Maimonides Medical Center recently marked a special milestone — the discharge of its 1,000th COVID-19 recovered patient who headed home to his family after thanking the people who took care of him during his hospital stay.
“The whole team has been amazing,” said Wilfredo Montez, and though his face was masked, his eyes were smiling as the crowd in the Maimonides lobby applauded enthusiastically. “I’d like to thank the doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners and everyone on staff who helped me get through this scary time.”
Montez, a surgical technologist who has worked at Maimonides for 45 years, had a serious case of the novel coronavirus and was being cared for at home with a terrible dry cough, intense headaches and fever. When he began to have difficulty breathing, his wife Rosemary called 911 and he was brought to the hospital. A skilled team of experts across many specialties provided lifesaving care to Wilfredo, and everyone was delighted when he began to show signs of recovery a few days ago.
“This is a remarkable milestone for the entire Maimonides family,” said Kenneth D. Gibbs, President & CEO of the medical center. “Every successful outcome we achieve is a testament to the outstanding care provided by our frontline staff and every one of our supportive team members.”
Gibbs thanked Wilfredo and Rosemary for allowing the medical center to share their family’s celebration of recovery. “You’ve given all of us a gift by sharing with us this deeply moving and affirming life moment,” he said, as the grateful patient was wheeled out the door with his wife at his side.
The sidewalk was lined with more masked well-wishers, and 49th Street was filled with ambulances and emergency vehicles, lights flashing and sirens blaring, adding to the cheers of the crowd. Wilfredo and Rosemary Montez waved farewell, as local healthcare professionals joined the Maimonides family in celebration—both of Wilfredo’s recovery and of the frontline workers dedicated to the care of all patients and families.
Maimonides Medical Center is nationally recognized for clinical excellence across all major specialties. The Medical Center’s accomplished physicians are known for innovation, teaching and research, and have published extensively on the care of COVID-19 patients, enrolling over 400 patients in prominent clinical trials and studies over the last two months. With 711 beds, the Medical Center is dedicated to bringing patients the most advanced care available—anywhere.
To learn more, please visit www.maimonidesmed.org.
