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ELMHURST HOSPITAL DOCTORS AFFILIATE
WITH DOCTORS COUNCIL SEIU

In late January 2005, in an overwhelming vote, doctors at Elmhurst Hospital in Queens, New York, voted nearly unanimously to affiliate with Doctors Council, which now represents nearly all of the New York City's HHC hospitals and facilities and the Department of Health (DOH).  The doctors at Elmhurst Hospital are employed by the Mount Sinai School of Medicine.  Elmhurst Hospital had been represented by the Attending Physicians Association (APA), which will now operate as an affiliate of Doctors Council.  Doctors Council already represents the Mount Sinai doctors working at Queens Hospital in Jamaica.

"Our goal for Elmhurst and for all of our members is to enable doctors to deliver the best possible patient care in an environment where they are treated with respect and fairness," said Barry Liebowitz, M.D., President of Doctors Council. "As the proud union representative for the doctors at Elmhurst Hospital, we will ensure that this goal is met."

The doctors at Elmhurst Hospital are facing many issues, including enforcing their contract rights and benefits.  The ability to be respected and heard by administration and management was also a big issue.  The Elmhurst doctors realized that belonging to and working with a union for doctors- Doctors Council- would enable them to have a stronger and more effective voice in addressing the concerns of the doctors and protecting patient care.  Doctors Council provides a full servicing organization for doctors, from Contract Administrators to advocate for our doctors, to legal, communication and legislative departments.

"The attending physicians at our facility have a long history of dedication to the well-being of the people of this community," noted Nina Caplin, M.D., President of the APA, which affiliated with Doctors Council.  "We view this affiliation as a great opportunity to develop innovative programs, maintain a high-quality staff and provide the best possible health care to the patients we serve."  Pictured to the right are, from left to right, Doctors Perry Starer, Nina Caplin, George Alonso, and Laurence Dopkin, with Dr. Frank Proscia, Executive Director of Doctors Council.

Elmhurst Hospital is the latest victory in a period of extraordinary growth for Doctors Council, having organized doctors at 11 facilities since 2000 including Metropolitan Hospital in Harlem, Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx, the Diagnostic and Treatment Centers (D&TCs) in Northern Manhattan, Coler-Goldwater on Roosevelt Island, the medical facilities at the Ryan-Nena Community Health Center, Rikers Island, Rockland County, Queens Hospital Center in Jamaica, Bergen Regional Medical Center and the State University of Rutgers Student Health Services in New Jersey.

"Doctors Council is committed to the recruitment and retention of qualified doctors by advocating for our members and their patients with a single unified voice," said Frank Proscia, M.D., Executive Director of Doctors Council.  "Now, with the addition of Elmhurst to our membership, we have strengthened the voice of all doctors in achieving these objectives both at Elmhurst Hospital and citywide.  Increasing the ability of doctors to advocate for our profession and patients is strengthened when more doctors belong to Doctors Council, backed by our organization and SEIU.  We are stronger together as doctors when we speak with one voice through Doctors Council."