Children's
Hospital that Wall Street Built
The
Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian,
the only children's hospital in Manhattan and one of the
largest in the country, opened its doors recently. One
of the most technologically advanced children's hospitals
in the world, the Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of
NewYork-Presbyterian is a family-centered, high-tech facility
that offers world-class care and unparalleled resources
in an innovative physical environment devoted exclusively
to children.
Building on NewYork-Presbyterian's record of breakthroughs in pediatric
care, this ten-story, 265,000-square-foot hospital facility
positions The Children's Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian
to expand on its leadership position in pediatric clinical
care, research and the training of future physicians. The
Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital, an affiliate of Columbia
University College of Physicians and Surgeons, provides
the highest-level care in every area of pediatrics and
is world renowned for advancements in neonatal and critical
care, cardiology, oncology and neurology.
The new $120-million building is being funded entirely through philanthropy,
including personal contributions of $55 million by more
than 600 employees of Morgan Stanley.
John Mack, Chairman of the Board of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, said, "For
over 100 years, children have come through our doors to
get the finest pediatric care available. Through the outstanding
generosity of the many people involved, NewYork-Presbyterian
will have a new state-of-the-art facility to carry on its
tradition of providing the best care to those who need
it most for decades to come."
In addition to Morgan Stanley, other members of the New York City financial
community, including JP Morgan Chase and a consortium of
donors from Goldman Sachs, made significant contributions
to the new hospital. The medical staff and employees of
the Children's Hospital also made important contributions.
"The relationship between the Children's Hospital and Morgan Stanley reflects
our commitment to the local community where our employees
live and work," said Morgan Stanley President and Chief
Operating Officer Robert Scott. "The opening of the new
hospital means more than our name on a building. It represents
a deep and personal relationship that will last into the
future."
A key element in the design of patient areas revolves around the understanding
of "family-centered care." When a child is ill, the entire
family must be a part of the treatment and healing process.
The philosophy of family-centered care also emphasizes
the importance of teamwork in the treatment of children,
and the involvement of multidisciplinary groups of physicians
and medical professionals to oversee a child's care from
diagnosis forward.
Dr. Herbert Pardes, President and CEO, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital (the
parent of the Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian),
said, "With the opening of the Morgan Stanley Children's
Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian, we now have the physical
plant to match the expert clinical care and cutting-edge
research that we do here every day. We know that when a
child is sick, the entire family hurts. The stress of having
a child who needs hospitalization is unimaginable. Recognizing
this, our goal is to keep the physical and emotional needs
of the child and his or her family at the heart of everything
that we do. This new facility makes it possible."
The Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital houses inpatient, ambulatory and
diagnostic services, including the largest neonatal intensive
care unit and pediatric intensive care unit in the tri-state
area. In addition to having floors dedicated to providing
intensive care for children at every age, from the tiniest
newborns through adolescents, there are individual floors
dedicated to specialized services such as cardiology, neurology,
oncology and surgery. The Hospital has 100 medical/surgical
beds, 41 pediatric intensive care beds (including 14 cardiac
intensive care beds), and 50 neonatal intensive care beds.
Most of the patient rooms are single occupancy, measuring
382 square feet, with facilities for parents to stay overnight
with their child, computer connections for the child and
the family, and lounge areas that offer the family privacy
and an opportunity for quiet contemplation.
The design of the neonatal intensive care unit, where the average length
of stay is 17 days, reflects the hospital's attention to
the needs of families during long-term stays. The new unit
provides parent amenities and enhanced privacy at every
bedside, surgical capabilities that minimize the need to
transport babies out of the unit, and a liaison service
to greet and assist the families of new patients. In
the pediatric intensive care unit there are private rooms
with sleep areas for parents, family lounges, a family
nourishment station, and support for clinical research. Both
departments will have their own pharmacies.
The hospital features two design elements with families in mind: the Launch
Pad is a virtual home in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
designed for parents to sleep in and prepare to take their
baby home after a long stay. Patient rooms are divided
into three zones: a clinical space, a child space and a
family space, including a daybed for parents to sleep,
a storage space for longer-term stays, a writing desk and
computer-ready internet access.
"We understand how difficult it is for a child to spend time in the hospital,
and we understand the need to provide a nurturing environment," said
Cynthia Sparer, executive director, Children's Hospital
of NewYork-Presbyterian. "Our commitment is to remember
at all times that the patient we are caring for is a child.
We have top physician leaders in the field of pediatrics,
and together with our nurses and the rest of our staff
we dedicate our efforts to these children and their families."
Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian is the first
New York hospital to offer patients and families new communication
technologies, such as handheld remote and wireless keyboard
devices that allow access to e-mail, the web and information
about healthcare. Via closed-circuit television, patients
too ill to leave their rooms can observe musical theater
and other entertainment that will be staged year-round
in the hospital's Winter Garden. A flat screen television
equipped with additional features, such as movies on demand
and games, will also be a feature in all patient rooms.
The computerized patient rooms are complemented by an emphasis on education
and literacy. The theme of the new building is "Learning
Through Literature," and it showcases artwork and murals
inspired by such classic children's books as: The Very
Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle, Where the Wild Things Are,
by Maurice Sendak, and Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible,
No Good, Very Bad Day, by Judith Viorst. All featured books will be available to patients.
To personalize each child's room, an area of wall space at the entrance
of each room is intended specifically for a child's favorite
artwork, messages or photographs. For the opening of the
new facility, the Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital invited
students from New York City's P.S. 128, Riverdale Country
Day School from the Bronx, Ranney School from Tinton Falls,
New Jersey, and Rockland County's Nyack Public Schools
to "adopt a floor" by contributing original artwork from
their students that will be displayed in these spaces.
In addition, each floor has a dedicated Child Life Center, a playroom
that is a designated "safe space" from medical procedures
where children are taught coping mechanisms, such as talk
therapy and relaxation. Inpatient units also feature a
meditation room, a kitchen, a laundry room and a classroom
staffed by New York City public school teachers.
Speaking of what the new Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian
will mean for children, Dr. John M. Driscoll, Jr., Pediatrician-In-Chief
at Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital, said, "We know we
can't duplicate the comforts of home for our patients. We
know that they'll miss going to school with their friends,
playing outside and all of the other pleasures of childhood,
but this new facility enables us to come as close as we
can to making sure that each patient who comes through
our doors receives the highest quality care in an environment
that still allows them to be children."#
