Maimonides Health representatives, local politicians and community members celebrated the unveiling of the health system’s new Children’s Emergency Department at its Medical Center in Borough Park with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Oct. 21.
Located at 4802 10th Ave. on the first floor of the original Maimonides Medical Center building, the pediatric emergency department (PED) is four times larger than the space it shared with the adult emergency department, making it the largest — and the only standalone — PED in Brooklyn.
The bright, kid-friendly space reflects the growing need for pediatric care in Brooklyn and can serve more than 30,000 children annually. It features 32 treatment areas, including four resuscitation areas and isolation rooms, as well as on-site, state-of-the-art diagnostic imaging with multiple modalities — including X-ray, ultrasound, and CT — allowing for rapid diagnosis of emergency conditions.
The PED is also the only pediatric trauma center in Brooklyn and one of 13 pediatric trauma centers in New York State.
The $50 million project broke ground in 2020 and will officially open on Oct. 23. The expansion is part of Maimonides’ ongoing effort to improve access to high-quality care across the borough.
Ken Gibbs, president and CEO of Maimonides Health, said relocating the PED freed up space to expand adult emergency services from 25,000 to 75,000 square feet.
“Over the next 12 to 18 months, we will be working on basically doubling the space available for adult emergency services, so that our citizens and our teams can deliver incredible care in an appropriate environment,” Gibbs told the crowd, which included state Sen. Stephen Chan, Assembly Member Alec Brook-Krasny, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and Council Member Mercedes Narcisse.
Dr. Eitan Dickman, Maimonides’ chair of Emergency Medicine, noted that more than 600,000 children call Brooklyn home and said the new PED underscores the hospital’s commitment to increasing access to healthcare.
“This new pediatric emergency department is a vital resource for our community, and one of many critical emergency care services that Maimonides provides across the borough. The opening of this department is one part of our overall vision for emergency care at Maimonides,” Dickman said.
Dr. Alexander Arroyo, director of the Pediatric Emergency Department at Maimonides, described the “cutting-edge” facility, which includes translation services, as setting the standard for PEDs nationwide and meeting the “unique” needs of children and adolescent patients.
“With this expanded space, we can comfortably serve the growing number of families who are raising their kids in Brooklyn. At the heart of today’s celebration is our dedication to ensuring that all children in our community receive the best care possible for any condition, 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” Arroyo said.
Dr. Jeff Avner, Maimonides’ chair of Pediatrics, said Vizient recently recognized Maimonides Children’s Hospital as the top hospital for safety and quality.
“With this upgraded children’s emergency department, Maimonides is now poised to become even more essential in the chain of pediatric medical care available in Brooklyn. We provide children with an environment and expertise that they need for their continued health,” Avner said.
Rev. Roxanne Birchfield recalled initially feeling apprehensive about taking her daughter, Hunter, to Maimonides pediatric care when she fractured a bone during figure skating practice, unsure why a general emergency room could not address the injury.
“I wasn’t sure what to expect, but from the moment we arrived [at Maimonides] everything changed. The staff made us feel seen. The doctors spoke with great and utter confidence. The nurses carried compassion in every movement. The entire pediatric team was remarkable,” Birchfield told the crowd. “They didn’t just treat the injury; they understood a child. That day, I learned the difference between general care and pediatric care.”
Tamar Motov, vice president of Nursing for Emergency Services, told Brooklyn Paper that the department was designed with young patients in mind. The walls feature animal themes and photographs from the “Wild Horses of Sable Island” series by artist Roberto Dutesco, providing a distraction for children and parents alike. Each treatment bay also includes an entertainment iPad.
“[The PED] is really bright, it’s colorful. We wanted to make it warm and welcoming,” Motov said. “Emergency rooms can be really scary for both parents and kids. And so we wanted it to feel like when you walk in here, ‘we have you, you’re safe.’ And so every room is designed with that in mind.”