UR Medicine has sent a team of Strong Memorial Hospital emergency medicine providers to help a New York City health system. The 15-member team left Rochester today, officials said.
The team, which includes doctors, nurses and physician assistants, is bound for the Northwell Health system. The system includes five hospitals in New York City as well as hospitals in Westchester County, on Long Island and the Hudson River valley. It also lists the Crouse hospital in Syracuse as an affiliate.
The Strong Memorial emergency specialists are to work at an unspecified Northwell facility for the rest of this week, UR Medicine officials said.
“Our institution is proud of these individuals for volunteering to support our downstate colleagues, who are struggling 24/7 to manage their increasing numbers of COVID-19 patients,” Michael Kamali M.D., UR Medicine emergency medicine chair, said in a statement.
The Rochester providers expect to benefit from the experience as well as “bring back valuable knowledge that can be shared across our own community to help us prepare for the point when our own numbers increase,” Kamali added.
As of April 5, the Monroe County Health Department reported COVID-19 cases locally as having leveled off at 516 after rising steeply through the month of March. The total includes 19 deaths.
On the same date, New York City officials reported 64,955 diagnosed COVID-19 cases and 2,472 deaths attributed to the virus.
Will Astor is Rochester Beacon senior writer. All Rochester Beacon coronavirus articles are collected here.