If there is one thing that the COVID-19 pandemic has taught this country, it’s that hospitals are both necessary and underfunded. Millions sought medical treatment and many were simply not able to attain the necessary service to sustain their health. Systemically, America struggles to find a solution to the overwhelming health care problem. However, some individuals have taken the initiative to push for change and growth in the medical industry using their own finances. One such individual is Isaac Toussie. Carrying on his father’s legacy, Toussie has made a plethora of donations to hospitals throughout New York City and America as a whole.
Toussie’s desire to support stems partly from his desire to innovate. Toussie’s work includes being on the cutting edge of oil exploration strategies with hyper green technologies and minimal impact platforms (MIPS) and it’s these same innovative juices that propel his cutting-edge philanthropic works. His passion spurred contributions to Mount Sinai Medical Center, continuing a family legacy started by his father, Robert. Isaac’s donations to Mount Sinai Medical Center allowed the hospital to continue diversification of research, clinical studies, and treatment. Much like in his professional career, Toussie’s donations helped pushed the boundaries of science and innovation. Among other things, Toussie’s donations helped fund the immunobiology practice at the hospital, a field that has grown in significance given the rise of particular viruses.
Founded in 1852, Mount Sinai has grown to accommodate over 1,100 beds. The hospital is a teaching facility that trains the next generation of doctors with over a century of accumulated expertise. The hospital specializes in 11 fields, each with specific subspecialties. Toussie has donated to multiple specialties, with an eye toward innovating medical technologies. Toussie believes that by funding research projects, he could help millions by aiding the development of new technology that could target diseases such as HIV and certain cancers. In the hands of Mount Sinai specialists with recognitions in multiple rankings by U.S. News & World Report 2021-2022, the aid has immeasurable potential.
Toussie’s contributions to the hospitals of New York City expands beyond a singular entity. Impressed by the way in which NewYork-Presbyterian treated a family member of his, Toussie investigated the doctors and programs that the hospital housed. He elected to make substantial donations to the hospital, knowing that it would be put to good use. In particular, Toussie lauded the patient care the hospital provided. “The doctors were able to speak to the patients in a kind and pleasing manner that supplemented the experienced medical care provided by the hospital.” Like Mount Sinai, NewYork- Presbyterian is one of New York’s foremost acclaimed hospitals. Affiliated with two of New York’s most prestigious universities, Columbia and Cornell, NewYork-Presbyterian has been providing care to the area for over 20 years. The size of the hospital, around 2,600 beds, does not prevent the staff from providing top of the line care; the hospital was ranked #1 for NYC metropolitan hospitals by U.S. News and World Reports. Seeing over 2 million visits annually, Toussie’s donations helped one of the country’s leading hospitals continue to provide world renowned care.
Toussie’s commitment to teaching hospitals and training that they provide to the next generation led to a subsequent donation to NYU Langone Medical Center. The hospital has a strong commitment to developing their medical school and in 2018, eliminated tuition requirements for incoming students to attract the country’s most qualified students. In a letter of gratitude to Toussie, a representative of the institution stated that “NYU Langone has embraced an ambitious new vision: to become a world-class; integrated academic medical center that always puts patients first.” The message resonated with Toussie; that is vision that he has embraced for much of his life.
Toussie’s commitment to hospitals is admirable and his contributions to those entities are far reaching. Those contributions have the potential to spur innovation and growth with endless potential to advance medicine.
This article is presented for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as financial or other advice.