Hospital Closure Worries Boro Officials
The New York State Department of Health has reported in the past that Queens County did not have a sufficient number of beds before Parkway and the Caritas hospitals closed, and that Queens County was is in urgent need of additional beds.
Queens County currently has 27% of New York City’s population and effectively lost 32.5% of its bed capacity with those hospital closures, and had the lowest hospital bed ratio per 1,000 populations of all New York City Boroughs prior to Peninsula Hospital now closing for the second time.
Boro officials should be requiring critical operational reports from hospitals which at minimum include a hospitals financial condition, clinical disclosure regarding patient care services, oversight and outcomes, and compliance measures taken to insure clinically that patients are protected.
The organization and delivery of safe medical services requires internal medical staff oversight from the various medical directors and the hospitals Quality Assurance Committee. Medical services require documented policies and procedures for staff to follow which is paramount for successfully exceeding minimum state and national regulatory and licensure requirements in providing “Trusted” and “Safe” delivery of patient care services to the community.
Hospitals and their ancillary support medical services must embrace a culture which addresses quality of care practices, supported by well-defined clinical practice guidelines ensuring the safety and welfare of the public at large. This process requires more than a documented mission statement elaborating on “Patient Excellence”, and unless staff is well trained and understands the significance of their individual responsibility, problems will continue to surface.
The loss and continued deterioration of healthcare services in Queens, and lack of evidence based medicine for the prevention of chronic illnesses and disease will continue to plague the communities at large without appropriate intervention by “Boro Officials”
Proper planning and integration of a comprehensive health care plan has always been the hallmark for success, and in its absence, further loss of critical healthcare services may occur in the Borough of Queens.
Boro Officials should require full transparency from hospitals with regularly scheduled releases of pertinent financial and clinical information which will provide the public with information necessary as to their choice service providers in time of need. The reporting of operational efficiencies and inefficiencies will strengthen a hospitals commitment to continuously improve and monitor patient care.
Richard Wildzunas
Chief Operating Officer
Community Wellness Centers of America, LLC