After a decade of planning, the
Brownsville and East New York Hospital opened on April 11, 1921, with one building housing 75 beds between
Brownsville,
East New York, and
Canarsie. The first President of the Medical Board was
Simon R. Blatteis, who was also a leading figure in organizing the development of the hospital. It was renamed
Beth-El Hospital in 1932. The hospital, under the directorship of
Jacob Rutstein, greatly expanded its facilities at that time. It became Brookdale Hospital in 1964, It was later renamed the Treatment for Life Center. The Radutzky Emergency Care Pavilion was dedicated in 1982, and was designated a Level I Trauma Center in the same year (now it is a level II trauma center). A major expansion was completed in 2004. In 2005 Brookdale became a 911 receiving Stroke Center. The hospital was under the management of
MediSys Health Network In late October 2012, a few days before the expected arrival of
Hurricane Sandy in New York, Brookdale Hospital was enlisted by the
New York State Department of Health in the State's emergency response efforts. Brookdale was awarded $2.3 million for unreimbursed operating costs. ==Facilities==