Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Sad Sad Times

Nothing says I love you for Valentines day like the closure of two major hospitals in the area:



BUREAU OF OPERATIONS
EMS COMMAND ORDER 2009-028
February 9, 2009
CLOSURE OF ST. JOHN’S QUEENS HOSPITAL (H 39)
1
1. GENERAL INFORMATION
1.1
Effective 0001 hours, Tuesday, February 10, 2009, St. John’s Queens Hospital (H 39) is no longer an authorized 911 ambulance destination for PEDIATRIC patients. These patients shall be transported to an appropriate 911 ambulance destination.
1.2
Effective 0001 hours, Saturday, February 14, 2009, St. John’s Queens Hospital (H 39) is no longer an authorized 911 ambulance destination. As such, NO PATIENTS shall be transported to this hospital. Patients shall be transported to an appropriate 911 ambulance destination.
1.3
Affected EMS units shall familiarize themselves with this directive, and utilize alternate receiving facilities when transporting patients.
2. RELATED PROCEDURES
2.1 EMS OGP 115-08, Delivery of Patients to an Appropriate Hospital

BY ORDER OF THE CHIEF OF EMS COMMAND

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BUREAU OF OPERATIONS
EMS COMMAND ORDER 2009-027
February 9, 2009
CLOSURE OF MARY IMMACULATE HOSPITAL (H 36)
1
1. GENERAL INFORMATION
1.1
Effective 0001 hours, Tuesday, February 10, 2009, Mary Immaculate Hospital (H 36) is no longer an authorized 911 ambulance destination for patients requiring Psychiatric care. These patients shall be transported to an appropriate 911 ambulance destination.
1.2
Effective 0001 hours, Saturday, February 14, 2009, Mary Immaculate Hospital (H 36) is no longer an authorized 911 ambulance destination. As such, NO PATIENTS shall be transported to this hospital. Patients shall be transported to an appropriate 911 ambulance destination.
1.3
Affected EMS units shall familiarize themselves with this directive, and utilize alternate receiving facilities when transporting patients.
2. RELATED PROCEDURES
2.1 EMS OGP 115-08, Delivery of Patients to an Appropriate Hospital

BY ORDER OF THE CHIEF OF EMS COMMAND

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Now how do I react when not only my colleagues and I are affected by the closure, but my patients lives now too are being affected? If you live in S Queens and have a life threatening condition, God help you as you wait in line at the already over-burdened ER's that remain.

And from the Queens Chronical:

The two facilities provide healthcare to about 200,000 residents annually and employ 2,500 medical professionals and healthcare service workers.
A study by Marshall’s office in 2006 found that Queens is already lacking in services compared to other boroughs. Manhattan, with a population of 1.5 million, has 7.4 beds per 1,000 people. Queens, with a population of 2.3 million, has 1.4 beds per 1,000 people. That does not include the loss of the 250 beds following New Parkway Hospital’s closure in November.




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