Borough Park
Kudos, congrats, and happy anniversary to Maimonides Medical Center.
In December of 1967 pioneering cardiac surgeon and inventor Dr. Adrian Kantrowitz transplanted a human heart into a newborn baby.
This historic milestone was celebrated at the annual Maimonides Heart and Vascular Symposium on Dec. 20, which paid tribute to Dr. Kantrowitz — who passed away in 2008 at age 90 — and was attended by his daughter, Dr. Niki Kanrowitz, who accepted a commemorative plaque in honor of her father’s remarkable work. Additional attendees included Dr. Howard Zucker, New York State Health Commissioner; Dr. Jacob Shani, chairman of Cardiology; Dr. Patrick Borgen, chairman of Surgery; Dr. Greg Ribakove, chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery; Dr. Robert Rhee; Dr. Brian Lima; Dr. Andrew Eisenhauer; Dr. Cherrie Abraham; and transplant patients, including Charles LaRosa, who said, “If the cardiac specialists at Maimonides didn’t do this 50 years ago, I wouldn’t be here today.”
“The groundbreaking work of Dr. Adrian Kantrowitz paved the way for the routine transplants of today,” said Dr. Shani, at the dedication.
Dr. Kantrowitz was a pioneering surgeon and developer of many devices including the intra-aortic balloon pump and a left ventricular assist device, which are instrumental in saving lives to this day.
Maimonides Medical Center Address [4802 10th Ave. at 48th Street in Borough Park, (718) 283–6000].
Downtown
High Tech in the court
Welcome to the new High Tech Courtroom, which opened in the borough’s Family Court.
The state-of-the-art courtroom was unveiled at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Dec. 19, attended by Chief Administrative Judge Lawrence Marks, Deputy Chief Administrative Judge for Justice Initiatives Edwina Mendelson, New York City Family Court Administrative Judge Jeanette Rui, and Dr. William C. Bell, president and chief executive officer of Casey Family Programs, who supported the launch of the high-tech courtroom.
The Kings County Integrated Courtroom Technology boasts such features as:
• A tech-based evidence system and audio-video capabilities to facilitate remote court interpreting.
• Advanced acoustical elements to ensure proper sound levels throughout the courtroom.
• Real-time court reporting capabilities for instantaneous voice-to- text transcription.
• Wireless internet access for all participants.
The high-tech court launch follows the recent roll-out of two other integrated courtroom technology sites in New York City Family Court: one in the Bronx and another in Manhattan.
“The use of technology to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance the court experience for all users is a key priority of the court system,” said Judge Marks.
“New York City Family Court is providing tremendous leadership and vision by launching the first fully automated and electronic-driven family court in the countr,” added Dr. Bell.
Standing O gives a high-tech high-five.
Brooklyn Family Court [330 Jay St. at Myrtle Avenue in Downtown Brooklyn, (347) 401–9610].
