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[[image - Mrs. Laverne Adams]]

You will often hear her name being paged down the corridors of North General Hospital. She sees more patients than the average physicians, but she is not a doctor. She can be seen at any time of the day, anywhere around the Hospital, sometimes running errands for those that cannot get around. 

Her job is the Patient Advocate, but she does much more than that. She has often become a friend, a confidante, as well as an advocate of those that come to the Hospital. 

Mrs. Laverne Adams, mother of two and grandmother of two, started as a clerk at North General five years ago. Her talents relating to patients and expressing their points of view were tremendous, and she quickly gained the respect of her co-workers and the Administration.

Mrs. Adams came to New York City when she was six years old from Richmond, Virginia. She lives in Lenox Terrace and is very active in her community and her church, Greater Zion Baptist, where she regularly sponsors flea markets, benefits, and fundraisers. "I'm in everything," she smiles emphatically, "like an old-fashioned Baptist."

She is an active member of the J. Raymond Jones Democratic Club, and she was President of her tenants' organization for three years. While president, the organization sponsored bus outings for tenants' and seniors, and parties where seniors received groceries donated by the tenants. She was appointed by Andrew Stein, Borough President of Manhattan to Community Board 10. Her term recently expired. 

And as if that were not enough, Mrs. Adams is now attending the College of New Rochelle, New Resources. 

"I think it is important to let people know that as soon as they become a patient at North General, there are many services available to them."

A Patient Advocate takes care of all complaints a patient may have about anything that could go wrong while they are in the hospital. The Patient Advocate takes them through the institutional red tape, hurrying the process so that they can rectify that particular situation. If a phone is not working, it is the Patient Advocate that finds a solution to the problem. 

Mrs Adams loves the people with whom she works. It is obvious in the way people automatically relate to her in the lobby or in an office. She also has an excellent report with the staff and Administration. "If I can help one person a day, then the job is worth it to me."

People still come to her for help with income taxes, social security questions, with food stamp applications, with personal problems, Mrs. Adams takes it upon herself to help them find answers or people who can get them the answers. 

Once, she remembers fondly, an elderly lady who had been a patient at North General, came all the way from Queens to repay Mrs. Adams $2.00. "And people come to North General from all over New York City."

North General Hospital's Patient Advocate serves the patient and the hospital by being instrumental in helping patients and the community not to fear hospitals, but to trust in it. All work together for an efficient and compassionate health facility. 

Mrs. Adams is a member of the New York Chapter, Society of Patient Representatives. 

[[image - Virginia Davis Floyd, M.D.]]

Virginia Davis Floyd, M.D., became the highest ranking black female physician in Georgia's public health system when she became director of Family Health on July 1. 

For the past two and one-half years, she had been an assistant professor in the Department of Community Medicine and Family Practice and the acting director of the Family Practice Residency Program at MSM.

Whether one worked with Dr. Floyd in the hospital, in the classroom, in the residency program, in the community, in a trustee meeting, or simply observed her, all responses to her leaving the school would be similar to those of Daniel S. Blumenthal, M.D., acting chairman of the Department of Community Medicine and Family Practice. 

"Dr. Floyd was certainly a unique and valuable member of our faculty, and we are especially grateful to her for her work with the residency program. We are very sorry to see her go. She brought energy and life. Our congratulations to the state health department."

[[image - Dr. Jeanne Smith]]

Since the early 1900's Harlem Hospital has had a formalized medical board, The medical board is comprised of physicians who represent the medical staff and assist to direct the hospital in medical concerns. Since its inception, the medical board presidency has been held by a man.

On July 1, 1984, Dr. Jeanne Smith made history when she became the first woman to hold the position. It is an office that requires the investment of time and intricate attention to details. 

She will be required as president to organize important medical board activities that include monitoring the quality of patient care, reviewing physician's credentials, and reviewing medical board policies, as well as closely interacting with the hospital's administrators. The position is seen as one of the most important in the hospital structure. 

Dr. Smith is also the director of the Harlem Hospital-Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center, a position which she has held for eight years. The Sickle 

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