         Kingsbrook/Daily News Prostate Cancer Initiatives (Existing Program)

Objective:  Since 2007, Kingsbrook has sought to use Father’s Day to focus attention within its community to the importance of men’s health by hosting a special free prostate screening initiative to men 40 and older.  By partnering with the New York Daily News in this well advertised initiative, Kingsbrook seeks to educate its community about the benefits of early detection and treatment for prostate cancer.

Scope:  Kingsbrook’s ambulatory care program provides free prostate cancer screening examinations during the entire week of Father’s Day.  By partnering with the New York Daily News and (7) other NYC health facilities around this initiative, Kingsbrook has participated in the analysis and discussion of measures by which screenings can be done on a broad scale, across all of New York City during Father’s Day week.  This planning group comes together annually with the initiative promoted broadly by the Daily News, this effort is the largest of its kind in the city. Apart from the wide reach of advertising and promotion done by the Daily News, Kingsbrook also lends additional promotional and grassroots outreach support.  Kingsbrook is the only participating hospital in Brooklyn. The effectiveness of this program is assessed through the measurement of the number of men receiving prostate cancer screenings by Kingsbrook.

Accomplishments:  Through this initiative Kingsbrook has already provided over 1,000 prostate cancer screening examinations in 2009, 827 during 2008 and 837 during 2007. To ensure ongoing viability of this important community initiative, Kingsbrook formed the Kingsbrook Prostate Cancer Committee, comprised of key male members from the following community based organizations: with the Office of State Senator Eric Adams Office, Greater Restoration Baptist Church, St. Paul’s Baptist Church, Brooklyn Congregations Together and officers from the Brooklyn Research Foundation on Minority Health.

C.         Breast Education and Wellness Programs (Existing Programs)

1. Education Initiative with Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation –

Objective: To provide the women of our community with outreach and educational services so that together we may help women learn how to screen themselves for breast cancer, identify women at-risk of breast cancer, assist in the follow-up with women who have positive screening examinations, all in an effort to provide culturally sensitive support for women at risk of and diagnosed with breast cancer.

Scope:   Kingsbrook maintains a breast health education program funded by the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Kingsbrook’s Community Breast Cancer Screening (“CBCS”) program is designed to increase access to breast health services (including mammography) in Kingsbrook’s medically underserved community. In an effort to fill the gap for breast cancer detection, education services and treatment services, Kingsbrook has implemented a solid outreach scope for breast cancer that targets women from a broad cross section of our community, be they insured, underinsured or non-insured. As such, the program provides outreach, education, screening coordination, and mammography to high risk women, and case management services to minority women aged 40 and older. This effort is monitored and measured for effectiveness via a monthly breast health education report. The program is modified to include extended outreach and education to spread the word about the program’s offerings and to capture women in this category of need.

Kingsbrook partnered with the following community based organizations to effectively execute this program: Brooklyn Adult Learning Center, St. Augustine’s Church, St. Luke’s Guild, Women of Faith, District  41, St. Barnabas, Brooklyn College, New Tabernacle, Health & Human Services, God’s Battalion of Prayer, Panamanian American Association, Brooklyn Faith Seven, Bethel Tabernacle, Sesame Flyers, Millennium Sisters. This effort is monitored for effectiveness via the agreed program cap we reach annually (see Accomplishments). The program is modified to include outreach, community based organizations, schools and health facilities outside the partnership scope of the grant and includes our facilitation at local health fairs within our community.

Accomplishments: Kingsbrook has met the cap number of encounters funded by the Susan G. Komen Foundation during 2008: 2,500 women were counseled about the importance of breast screening, 450 received a mammogram and screening coordination services, and 50 women with abnormal mammograms received ongoing care coordination for treatment, and the necessary referrals to move them quickly into aggressive treatment.  Year to date during 2009 we have screened over 1,693 women.

2. Brooklyn Healthy Living Partnership (Existing Program)

Objective: To provide mammography services the women of Central Brooklyn. 

Scope: Kingsbrook’s Women’s Wellness Center has partnered with the Brooklyn Healthy Living Partnership (“BHLP”) to increase access to mammography services to residents of Kingsbrook’s community. The partnership with BHLP provides funding for free outreach, education, mammography, screening coordination, and case management services to minority women aged 40 and older.   Kingsbrook itself provides mammography services to women within its community using digital mammography equipment, and is currently in the process of obtaining a new state-of-the-art digital mammogram machine.  It hopes to use this equipment to provide increased mammography services.  Both the free mammography program in coordination with BHLP, and Kingsbrook’s own mammography efforts are monitored for effectiveness by assessing the numbers of women who receive mammograms annually, and also identifying the number of such women who are who are underinsured or uninsured.  Kingsbrook and BHLP’s efforts are modified based upon the outcome of such measures.

Accomplishments:  Kingsbrook’s partnership with BHLP (which was supported by the following community based organization: Brooklyn Adult Learning Center, St. Augustine’s Church, St. Luke’s Guild, Women of Faith, District  41, St. Barnabas, Brooklyn College, New Tabernacle, Martin Luther King Concert Series—Senator Eric Adams Office, Health & Human Services, God’s Battalion of Prayer, Panamanian American Association, Brooklyn Faith Seven and  Bethel Tabernacle) provided free mammography services to over 370 women from April 2008-September 2009. In addition, Kingsbrook provided over 240 mammograms from April 2008-September 2009. The number decreased during 2009 due to difficulties with funding and with Kingsbrook’s digital mammography equipment.  With the replacement of this equipment, Kingsbrook hopes to again provide mammograms to an increasing number of women.

2. CHRONIC DISEASE – Living fully with chronic disease requires the patient and their family take responsibility for understanding the patient’s medical needs, monitoring and responding to changes in the patient’s condition.  Doing so may be easier within a community that also understands the needs of the patient.   Kingsbrook strives to give its patients and their care givers the tools to manage the chronic conditions that could interfere with the full enjoyment of their lives.  To date it has implemented two related patient education initiatives involving a chronic care model. 

A.         Learning For Life Diabetes Program (Existing Program)

Objective: To train community volunteers, and use them, to educate and empower their diabetic neighbors (and Kingsbrook’s patients) and their families in the self-management of a patient’s diabetes.

Scope: Kingsbrook partnered with the United Hospital Fund to fund the “Learning for Life” Diabetes program which trains community volunteers and patients in diabetes self-management protocols.  The program is overseen by an Advisory Committee composed of representatives of Kingsbrook’s departments of Volunteer Services, Nursing, Social Work, Pharmacy, Nutrition and the community. Kingsbrook’s Volunteer Department trains community members with a specific interest in helping advance the quality of diabetic care at our institution in diabetes self-management protocols and diabetes counseling. Through the Learning for Life Diabetes Program volunteers provide one-on-one and group health literacy sessions for patients at each stage of Diabetes.  Utilizing a modified and translated “Health Smarts While You Wait” curriculum, volunteers empower Kingsbrook’s outpatient diabetic population by assuring the patient understands the basics of navigating a nutrition label and techniques used to manage multiple medications. 

Kingsbrook maintains a successful volunteer program with 144 volunteers contributing 20,380 hours of service in 2008 and over 189 volunteers contributing 18,660 hours of service (year-to-date) in 2009.

Accomplishments:  Over 13 volunteers have been trained to provide their fellow community members with diabetes education and counseling. These volunteers have, to date, provided, 129 individual sessions at the bedside, 77 of which covered managing multiple medications and 72 of which covered nutrition. In addition, volunteers participants have led 33 group sessions have been conducted with 22 presentations covering multiple medications and 11 covering nutrition. 716 patients have participated in the group sessions.

B.         Diabetes Self-Management Service 
 Objective: To provide diabetes patients access to diabetes educator services to assist in self-management, an essential part of achieving optimal outcomes of diabetes management.  This service will fulfill the Self-Management component of implementing the Chronic Care Model for diabetes at KJMC. 
Scope: To establish a center for outpatient diabetes self-management training in the form of individual counseling appointments and group classes, updated collection of high quality education materials, regular academic detailing sessions for primary care providers, and maintaining a Diabetes Registry to identify areas for improvement.  

Accomplishments:  In 2008, weekly individual counseling sessions and monthly group classes were established, run by a Certified Diabetes at our ambulatory facility.  The Certified Diabetes Educator adopts the AADE7 curriculum in providing the individual and group sessions.  Different teaching tools and methods are used to deliver the service.  To date, there have been over 100 individual counseling sessions to provide customized evaluation and self-management skills training.  In addition, 15 group classes have been held, with an average of seven participants per session.  Classes are interactive sessions where attendees are strongly encouraged to participate, as well as seek assistance and offer support to their fellow attendees.  Topics guide each session's discussion.  Sample topics include "Living with Diabetes," "What We Eat and Diabetes," "Medications and Diet," and "Diabetes and Depression."  A collection of high quality education materials were identified and regular updated and distributed to clinic settings and waiting areas.  Short, interactive academic detailing sessions for primary care providers on aspects of diabetes care and cardiovascular risk reduction management have been prepared and provided by pharmacist team members. 
To date, four teaching sessions have been completed at KJMC’s ambulatory facilities.  The percentage of all KJMC patients with diabetes and a glycosylated hemoglobin (A1C) greater than 9.5% has progressively decreased from 25.2% in first quarter 2008 to 13.3% in first quarter 2009.   To fund the initial expenses of the program, KJMC received grant funding from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.  

3. INFECTIOUS DISEASE

B. HIV AIDS

Objective:To provide outreach and education to Kingsbrook’s community regarding HIV/AIDS, its  prevention and treatment; as well as increased testing for community members at risk, and comprehensive treatment for Central Brooklyn residents who test positive for HIV/AIDS.

Scope: As HIV infection continues to increase in almost all parts of the country, it is more readily apparent in New York City, especially in lower socioeconomic minority neighborhoods similar to those served by the Kingsbrook. Over the last decade, HIV/AIDS has affected a substantial portion of Kingsbrook’s service area. Brooklyn

comprises 26.1% of all NYC AIDS cases. Bedford Stuyvesant and Crown Heights account for 23.4% of all living AIDS cases in Brooklyn. More than one third of positive HIV test (35%) results are late stage diagnosis in Central Brooklyn. Accordingly, these Central Brooklyn communities served by Kingsbrook are recognized as epicenters for the HIV epidemic.

In response, Kingsbrook provides many services to its community, including residents who are at risk of HIV/AIDS infection, and who are directly affected by HIV/AIDS.  Kingsbrook provides public education and outreach through presentations at community health clinics, senior centers, libraries, schools, community events and health fairs. Kingsbrook offers a wide variety of training, including HIV grand rounds as well as conferences and case presentations, including conferences on:

• Substance abuse and H.I.V.
• H.I.V. education for pharmacists
• New treatment options
• Mental health
• Hepatitis C/H.I.V. co-infection
• Post-exposure prophylaxis
• New HIT testing technologies
• Drug-drug interactions.

Through our linkage with other community HIV/AIDS service providers, Kingsbrook also provides outreach and education to difficult-to-reach immigrant populations.

Outreach is not merely community based, it is also targeted at individuals.  Kingsbrook offers individual community members HIV/AIDS  prevention information to promote avoidance of behaviors that have a high risk for infection and re-infection, as well as confidential Rapid H.I.V. antibody testing and counseling services for admitted and ambulatory service patients (including, without limitation, patients presenting to its Emergency Department).

Care to patients infected with HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis is provided by Kingsbrook’s Designated AIDS Center (the “DAC”) which serves more than 400 clients each year and offers a broad array of services for people with HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C. The HIV program provides a collaborative approach in the management of patients, some who are poor, homeless, illiterate, substance dependent, mentally challenged and others who are socially isolated (immigrants, the incarcerated and the elderly). The program assists patients with both the physical side effects that may occur as a result of their disease, medication and the emotional and psychological needs that result from the diagnosis. Case management involves the coordination of medical social services, nursing, psychological support, home care, nutrition-based services, and substance abuse treatment. The program consists of integrated and comprehensive medical health care, supportive counseling, group counseling, nutritional counseling and health education to those who are under and uninsured.  The clients served by the program are bi-lingual and bi-cultural and include Latino, African-American and Caribbean residents. To ensure that the DAC meet the needs of Kingsbrook’s patients, the DAC has a specialized a Consumer Advisory Board which provides it with feedback on program development, care and services, as well as continuous quality improvements.

Accomplishments:   Kingsbrook has provided over 2,800 counseling sessions, 2,500 clinical visits and screened over 1,600 individuals for HIV/AIDS in 2008 (screenings via the DAC and the ED).

5. THREE YEAR PLAN OF ACTION/Prevention Agenda Initiatives & Action Plans

ACCESS TO QUALITY HEALTHCARE

A.         Generalized Annual Free-Screening Initiatives

Kingsbrook hopes to increase its annual free screenings by offering over 4,400 early detection services to community residents in 2010. Additionally, Kingsbrook aims to increase these screenings by 10% annually between 2011-2012.

As such, Kingsbrook initiated a partnership with Family and Youth Initiative of New York, Inc. (FYI), a community based organization in Central Brooklyn dedicated to chronic disease education and awareness. Kingsbrook will work in collaboration with FYI to review current health disparity data, discuss options for awareness, outreach, early detection and ways by which to increase community participation. The partnership will produce collaborative workshops in health areas of persistent concern in Central Brooklyn, developing effective and innovative curricula using both internal health education/social marketing resources and in collaboration with Kingsbrook staff.

Disease prevention and symptom reduction, effective workshops, outreach and participant engagement in the prevention process will be addressed via educational sessions. Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center and Family and Youth Initiative of New York, Inc. will collaborate on the following efforts:

• HIV/AIDS Prevention (1) youth (2) women (3) men (4) mental health consumers (b) Obesity (1) adults (2) children  (c) Breast  Cancer prevention (d) Prostate Cancer (d) Asthma symptom reduction and care (e) Diabetes (a) prevention (b) care/symptom reduction.

B.         Prostate Cancer Initiatives

In early 2010, Kingsbrook’s Prostate Cancer Committee will meet for its kick-off meeting to assist Kingsbrook in identifying ways to increase access to prostate cancer screenings in the community. The committee will also focus on efforts to heighten the awareness and understanding of the prostate cancer crisis in Central Brooklyn.  To this end, the Brooklyn Research Foundation on Minority Health & Kingsbrook will review the most recent data pertaining to the instance of prostate cancer in the community and research additional funding opportunities for screening program expansion. Via these community partnerships, Kingsbrook hopes to increase its screening outreach to over 1,200 men in 2010.

C.    Breast Education and Wellness Programs (Susan Komen/Brooklyn Healthy Living Partnership

By implementing a new digital mammography system in 2009, Kingsbrook plans to take full advantage of this new system to provide over 2,000 mammographies in 2010. 

Kingsbrook plans to provide free breast health services by strengthening its Brooklyn Breast Health Partnership Program, The Breast Education Program and our Free Screening Coupon Initiative which is also available on-line.  These efforts will be supported with the help of Kingsbrook’s Community Advisory Board (CAB), to ensure our extended outreach to various segments of the community.

Additionally, the CAB and program staff will review survey measures for this program, to assess the effectiveness and impact the program is having on our patient base.

These surveys will be used as measuring modules by which to improve and or modify existing programs that help shape our breast cancer detection and treatment services. Our goal is to retain the support of these valuable grants that would enable us to increase our annual detection efforts.

The CAB will also work to produce an in-depth Breast Cancer Awareness Day in conjunction with our two breast health programs for the next three years, offering educational seminars and counseling.

Additionally, Kingsbrook is instituting a Breast Cancer Previvor Counseling Program that would provide counseling and guidance for women from Central Brooklyn that are identified with the BRCA1 or BRCA 2 gene. Kingsbrook has already begun fundraising efforts in support of this initiative with members of a family that has had a relationship with kingsbrook for over 40 years. The symposium for the BRCA initiative is currently being coordinated with the help of the CAB for early 2010.

CHRONIC DISEASE

A. Learning for Life

Long term plans include the establishment of an outpatient Diabetes Self-Management Service and Group Classes for patients in 2010. A major goal of the program is to continue to develop a functional Diabetes Registry in collaboration with CIS to improve outpatient monitoring and management which will also monitor effectiveness on a case by case basis.

Over the next three years this program will expand to include family members and caregivers. In 2010 this program will partner with Rutland Nursing Home’s Adult Day Health Care Program to ensure that at least 75% of family members or caregivers of diabetic patients receive this service with hopes of achieving 100% of that population by 2011.

These efforts will be monitored for effectiveness by ongoing collection of data, including number of patient/volunteer sessions conducted and patient satisfaction questionnaires.

B. Diabetes Self Management Service

Early detection & education programs for diabetes are most crucial to our efforts. As such, we plan to enhance our existing initiatives by expanding our reach to include a wider cross-section the of community, plan more in-depth regional health education efforts and increase early detection opportunities. These efforts will be identified in part by our Community Advisory Board & the Diabetes Learning for Life Advisory Committee.

Kingsbrook plans to increase the reach of this special program by 10%. As such, in early 2010 Kingsbrook’s CAB will focus its efforts around the expansion of this program to increase the number of community residents who have access and can benefit from diabetes self managements services.  

The staff of the self management program will develop surveys and measures in conjunction with various Kingsbrook colleagues to improve outpatient access. Additionally, the staff will report on these efforts at regularly scheduled CAB meetings.

INFECTIOUS  DISEASE

HIV/AIDS

Kingsbrook’s Designated AIDS Center looks to increase its education, outreach and early detection opportunities within the next three years, screening over 2,100 persons, as well as training opportunities that include HIV grand rounds and case presentations. Part of this plan is to increase linkages with other community HIV/AIDS providers, especially those who cater to difficult-to-reach immigrant populations.

Additionally, Kingsbrook’s partnership with Family and Youth Initiative of New York, Inc. (FYI), will produce collaborative HIV/AIDS workshops, developing effective and innovative curricula using both internal health education/social marketing resources and in collaboration with DAC Center staff.

FYI has committed to hosting 20+ workshops in partnership with Kingsbrook’s DAC, scheduled for 2010. Prevention, symptom reduction, outreach and participant in the prevention process will be addressed targeting (1) youth (2) women (3) men and (4) mental health consumers.

Additionally, Kingsbrook has scheduled its HIV Awareness Day for December 4th, 2009 offering additional workshops, seminars and educational discussions, literature and free screenings. This annual event will be fortified further by this new partnership with FYI.

NON-PREVENTION AGENDA ITEMS

A. Education/ Outreach Efforts (Other Existing Programs):

Specialty physicians and staff at Kingsbrook are well versed in health & wellness education, as such, they work to improve the efficiency of all programs that address health and wellness education and work to improve and/or advance programs and services in this genre. As part of its Community outreach initiative, Kingsbrook will continue to offer its Speaker’s Bureau Program, which includes over 20 healthcare topics, to community organizations in need of health and wellness information. Comprised of the facilities best doctors, nurses, pharmacists and medical specialists, the bureau travels to all parts of Brooklyn speaking on a number of issues that affect the health and well-being of community members.
 
This essential program is geared towards providing health seminars and discussions to community-based organizations such as libraries, senior citizen centers, schools, churches and health-based organizations. This program gives community members an opportunity to speak with medical and health education specialists directly about programs and treatments pertinent to their well-being.

The following community organizations utilize our traveling education Speakers Bureau Program featuring diabetes Education. New Life Tabernacle United Pentecostal Church, PS 193, St. Albans, St. Augustine’s, St. John’s Day Care, The Lucille Rose Adult Day Program, PS 138, St. Mark’s School, PS 398 and Crown Ministries.

 “Health News You Can Use TV”

Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center’s health and wellness television show “Health News You Can Use” has been renewed for 4th season on Brooklyn Community Access Television (BCAT). The show’s production crew is comprised of medical and ancillary staff from the medical center. The ½ hour program speaks to the unique health care needs of Central Brooklynites and features prominent medical professionals and guests who shed light on treatment options and lifestyle adjustments due to a variety of health conditions.
 “Health News You Can Use” airs every fourth Wednesday at 2:00pm on BCAT, Time Warner Cable Channel 35 or Cablevision Channel 68. Health topics featured have been HIV/AIDS, Obesity, Wound Care, Diabetes Part1 & Part 2, Hypertension, Mental Health Part 1, Mental Part 2, Asthma Part 1and Part 2, Adult Day Health Care, Teen Violence/Suicide and Teen Pregnancy/STD’s. Shows are also streamed on our website for site visitors.  This show reaches over 500,000 Brooklyn viewers each month and help us to aggressively cross-promote screening efforts while featuring needed information on Diabetes and its related illnesses.  Our health newsletters are now available on-line.

* We plan to increase the reach of our health and wellness talk show by offering our chronic disease prevention items such as: breast health, prostate cancer and diabetes on our website under “Community Programs & Events-Health News TV”.

 “Health News You Can Use Newsletter”

Keeping the community informed of the health disparities most prevalent in the region is a key factor in our educational outreach. As such, we have partnered with over 80 church partners
In an effort to spread the work about these disparities by way of a health and wellness newsletter also entitled “Health News You Can Use.” These pieces which cover health issues relative to our residents such as diabetes, stroke, prostate cancer, heart disease, HIV/AIDS, and asthma to name a few, are used as inserts in the Sunday bulletins of these church partners and also used as circulars at our local Community Board offices.

The following community organizations utilize our community newsletter –we distribute 20,000 annually of our “Health News You Can Use” to over 100 community partners, Diabetes and related issues are distributed regularly.

Mentorship Programs for Youngsters

Kingsbrook’s  two mentorship program initiatives are designed to expose students to various 
careers within the medical sphere, providing guidance to information and course study relevant
to the pursuit of those fields. The programs encourages research, report production, health
media production and hands on special project development that give students an in-depth
understanding how the health industry and its supporting areas work. Programs include: the Kingsbrook & IS 232’s Learning & Mentorship Program ages 11-13 and Kingsbrook’s Learning & Mentorship Program in partnership with the Brooklyn Queens Long Island Health Education Center, ages 15-20.

Infectious Disease Efforts (H1N1):

The Infectious Control Division at Kingsbrook contributed to the production of valuable outreach and education materials for the community. On June 24th, 2009 the division was featured on the facility’s monthly health and wellness talk show, addressing the important facts about swine flue, prevention and protection for community residents and their families. Additionally, a Swine Flu community newsletter was produced and distributed to schools, churches and various community based organizations. The Swine Flu newsletter is also available on-line, readily available on Kingsbrook’s homepage.

Additionally, Infectious Control is in the process of developing emergency management plans to address the possibility of a very severe influenza season beginning this Fall. The plans will address 3 critical areas

• Flu vaccination program to protect our staff and residents
• Surge capacity planning for patients presenting in the ED
• Possible surge in In-patient admissions including critical care

Emergency Preparedness:

Kingsbrook participates in the Central Brooklyn CBPP (Center for Bioterrorism Preparedness Program) in cooperation with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. The program involves 3 additional major health care institutions in Central Brooklyn: Kings County Hospital Center, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center/University Hospital of Brooklyn and the Kingsboro Psychiatric Center. The SUNY Downstate Department of Emergency Medicine the Central Brooklyn CBPP has sought to tie together the disaster preparedness planning and training programs of each of the affiliated institutions and to expand this collaboration in new and novel ways. Among other activities the group has:

1) developed global inventories and resource sharing plans
2) conducted large scale cooperative drills  
3) instituted uniform and standardized disaster response policies
4) helped to develop and distribute a toolkit for the care of pediatric victims of disaster.    
5) planned and operationalized a fully serviceable respiratory isolation unit expressly to handle surge cases seen in the setting of an outbreak of communicable disease

After several years of operation it is expected that collaboration within the framework of the CBPP will continue irrespective of ongoing funding and that the Central Brooklyn CBPP could serve as a model for disaster planning for institutions around the nation.

6. Financial Aid Program/Charity Care

In 2008, Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center provided $2,073,950 in charity care. Patients are notified of charity care through posted notices in several patient intake and treatment areas, including our website. It is also available in brochure format via our Public Affairs and Business Departments.  Despite the current economic challenges and the numerous closings of affiliated health care centers, Kingsbrook remains flexible, especially as it pertains to documentation requests for charity care eligibility.

Kingsbrook’s Financial Assistance Program evaluates those who are underinsured, have exhausted their insurance benefits or are fully uninsured. Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center’s Financial Assistance Program is based upon up to 300% of the January 2007 Department of Health and Human Services Federal Poverty Guidelines. Current clinic patients without adequate financial resources can receive care in our primary/specialty clinics for fee schedules based on their income and family size. A determination will be made if the patient is eligible for reduced fees. Non-Clinic patients seen in the Emergency Department, Inpatient, or for Outpatient Services can apply for assistance, based on financial need, through the Financial Assistance process in Patient Accounts, Patient Access Services/Financial Counseling or Ambulatory Care.
Individuals  who meet the requirements of Kingsbrook’s Financial Assistance Program can receive care and get a discount if they meet the income limits. Any individual residing in Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center‘s primary service area, which is defined as: East Flatbush, Flatbush, Canarsie, Flatlands, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Crown Heights and/or East New York (zip codes 11203, 11236, 11213, 11226, 11212, 11208, 11207, 11225, 11216), can get a discount on non-emergency, medically necessary services, if they meet the income limits. The amount of the discount varies based on income and the size of the family. Persons may apply regardless of their immigration status. Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center will never deny medically necessary care because of the need for financial assistance.

7. Corporate Structure

Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center is governed by an 16 member Board of Trustees. It is a New York not-for-profit corporation, and is a tax exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code. The sole voting member of Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center and its sister corporation, Rutland Nursing Home, Inc., is Kingsbrook Healthcare System, Inc. (which is also a New York not-for-profit corporation and is tax exempt under the United States Internal Revenue Code). 

8. Dissemination of the Report to the Public

Kingsbrook’s community service plan is distributed to our Community Advisory Board, via the Public Affairs office and is available at www.kingsbrook.org.