Brooklyn, New York – (July 18, 2024) – Maimonides Health announced that New York City’s FY25 budget will provide nearly $1.5 million to the hospital to support the development of state-of-the-art cardiac electrophysiology laboratories, which will allow faster diagnosis and treatment of heart rhythm problems, and the acquisition of a new ambulance for the Bay Ridge Emergency Department. Both improvements will improve Maimonides’ ability to respond and treat patients facing a health crisis.

“We are deeply grateful to Speaker Adrienne Adams and Council Members Justin Brannan, Shahana Hanif, and David M. Carr for their continued support of Maimonides and the communities we serve,” said Ken Gibbs, President and CEO of Maimonides Health. “Maimonides continues to be an essential provider of cardiac and emergency care in Brooklyn. With this new funding, we will further enhance our ability to provide outstanding clinical care to our community.”

“I’ve always been proud to support the mighty Maimonides Health. High level healthcare in Bay Ridge has been more accessible than ever since Maimonides opened their new Emergency Department on 92nd Street,” said Council Member and City Council Finance Chair Brannan.” The funding I secured for a new ambulance will improve response times and health care outcomes for families and older adults throughout our community. This is a no-brainer partnership that works for our people, and I am honored to keep it going.”

“I am thrilled to join Speaker Adams and Finance Chair Brannan in funding cardiac electrophysiology laboratories at Maimonides that will strengthen care for Brooklyn communities,” said Council Member Hanif. “As a Lupus warrior, I know firsthand how critical it is for our medical institutions to have the equipment they need to make precise diagnoses and provide the best possible services for patients. These facilities are an important investment in Brooklyn’s public health.”

“When talking about healthcare infrastructure most people think of buildings or advanced technology, not emergency vehicles. Being able to provide funding for an overlooked and critical resource in our healthcare infrastructure that will allow for faster response times, better technology, and improved safety is something I’m proud of,” said Council Member Carr. “This kind of improvement is what South Brooklyn deserves for their hospitals, and I hope to be able to provide more in the future.”

Maimonides has been awarded nearly $1.5 million in capital funding from the New York City Council to establish two cutting-edge cardiac electrophysiology (EP) laboratories. These EP laboratories will advance and improve cardiac care for residents throughout Brooklyn. These funds will allow the hospital to build and equip these laboratories with advanced imaging devices, including the Phillips Azurion 5 M12, which integrates a wide range of clinical applications to support precise diagnoses and improved patient outcomes.

Maimonides is nationally recognized for its excellence in cardiac care, including being named one of America’s Top 50 hospitals for Cardiac Surgery by Healthgrades for three consecutive years, and receiving high performance ratings for heart attack and heart failure care from U.S. News & World Report. This year, U.S. News & World Report also recognized Maimonides a Best Regional Hospital for four consecutive years and Best Regional Hospital for Equitable Access, a new category for 2024. These rankings place Maimonides in the elite 11% of hospitals nationwide.

In addition to the funding for cardiac care, Maimonides has secured support for a new ambulance for the Bay Ridge Emergency Department. This funding, allocated by Council Member Carr, will enhance the hospital’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS), which currently operate a fleet of 34 ambulances responding to over 70,000 calls annually.

The new ambulance will be equipped with the latest technology, ensuring the safety of patients and EMS staff, featuring advanced GPS mapping systems, enhanced emergency lighting, and 5-point safety harnesses, which will ensure personnel ride safely. This addition will improve response times and provide critical support to the FDNY in serving the Brooklyn community.

“The new ambulance will play a crucial role in enhancing our 911 response capabilities, particularly for the Bay Ridge and Dyker Heights neighborhoods,” said Ahmed Rashed, MD, Medical Director, Maimonides Bay Ridge Emergency Department. “We look forward to providing the community with peace of mind knowing that our emergency services are fully-equipped and prepared to provide those in need with effective and timely care.

These planned upgrades are the latest steps in Maimonides Health’s ongoing, multi-year plan to bring exceptional health care services to Brooklyn communities. Maimonides looks forward to building on the success of its existing programs and expanding essential services for patients in Brooklyn. This month, we opened our advanced cardiac services suite at Maimonides Midwood Community Hospital. Next year, we will more than double the size of our adult emergency department, including the addition of a brand-new psychiatric emergency department, which will house our comprehensive psychiatric emergency program. We are also on track to complete our new pediatric emergency department in 2025, which will quadruple our pediatric emergency care space.

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