New Maimonides Facility Boosts Health Care Access in Brooklyn's Caribbean Community

"“You feel a little more confident in having your doctor be someone from the Caribbean; it's easy for you to speak with him,” said Celestine, who has been a patient of the center for 12 years."

"“We need the population to have access to health care because if we're talking about the risk factors, why high blood pressure is so high in the black population, one of them is access to medical facilities,” Daniel, the hospital's community clinic attending physician, told Documented."

"“The way to deal with this problem really is to start prevention early,” said Daniel, adding that issues with high blood pressure in the community can appear as early as 10 years old. “This clinic, being at the center of East Flatbush, is vital when it comes to dealing with high blood pressure in that population.”"

"In April, the center expanded its services to transform into a “one-stop shop,” offering specialties such as urology, cardiology, rheumatology services, blood tests, and EKGs. Daniel explained that while the center has been around for more than 20 years, it operated mostly as a primary care center. With the introduction of several specialty services, barriers to care are reduced and patients no longer need to travel outside"

A multispecialty center on Nostrand Avenue provides convenient access to health care for patients in East Flatbush. A patient values cultural connection with a Caribbean-born physician, describing easier communication and greater confidence. The center expanded in April into a one-stop shop offering specialties including urology, cardiology, and rheumatology, along with blood tests and EKGs. Access to medical facilities is described as a key factor behind high rates of hypertension in Black populations. Hypertension is diagnosed more often among Caribbean-born New Yorkers than among immigrants overall or U.S.-born New Yorkers. Prevention is emphasized as starting early, with blood pressure issues potentially appearing by age 10. The center’s specialty expansion reduces barriers by limiting the need for patients to travel elsewhere.

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