The Writing's on the Wall

Efforts to Save Peninsula Hospital Center Fall Short

Sources inside Peninsula Hospital Center provided From The G-Man with an exclusive photo that indicates efforts to save the financially-distressed, Far Rockaway facility have proved unsuccessful.

Last week, New York's WPIX Channel 11 reported that secret investors were scheduled to meet with members of Peninsula's Board of Directors to try and negotiate a deal to keep the hospital from shutting down. The New York State Department of Health had given hospital officials until August 19 to submit documents indicating that an agreement had been reached between the two parties. However, many hospital employees are unclear as to if the meeting actually took place.

"Based on signs that have been placed on practically every door of the hospital, it appears that no meeting took place. If it did, it's pretty clear to me that it didn't go too well," said a five-year employee of the hospital. The employee spoke to From The G-Man under the condition that their name would not be revealed.

"I have no idea what will happen next. Many of us don't. Now that MediSys has pulled out, everyone is worried if they will have a paycheck come payday. The hospital has no money, so who's going to make sure we get paid -- and how can we be sure that paychecks won't bounce when we deposit them into our accounts? People are scared. We have families to feed and bills to pay. It's like no one gives a damn about the employees, and it's just wrong."

From The G-Man placed a call the hospital emergency room, and an employee confirmed, with great sadness, that the ER would no longer be serving members of the community as of August 24.

On August 16, From The G-Man reported that hospital employees were at a loss to explain why more was not being done to save the financially-distressed facility, especially in the wake of a Consumer Report Health report that stated that Peninsula Hospital Center is the only hospital in the entire metropolitan area to successfully prevent patients from acquiring an infection while in the hospital, particularly a bloodstream infection -- a problem faced by many facilities across the country. .

http://fromthegman.blogspot.com/2011/08/medisys-pulls-out-of-peninsula-hospital.html

In addition, on August 9, a key source inside Peninsula Hospital Center expressed grave concerns regarding the validity of the contract and/or deal between MediSys and Peninsula Hospital Center.

The source also stated that many employees, including emergency room staff, were unclear as to whether or not the hospital was still allowing patients to be admitted into the emergency room. From The G-Man spoke to an emergency room staff member to find out if patients were still being admitted and if a mandate had been issued to shut its doors.

"As far as I know, we're still admitting them. Now, if we're supposed to be admitting them, that is a really good question," said the staff member, who chose to remain anonymous.

"We have been demonstrating every night at seven o’clock in front of Peninsula Hospital. We are going to be there until it closes, and if and when it closes, we are going to be there demanding an investigation," said John Baxter, a well-known activist and life-long resident of the Rockaway area.

"Peninsula is not like any other community. In the last census, the population in New York State went down enough for the state to loose two Congressmen. In Rockaway Beach, the population is increasing at an alarming rate, and when the development of Arverne by the Sea is complete, thousands of new residents will be added. We will be fighting until the last dog dies," concluded Baxter.