THE ENTERTAINMENT COMMUNITY FUND’S FRIEDMAN J. HEALTH CENTER RECEIVES 2024 TONY HONOR
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, PLEASE
THE ENTERTAINMENT COMMUNITY FUND AND MT. SINAI DOCTORS’
SAMUEL J. FRIEDMAN HEALTH CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
RECEIVES 2024 TONY HONOR FOR EXCELLENCE IN THEATRE
PHOTOS AND VIDEO AVAILABLE
New York, NY (June 18, 2024) – On Sunday, June 16, the Entertainment Community Fund and Mount Sinai Doctors’ Samuel J. Friedman Health Center for the Performing Arts received a 2024 Tony Honor for Excellence in Theatre, recognizing their commitment to the wellness of the entertainment community. Jason Kindt, DO, Medical Director of The Friedman Health Center, accepted the honor and attended the 2024 Tony Awards ceremony at Lincoln Center where The Friedman Health Center made history as the first medical facility to ever receive a Tony Award. To download photos, click here.
To view and embed Dr. Kindt’s acceptance speech on behalf of The Samuel J. Friedman Health Center, click here.
Earlier this month, the Fund held a private celebration hosted by Entertainment Community Fund Chair of the Board Annette Bening and Shubert Organization Chairman and CEO Robert Wankel to recognize and thank all of the doctors who work at The Friedman Health Center. To download photos from the event, click here.
“We’re grateful for this recognition and very proud of the work we do at The Friedman Health Center. We are here to help as the only healthcare facility in New York City dedicated to the specific needs of the performing arts community,” said Dr. Kindt. “We are passionate about the care we provide to those in the industry so they are healthy and able to create unforgettable art.”
In partnership with Mount Sinai Doctors, The Friedman Health Center is the only health center in New York City dedicated to the primary and specialty care needs of the theater and performing arts community.
“This recognition is a testament to years of dedication at The Friedman Heath Center, along with the impactful collaboration between Mount Sinai Doctors and the Entertainment Community Fund. We are so proud to be Broadway’s medical home and provide top-quality care to help keep Broadway not only running, but also in good health,” shared Fund President and CEO Joe Benincasa.
The Friedman Health Center, which opened in 2017 and is located in the heart of Times Square, offers primary care, internal and sports medicine, HIV and trans care, gynecology and podiatry. The Health Center also offers expedited referrals within the Mount Sinai Health System and accepts most insurance plans, including commercial insurances, several Marketplace/Exchange plans, Medicare and Workers’ Compensation. Uninsured arts workers can be seen for $40 a visit and health insurance counseling and enrollment are available to all.
“Mount Sinai Doctors is proud to partner with the Entertainment Community Fund to bring The Samuel J. Friedman Health Center for the Performing Arts to life and help provide exceptional medical care to members of the performing arts industry,” said Abigail Chen, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Mount Sinai Doctors Medical Group. “Our collaboration has helped individuals from all aspects of the entertainment community receive both primary and specialty care focused on their unique needs. We are incredibly proud to receive the Tony Honor for Excellence in Theatre.”
The Friedman Health Center is always looking to address and assist with the current and future needs of those working in the theater community. During times of increased demands for health care, The Friedman Health Center responds swiftly. As Broadway came back to work in 2021, Friedman Health Center doctors worked closely with COVID Safety Managers for diagnosis and return to work per COVID-safety protocols. The Friedman Health Center is open for extended hours (until 8 pm Mondays-Thursdays, 5 pm on Fridays and 4 pm on Saturdays) to accommodate the schedules of those working in theater.
Just this year, The Friedman Health Center created a brand-new Stage, Company and Theater Managers Hotline that provides a direct line to The Health Center’s medical team for time-sensitive needs of workers in their theaters. Stage, company and theater managers can now text this hotline number any time with a medical need of someone working in their theater, and a Friedman Health Center doctor will respond to them within an hour with guidance and next steps.
The Friedman Health Center also provides an annual Flu Shot Program for Broadway shows and Theater Organizations in New York City. In 2023, 2,100 people working at 43 Broadway and off-Broadway shows received free flu shots in their theaters. The Friedman Health Center also hosted Free Flu Shot Days for individuals and smaller groups in the entertainment community.
Learn more about The Friedman Health Center at entertainmentcommunity.org/HealthCenter and mountsinai.org/locations/samuel-friedman.
ABOUT THE ENTERTAINMENT COMMUNITY FUND
The Entertainment Community Fund, formerly The Actors Fund, is a national human services organization that addresses the unique needs of people who work in performing arts and entertainment with services focused on health and wellness, career and life, and housing. Since 1882, the Fund has sought to ensure stability, encourage resiliency and be a safety net for those who shape our country’s cultural vibrancy. Learn more at entertainmentcommunity.org.
ABOUT THE SAMUEL J. FREIDMAN HEALTH CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
The Samuel J. Friedman Health Center for the Performing Arts was created by the Entertainment Community Fund (formerly The Actors Fund) and Mount Sinai Doctors and opened in 2017. The Friedman Health Center is the medical provider for the arts and entertainment community in New York City. Located in Midtown Manhattan, the center’s group of Mount Sinai primary care doctors are there to help patients manage chronic diseases, treat illness and maintain a healthy lifestyle, as well as provide general family care and services in gynecology, podiatry and sports medicine. The Friedman Health Center also offers expedited referrals to physicians within the Mount Sinai Health System (one of the largest medical systems in the New York metro area), extended hours that are sensitive to entertainment industry work schedules, continuity of care for those who experience regular changes in health insurance coverage, and health insurance enrollment and counseling available through the Entertainment Community Fund. The Friedman Health Center is led by Dr. Jason Kindt (Medical Director), Dr. Leila Hagshenas (Medical Director) and Dr. Abigail Chen (Chief Medical Director for Mount Sinai Doctors–Downtown). Learn more here.
ABOUT THE MOUNT SINAI HEALTH SYSTEM
Mount Sinai Health System is one of the largest academic medical systems in the New York metro area, with more than 43,000 employees working across eight hospitals, more than 400 outpatient practices, more than 600 labs, a school of nursing, and a leading school of medicine and graduate education. Mount Sinai advances health for all people, everywhere, by taking on the most complex health care challenges of our time—discovering and applying new scientific learning and knowledge; developing safer, more effective treatments; educating the next generation of medical leaders and innovators; and supporting local communities by delivering high-quality care to all who need it. Through the integration of its hospitals, labs, and schools, Mount Sinai offers comprehensive health care solutions from birth through geriatrics, leveraging innovative approaches such as artificial intelligence and informatics while keeping patients’ medical and emotional needs at the center of all treatment. The Health System includes approximately 9,000 primary and specialty care physicians and 11 free-standing joint-venture centers throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, Long Island, and Florida. Hospitals within the System are consistently ranked by Newsweek’s® “The World’s Best Smart Hospitals, Best in State Hospitals, World Best Hospitals and Best Specialty Hospitals” and by U.S. News & World Report’s® “Best Hospitals” and “Best Children’s Hospitals.” The Mount Sinai Hospital is on the U.S. News & World Report® “Best Hospitals” Honor Roll for 2023-2024.For more information, visit mountsinai.org or find Mount Sinai on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
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