Keeping pace with change
Hospitals are special places for those of us who have spent the majority of our adult working lives in one, and for those who visit one episodically for care. To those of us who work here in Coney Island Hospital, this is a place where we find fulfillment, where we see our friends, where we get to experience the highs and lows of life on a daily basis. The hospitals of popular culture sensationalize these things. Seattle Grace, the hospital setting of the television show “Gray’s Anatomy” does capture the essence of being part of a hospital community (except with much more promiscuity). Most of us feel blessed to be part of an organization that’s primary purpose is to do good. From what I can tell St. Vincent’s hospital in Greenwich Village is such a place, but unfortunately it may not be around much longer.
For the community that is served by a hospital, that hospital should be an essential part of that neighborhood. Particularly in areas that have an abundance of the poor or disenfranchised the hospital is a place where people go for comfort and care. St. Vincent’s has a long history of caring for some of New York’s poorest and sickest through epidemics from Cholera to HIV. Greenwich Village without St. Vincent’s will be a very different place.
Unfortunately being a ‘caring community’ caring for a community is not enough anymore. A hospital is a business. Whether a voluntary hospital or not, at the end of the day you must be able to make your payroll and pay your bills. In 2010 it is not possible to expect others to make up the difference. Neither the Church nor the State has the resources to subsidize hospitals anymore. It appears St.Vincent’s got caught behind the times. In order to fulfill its mission it had to do more than good work, it had to adapt to a fast changing environment.
At Coney Island Hospital we are lucky. We have an extraordinarily caring community who work and volunteer here. We have a diverse community that we care for as well. In addition, we have seen the future and are actively preparing for it. I have been fortunate to be part of the “Breakthrough” initiative here. This program, launched by our parent, the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation, has us look at essential processes and reengineer them for greater efficiency and quality. It a system-wide priority and is supported by the entire hospital community. What is unique to this approach is that it involves staff at every level and empowers them to make real changes in areas that they understand because they do the work every day. These changes are immediate and are monitored for efficacy.
We are evolving and adapting to meet the needs of our community and expanding the community we serve. Plans are in place to expand our ER; we are involving community physicians and facilities and connecting them to our information system to allow for better continuity of care. My department, Orthopedic Surgery, is developing a Center of Excellence in Joint Replacement to serve our immediate community as well as surrounding areas.
The story of St. Vincent’s Hospital is truly sad. I feel badly for the hospital staff and people they serve. I hope we will not have to witness the closing of other great institutions that are part of the City’s fabric. Coney Island Hospital is making necessary changes so that we can continue to survive and provide even more services to our community. Stay tuned and see.
Jeffrey Passick, M.D.
Dr. Passick is the Director of Orthopedics at Coney Island Hospital. He can be contacted at 718-616-3440.
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