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When he is treating patients in the intensive care unit of Northern Westchester Hospital, Dr. Harlan Weinberg says he can’t afford to waste time.
“These are life-threatening illnesses we are dealing with day in and day out,” he said.
That’s why nearly a decade ago, the Millwood resident and his team organized a schedule to be sure a doctor would be available at all times to treat patients admitted to the ICU.
He says this strategy of “critical care coverage” has created a model for community hospitals to use to better serve those who need it most. It has even allowed patients to leave the hospital sooner.
“We have 5 physicians that are on call 24 hours, 7 days a week. In order to optimize care for the severely ill, we wanted to have a place where physicians felt comfortable providing intensive care medicine,” he said.
Dr. Weinberg has worked in the intensive care unit of Northern Westchester Hospital since 1987. In that time, he’s learned that providing his patients with medical expertise is not his only obligation as a health professional. He also needs to practice compassion.
“When you’re dealing with life threatening situations, you have to be able to think critically, while not losing sight of the personal needs of the patient you're taking care of,” he said.
Pneumonia, overwhelming infection, and organ failure are some of the more common conditions Weinberg says he sees on the job.
“The care you provide for them has to be professional and critical, but as a health care professional you need to provide compassion in an environment that can be sometimes unfriendly,” he added.
Weinberg says helping his patients feel better makes his job as a doctor rewarding. For example, he was recently able to discharge a man who had been paralyzed and on a respirator. Every time he runs into the patient around Millwood, he thanks Weinberg for saving his life.
“People recognize that we did everything professionally possible for their family member or loved one. It can be uplifting,” he added.
In 2008, Dr. Weinberg outlined what he felt to be the best internet resources for healthcare in his book, Dr. Weinberg’s Guide to the Best Resources on the Web.
Dr. Weinberg recently launched the website, www.Knowledge of Medicine.com, to provide users with high quality health information aggregated from numerous websites. The website helps ensure that patients obtain reliable information about their health.
