Community Care

The compassion and expertise of our highly-educated nurses extends to our ambulatory patients, and to children who have been discharged to the comfort of their own homes, as well as to those living in the community outside of Montefiore. We take pride in offering valuable education and support to children and their caregivers, in order to help them to live the healthiest, happiest lives possible.

Comprehensive, family-centered care beyond CHAM

In addition to ministering to children on site, we are conscientious about educating their care givers to take over when they are discharged, whether its by helping to provide insulin to a diabetic child, or ensuring that a chemotherapy cycle continues successfully at home in the evening. We also put a premium on preparing new parents for discharge from the hospital by educating them in the following areas:

• Baby care basics 
• Breastfeeding
• CPR 
• Shaken baby syndrome 
• Infant and car seat safety

After infants are discharged, we keep an open line of communication with their parents, so they don't feel isolated. We help new parents anticipate how their children will grow and develop, and what kind of distinctive attention they will require at each step. And our family learning place is a valuable source of education and support for all care givers.

Among our innovative treatment methods, aimed at helping children with health complications to live a normal life, our day hospital features an ambulatory oncology department that allows children to receive chemotherapy treatments during the day and then sleep at home in their own beds. We educate parents about the special needs of children receiving chemotherapy, particularly those who go home with a chemo pump overnight.

We are proud to work with a regional overnight camp, so that our kidney and dialysis patients can attend an inclusive summer camp that offers a full range of outdoor activities. Our nurses sometimes hike into the woods several times a day, to administer treatment to their patients, so these children can experience an overnight excursion with fellow campers.

Our nurses provide a forward thinking approach to care by working with the endocrinology team on diabetes prevention in obese children. We run a day camp each summer to educate children with diabetes about managing their treatment and maximizing their health and quality of life.

Caring for the entire community

Beyond the walls of the hospital, we are committed to keeping children in the greater community healthy. We play an active role in administering Montefiore's health centers in neighboring public schools. We also run a Children's Advocacy Center to protect and serve children who have suffered from abuse. And our Safe House Lead Program provides temporary housing for the families of children who have experienced lead poisoning, while their homes are being cleared of lead.

Richard Gorlick, MD