A generous gift from David and Phyllis Komansky will propel the Medical College to new levels of excellence in pediatric care, with a medical model that's child-friendly in every sense of the word.
A reception at Griffis Faculty Club on July 27 recognized the Komanskys for funding the new Komansky Center for Children's Health, conceived and designed with young patients and their families in mind.
The Komanskys' gift was used to renovate the pediatric ER and will be used to update the neonatal and pediatric ICUs, procedural rooms, and surgical units and pediatric inpatient units. The Komanskys also helped establish a pediatric cranial facial program and dental health program.
"This gift will transform the pediatric facilities of the Medical College," said Dr. Antonio Gotto, dean of Weill Cornell Medical College. "There's something special about the health of a child, an emotional tug that appeals to all of us - parents, doctors, friends, everyone."
"Their philanthropy is not only generous, but transformative," said David Koch, a member of the Board of Trustees at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.
Dr. Herbert Pardes, president and CEO of NewYork-Presbyterian, recalled being hospitalized at 7 years old for an orthopedic condition, in surroundings decidedly unfriendly to children - with restricted visiting hours. The experience had a profound impact on him, one that made him especially receptive to the Komanskys' vision of a child-friendly place.
Dr. Loughlin, Dr. Gotto, David Komansky, Dr. Pardes and Phyllis Komansky celebrate the naming of the Komansky Center for Children's Health.
"The Komansky gift brings us to a new level. Along with the recently opened Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital, the new facilities help make NewYork-Presbyterian a pre-eminent resource for the care of children," he said. "The Komanskys are as caring, supportive and empathic a family as one can possibly imagine."
At every level, the Komansky gift is intended to meet the special needs of children and families. A new pediatric procedure facility will have two state-of-the-art rooms for children with the latest technology for performing endoscopy and bronchoscopy, as well as separate waiting and recovery areas. The pediatric facilities will hold round-the-clock visiting hours for families and friends.
Weill Medical College is working with the Hospital to recruit the best physicians and scientists for the Komansky Center, in neonatology, pulmonology, gastroenterology, child development, and infectious disease.
In 2002 Children's Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell recruited Dr. Gerald Loughlin, a leading authority on children's respiratory disorders, as pediatrician-in-chief.
Dr. Loughlin thanked the Komanskys for their role in fashioning a "hospital within a hospital" for comprehensive pediatric care. "The Komanskys have put us on the map as a leader," he said.
Mr. Komansky in turn lauded Drs. Loughlin, Pardes and Gotto for leading the Hospital to its status as the best in the country, at the forefront of innovation and excellence in every aspect of medical care.
"I have a very strong philosophical bent that if you are doing something worthwhile, you should try to be the best at what you're doing," said David Komansky. "I hope this gift will propel the pediatric department into becoming among the finest in the country. The patients, professionals and the city deserve it. If we can play a small role in achieving this goal, we'll be delighted."
Among numerous projects funded by the Komansky gift is the renovation of the Pediatric Emergency Department, which will provide patients and families improved access to care, including expanded capabilities for asthma treatment, more open space to allow for better observation by staff, and a more comfortable waiting room. The Komansky-funded projects are scheduled for completion between now and September 2006.
"It's an amazing step forward for our children's program. Thanks to the Komanskys' support, we are updating several of our children's programs and expanding our capabilities to provide the best possible care for our young patients," said Dr. Gotto.
The Komansky renovation is expected to be a catalyst for expanded care that will enable more pediatricians and general practitioners to refer acute cases to NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell.
"With more children able to be treated on an outpatient basis, those who are admitted to the Hospital are usually the most seriously ill, and for them the Komanskys' gift will have a profound impact," says Dr. Gerald Loughlin, pediatrician-in-chief at the Komansky Center for Children's Health at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell and chief of the Division of Pediatrics at Weill Medical College of Cornell University. "Renovated neo-natal ICU, pediatric ICU, procedural rooms, surgical units and pediatric inpatient units will provide up-to-the-minute technology and facilities to advance the care of children with severe illnesses, from pediatric burn patients to tiny 'preemies' who need help to begin life with the best possible chance for a healthy future."
"We're not just treating a patient, we're treating a whole family," said Cynthia Sparer, executive director of the Komansky Center for Children's Health at NewYork-Presbyterian. "These improvements embody the Hospital's ideal of family-centered care. The renovated inpatient units, for example, will allow families to stay together around the clock, with beds, showers and other amenities. The design and color scheme will be inviting, so children who must stay in the Hospital for a long period of time, or return frequently, have a more pleasant environment in which to recuperate."
Photo by Jason Green.