The University Hospital Foundation recently raised $400,000 for a new, state-of-the-art operating room through its annual Golf Classic event at Canoe Brook Country Club in Summit.
The money will be used to help create an operating room equipped with sophisticated imaging technology that will increase surgical accuracy and reduce the amount of time patients undergo complex operating procedures.
More importantly, hospital officials say these rooms, known clinically as hybrid operating rooms, will improve patient outcomes as they allow surgeons to perform imaging, biopsy, diagnosis, and surgery in the same room without moving a patient between an imaging suite and operating room.
The event, which included a round of golf and evening cocktail reception, honored Dr. Michael Curi, chief of vascular surgery and the immediate past chair of the foundation, for his selfless support of the Foundation’s mission and commitment to teaching the next generation of medical professionals.
Jessica Backofen, the chief development officer of University Hospital, obviously was thrilled.
“We are grateful to our Board of Trustees, our event sponsors, and the individuals who continue to support the Foundation,” she said. “Together, we work tirelessly to ensure health equity is a reality for our patients, who travel from near and far to be cared for at University Hospital.
“Dr. Michael Curi is one of the most skilled and talented vascular surgeons. He cares deeply about his patients and is committed to teaching the next generation of physicians.”
Since its inception in 2012, the Golf Classic has raised funds for a plethora of University Hospital projects including new ambulances, patient assistance programs, a lobby renovation and more.
University Hospital CEO ED Jimenez said the spirit of service cannot be overlooked.
“There’s something special about being an academic medical center,” he said. “It’s not the building. It is the talent of the faculty that work there every day. It’s the talent of the trainees that are coming out to be the next generation of physicians.
“It’s the science that they work on towards discovery. It’s a special stratosphere, and I have a front row seat to greatness every day.”
The Golf Classic’s top sponsors included Shields Healthcare Solutions, O’Conco, and 11:11 Systems.
