Friday morning, Wagner College and Richmond University Medical Center signed an agreement to cooperate in community health education and care in the community of Port Richmond. The agreement makes RUMC the latest member of Wagner College’s Port Richmond Partnership, a collaboration between the college and more than two dozen nonprofits, schools, churches and helping agencies focused on health, education, immigration and the economy.
“This agreement to solidify the partnership with RUMC is not a new relationship, but a deeper relationship,” said Pat Tooker, Dean for Integrated Learning at Wagner College. “This memorandum of understanding has a unique twist, because RUMC’s reach in health care is not just the North Shore, but island-wide. But we know there are significant health disparities on the North Shore.
“We’re excited to re-establish this relationship under the leadership of Dan Messina. RUMC is an ‘anchor institution’ adding on to the other health care partners in the Port Richmond Partnership,” Tooker said.
Other health and wellness partners in the Port Richmond Partnership are the Staten Island Partnership for Community Wellness and Project Hospitality.
Dan Messina, CEO of Richmond University Medical Center, signed the agreement on behalf of RUMC.
“We are really proud and happy. The chemistry is fabulous between our organizations,” Messina said. “Today, care is being pushed outside of the walls of the hospital, so this relationship comes at a very meaningful and important time.”