Policies and procedures by which the program assures continuity of care and that an optimal working environment is maintained were developed in July, 1989, to be in full compliance with Part 405.4 of the Health Code of the State of New York, which regulates residency staffing and supervision. The tenets of these policies and procedures encompass a compromise in the discipline of surgery to ensure a commitment to continuity of patient care while providing an alert and responsive resident to effectively and responsibly care for his/her patients and are as follows:

The department of surgery is in full compliance with the department of health regulations, which relate to residents� working hours. 

The type of support services provided at Mary Immaculate and St. Johns Queens Hospitals as well as their availability are:

• Seventeen FTE Registered Physician Assistants complement the resident staff at the divisions.
• Phlebotomists have been employed to obtain blood samples at 6:00a.m., 11:00 a.m., and 4:00 p.m. daily.
• The central laboratory was computerized so that ward clerks and house staff can obtain lab results at data retrieval terminals in all areas of the hospital

The type of facilities for use during on-call time are private rooms within the hospital with toilet and shower accommodations.