PHC Auxiliary Welcomes Director of Medicine

Peninsula Hospital Center's Director of Medicine, Dr. Martin Grossman, center, is joined by members of the Hospital Center's Auxiliary. Pictured are (l-r): Fay Stahl, Hilda Chinitz, Joan Coogan and Auxiliary President Sheila Schwartz.

Hospice and palliative care was the subject of this month's meeting of the Peninsula Hospital Center Auxiliary. Dr. Martin Grossman, Director of Medicine, explained the Hospital Center's plans to open a hospital based hospice unit in the near future. According to Dr. Grossman, Peninsula Hospital Center plans are to offer in hospital hospice care to patients diagnosed with end stage diseases for which there are no cures. "Hospice is end of life care that provides comfort and support for persons who have lifelimiting ailments and their families," said Grossman. The difference between hospice and regular hospital care is that the focus of hospice is not on a cure, but rather on offering the patient the highest quality of life possible during their final days. "It's a balance between keeping the patient's pain manageable and assisting them in being able to continue to interact with their family members while under hospice care," Grossman said.

The Auxilians present entered into a lively discussion and answer period with Dr. Grossman with inquiries ranging from hospice staffing and family interaction in the proposed new program to an in-depth conversation on the necessity for establishing and maintaining current health care proxies. Dr. Grossman is not only the Hospital Center's Director of Medicine, he is also a local family physician, with practices in the Rockaways and the Five Towns. He is very enthusiastic about the imminent opening of the hospice unit here at Peninsula Hospital Center.

The PHC Auxiliary is a volunteer service committee with more than 200 dues paying members. Their contributions to the Hospital Center are many and diverse.

Each year the Auxiliary raises thousands of dollars from their annual raffle and their monthly bazaar, book and plant sales for a variety of Hospital Center projects. The next scheduled lobby sale is set for Friday, April 25th from 10 am to 2 pm. Anyone wishing to donate items for the sale can call 718-734-2507.

The Auxiliary meets the first Tuesday for a luncheon meeting at the Hospital Center. The next meeting of the auxiliary is scheduled for Tuesday, May 6, 2008 at 12 Noon in the Meditation Room of the Extended Care Facility. The scheduled speaker is a representative from Medicare who will be discussing a wide range of Medicare programs and benefits. The speaker booked for the June meeting is Dr. Perry Herson, Director of PHC's Diabetes Center.

Auxiliary meetings provide the membership a forum for the exchange of ideas, as well as educational and entertaining speakers. Those interested in being a part of our vibrant and growing auxiliary can contact the Department of Public Affairs at 718- 734-2507.

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