8 times • JUNE 2, 2016 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.qns.com Wyckoff Heights mulls health network plan BY ANGELA MATUA amatua@ridgewoodtimes.com @AngelaMatua Officials from the State Department of Health visited Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in Bushwick last week to gather information from medical personnel ahead of a feasibility study meant to rescue the institution. At the conference, which took place on May 26 at the hospital, State Health Commissioner Howard Zucker said the state has $700 million to restructure care and improve existing hospitals in the area and is looking to Northwell Health to manage this new health network. The feasibility study will be completed by Northwell Health in September and will outline how a new healthcare system can transform some of Brooklyn’s struggling hospitals including Wyckoff Heights, which sees about 75,000 patients annually. “There is an unprecedented opportunity to change healthcare in central and northeast Brooklyn,” Zucker said. “Sometimes, residents seek care outside of Brooklyn and my strong belief is that they should not have to leave Brooklyn to get the best care available not only here in New York but in the nation.” Doctors, nurses and other personnel spoke about the hospital’s improvements after Ramon J. Rodriguez was appointed president and CEO five years ago. “Five years ago, when I became chairman of this hospital, people didn’t want to come here,” Wyckoff Heights Chairman Gary Goffner said. Since then, the hospital has built new healthcare facilities, hired nutritionists, redeveloped their dental care system and overhauled their pediatric care system, which now sees two and a half times the number of patients it did five years ago. Judy Perkins, a patient at the hospital who has sought treatment there for 10 years, said she wants to see the hospital stay viable. She also added that support groups and better care for Brooklyn’s elderly population should be included in the new plan. “As a person who uses this facility, it’s important that it stays viable,” Perkins said. “I don’t want to have to travel to God knows where if I get sick or I need people to visit me in the hospital.” Chief Medical Officer and Executive Vice President Gustavo del Toro said he welcomes help from Northwell Health and the state to mitigate “major problems” that the hospital faces. “Our main problem is financial and without having to worry every week whether we’re going to make payroll, whether we can afford to bring new doctors, better equipment, more nurses, higher quality technical personnel,” Del Toro said. “It’s a big challenge and a lot of the people that work here are afraid that Ramon’s State Health Commissioner Howard Zucker visited Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in Bushwick. going to stand up and say, ‘We can’t go any further’ and that really affects what we do here every day.” The feasibility study would focus on how Northwell Health would manage a network of hospitals, ambulatory care centers, surgery centers and primary care clinics in Brooklyn including Photo by Eddie Torres Wyckoff Heights, Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center, Interfaith Medical Center and Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center. Rego Park bank burglary still unsolved By Robert Pozarycki rpozarycki@ridgewoodtimes.com @robbpoz Customers are still unable to access the Rego Park bank where numerous safe deposit boxes were breached during a daring burglary last week. The NYPD-FBI Joint Bank Robbery Task Force wrapped up its formal on-site investigation, but now Maspeth Federal Savings officials are in the midst of their own inquiry into the break-in that occurred sometime between May 21 and 23. They are also working with the customers who had their valuables stolen or compromised during the burglary. Anxious holders of safe deposit boxes at the branch located at 64-19 Woodhaven Blvd. came to the location after the burglary was reported on the morning of May 23, when a bank employee found that the suspect(s) involved cut a hole into the roof to get in. The customers were subsequently turned away as the investigation unfolded. “As a community bank, we and our employees share the feeling of being violated by this burglary and know words can only do so much to help start the healing process,” Thomas Rudzewick, Maspeth Federal president and CEO, said in a letter posted on the bank’s website on Friday, May 27. “But in the face of criminals who thrive on fear and intimidation, we feel the only way to overcome it is to join together as a community, pick up the pieces and move forward.” NYPD Chief of Detectives Robert Boyle told WABCTV Last week’s break-in at the Rego Park branch of Maspeth Federal Savings remains unsolved. last week that the burglary appeared to fit a pattern of similar burglary attempts that occurred in other parts of Brooklyn and Queens dating back to 2011. All but two of the 10 incidents occurred in Brooklyn; the only Queens burglary, aside from the May 23 incident, was a break-in on Dec. 28, 2013, at the Santander Bank located at 75-15 31st St. in Astoria. In statements released following last week’s burglary, Maspeth Federal indicated that it would contact the holders of safe deposit boxes that were breached during the burglary. While the bank is not liable for the damages, each box holder purchased insurance for their contents as part of their lease agreement. “As we determine if a customer’s box was breached or not, we will be reaching out to them on an individual basis to schedule appointments to come to the bank,” according to a statement released late on May 25. Bank employees would assist each customer with applying for insurance claims. The bank began notifying customers that day, and appointments were to take place as of Tuesday, May 31. One customer, Joyce McDonough, told QNS she was informed that valuable jewelry and family heirlooms — including a pocket watch belonging to her father, as well as engagement and wedding rings — were gone, along with other personal papers. She is scheduled to speak with claims representatives to discuss compensation for the items lost, but acknowledged that the loss was as personal as it was financial. “No matter what they offer, the things I lost and the things other people lost can never be RIDGEWOOD TIMES/Photo by Anthony Giudice replaced,” McDonough said. The Rego Park branch will also remain closed while repairs to the damaged roof are made; Rudzewick said in his letter that customers would be notified when the branch resumes operations. Maspeth Federal customers, meanwhile, can visit its other locations; visit the bank’s website for more information. Those having difficulty getting to them can contact the bank at 718-335-1300 and request a free shuttle to the nearest branch. Through a spokesperson, Maspeth Federal declined to speak directly with QNS about the matter. QNS has also reached out to the NYPD for further comment on the investigation and is awaiting a response.
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