news release

 

ANDREW J. SPANO, Westchester County Executive

JOSHUA LIPSMAN, M.D., M.P.H., Commissioner of Health

 SUSAN TOLCHIN, Director of Communications

 

 

CONTACT:     SUSAN TOLCHIN                                                                            (914) 995-2932

                           MARY LANDRIGAN                                                                     (914) 813-5013

                                                                                                                                      (914) 813-5000 (After Hours)

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                  February 20, 2004   

 

 

WESTCHESTER COUNTY LEADERS AND HOSPITAL CEOS TO ATTEND

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PLANNING RETREAT

 

Westchester County, the Greater New York Hospital Association (GNYHA) and the Northern Metropolitan Hospital Association (NORMET) are hosting a daylong Westchester Hospital Emergency Preparedness Planning Retreat for chief executive officers and key senior staff of Westchester hospitals on February 23, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., at the Doral Arrowwood in Rye Brook, New York. The purpose of the retreat is to develop a countywide hospital emergency preparedness and response plan.

Key leaders in attendance at the retreat include Westchester County Executive Andrew Spano, Kenneth E. Raske from GNYHA, Arthur Weintraub from NORMET, Westchester County Health Commissioner Joshua Lipsman, M.D., M.P.H. and Westchester County Emergency Services Commissioner Anthony Sutton.

Chief executive officers from the following hospitals will attend: Northern Westchester Hospital Center, White Plains Hospital Center, Phelps Memorial Hospital Center, St. Joseph’s Medical Center, Lawrence Hospital, Hudson Valley Hospital Center, St. John’s Riverside Hospital, Sound Shore Medical Center/Mount Vernon Hospital and Westchester Medical Center. Also in attendance will be representatives from the VA Hudson Valley Health Care System.

            “While the County and Westchester hospitals have progressed significantly in individual planning for emergencies, there is still much work to be done on a coordinated countywide basis,” stated County Executive Spano. “The retreat is intended to further that work.”

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            page 2 Hospital Retreat

“I am so pleased that many key leaders from Westchester will be attending the retreat,” stated Westchester County Health Commissioner Joshua Lipsman, M.D., M.P.H. “Their insight, input and observations will be critical in reaching our goal of improving countywide preparedness to respond to large scale public health emergencies.”

            The retreat will begin with a discussion among the chief executive officers, during which the goals of the retreat will be reviewed. The remainder of the day will consist of working sessions developing the following:

            1) A Hazard Vulnerability Analysis for Westchester County (from a health care perspective)

            2) A draft of preparedness/response plan for hospitals countywide

            3) A list of the issues that need to be addressed; and

            4) A workplan for addressing the issues requiring further attention

For more information, please call the Westchester County Department of Health at (914) 813-5000 or visit our website at www.westchestergov.com/health.

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