The state Health Department is currently backing a plan to slash bed capacity from 257 to 15 beds, slash the jobs of approximately 1,000 employees and basically gut the lone Rockaway medical center. This comes just months after hundreds of COVID-19 patients flooded the ER and ICU at St. John’s Episcopal Hospital in Far Rockaway.
St. John’s Episcopal Hospital is the only hospital on the peninsula serving the community of Rockaways and Five Towns.
Stacey Pheffer Amato’s Full Statement
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:3/02/2021
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Danny Randell: 718-682-8254
Pheffer Amato Issues Statement on Proposed Micro hospital Conversion for St. John’s Episcopal Hospital
Far Rockaway, NY- “I am stunned that the Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services for New York State Department of Health, Dr. Richard Brecker, would consider reducing St. John’s Episcopal Hospital’s capacity from 257 beds to 15 and take away obstetric services. This is not an acceptable plan for the only hospital on the Rockaway Peninsula.
Let me be abundantly clear – our community will not accept this and we deserve a better thought out strategic plan for financial sustainability for safety-net hospitals. It is coming up on one year that the New York Times article documented how devastating the COVID-19 Pandemic was to the Rockaways and to think that the best solution would be this, is disrespectful to the individuals and families that live in our community
This plan is completely inconsistent with any messaging from the NYSDOH about equity and justice in healthcare for historically underserved black and brown communities, and we will not allow this to go forward.”
Below is my statement regarding the proposed micro hospital conversion for @StJohnsEpisHosp https://t.co/zZZxwsIm2R pic.twitter.com/3hVtJNn71q
— Stacey Pheffer Amato (@Stacey23AD) March 3, 2021
"This is a death sentence for our community"
A consulting firm working with the NY Health Department has proposed turning @StJohnsEpisHosp in Far Rockaway into a 15-bed "micro hospital"
It's the only hospital left on the Peninsula@QueensEagle https://t.co/DnFyyXhRPe
— David Brand (@DavidFBrand) March 2, 2021
This is a death sentence for our community. We should be talking about more access to healthcare, more hospitals, expanding @StJohnsEpisHosp footprint in the Rockaways instead of these ridiculous proposals to reduce bed capacity. https://t.co/D4gkTnPsD3
— Queens Borough President Donovan Richards (@QnsBPRichards) March 2, 2021
