The Beth Israel Hospital was founded in New York City in 1889 and opened its first inpatient location in 1891. Initially established to serve the Lower East Side's growing population of Eastern European Jewish immigrants, the Hospital grew into a major charitable hospital serving patients of all backgrounds. In the 1890s it was based out of existing structures on the Lower East Side, but in 1902 the Hospital moved to a purpose-built hospital building on Jefferson and Cherry Streets. Construction on the Dazian Pavilion, the first building of Beth Israel's main campus on 17th Street on Stuyvesant Square, began in 1922. The building was completed in 1929. In the early 1930s Beth Israel affiliated with the Jewish Maternity Hospital, and in 1946, following the gradual absorption of the Maternity Hospital by the obstetrics department of Beth Israel, the two institutions were legally consolidated into a single entity under the Beth Israel Hospital Association name. In the ensuing years the Hospital affiliated with numerous other medical institutions and expanded its 17th Street campus through the construction of new buildings and the purchase of adjacent structures. In 1965, following Beth Israel's acquisition of the neighboring Manhattan General Hospital, the institution became known as the Beth Israel Medical Center. In 1997, Beth Israel merged with St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center and the Long Island College Hospital to form the Greater Metropolitan Health System, whose name was changed to Continuum Health Partners in 1998. Following the merger of Continuum Health Partners and The Mount Sinai Medical Center in 2013, Beth Israel became a part of the newly established Mount Sinai Health System. It was renamed Mount Sinai Beth Israel the following year.
The Beth Israel Hospital was founded in New York City in 1889 and opened its first inpatient location in 1891. Initially established to serve the Lower East Side's growing population of Eastern European Jewish immigrants, the Hospital grew into a major charitable hospital serving patients of all backgrounds. In the 1890s it was based out of existing structures on the Lower East Side, but in 1902 the Hospital moved to a purpose-built hospital building on Jefferson and Cherry Streets. Construction on the Dazian Pavilion, the first building of Beth Israel's main campus on 17th Street on Stuyvesant Square, began in 1922. The building was completed in 1929. In the early 1930s Beth Israel affiliated with the Jewish Maternity Hospital, and in 1946, following the gradual absorption of the Maternity Hospital by the obstetrics department of Beth Israel, the two institutions were legally consolidated into a single entity under the Beth Israel Hospital Association name. In the ensuing years the Hospital affiliated with numerous other medical institutions and expanded its 17th Street campus through the construction of new buildings and the purchase of adjacent structures. In 1965, following Beth Israel's acquisition of the neighboring Manhattan General Hospital, the institution became known as the Beth Israel Medical Center. In 1997, Beth Israel merged with St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center and the Long Island College Hospital to form the Greater Metropolitan Health System, whose name was changed to Continuum Health Partners in 1998. Following the merger of Continuum Health Partners and The Mount Sinai Medical Center in 2013, Beth Israel became a part of the newly established Mount Sinai Health System. It was renamed Mount Sinai Beth Israel the following year.
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Morton Davidson, MD came to Beth Israel as a resident in 1959, trained in internal medicine under Dr. Arthur Fishberg, and spent his career at Beth Israel. He served as medical director of Beth Israel’s Bernstein Institute, which pioneered outpatient methadone treatment in the 1960s and 1970s, and as President of Beth Israel’s Medical Board for the 1989-1990 term.
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In this interview, Dr. Davidson discusses his career at Beth Israel Medical Center, including his time as a resident, his work as medical director of the Bernstein Institute, which administered Beth Israel’s pioneering methadone treatment program, and his service on the Medical Board. Other topics discussed include Beth Israel’s affiliation with the Hospital for Joint Diseases, a first responder program established after the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, and a capitation practice established with a New York City trade union. Individuals discussed in depth include: Leon Ginzburg, MD; Arthur Fishberg, MD; Robert Newman, MD, MPH; Samuel Hausman; Louis Venet, MD; Ray Trussell, MD; Harold Trigg, MD.
Transcript is available.
Original master recorded in OGG format via Automatic Call Recorder app on Nicholas Webb's personal Android phone; converted to MP3 using Audacity. MP3 sent to MediaScribe for transcription 11/13/2017.
A redacted version of this interview is available for use. The full version contains contains personal health information and is restricted.
Copyright is held by Mount Sinai. Please contact the Archives (MSArchives@mssm.edu) for more information.
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Stretches of empty time towards end of recording as Ms. Johnson gets up to look things up at her workstation.
Draft transcription available upon request.
Audio sent to MediaScribe for transcription 2/12/2018.
This material is available for use. Please contact the Archives (MSArchives@mssm.edu) for more information.
Copyright is held by Mount Sinai. Please contact the Archives (MSArchives@mssm.edu) for more information.
Robert Newman, MD, MPH (1937-2018) was an internationally renowned expert on addiction treatment who served as President of Beth Israel Medical Center from 1979 to 1997 and as CEO of Continuum Health Partners from 1997 to 2000. Dr. Newman was born in the Netherlands in 1937; in 1939, his family fled Europe for the United States and he was raised in New York. He earned a bachelor's degree from NYU, a medical degree from the University of Rochester and an MPH from UC-Berkeley. Prior to joining Beth Israel, he served as Assistant Health Commissioner to the City of New York, where he was responsible for the city’s methadone treatment program. He was recruited by Beth Israel Director Ray Trussell, MD to become his replacement, joining BI in the 1970s and becoming Director (the title was later changed to President) in 1979. During his tenure at Beth Israel he oversaw numerous expansion projects, including the acquisition of two additional hospital facilities. In 1997, with the merger of Beth Israel and St. Luke’s-Roosevelt, he became the founding CEO of Continuum Health Partners, a position he held until his retirement in 2000. Dr. Newman died in 2018.
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In this interview, Dr. Newman discusses his recruitment to Beth Israel by his predecessor Ray Trussell, MD; his relationship with the Board of Trustees; BI’s role in the AIDS crisis and addiction treatment; the acquisition of Doctors Hospital and Kings Highway Hospital; the establishment of a Japanese-language medical practice; the affiliation with St. Luke’s-Roosevelt and creation of Continuum Health Partners. Individuals discussed include: Ray Trussell, MD; Charles Silver; Harold Fierman; Milton Petrie; Donna Mildvan; Harold Trigg, MD; Vincent Dole, MD and Marie Nyswander, PhD; Morton Hyman.
Transcript is available.
This material is available for use. Please contact the Archives (MSArchives@mssm.edu) for more information.
Copyright is held by Mount Sinai. Please contact the Archives (MSArchives@mssm.edu) for more information.
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This material is available for upon request. Please contact the Archives (MSArchives@mssm.edu) for more information.
Copyright is held by Mount Sinai. Please contact the Archives (MSArchives@mssm.edu) for more information.
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Audio sent to MediaScribe for transcription 5/30/2018, received draft transcription the following day. Final transcript complete.
This interview is available upon request. It may not be posted online per agreement with the donor. Please contact the Archives (MSArchives@mssm.edu) for more information.
Copyright is held by Mount Sinai. Please contact the Archives (MSArchives@mssm.edu) for more information.
Published
Recording begins in interview without introduction. Pause around 40:00 to clean up spilled water.
This interview is available upon request. Please contact the Archives (MSArchives@mssm.edu) for more information.
Copyright is held by Mount Sinai. Please contact the Archives (MSArchives@mssm.edu) for more information.