Are Downtown Brooklyn residents in danger of dying in an ambulance? Help Keep LICH OPEN!

 

Hello from CORD!

Attention:  Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, Boerum Hill, Brooklyn Heights and All Downtown Brooklyn residents!  

 

Longer ambulances rides for emergency patients due to the re-routing of ambulances from LICH to Methodist Hospital may cost us lives due to the longer time these patients must spend en route to the hospital!  We need LICH to remain open in this densely populated area!

 

We at CORD are following some very disturbing stories regarding the length of time some local residents are spending in ambulances to Methodist Hospital now that LICH is re-routing them!  In the case of a heart attack or other life threatening emergency, such as choking, the extra minutes it takes for these ambulances to get to Methodist Hospiital can make the difference between life and death.

Please read the following carefully:  Two extremely important rallies are planned one for July 8 and one for July 10...See yellowed words below!

 

CORD

 

 

The following is a summary of LICH status:

 

1 - The first email document (below) is an excellent summary of the current LICH situation and problems generated by the closures that Downstate has mandated.

 

2 - The following part of the email details actions by NYSNA and 1199, with support of Concerned Physicians, at Gov. Cuomo's and SUNY offices in Manhattan next week.

 

3 - LICH Coalition attorneys are scheduled to be in court again next Monday 7/8/13 - stay tuned for details.

 

4 - Concerned Physicians website article has been updated with a number of excellent articles and letters detailing the LICH situation - check it out!

 

www.lichmedicalstaff.org

 

Everybody's continued support for this effort is essential,

and we thank you all for your  support.

 

Toomas M. Sorra, MD

Concerned Physicians of LICH

 

 

Sent: Fri, Jul 5, 2013 12:06 pm
Subject: Long Island College Hospital: this just in...

LICH EMT reports that yesterday, a Cobble Hill resident was suffering a heart attack just a block or so from LICH but ambulance was forced to take him to Methodist due to continued LICH patient diversions.  According to the EMT, it took a full 9 minutes to get to that hospital and then more time to assess the patient and begin treatment.  Heart muscles die with each delayed moment.  In the first 9 minutes that it took just to travel to another hospital, the Cobble Hill resident could have already been in the LICH cardiac catheterization lab restoring his heart's blood flow, reducing the injury and increasing the chances for survival.

 

Also, The Brooklyn Daily Eagle reports on a woman who was choking in Carroll Gardens.  According to that patient, because of LICH's diversion, the ambulance had to take her to Methodist & travel time was 20 minutes on a Sunday. Thank G-D for the paramedics who were able to treat her on the way.  She asks the reporter "who do I sue" over this. Others report on the impact of long delays for care at Brooklyn Hospital as well. (see: http://www.brooklyneagle.com/articles/residents-fear-worst-brooklyn-er-crisis-drags-2013-07-04-160300)

 

This is no joke now.  People's lives absolutely are in danger as SUNY Downstate continues to thumb its nose at everyone - elected officials, supreme court judges, community residents, etc.

 

Does there need to actually be a death in the ambulance before the city and state put a stop to this insanity and full services at LICH are resumed?

FYI:  In LICH ICU today, there are 2 attending physicians present, plus one attending physician on call, 6 ICU Registered Nurses, 2 physician assistants, 1 nurses aide, a nurse manager and a case manager - all for just 2 patients - both of them being transferred out of ICU today.  There's even more staff than that in ER.  There's just 28 patients in the entire hospital, with a full staff of nurses, doctors, and other caregivers on those floors too. 

 

So what is the reason again that our ambulances are being diverted, our admitting office cannot admit anyone, and patients cannot come to LICH?

 

Lives here are being put at risk because Downstate has big plans to build new care centers around Brooklyn but has no way to pay for it.  Are people going to die in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn Heights, Carroll Gardens and Redhook just so LICH can be sold to fund SUNY's grand ideas? (see:

http://mcbrooklyn.blogspot.com/2013/07/how-can-suny-downstate-design-brooklyn.html

The Department of Health's representative was just at LICH again, counting all the staff on each unit, saying nothing, but looking astounded at the incredulous situation here.

 

So where is the NYC public advocate and the NYC mayor for these NYC residents in Brooklyn?  Where is the Governor? Do they all need to be sued by the family of a patient that SUNY causes to be harmed by continuing this debacle before they start to seriously advocate for this public and not just come out for a photo op?  How is this all still being allowed to continue? 

 

This is a tragedy with a mega-lawsuit waiting to happen and the city, state, SUNY and Downstate officials and Governor Cuomo will find themselves being held responsible.  LICH's full hospital services need to be resumed now.

 

Julie Semente, RN

 

Dear Neighbor,

In the face of SUNY's continued contempt for court orders and failure to find a new operator for Long Island College Hospital, we are escalating our efforts to keep LICH open for care.

Next week, we will be taking the save LICH message to the Manhattan offices of Governor
Andrew Cuomo and SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zympher.


On Monday, July 8, NYSNA, 1199 and supporters of Long Island College Hospital will be holding a rally to tell Governor Cuomo to keep LICH, as well as Interfaith and Brooklyn Hospitals, open for care.

When: 4pm-6pm

Where: 633 3rd Avenue, Manhattan (between 40th and 41th Streets)

Buses leave from LICH at 2:45 pm at the Hicks Street entrance.

AND

On Wednesday, July 10th,

LICH supporters will rally and deliver a petition to Chancellor Zympher to obey the court order and keep the hospital open at safe staffing levels.

When: Wednesday July 10 at 10 AM

Where: 33 West 42nd Street (between 5th and 6th Avenues)

Buses leave from LICH at 8:15 AM in front of LICH (Hicks Street)

This is an important week for our communities. Please pass this message on and urge your neighbors to participate.

In friendship and solidarity,
Mickey


Michelle Green
Assistant Director for Special Projects
New York State Nurses Association