PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Jean Ryan, President of Disabled in Action of Metropolitan New York (DIA), on Hospital Closures and Healthcare Access
3:10:18
·
135 sec
Jean Ryan, President of Disabled in Action of Metropolitan New York (DIA), testifies about the negative impacts of hospital closures on vulnerable populations, particularly seniors, sick people, poor people, and people with disabilities. She shares her personal experiences with two hospital closures and highlights the challenges faced by patients in finding continued care.
- Ryan emphasizes the difficulties in transitioning to new healthcare providers, including long wait times for appointments and issues with accessibility.
- She expresses concern about the lack of proper equipment in some medical facilities, citing an example of X-ray machines without accompanying technicians.
- Ryan concludes by raising concerns about the city's preparedness for future epidemics if hospitals continue to close.
Jean Ryan
3:10:18
Hi.
3:10:19
Good afternoon.
3:10:20
I'm Gene Ryan, president of disabled inaction of Metropolitan New York, otherwise known as DIA.
3:10:28
The threat and actuality of hospitals closing creates ripples of uncertainty, worry, and lack of medical care for employees and patients who are in their wake.
3:10:40
I should know.
3:10:41
I've been through 2 hospital closures, Long Island College Hospital as well as the soon to close New York Eye And Ear Hospital.
3:10:50
Hospital closures negatively affect senior sick people, poor people, and people with disabilities.
3:10:57
When a hospital is in the process of closing, there are fewer and fewer patients, doctors and staff, but more and more guards.
3:11:07
I don't know why.
3:11:08
Do they think we're going to storm the place?
3:11:11
At which my doctor was the only person left in his whole department.
3:11:16
He moved to an inaccessible office with a step and a very narrow door I couldn't fit through, and I had to try to find some other doctor and actually have never been successful.
3:11:27
When your doctor leaves, Who do you see next?
3:11:30
It will be someone who doesn't know you or your medical history.
3:11:34
If you can find another doctor, it will likely be months before you can get an appointment.
3:11:39
Many times, the new doctor is in an office which is not wheelchair accessible or is too far away.
3:11:45
Some patients just give up and don't get care.
3:11:48
There doesn't seem to be any real effort to help patients in the transition, and that's really important if a hospital does close.
3:12:00
And then I wanted to say that I was shocked when I recently went to the CDMD and they they had X-ray machines but no text.
3:12:09
She said none of them had text, and they might get one in 2 days for a few hours.
3:12:16
That that was like, well, how could you then go to urgent care?
3:12:20
The last thing I want to say is that I also worry about hospitals closing because when the next epidemic comes to New York City, where will we go?
3:12:32
Thank you.
