Yesterday, we got to hear from many of our employees who visited Puerto Rico in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria.

Our Chief Nursing Officer Christine Mahoney, nurse manager Colleen Fischer, and ICU registered nurse Diego Giraldo all served in Fajardo, Puerto Rico on trips organized by Mount Sinai. They often triaged almost 200 patients a day in a tent that served as a clinic outside a larger hospital. Their patients had limited access to water, prescriptions, electricity, and basic care.

Team One medical volunteers in Fajardo, Puerto, Rico, front row, from left: Juan Baez, RN; Melanie Pratts, RN; Christine Mahoney, MS, RN; Stacey A. Conklin, MSN, MS, RN; and Kevin Munjal, MD; back row, from left: Colleen Fischer, RN; Karendip Kaur Braich, MD; Helen Rosario, RN; Emma Kaplan-Lewis, MD; and Erin Hogan, RN.

Team Two preparing to leave New York for Puerto Rico, front row, from left: Tamairi Vildoso, RN; Madeline Hernandez, RN; Gail Haynes, RN; and Stephanie Ortiz, MD; back row, from left: Samantha Rose, NP; Diego Giraldo, RN; Sarah Schaefer, MD; Trina Cosme, RN; Sam Kim, MD, and Annette King, NP.	Marisol Salichs, RN and Karen James, NP, who traveled with a group organized by 1199-SEIU and NYSNA.

1199-SEIU and NYSNA organized a trip that included nephrology nurse practitioner Karen James and ICU registered nurse Marisol Salichs. They had pop-up clinics in the mountains and made home visits to those who could not travel. They had to provide a wide range of care with very limited supplies.

Sports Medicine doctor Girardo Miranda-Comas, MD, used his experience providing care on the go with sports teams. He was born and raised in Puerto Rico and has been back to provide care in various communities and visit family many times. We also heard from Taina Rivera about her work securing food for the victims of the hurricane.

Here are some of their photos of the destruction and the environments they worked in while they were there:

There are probably many more in our community who have helped out, and I hope you will let us know about your experience. I am thankful for your kindness and bravery.

In the presentation yesterday, our colleagues mentioned that one of the greatest needs was mental and emotional support. Colleen said that often the best medicine they could offer was human connection or even a free hug. This kind of care is what makes MSBI stand out, and I couldn’t be prouder to work alongside these courageous men and women.

Our Otolaryngology and Head and Neck team at Union Square provides extraordinary care.

Many of the patients who seek out care with this team have travelled from far and wide. The staff does a great job working across many departments to ensure the patients can get tests and other procedures completed in the same day to make care as seamless and convenient as possible.

The team has discovered that they can serve their patients best by staying connected to, and caring for, each other. They are a tight-knit group who stick together every step of the way. They even have established a committee that organizes celebrations for birthdays, work milestones, and other holidays. All of this helps foster a strong sense of community and family. By taking care of each other, they can better support their patients.

We have many top-notch physicians in this department and are also proud to work alongside Dr. Mark Urken and his research foundation, the Thyroid, Head and Neck Cancer (THANC) Foundation.

Thank you so much for all you do.

March 30 is National Doctors’ Day. This date was designated a national holiday in the United States in 1990. In that spirit, I would like to offer a few thoughts on our MSBI physician community.

Over two thousand doctors are part of our MSBI family. They represent employed and voluntary faculty, primary and specialty care, inpatient and ambulatory care, hospital and community-based care, and collectively they cover a vast geography. These physicians include our exceptional residents and fellows. And our physician community also includes many retired doctors who are still vital parts of our family.

Our doctors are innovators, collaborators, colleagues, and friends. They are champions for excellence. They are our teachers and team members.

Our doctors put in long hours and go the extra mile every single day to ensure that our patients receive the care and caring that they need and deserve.

Our doctors struggle with us through the thick and the thin of our downtown transformation and hold us accountable for never losing sight of our core missions.

I am profoundly humbled by the strength, depth, and breadth of our extraordinary physician community and consider myself blessed to be your colleague.

With admiration and respect, happy National Doctors’ Day.