Full-Service Emergency Department and Ambulatory Surgery Center

Now Open and Fully Operational at Montefiore Westchester Square

BRONX, N.Y. (March 22, 2013) – Montefiore Medical Center today announced the opening of a full-service emergency department and ambulatory surgery center at the new Montefiore Westchester Square. The opening follows the completion of Montefiore’s purchase of the assets of the former Westchester Square Medical Center (WSMC), a community hospital that operated under bankruptcy court protection for nearly seven years.

“We are so pleased that we will be able to preserve vital healthcare services and jobs in the community,” said Steven M. Safyer, M.D., president and chief executive officer, Montefiore Medical Center. “Montefiore is committed to providing forward-thinking care that is not only excellent but well-coordinated and centered around the patient and family.”

Montefiore Westchester Square is fully staffed with an experienced healthcare team 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The majority of qualified 1199 SEIU workers and qualified registered nurses from WSMC will be employed at Westchester Square and across the Montefiore healthcare system. 

“I’m honored to extend a warm welcome to our new colleagues who have dedicated their careers to caring for this community,” said Susan Green-Lorenzen, R.N., senior vice president of operations, Montefiore Medical Center. “They share Montefiore’s commitment to providing excellent care for patients in the Bronx, Westchester and beyond.”

Among physicians, the majority of those who practiced at the former WSMC now have privileges at Montefiore. “These physicians have provided extraordinary care over many years,” said Andrew D. Racine, M.D., Ph.D., senior vice president and chief medical officer, Montefiore Medical Center. “We are pleased to invite them to continue caring for their patients throughout the Montefiore system, which includes four hospitals and nearly 130 locations across the Bronx and Westchester.”

Montefiore Westchester Square today opened its emergency department and began conducting elective ambulatory surgeries. The emergency department accommodates walk-in patients as well as ambulance service. Should hospital care be required, patients will be treated and stabilized by the experienced staff until they can be safely transferred to one of several hospitals in close proximity. The emergency department is supported by comprehensive on-site services, including radiology, laboratory, endoscopy, pharmacy and social services. Over time, services will be expanded to include primary care and specialty care.

Montefiore is a premier academic medical center in partnership with the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.  It is nationally renowned for its clinical excellence, scientific discovery and commitment to community. Ranked among the best in the nation, Montefiore has several notable Centers of Excellence: the Montefiore Einstein Center for Cancer Care, the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, the Montefiore Einstein Center for Heart and Vascular Care and the Montefiore Einstein Center for Transplantation.

Montefiore plans to make investments over the coming year to upgrade the Westchester Square facilities and services. The plans include the roll out of electronic medical records, which have been shown to improve quality, access and outcomes. Montefiore providers will enter vital health information into the electronic medical record system to ensure seamless, coordinated care.

Montefiore worked to ensure the community would have uninterrupted access to care. Last week Montefiore provided emergency interim funding to WSMC, which ran out of operating funds before Montefiore’s acquisition was completed. The continuous operation of Westchester Square benefits employees and supports the economic vitality of the community.

Montefiore’s asset purchase was approved in January by the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York and is supported by $20 million in funding available under the state’s Health Efficiency and Affordability Law.