SYRACUSE, N.Y. — It’s now just a matter of days before Crouse PromptCare finishes operations at the CNY Medical Center and moves across Irving Avenue to the renovated and expanded emergency-services department at Crouse Hospital.

PromptCare will remain open for patients through 11 p.m. on Oct. 22, at which point it will close and all walk-in patient flow will shift to the main emergency room (ER) and what is now called “CrousExpress.”

Crouse Health on Oct. 4 formally opened the newly completed final phase of the $38 million emergency-services and expansion project at Crouse Hospital.

The final phase involves the relocation of the PromptCare service.

The two-phase project was partially opened in July 2017, with completion of the 21,000-square-foot main (ER).

After more than 40 years of service, the hospital’s emergency services facility was in “need of renovation and expansion,” Crouse Health said in a release.

The project’s final phase also includes an additional 7,000 square feet of space and 16 new patient rooms, up to seven of which will be dedicated for CrousExpress walk-in patients. The project also includes a new front entrance for ambulatory (walk-in) patients and visitors.

With more than 82,000 patient visits in 2017, Crouse contends its emergency-services department is “the busiest in the area.” During the last decade, patient visits to the ER and PromptCare increased nearly 52 percent, per the release.

Kimberly Boynton, president and CEO of Crouse Health, said that Crouse Health sees its emergency department as the “front door” to the hospital. Some 54 percent of Crouse’s overall patient admissions come from the ER.

“The opening of the last phase of this project, coupled with a rapid evaluation process that quickly directs patients to the appropriate level of treatment, will allow us to treat patients sooner and more efficiently,” Dr. David Mason, medical director of Pomeroy Emergency Services, said.

Naming gift

The naming gift for the overall project is from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation. Other significant financial support comes from Syracuse residents Darlene and Eric Coons, in memory of relatives from the Makowski, Parkerson, and Wadowiec families, Crouse Health said. 

Donations from both the Pomeroy Foundation and the Coons family were made as part of the Crouse Health Foundation’s CrouseCares Campaign, “the largest comprehensive campaign in Crouse Health history.” 

To date, donors have committed nearly $15 million in annual and capital donations since the campaign launched in 2015, largely to the Pomeroy Emergency Services project.    

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com

ITHACA, N.Y — He provided the leadership under which Cayuga Medical Center in Ithaca and Schuyler Hospital in Montour Falls formed Cayuga Health System in 2014. 

And he’s played a big role in the health system’s growth and expansion. Now, John Rudd, president and CEO, is preparing to retire toward the end of next year. Cayuga Health System on Oct. 9 announced that Rudd, who leads both Cayuga Medical Center and the parent organization, plans to retire in the fall of 2019.

Dr. Martin Stallone will succeed Rudd as president and CEO of Cayuga Medical Center on Jan. 1, 2019, the organization said in a news release.

To assist with the transition, Rudd will continue as president and CEO of Cayuga Health System until the fall of next year when Stallone will assume those additional responsibilities.

Stallone currently serves as VP of physician operations at Cayuga Medical Center and president of Cayuga Medical Associates. 

Larry Baum, chairman of the Cayuga Health System’s board of directors, called Rudd’s leadership “decisive” over 23 years in his roles of CFO, senior VP, and for the past six years as CEO.

“During that time, Cayuga Medical Center has experienced the most significant growth in the hospital’s history with major regional expansion of services, the fostering of relationships with key clinical partners, and sound fiscal management that has allowed the organization to reinvest in services and equipment that benefits our community,” Baum said in the release. 

Baum also calls Stallone a “highly accomplished physician” who holds an MBA degree and who has been “integral to our continuing progress.” 

“We are well positioned for a smooth transition,” Baum added.

Rudd, Stallone reaction

Retiring from an organization like Cayuga Health System is “not an easy decision,” Rudd said.

“I will miss working with our dedicated employees, physicians, volunteers, board of directors, and community partners to advance health-care services throughout the region,” he said. “Since being appointed CEO, we have accomplished a great deal with a number of projects including a new state-of-the-art laboratory, new maternity unit, major renovation and expansion of surgical services, and more recently, a renovation of the behavioral-services unit and the ongoing efforts to establish a rural-residency program for internal-medicine physicians.” 

Rudd went on to say that he is “very pleased” that the Cayuga Health System board of directors has appointed Stallone as his successor. 

“He is well prepared to guide our entire organization forward and continue the focus on our mission of improving the health of our communities by delivering the highest quality of health care in a safe, compassionate, and sustainable manner, one person at a time,” said Rudd.

Stallone, who has worked at Cayuga Medical Center for nearly a decade, said his time with the organization has provided him “many” opportunities for growth and has prepared him well for his new role.

“I would like to thank John Rudd for his mentoring and guidance. I look forward to continuing my work with the many talented, committed people within our organization. I’m also eager to carry on our important work with the communities we serve; to evaluate and meet their health-care needs and provide ease of access to excellent care,” said Stallone.

About Cayuga Health System

Cayuga Health System has two hospitals, Cayuga Medical Center and Schuyler Hospital, as well as a multi-specialty group, Cayuga Medical Associates. The health system has more than 2,200 employees, including affiliated organizations. 

The health-care system is clinically linked to Mayo Medical Laboratories, Rochester Regional Health for cardiac services, Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo for cancer services, and the University of Rochester for neurosciences. It has also teamed up with Family Health Network of Central New York to “enhance” care in the region.       

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com