Jamaica and Flushing Hospital celebrate discharge
of 1,000th patient to recover from coronavirus
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
Flushing Hospital Medical Center
on April 24 celebrated the discharge
of its 1,000th patient to recover from
COVID-19 with a special send-off.
Employees lined the hallways of
the hospital as they cheered and applauded
Ruben Silvestre, the hospitals’
chief nursing officer, who was
discharged after a five-day battle
with COVID-19.
Silvestre’s message of hope for
others during this challenging
time:
“Keep it up, believe and have
faith,” Silvestre told NY1 News.
Silvestre was admitted to the hospital
on April 20. Since the beginning
of the COVID-19 crisis, he has
been helping to treat patients battling
the virus.
Silvestre is the 1,000th patient
to be discharged from the MediSys
Health Network, which includes
Flushing Hospital Medical Center
and Jamaica Hospital Medical Center
— two of the hospitals within the
epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak
in Queens.
“Both hospitals within our network
provide healthcare to communities
that have been hit hardest by the
pandemic,” said Bruce Flanz, president
and CEO of the MediSys Health
Network. “Many who live in the
neighborhoods we serve are medically
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vulnerable. Therefore, we became
inundated by seriously ill patients
who were dependent on our frontline
staff to provide lifesaving care.”
Having cared for a large volume
of patients, each hospital experienced
its share of losses.
“Our doctors, nurses and other
caregivers worked tirelessly and
selflessly to save as many lives that
they could. Unfortunately, despite
their best efforts, some patients expired
due to the complications of
the disease,” said Dr. Sabiha Raoof,
chief medical officer, MediSys.
According to Raoff, the Medi-
Sys Network reached its apex in
Mid-April with over 450 patients
admitted for coronavirus complications,
and more than 150 in need of
ventilators.
However, the number of admitted
COVID-19 patients at Jamaica
and Flushing Hospital has declined
as well as the amount of patients requiring
ventilators.
“Over the last week, thanks to the
perseverance of our frontline heroes,
our numbers have become slightly
more encouraging,” Raoff said. “It is
with great optimism that we say our
numbers are slowing down.”
Reach reporter Carlotta Mohamed
by e-mail at cmohamed@schnepsmedia.
com or by phone at (718) 260–
4526.
Employees at Flushing Medical Center on April 24 celebrated the discharge of its
1000th patient to recover from COVID-19. Courtesy of MediSys Health Network
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