A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on July 31st, 2018 to open The Massry Family Children’s Emergency Center, the only pediatric emergency department in northeastern New York and western New England. The facility, which opens to the public on August 1st, will provide emergency care exclusively to children and teenagers to age 18.
At the ribbon-cutting, which was attended by donors and leaders from business, government, the community and the hospital, Albany Med President and CEO James J. Barba said the pediatric emergency department is a place where parents can bring their children with confidence that they will receive the best care possible in an age-appropriate setting.
“The Massry Family Children’s Emergency Center stands as a visible symbol to the public of our strong and ongoing commitment to future generations,” said Barba. “This wonderful new facility was the next logical step in the creation of the highest quality health system for the children of our community.”
In recognition of gifts to Albany Med totaling $5 million, the new pediatric emergency department was named The Massry Family Children’s Emergency Center.
“I have found once you come to Albany Med, for any reason—to be treated, to visit a loved one—you learn more about the institution and its people. And the more you learn, the more you want to become involved with an organization that touches thousands of people every year,” said local philanthropist Norman Massry, principal of Tri City Rentals of Albany. “Albany Med is a place that is known for its compassionate care and exceptional expertise, and its ability to look beyond the horizon.”
The new emergency department will serve as a front door of care for the Bernard & Millie Duker Children’s Hospital at Albany Med, the region’s only children’s hospital. For more than 30 years, the children’s hospital has attracted pediatric physicians and surgeons from around the world so children can receive treatment for a variety of conditions and trauma without having to travel far from home.
The Massry Center is located adjacent to, but separate from, Albany Med’s current Emergency Department, which is a Level One (the highest level) trauma center, and often the busiest in the state. Of the approximately 80,000 visits each year to Albany Med’s Emergency Department are more than 16,000 pediatric visits, with 80 percent of these children treated and released and 20 percent admitted to the children’s hospital.
“The new children’s ED will make the entire experience a lot easier for families and less frightening for children. We want the Massry Center to be the first choice for parents and pediatricians because, here, children will receive the specialized care they need,” said Denis Pauze, M.D., acting chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Albany Med. He noted that the Massry Center is staffed by the region’s only physicians, nurses and other providers specially trained in pediatric emergency medicine.
“We understand that children are not just small adults,” said Dr. Pauze. “If a child breaks a bone, for instance, we look at that case differently from an adult who breaks a bone. We know that blood loss in children who are trauma victims can initially be difficult to detect. Some illnesses, like croup, occur only in children. There are many conditions that require a deep understanding of pediatric medicine, which we possess here at Albany Med.”
In addition to the Massry family, other significant support came from Ayco, a Goldman Sachs Company; Bank of America; CDPHP; The Charles R. Wood Foundation; The DeCrescente Family; The Michael M. Hayes Family; The Moser Family; MVP Health Care; Leslie J. Newman and Mark J. Rosen; the New York State Assembly; John J. Nigro; Jennifer and Daniel Pickett III and the Pickett Family Foundation; Janice and Angelo Pastizzo; SEFCU; Stewart's Shops/The Dake Family; Margaret and Dennis Sullivan; The Swyer Family; The Touhey Family; and Trustco Bank.
Hundreds of other community residents and businesses, as well as Albany Med employees, contributed financially to the project.
“When we approached our community, we heard loud and clear that they were behind us – they cared about the health of children, the well-being of our legacy. And the story unfolded quickly, with us now at nearly $19 million toward our goal of $20 million. We see very clearly that we are united in is our deep compassion for children—all of our children,” said Barba.
Hyman Hayes Associates of Albany was the architect for the project; Consigli Construction Co., Inc., managed its construction. The overall design was informed by architect John Huddy of South Carolina, who has designed modern emergency rooms around the world with an eye toward increased comfort for children and less time spent waiting. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) partnered with Albany Med on this project with involvement in construction and permanent financing, and Bank of America financed the facility’s equipment.
The four-story, 70,500-square-foot facility houses the Massry Center on the first two floors and emergency department office space above. Features include:
- Open 24/7/365
- Triage rooms to immediately assess the severity of illness or injury
- Minor care unit for children and teens with less serious conditions
- Observation unit for stays up to 23 hours
- Private rooms designed for the safety and comfort of children
- On-site X-ray and imaging with special precautions for children
- Negative pressure rooms for suspected contagious disease
- Peaceful, child-friendly décor and child-size equipment
- Games, toys and television to provide a distraction for children
- Valet parking
- Easy access for ambulances
- Nearby rooftop medical helicopter pad
For more information about The Massry Family Children’s Emergency Center, please visit www.amc.edu/PedsED.
Albany Med, northeastern New York’s only academic health sciences center, is one of the largest private employers in the Capital Region. It incorporates the 734-bed Albany Medical Center Hospital, which offers the widest range of medical and surgical services in the region, and the Albany Medical College, which trains the next generation of doctors, scientists and other healthcare professionals, and also includes a biomedical research enterprise and the region’s largest physicians practice with more than 450 doctors. Albany Med is affiliated with Columbia Memorial Health and Saratoga Hospital to provide the largest locally governed health system in the region. Combined, these three hospitals offer nearly 1,100 beds and outpatient locations throughout the Capital Region. Albany Med works with dozens of community partners to improve the region’s health and quality of life. For more information: www.amc.edu or www.facebook.com/albanymedicalcenter.
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