Various new health centers have recently been created in New York and the surrounding areas, covering a variety of different wellness issues.

The first, is Staten Island’s ambulatory care center.  The groundbreaking ceremony for this was just led by Dr. Ram Raju, on his last day as CEO and President of NYC Health + Hospitals. The facility that is due to open next Fall will take care of around 40,000 visits each year by 2020.  The 18,000 building will have 24 exam rooms and will offer adult medicine, asthma, diabetes, OB-GYN, mammography, pediatrics, podiatry, Ultrasounds and X-rays.  According to Raju: “Providing more ambulatory care to meet the needs of community residents is critically important for the future of health care in New York.  The expanded access is expected to mean tens of thousands more patient visits each year, which in turn will reduce the need for costly emergency and inpatient care.”

Meanwhile over in Bronxville Lawrence Hospital, a new cancer center and surgical suite (costing $65 million) has just been renovated, revamping the existing cancer program.  The NY-Presbyterian health system (parent organization of the hospital) has invested in this.  Some of the enhancements made include:  a radiation oncology program, bringing it in line with other key local hospitals.  Indeed, as hospital president, Michael Fosina said: “You can’t be a standalone community hospital anymore and survive, you have to be part of a bigger health system.”

In addition, a new chain of free mental health clinics for US army veterans has opened nationwide.  One of these is New York.  The idea is to provide these vets with much needed treatment that they are spending way too long waiting to receive.  The centers were established due to the generosity of Steve A. Cohen.  He put his money into these centers following the friends of his son who returned from Afghanistan needing counseling but were unable to get help quickly.