The North Shore-LIJ Health System, headquartered in Great Neck, was named a finalist of the prestigious 2013 Foster G. McGaw Prize for Excellence in Community Service and will receive $10,000 to be used to support their community health initiatives.
“At the North Shore-LIJ Health System, it is understood that the provision of medical expertise in isolation will do little to address the many factors that comprise the complete picture of health and wellness for an individual,” said John O’Brien, chair of the Foster G. McGaw Prize Committee. “The system’s major initiatives facilitate enrollment in public insurance programs, help children with attention and learning disorders, promote tobacco cessation and work to keep children and older adults safe.”
North Shore-LIJ was recognized for several innovative initiatives including its Healthcare Access Center, which helps facilitate the enrollment of uninsured community members into free or low-cost public insurance programs; free tobacco cessation and preventative services and Aging in Place programs like Meals on Wheels, chronic healthcare management and social activities.
“With dramatic changes occurring in the way healthcare is delivered in this country, our collective mission as health providers is to promote community wellness, and the need to address chronic disease through active prevention education has grown more urgent than ever,” said Michael Dowling, president and CEO of the North Shore-LIJ Health System. “We have always sought to provide the highest quality of care to all those who put their trust in us. Now, we are taking that responsibility to the next level, actively reaching out to individuals and families so that they can make their health a priority. To be successful, all of us need to work together and assume individual responsibility for creating healthier, more vibrant communities.”
