PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Linda Charles, Nurse from Mount Sinai Beth Israel Hospital on Healthcare Accessibility in Downtown Manhattan
2:45:06
·
136 sec
Linda Charles, a nurse with 34 years of experience in New York City, testifies about the importance of maintaining healthcare accessibility in Downtown Manhattan, particularly in light of the potential closure of Mount Sinai Beth Israel Hospital. She emphasizes the critical need for nearby emergency services and the strain on existing facilities.
- Highlights the closure of numerous hospitals in the area and its impact on emergency care for heart attacks and strokes
- Discusses the inefficiency of the current system where patients often visit urgent care centers before being sent to emergency rooms
- Raises concerns about staffing issues at other hospitals, particularly Bellevue, in accommodating increased patient loads
- Warns about the loss of a psychiatric emergency room and its potential impact on behavioral health services
Linda Charles
2:45:06
Good afternoon.
2:45:07
Name is Linda Charles.
2:45:08
I'm a nurse of 34 years in New York City.
2:45:11
30 years I've worked at Mount Sinai Beth well, Beth Israel Hospital discussing accessibility for Downtown Manhattan.
2:45:19
I've watched numerous hospitals close in this area.
2:45:23
When we discuss life is brain and having a heart attack, we discuss how quickly we can get to an emergency room, which mounts on IBI actually affects everybody in this room because if somebody was to have stroke or heart attack here, we are one of the closest STEMI and stroke centers to even downtown Manhattan.
2:45:44
Whereas people come in here to come to work from other states, other areas.
2:45:49
They deserve health care in their area.
2:45:52
Plus the people that live in the community.
2:45:54
Besides working at Beth Israel, I also live on the lower east side.
2:45:58
So I've seen what this has done to my family, my community, and my neighbors.
2:46:03
We discuss urgent cares open.
2:46:05
As you see, there's Urgent care basically on every corner you walk by.
2:46:10
I work in the emergency room and the constant remark from everybody is hi.
2:46:14
I was just sent here by urgent care.
2:46:17
I was just sent here by city MD.
2:46:19
So we're obviously doing something wrong because it's causing people to pay for urgent care and then pay for an ER visit.
2:46:26
With that said, I know earlier question was ask how Bellevue will staff to deal with the closure I had a colleague go an interview last week at Bellevue for a job.
2:46:38
He was told by the recruitment that they need to double their staff in order to accommodate what will happen downtown.
2:46:46
With that said, they are ready short staffed, and my colleague did turn down the job there.
2:46:52
We will also be losing a psychiatric emergency room at Mount Sinai Beth Israel.
2:46:59
Behavioral health is a huge issue and losing a 10 bed psychiatric emergency room will be definitely detrimental.
2:47:07
Bellevue goes on diversion very, very frequently.
2:47:12
We feel it at Beth Israel 1 that does happen.
2:47:15
And our ER fills up.
2:47:17
So when Bellevue fills up now, there will be no diversion for them.
2:47:22
Thank you.
