Medical Library Named, Dedicated in Honor of Former Medical Staff President Harbhajan Singh, MD

A library is a reflection of the passion for lifelong learning, the search for answers and when either or both are attained, the reward of knowledge, understanding and discernment that is to the benefit of the individual as well as those served by the individual.

So it was appropriate that on Friday, February 10 at South Nassau Communities Hospital in Oceanside, NY, family, friends, physicians, hospital staff and board members joined together to celebrate the naming and dedication of the hospital’s medical library in honor of Harbhajan Singh, MD.

While patients remember Dr. Singh, a pulmonologist, for his compassionate, expert medical care, his peers and staff who worked side-by-side with him at South Nassau for more than half of his 52-year career in medicine, attest that they were inspired by his steadfast pursuit to learn more and to understand more and to put that knowledge to work to raise the quality and standard of medical care that he provided his patients.

“When we look at the history and growth of South Nassau Communities Hospital, they are indelibly marked with Dr. Singh’s passion for patient-centered medicine and devotion to the hospital’s mission and vision,” said Richard J. Murphy, President  & CEO.  “On behalf of South Nassau physicians, staff and board members past, present and future, I salute Dr. Singh for his exemplary career in medicine.  It is our honor that we now call this the Harbhajan Singh, MD, Medical Library."

Dr. Singh joined South Nassau in 1977, and from that year onward he was a dependable, wise source of leadership, demonstrating a zeal for medical innovation centered on patient-centered care.  During his more than 30 years at South Nassau, Dr. Singh held staff appointments as President of the Medical Staff, Chief of Pulmonary Medicine, Director of the Respiratory Therapy Department, and Chairman of the Respiratory Therapy Committee, among many others.  Through those appointments Dr. Singh mentored numerous staff physicians and served as a catalyst behind South Nassau’s growth and expansion, which continues today.



Dr. Harbhajan Singh with son, Dr. Charnjit Singh, and wife, Naginder, unveil the plaque commemorating the Harbhajan Singh, MD Medical Library.

During his tenure as medical staff president, South Nassau completed an expansion of its Ambulatory Surgery Unit (ASU) to include 10 private patient suites and an enlarged holding area; established an Outpatient Dialysis Center with 18 patient suites; introduced advancements in medical technology including the multislice CT scanner; a 3-D diagnostic imaging system to locate and cure rapid heartbeats; and MicroEndoscopic Discectomy, a minimally invasive surgical procedure used to correct disabling spinal disc problems.

A native of India, Dr. Singh began his distinguished career in medicine upon graduating from Amristar Medical College in 1963, (working as an internist in New Delhi).  In 1968, he migrated to the United States, with his wife Naginder and they settled in Rockville Centre.  While she raised their sons, Charnjit (C.J.) and Sarbjit, Dr. Singh completed residency training in internal medicine and a fellowship in pulmonary medicine, soon thereafter he opened a medical office on Merrick Rd. and then Hempstead Ave. in Lynbrook, providing specialized care in pulmonary and internal medicine.  He was board certified in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Medicine, Critical Care Medicine and Sleep Medicine.
 
Inspired by his father’s love for medicine and the compassionate care that he provided his patients, son C.J. chose a career in medicine as well.  He has been an attending physician at South Nassau specializing in gastroenterology for almost 2 decades.  Sarbjit is a tenured professor at Farmingdale State College in Sports Business. Naginder has worked in an array of volunteer capacities for South Nassau.
 
“The naming and dedication of the medical library in Dr. Singh’s honor will serve as a constant reminder of his commitment to lifelong learning and leadership to build on the hospital's tradition of excellence in health care,” said Adhi Sharma, MD, chief medical officer.

The Harbhajan Singh, MD Medical Library offers a collection of books, journals (both print and online), and access to clinical databases. The library’s mission is to meet the ongoing information needs of physicians and other clinical staff in support of patient care, teaching, learning, and research.

Designated a Magnet® hospital by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) for outstanding nursing care, South Nassau® Communities Hospital is one of the region’s largest hospitals, with 455 beds, more than 900 physicians and 3,500 employees. Located in Oceanside, NY, the hospital is an acute-care, not-for-profit teaching hospital that provides state-of-the-art care in cardiac, oncologic, orthopedic, bariatric, pain management, mental health and emergency services. In addition to its extensive outpatient specialty centers, South Nassau provides emergency and elective angioplasty, and offers Novalis Tx™ and Gamma Knife® radiosurgery technologies. South Nassau is the only Trauma Center on the South Shore of Nassau County verified by the American College of Surgeons. South Nassau also is a designated Stroke Center by the New York State Department of Health and Comprehensive Community Cancer Center by the American College of Surgeons, and is an accredited center of the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Association and Quality Improvement Program.  In addition, the hospital has been awarded the Joint Commission’s gold seal of approval as a Top Performer on Key Quality Measures, including heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia and surgical care; and disease-specific care for hip and joint replacement, wound care and end-stage renal disease. For more information, visit www.southnassau.org.