Contact:
Anthony Ercolano
Special Projects
(212) 801-1702
anthony.ercolano@downtownhospital.org
Kathleen O'Keefe
Director, Public Affairs and Marketing
(212) 312-5600
New York, NY - June 17, 2008 - New York Downtown Hospital is pleased to announce that American International Group, Inc. (AIG) has contributed a new $1.4M, 64-slice CT scanner for the Hospital's Radiology Suite. In recognition of this gift, Downtown Hospital's Radiology Suite was named in honor of AIG at a Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony on June 17, 2008, at 12:30 p.m.
For more than a decade, AIG has shared Downtown Hospital's commitment to provide effective emergency planning and care for the Downtown community. AIG, world leaders in insurance and financial services, is the leading international insurance organization with operations in more than 130 countries and jurisdictions. AIG companies serve commercial, institutional and individual customers through the most extensive worldwide property-casualty and life insurance networks of any insurer. In addition, AIG companies are leading providers of retirement services, financial services and asset management around the world.
Over the years, the volume of computerized tomography examinations performed at Downtown Hospital has increased dramatically. It is estimated that the Hospital will perform over four thousand examinations during the first year of operations of the new scanner, with an increase of 25% over the following two years.
As a result of the Hospital's new Lehman Brothers Emergency Center, it is anticipated that the 8.6% increase in emergency room visits during 2007 will continue to grow at an even higher rate. The new General Electric 64-slice CT scanner will improve the resources available not only for AIG and other Downtown business employees, but also for the increasing number of residents in Lower Manhattan and Chinatown, for whom Downtown Hospital is their local healthcare facility.
The Department of Health of the State of New York recently designated New York Downtown Hospital a Stroke Center. This designation requires that a hospital be able to provide a CT scan within twenty minutes. This will now be possible even if one scanner is being serviced. Prior to this designation, all suspected stroke patients had to be transported to a certified stroke center uptown, delaying critical treatment.
Previously, heart attack patients had to be sent to other hospitals for advanced diagnostics and treatment. This new 64-slice scanner will give New York Downtown Hospital the capability of providing more sophisticated diagnosis in the first critical moments of an emergency, as well as coronary screenings on a non-acute basis.
Brain and abdominal injuries are common in accident and disaster situations, but are difficult to detect without a high-resolution scanner. Having this scanner in the Emergency Center will save lives.
Jeffrey Menkes, President and CEO of New York Downtown Hospital, acknowledged the significance of this gift. "On behalf of the entire Downtown community, I want to express my gratitude to AIG. The health and safety of all Downtown workers, residents, and visitors are significantly enhanced by AIG's generous gift."
For more than a decade, AIG has resided in the Downtown community and through the development of community partnerships, their legacy of giving prospers. AIG continues to share New York Downtown Hospital's commitment to provide effective emergency planning and care for the Downtown community, striving to improve the health and safety of all Downtown workers, residents and visitors.
For more information, please call the Office of Development and Public Affairs at New York Downtown Hospital, (212) 801-1700.
