Saturday, December 23, 2023

Reports: State directs Mount Sinai to stop its closure of Beth Israel

ICYMI: The New York State Department of Health has ordered Mount Sinai to "immediately stop" the closure of its Beth Israel campus on First Avenue at 16th Street. 

"Continuing to close beds without approval is unlawful and may result in civil penalties of $2,000 per day for each day that the beds or services are closed without approval," wrote Stephanie Shulman, director of the Division of Hospitals and Diagnostic and Treatment Centers at the health department, to Elizabeth Sellman, Beth Israel’s president and CEO. 

The letter also said the department would pursue other remedies, such as a court order, if the closures don't stop.
Background: 
Mount Sinai submitted a proposal to the state health department in October to close Beth Israel by July 2024. The health system then submitted an addendum last month saying it would be necessary to close some services before the end of the year because of an exodus of doctors and decreased patient volume, which it said put patient safety at risk. 
Reaction: There is also a survey for community members to let the New York State Department of Health know how important the community hospital is... and why Beth Israel needs to be be saved. Find the survey here.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good news, but I think too late. My understanding is they'll get a $2,000 a day fine, whereas they're supposedly losing over $100 million a year. A drop in the bucket. Most employees left a long time ago and the ones that are left are overworked. Personally, I think PS64 would good a good spot for a hospital or at least an ER.

Anonymous said...

Mt. Sinai should be forced by the State to reinstate all the departments it has already closed ILLEGALLY and fully restaff every one of them..

yetanothercommenter said...

Mt Sinai is losing too much money. The insurance cartels are looting public health. Basic health care as a profit center is inherently corrupt and inhumane.

PS64 wouldn't be a good location for hospital or ER. The surrounding streets aren't right for that kind of traffic and the renovation and buildout would be incredibly expensive for a relatively small facility. It that kind of money can be found figure out how to make Beth Israel solvent. The specialized facilities are already there.

Unfortunately unless the Governor steps in a big foots the situation I think the closing is a done deal. Even then it's a big financial hole.

Anonymous said...

A nurse JK said that most staff have already found jobs elsewhere and have left already.

Dan said...

$2k ain't stopping greeding Mount Sinai from abandoning people's healthcare in return for more corporate handouts.


The wealthy gave a lot to Mt Sinai and we didn't even get a t-shirt.
https://www.mountsinai.org/about/newsroom/2021/mount-sinai-health-system-launches-bold-two-billion-capital-campaign

Anonymous said...

Most of the staff there live or lived In Stuy Town / PC Village. Once MS BI close, most that are still there (along witht he other middle-class folks) will most likely move and ST/PC will now house house the riches and NYU kids, which was the plan all long when Tishman Speyer bought it from MetLife in 2006.