Q&A
Concerns about SUNY Downstate's kidney transplant program
1:00:51
·
98 sec
Council Member Mercedes Narcisse raises concerns about the potential closure of SUNY Downstate's kidney transplant program, the only one in Brooklyn. Dr. Laura Iavicoli and Dr. Michelle Morse discuss the implications and health equity issues related to this potential closure.
- SUNY Downstate runs the only kidney transplant program in Brooklyn
- Health and Hospitals does not have a kidney transplant program
- Access to kidney transplants is identified as a serious health equity issue
- The program has transplanted over 3,000 people in the Brooklyn area since its establishment
- The potential closure raises concerns about racial equity in access to kidney transplants
Mercedes Narcisse
1:00:51
Sunny Downstate runs the only kidney transplant program in the entire broiler booklet.
1:00:58
If they were to close.
1:00:59
Would Kings County be able to absorb patients in need of kidney transportation, or would patients need to go to a private hospital or to a facility in another borough?
Laura Iavicoli
1:01:13
I will answer first, and then I'll pass it to Doctor.
1:01:16
Morris.
1:01:16
But health and hospitals does not have a kidney transplant program.
Mercedes Narcisse
1:01:21
I know that, and that's worried me a lot.
1:01:24
That's one of the reason that I was there.
1:01:27
About 15, 16 years ago to prevent that from happening for us to come.
1:01:32
And, unfortunately, the investment in our hospital is a problem, and especially those that rely on Medicaid, and Medicaid is not moving.
1:01:40
So I I you have something to say, I think, to add to it.
Dr. Michelle Morse
1:01:44
I'll just add to to your comments and to Doctor.
1:01:47
Yavacoli's that, you know, this is certainly a serious health equity issue, access to kidney trans plant is a major challenge in the city at baseline.
1:01:58
The wait lists are quite long.
1:02:00
It is also a racial equity issue.
1:02:04
There is a large inequity in the number of people who are black, who get access to kidney transplants.
1:02:11
And as far as we're aware, the SUNY Downstate kidney transplant program has transplanted over three thousand people in the Brooklyn area since it was established.
1:02:21
So we do consider access to specialty care like kidney transplant to be a critical health equity issue for Brooklyn.
