NYC Health + Hospitals/McKinney Receives $475,000 from NYC Council Member Rita Joseph

NYC Health + Hospitals/McKinney Receives $475,000 from NYC Council Member Rita Joseph

Funding will support security upgrades to enhance safety for residents and staff and the addition of telemetry to expand its cardiac rehabilitation services

Jan 24, 2025

Today NYC Health + Hospitals/McKinney announced that City Council Member Rita Joseph secured a total of $475,000 in city funds to support improvements of security and safety infrastructure, and the expansion of rehabilitative services to include telemetry remote monitoring for residents with cardiac conditions like congestive heart failure.

The addition of telemetry services will allow nurses to provide remote oversight of critically-ill residents. This enhancement allows clinical teams to monitor and analyze vital signs of a resident, such as blood pressure, oxygen saturation, respiration, and heart rhythms to reduce the need for hospitalization.

NYC Health + Hospitals/McKinney will also upgrade its security systems to improve staff and resident safety around the clock, including cameras around the building perimeter and creating new access protocols. Improving existing security measures will also mitigate the risk of resident elopement, or "wandering on the grounds."

"McKinney is proud to be a top-ranked nursing home, and Council Member Rita Joseph recognizes its vital role to aging communities in Brooklyn," said NYC Health + Hospitals/McKinney Chief Executive Officer David Weinstein. "This generous investment in telemetry services and resident safety will have an immense impact on resident health outcomes and also reinforces their confidence in us to provide a safe home environment for them."

"As a proud supporter of NYC Health + Hospitals, I firmly believe that investing in our healthcare institutions is an investment in the health and safety of our community. The $475,000 in city funds I secured will help expand life-saving services like telemetry remote monitoring for residents with cardiac conditions, ensuring that critically ill patients receive top-notch care without unnecessary hospitalizations," said NYC Council Member Rita Joseph. "This funding will also enhance security infrastructure at NYC Health + Hospitals/McKinney, protecting residents and staff and creating a safer environment for everyone. I'm proud to support these advancements, which reflect our shared commitment to high-quality, compassionate care for all."

"This generous and uplifting gift from Council Member Rita Joseph will truly impact our residents at McKinney in so many ways," said NYC Health + Hospitals/McKinney Chief Medical Officer Lucan Rodrigues, MD, CMD. "It is a great opportunity to elevate the care they receive through the use of technology. We are all excited about delivering the newest advancements in helping our residents journey to recovery."

"On a daily basis, NYC Health + Hospitals/McKinney receives a high-volume of foot traffic from staff and visitors, including family members, friends, and deliveries; this increases opportunities for unauthorized access," said NYC Health + Hospitals/McKinney Hospital Police Captain Angel Melendez. "Council Member Rita Joseph's support ensures that the safety and well-being of our residents and families are prioritized, and McKinney continues to be their safe haven."

"The support from Council Member Rita Joseph exemplifies the importance of using data to drive meaningful change. Her insights into the growing need for elderly care underscore the necessity of investments like these," said NYC Health + Hospitals/Post-Acute Care Director of Capital Budget Ezra Bryan, Associate AIA. "By modernizing our security infrastructure and implementing telemetry services, we are not only addressing today's needs but also preparing for tomorrow's challenges. As I often say, 'you can't manage what you don't measure,' and these enhancements will ensure we have the tools to provide the highest standard of care for our residents."

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MEDIA CONTACT: Rafael Dominguez, NYC Health + Hospitals/Post-Acute Care, 646-694-4910

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About NYC Health + Hospitals/McKinney
NYC Health + Hospitals/McKinney is a 320-bed skilled nursing and rehabilitation center located in central Brooklyn, providing quality rehabilitation therapy and long-term skilled nursing services. McKinney serves long and short-term residents, offering medically complex services including dementia, pastoral, hospice and palliative care, Parkinson's care, IV therapy, wound and tracheostomy care. Ranked in New York's Top 20 among "Best Nursing Homes 2025" by Newsweek and received a rating of "High-Performing" in Long-Term Care by U.S. News & World Report's Best Nursing Homes 2025. The facility earned a Five-Star Quality Rating and Overall Rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest public health care system in the nation serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city's five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system's trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlus health plan-all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 43,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.