The growth of our community over the years has brought an increased demand for high-quality, easily accessible health care. Maimonides Medical Center has responded to that need by aggressively rebuilding itself, both outside and in. Under the leadership of its president, Stanley Brezenoff, the building has been modernized and the services upgraded. Indeed, the Maimonides of today bears little resemblance to its forbearer of a decade ago.
Much of the impetus for change at Maimonides has come from community groups in the environs of Boro Park. At regular meetings with leaders of community organizations that comprise the Community Council, the executive staff at Maimonides has listened to the problems that face the local population and has designed strategies to solve them.
A state-of-the-art facility serves the current and future interests of all who live in our own community. Our representative at the hospital over the years has been the Sephardic Friends of Maimonides Medical Center
Sephardic Friends is comprised of a group of dedicated volunteers who understand how important it is for our community to be on-site and available at Maimonides. With Celia Beda at the helm as Executive Director, Sephardic Friends volunteers are a consistent presence at Maimonides. The group makes sure that every individual from our community who is admitted to Maimonides is given the best possible treatment. Any problems identified during patient visits are brought to Celia’s attention, and are usually solved within the hour. She has her fingers on the pulse of the medical center, understanding where, from our community’s vantage point, the strengths and weaknesses lie. Armed with this knowledge and a tight working relationship with the “top brass” at Maimonides, Celia has helped the medical center to improve its position and appearance in the eyes of the Sephardic community.
At the hands-on level, Sephardic Friends continues to maintain a Help Hotline, through which it responds to the needs of our community. Staffed by professionals and volunteers, the Hotline serves as a liaison between medical personnel, the patient and anxious family members. Special training and credentials from Maimonides health officials allow volunteers to enter the emergency room to visit with patients. The 24-hour Help Hotline is reachable at (718)633-5400.
With the help of Sephardic Friends, and with the involvement of many families from our community, Maimonides has rebuilt its pediatric emergency room, the neonatal intensive care unit and the pediatric intensive care unit. Equipment vital for the modernization of services has been donated in many crucial areas.
