Contact: Colleen Roche or Kim Serafin (212) 788-2958
Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, Congressman Floyd Flake, Queens Borough President Claire Shulman and Chairperson of the Health and Hospitals Corporation, Dr. Rosa Gil today participated in the groundbreaking ceremony for the Medysis St. Albans Family Care Center, a new two-story, 18,000-square-foot primary care facility developed by the Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, and the Primary Care Development Corporation (PCDC). The new Center will have the capacity to accommodate over 70,000 visits each year from low-income and medically-underserved residents in the Jamaica and St. Albans areas who would otherwise seek emergency room services, or go untreated.
"Primary care is the key to healthier communities." said Mayor Giuliani. "During my administration, the Health and Hospitals Corporation has increased primary care visits by 300,000 annually, which has been a contributing factor in the decrease of emergency room visits. Having access to routine medical care, preventive treatment, social services and health education is what primary care is all about, and I commend the Jamaica Hospital, PCDC, and the Allen A.M.E. Church for working with New York City to keep expanding primary care services to all New Yorkers in need."
Dr. Rosa Gil, Chairman of the Board of the Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) and Senior Health Policy Advisor to the Mayor said, "This new family practice center underscores the important role public/private partnerships can play in bringing much needed primary health care services to medically underserved communities. We look forward to working together, bringing similar projects to other communities in need throughout New York City."
The $8.1 million project is one of two facilities financed by the PCDC to expand Jamaica Hospital's primary care network in Brooklyn and Queens. The second facility is expected to open in Brooklyn next year. PCDC financed both facilities with the sale of $17.5 million in bonds issued by the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York and backed by New York City. The site of the Center was leased to Jamaica Hospital by the adjoining Allen A.M.E. Church.
Congressman Floyd Flake, who is also the Pastor of Allen A.M.E. Church, said, "I am greatly pleased to witness the commitment of the construction of a facility that will provide the adequate primary care services that have been missing in Jamaica. It is a pleasure to be able to build on the foundation of the relationship between Allen A.M. E. and Jamaica Hospital and to collaborate to help the neediest of our community attain affordable and quality care. In addition, this new development will provide the ever-expanding economy of Southeast Queens with more jobs and services to create a holistic approach to the enhancement of this community."
The Mayor was also joined by David Rosen, President of Jamaica Hospital; Richard Cotton, Chairman of PCDC; and William Earhart, Chairman of the Board of Jamaica Hospital.
Located at 111-20 Merrick Boulevard in St. Albans, Queens, the Medysis St. Albans Family Care Center will provide primary care services including adult medicine, family practice, social services, pediatrics, obstetrics/gynecology, radiology services, podiatry, nutrition, phlebotomy, and dental and mental health care.
In addition to the two facilities that will be operated by Jamaica Hospital, PCDC has financed 10 additional primary care clinics, currently under construction throughout the City. Another facility, Saint Vincent's of Richmond in Staten Island, was inaugurated in January ,1997.