Mercy Medical Center

Page 16 ROCKVILLE CENTRE GUIDE Mercy MedicAl

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Amember of Catholic Health Services of Long Island, Mercy Medical Center in Rockville Centre has provided compassionate, stateof-the-art medical care since 1913.

From nursing services to comprehensive stroke and cancer care, to women’s health services and weight loss surgery — top ratings in national assessments make Mercy the hospital of choice for patients 100,000 times a year.

In February, Mercy staff and patients celebrated the opening of its new CHS Cancer Institute, which was previously a cancer center run in collaboration with Memorial Sloan Kettering.

Then, hospital staff at Mercy found themselves on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic in March. Mercy treated some of Long Island’s first coronavirus patients and saw some of the first Nassau County residents die from the virus.

At that time, Mercy suspended all visitations and elective surgeries. Those have now been lifted, with some restrictions.

Though a difficult time for Mercy, there was always support to be found from the community. Donations of food and personal protective equipment flooded in as more and more locals wanted to help nurses and doctors in the hospital.

In mid-April, when the virus peaked, hundreds of residents drove by in cars and fire trucks for a parade to honor Mercy hosptial workers. They waved signs that were hung up inside the facility.

The quality of Mercy’s nursing services has been recognized with its designation as a Pathway to Excellence Hospital by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, as a facility that meets the highest practice standards essential to an ideal nursing practice environment.

Mercy has also been designated a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiology, and offers state-ofthe-art equipment, expert personnel, next-day screening appointments and same-day results in a newly renovated Radiology and Imaging Center. Mercy is widely known for its leadership in weight-loss surgery and is a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence, designated by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.

Mercy is home to the largest dedicated inpatient acute rehabilitation program on Nassau County’s South Shore, using state-of-the-art equipment and techniques to speed the recovery of patients who have suffered catastrophic illnesses and injuries such as stroke, spinal cord injury, amputation, major orthopedic surgery, severe disabling arthritis and acquired brain injury.

The hospital also opened a Center for Hyperbaric Medicine and Wound Healing, which provides comprehensive care to those suffering from chron ic wounds, as well as a Center for Sleep Medicine, offering the latest technology in a comfortable, contemporary setting.

Photos by Christina Daly/Herald Top Photo: Friends of Mercy, a fundraising nonprofit organization, led a “Morale Booster Day” car parade on April 13 at Mercy Medical Center. More than 300 cars and 30 trucks from seven fire departments showed up, including the Rockville Centre, Lakeview, South Hempstead, Lynbrook and East Rockaway fire departments, as well as the Rockville Centre Police Department. Parade participants were greeted enthusiastically by Mercy staff members.