Brooklyn Hospital Banks on Gentrification
Fort Greene’s Brooklyn Hospital Center is hoping proximity to condos like One Hanson Place and the Oro will help keep it in business. The 464-bed hospital, which emerged from bankruptcy in September, wants to increase its patient base by luring the area’s affluent new residents; to help achieve that goal, it’s putting $40 million into…
Fort Greene’s Brooklyn Hospital Center is hoping proximity to condos like One Hanson Place and the Oro will help keep it in business. The 464-bed hospital, which emerged from bankruptcy in September, wants to increase its patient base by luring the area’s affluent new residents; to help achieve that goal, it’s putting $40 million into capital improvements and is going to start focusing on new programs like cardiac services, weight management, and back pain. And while the hospital wants to convince deep-pocketed newcomers that its services are up to snuff, it’s also being called on to not abandon its its Medicaid and Medicare patients, who currently make up 80% of the hospital’s patient base. Think it can do both and turn a profit?
After Bankruptcy, a Hospital in Brooklyn Looks To Rebuild [NY Sun]
Photo by Scott Bintner for Property Shark.
The hospital with the best c-section rate in Brooklyn is Maimonides (20.3% vs rates of 34% at both Brooklyn Hospital and LICH and a whopping 38% at Methodist). In Manhattan the best rate is at NYU Downtown (18.8). Another thing to think about when considering where to birth around here…
I agree with 6:23. For all of the reasons stated in that post most hospital ER’s are about the same with those in close proximity to economically disadvantaged neighborhoods
the worst of all. Some of them like Brookdale and Kings County have excellent trauma centers. You might not want to have a baby in Kings County but if you get shot, that’s the place to go.
8:04 — LICH or St. Luke’s in the city.
So, just wondering, where do all the Brooklyn breeders have their babies then?
I took my Mom to the ER here once when she was visiting and had a (relatively minor) emergency. It was okay in a pinch but I wouldn’t choose to go here again. I have a rare and chronic medical condition and so I frequent the ER at NYU and Beth Israel and both are definitely better. I disagree with those who say all ER’s suck the same. The only thing that might get me to try Brooklyn Hospital again might be the hiring of some seriously great doctors who can attract other highly talented medical staff to the hospital.
I’ve been to ER’s in the city that seem to be no better than what’s here in Brooklyn and the previous poster in correct in stating that you can’t judge a hospital by its ER. Unfortunately, too many people because of their lack of insurance or accessibility to doctors with hours condusive to their work schedules have resorted to using the ER as their primary medical care. They go to the ER for non-emergencies which makes the wait longer for everyone. I used to have to do this myself because I didn’t have coverage and would not have been seen by a doctor without payment up front. I am now fortunate enough to have had coverage for the past 20 years and I found a medical group that is open every single day of the year between 9 AM and 8 PM. If you don’t have an appointment they will take you as a walk-in but the walk-in wait is longer. They have four general practioners all affiliated with Maimonides and perform rudimentary testing EKG, stress tests, etc.. on-site.
5:23 and 8:09 state that going to the ER sucks everywhere. My experience tells me otherwise. Granted, I don’t go to the ER eight times a year so my anecdotal evidence is not very scientific. But based on my experiences and those of my spouse and close friends, I say: Methodist was consistently not good, and LICH, St. Vincents and Beth Israel were faster, more courteous, more compassionate.
I’ll spare you the details of a conversation two Methodist doctors had within earshot of a friend who was having a miscarriage. If you’re that desensitized, you are probably ready for a career change — 11/23 11:14
Don’t worry about abondoningMedicare patients.
Medicare has very high reimbursement rates.
Better than most of insurances the ‘affluent’ new neighbors might have.
And – hosipitals don’t need affluent customers – just one with jobs that have good insurances.
I could go on about economics, race, time & patients, and the notion that this situation is indicative of the state of other less than adequate services (schools; the response, behavior & policies of local law enforcement; just to name a few), but I won’t
I will suggest that an earlier comment about ER’s being hell in general should not be ignored. Clearly, this is exacerbated in a situation like this one.
But . . .
NYC is full of specialized hospitals like the Hosp. for Joint Diseases. Most of them have ER’s. I have a child and on the three occasions that we have had a bone/joint emergency, It was well worth the trip to Manhattan! No wait, cost was the same, better service. and that is all they do! This approach does not work for everything, but most of us living here are use to being resourceful seek out and use the services that this city provides and exploit them!