Contributed Report
HARRIS — October 12, 2001 – Catskill Regional Medical Center has been designated the latest name for Sullivan County’s healthcare facility, according to Arthur L. Brien, president and CEO of what was formerly Community General Hospital of Sullivan County.
“This is a historic name change,” the CEO said. “It reflects a continued development of regional centers of excellence far and beyond those in the typical community hospital.”
He cited, in particular, the Selma Ettenberg Regional Center for Women’s Health, the American Diabetes Association nationally recognized Seelig Regional Diabetes Education Center/Center for Wound Care and the Catskill Regional Medical Center Life Enhancement Center, which encompasses the geriatric assessment services.
“These centers of excellence,” he said, “are attracting patients from far beyond the borders of Sullivan County – from Orange, Ulster and Delaware counties in New York State and from Wayne and Pike counties in Pennsylvania. Additionally, we are finding that many second home owners and visitors from the New York City metropolitan area are taking advantage of our services.”
Other centers of excellence encompassed by the Catskill Regional Medical Center include the Florence Shapiro Memorial Cardiac Care Center; the Cancer Commission Certified Oncology Center; the Upstate Rehabilitation Medicine Center; the Eileen and Peter Rhulen Addiction Control Center; the Trudy Resnick Farber Center for Mental Health; the CRMC Skilled Nursing Facility Residential Center; the Joan and Jesse Farrow Ambulatory Surgery Center; the Dr. Julius Schwarz Memorial Maternity Center; the Center for Travel Medicine and Infectious Diseases; the Walter and Judy Rhulen Laboratories; the CRMC Complementary Medicine Center; the CRMC Imaging Center; the Cardiac Rehabilitation Center; the Cardiac-Pulmonary Center; the Center for Physical Therapy; the Health Sciences Library Center; and the Family Health Centers in Harris, Roscoe, Woodridge and Wurtsboro.
The name change also reflects another page in the historic development of institutional healthcare in Sullivan County. Starting in 1924 and 1925 as the Monticello Hospital and Liberty Maimonides Hospital, the merger of these small country hospitals resulted in 1967 in Community General Hospital of Sullivan County. Under the auspices of Community General, the Grover M. Herman Hospital division was opened in 1971 and the Harris Division (later named the Rose and Sam Seelig Division) was opened in 1977. Community General also undertook the development of family health centers in Harris, Roscoe, Woodridge and Wurtsboro.
“The name change does not reflect any change of ownership,” Brien noted. “The healthcare facility is a voluntary, not-for-profit institution governed by a board of trustees which sets policies and designates a president and CEO to implement them. Healthcare delivery provided by a medical staff of independent and hospital salaried physicians, as well as a professional and ancillary staff of eight hundred full and part time people.”
“Catskill Regional Medical Center has a forward-looking strategy for continued expansion of sophisticated healthcare services,” the CEO noted. “We expect a new angiography suite to open by 2002; an expanded program of vascular surgical and interventional radiology services; a hospital-wide upgrading of equipment; and a great deal more.”
“The name change is not cosmetic,” he said. “It is evolutionary and portends great strides or the community and for the region.”
“This is another reason for pride and confidence in our healthcare delivery system,” said Joyce Salimeno, chair of the hospital Board of Trustees. “It is also a credit to our healthcare management team led by Art Brien; and we are grateful for the support of our Auxilians and community donors. We look forward to this continuing support as Catskill Regional Medical Center moves into the future.”