When the Covid-19 crisis hit, communities all across Long Island have come together to help - whether it’s food drives, artists spreading messages of hope, or the mobilization of doctors and nurses to treat affected patients directly, the need was quickly assessed and many responded to the call. In Nassau County, the community recognized this need and organized to raise donations and outfit the grounds of a vacant college to provide extra space for care in the event it was needed.
Because of this action, the Sh’or Yoshuv Rabbinical College in Lawrence has been transformed into a healthcare facility offering clinical support for southwest Nassau County and southeast Queens. The community asked Northwell Health to participate and the medical organization answered their call.
“We are pleased to have been invited to partner with the community to fulfill the medical needs of the region as the nature and scale of the COVID-19 pandemic evolves,” said Michael Goldberg, executive director of Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New Hyde Park, in a statement.
While the original intent to use the space as an overflow for Covid-19 patients anticipated was not needed, this temporary outpatient care facility meant to serve ambulatory, low-acuity and recovering patients in the region.
According to a statement released by Northwell Health, which announced the opening of the facility last week, the site will initially serve as an assessment center for those in the community with symptoms consistent with Covid-19. If needed, the facility is prepared to transition at a future date into a 24/7 operation to provide observation and respite care as a bridge to home for recovering patients upon discharge from their hospital stay. The site will be staffed by Northwell Health physicians and clinical volunteers recruited by Hatzolah Air, a nonprofit emergency response service.
The site will be managed by Northwell.
“This temporary clinical facility, run in concert with Hatzolah Air, is a unique way to provide routine care to local residents, avoiding the need for hospital emergency care,” added Goldberg.
Rabbi Boruch Bender, founder of Achiezer, the organization that acted to bring about the creation of the facility, knows that the facility will serve a very useful purpose for the community.
“We’re thankful that the worst did not come to pass and that the facility we developed can be used to heal those most impacted by this pandemic,” he said.