PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Debra Bergen, Former Staff Member of Doctors Council
3:42:36
ยท
97 sec
Debra Bergen, a former staff member of Doctors Council, testified in support of attending physicians at H+H Hospitals. She highlighted the challenges faced by doctors, including rising living costs, longer hours, increased stress, and burnout due to chronic understaffing.
- Bergen emphasized the importance of recruiting, retaining, and paying doctors fairly.
- She called on the city to negotiate in good faith and ensure H+H and its affiliates invest in a fair contract for physicians.
- Bergen drew on her experience representing physicians from 1987 to 1991, noting the dedication and expertise of H+H doctors.
Debra Bergen
3:42:36
Can you hear me?
Mercedes Narcisse
3:42:37
Yes.
3:42:38
We can.
Debra Bergen
3:42:39
Okay.
3:42:39
Hi.
3:42:40
My name is Deborah Bergen.
3:42:41
I live in New York in Manhattan.
3:42:43
I'm here in support of the members of the doctors council, the attending physicians at the HH Hospitals because I am the next staff member of the doctors council.
3:42:52
I worked there from 1987 to 1991 under the leadership of doctor Barry Leibowitz.
3:42:59
And while I was there, I represented the very same physicians at the hospitals that are under siege now, and I organized the doctor as the lead the lead organizer for the doctors at Toni Island Hospital.
3:43:11
I'm retired from the labor movement in New York now after 30 years.
3:43:15
But having represented the attending physicians at the doctor's council, I know firsthand the dedication that they have and the level of expertise that they bring to their patients every day.
3:43:27
They face much more rising living costs than they did when I represented them in the, 87 to 91, longer hours, increased stress, and more burnout due to chronic understaffing.
3:43:40
That is why it's so important to recruit, retain, and pay these doctors fairly.
3:43:45
So in closing, I must state, knowing that one of the city negotiators here actually represented the members of the doctor's council at one time, if the city truly cared about providing quality care for some of the most vulnerable New Yorkers, it would start negotiating in good faith and do all it can to ensure H and H and its affiliates affiliates invest in a fair contract to these physicians.
3:44:11
Thank you for your time.