By Dr. Jeremy Boal, President of Mount Sinai Downtown
I recently heard two stories about our patients and employees and their connections to animals. I hope they make you smile.
Maya Genovesi, a social worker in the ED, recently went to great lengths to ensure the care of a patient’s cat. The patient learned that she would be transferred to another hospital and would likely stay overnight, leaving her elderly Maine coon cat at home that has special medication and dietary needs. The patient did not have the contact information for her vet or other possible caregivers on her. Maya worked with her MSBI team, the patient’s other physicians, Animal Haven, and social workers at another hospital to ensure the patient could rest easy. Thank you for your compassion, Maya.
The team who helped take care of this patient, from left to right: Tina Mukwaya, social worker; Marc Felberbaum, MD; Gina Colon, RN, nursing supervisor; and Maya Genovesi, social worker.
Did you know MSBI has a small pet therapy program? Wonderful volunteers come with their pets a few times a month to Chelsea, Union Square, and Petrie to visit with patients and employees. You can see Stella, one of the therapy dogs below. As a dog-owner, I can say that even just a few minutes with these lovable creatures can brighten my day. This week we also hosted “Dogs for Docs” for our house staff, which was a fantastic opportunity for our residents to unwind with friends and paws.
