NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue Strengthens New York City’s Special Pathogen Preparedness through Specialized Hands-On Training
About fifty health care workers from Elmhurst Hospital, Harlem Hospital, and Jacobi Hospital participated in Level 2 special pathogen training
Oct 09, 2026
NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue today hosted around fifty health care workers from NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst, NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem, and NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi for a specialized hands-on training in special pathogens preparedness held in collaboration with NYC Health + Hospitals’ Central Office of Biopreparedness and Emergency Management teams. The all-day session was designed to strengthen the public health care system’s capacity and coordination across its hospital facilities to safely respond to special pathogens such as Ebola and other high-consequence infectious diseases.
Elmhurst Hospital, Harlem Hospital, and Jacobi Hospital are among 15 new Level 2 Special Pathogen Treatment Centers (SPTCs) in HHS Region 2 participating in the Special Pathogen Treatment and Network Development (STAND) Award program. The three NYC Health + Hospitals facilities received STAND awards in January 2026. Administered nationally by the National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center (NETEC), with support from the federal Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR), the STAND program supports the hospitals’ efforts to build the workforce, infrastructure, and operational capabilities needed to prepare for and respond to special pathogen threats.
“Throughout our history, Bellevue Hospital has built the expertise and systems needed to safely respond to some of the world’s most serious infectious disease threats,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue Chief Executive Officer Eric Wei, MD, MBA. “By sharing that knowledge with our colleagues at Elmhurst Hospital, Harlem Hospital, and Jacobi Hospital, we are strengthening the ability of the city’s public hospital system to respond together when a threat emerges. That means a better prepared workforce, stronger hospitals, and greater protection for the New Yorkers who depend on us.”
“Preparing for high-consequence infectious diseases requires a coordinated, systemwide approach,” said Syra Madad, DHSc, Chief Biopreparedness Officer at NYC Health + Hospitals. “As Elmhurst Hospital, Harlem Hospital, and Jacobi Hospital work toward becoming fully operational Level 2 Special Pathogen Treatment Centers, our collaboration with Bellevue Hospital, a recognized leader in special pathogens preparedness and response, allows us to build on the expertise and strengths across our health system. By strengthening our shared capabilities, we are building a more coordinated and resilient health system that is prepared to response safely and effectively and protect New Yorkers.”
“We train and practice before a crisis so that when a patient does arrive, our teams are ready,” said Vikramjit Mukherjee, MD, Chief of Critical Care and Special Pathogens Program at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue, and NETEC Co-Principal Investigator. “Building that capability across multiple hospitals makes our entire health system stronger and better prepared to respond.”
Bellevue Hospital serves as the Level 1 Regional Emerging Special Pathogen Treatment Center (RESPTC) for HHS Region 2, which includes New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The hospital provides training, technical assistance, and expertise to Level 2 facilities across the region. The latest training was part of an ongoing effort to expand and strengthen the Level 2 network regionally and nationally. Bellevue Hospital hosted all 15 regional Level 2 awardees for an initial training in February 2026 and has since worked directly with facilities across the region to provide tailored technical assistance and hands-on training.
During the full day training at Bellevue Hospital, participants practiced NYC Health + Hospitals systemized protocols, including donning and doffing personal protective equipment, infection prevention practices, operational procedures, and the safe handling of medical waste.
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About NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue
NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue is America’s oldest public hospital, established in 1736. Affiliated with the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, the 851-bed hospital is a major referral center for highly complex cases, with 6,000 employees including highly skilled, interdisciplinary clinical staff. The hospital is a Level 1 Trauma Center and annually it sees about 103,000 emergency room visits, and more than 520,000 outpatient visits. Clinical centers of excellence include: Emergency Medicine and Trauma Care; Cardiovascular Services; Bariatric Surgery; Designated Regional Perinatal Center and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit; Children’s Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program; and Cancer Services. For more information on Bellevue, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org/bellevue and follow us on Facebook and X (Twitter). For more information on the Special Pathogens Program, please visit www.R2RESPTC.org.
About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal health care system in the nation serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city’s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlusHealth — all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 46,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.