A new ambulance dedicated to transporting ill and injured children from northeastern New York state and western New England to Albany Med was rolled out today, a gift from the Massry family, of Albany, who donated $250,000 for the specialized vehicle.
The Massry family continues to demonstrate their deep belief in the importance of the health and wellness of our regions children through their generous philanthropic support, said Dennis P. McKenna, M.D., president and CEO at Albany Med. On behalf of Albany Med and the regions children and their families, we express our sincerest thanks to Massry’s for their generous support and to our long-time partners at Mohawk Ambulance Services, which will operate the ambulance.
As a family, we are dedicated to making sure the children of this community have all they need to thrive, said Norman Massry. This new ambulance, specially equipped for children, means that acute care for our youngest patients starts immediately. Paired with the resources of The Massry Family Children’s Emergency Center and the Bernard & Millie Duker Children’s Hospital, we feel confident that the medical services our children need are being delivered in a way only Albany Med can provide.
Annually, the ambulance will transport approximately 500 infants, children and adolescents to the Bernard & Millie Duker Children’s Hospital and The Massry Family Children’s Emergency Center, the only children’s hospital and pediatric emergency department in the region. This includes newborns from other hospitals throughout the region requiring expert care at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, the regions most technologically advanced NICU; inpatients with chronic conditions requiring transport to other facilities or home; pediatric trauma patients needing medical attention at the pediatric emergency department; and pediatric oncology patients from the Melodies Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders, the regions only childhood cancer center.
Among the features of the new ambulance are extra oxygen capabilities and compressed air to deliver more precise concentrations of oxygen for neonates; it also includes specialized equipment to handle extremely premature newborns through adolescents.
The new ambulance replaces one that transported nearly 1,700 patients and logged more than 161,000 miles during its four years of service.
Our children’s hospital could not provide these crucial emergency medical transport services without our amazing donors, the Massry family, and our partner, Mohawk Ambulance Service, said Barbara Ostrov, M.D., chief of service of the Bernard & Millie Duker Children’s Hospital. Together we are so pleased to welcome our new ambulance. This brand-new, specially designed ambulance will allow us to continue to serve our community for many years into the future.
At The Massry Family Childrens Emergency Center, our team of specialists trained in pediatric emergency medicine treated more than 21,000 children and teenagers last year, many arriving by emergency transport, said Denis Pauz, M.D., chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Albany Med. This ambulance will be an invaluable asset for expediting treatment before our doctors, nurses and staff at Albany Med can expertly assess and treat patients medical needs.
As new tools are made available to us through the advances in health care and technology, it is our responsibility as medical care providers to offer our communities the best possible emergency service, said James P. McPartlon III, president of Mohawk Ambulance Service. This means that we dedicate the resources to reinvest in our equipment and vehicles. We are proud to partner in this shared value with the Bernard & Millie Duker Children’s Hospital and The Massry Family Children’s Emergency Center. Through the support of its professional staff, we will continue to provide the highest quality of care to young patients across the Capital Region.