But pro-lifer Beth Safford said she hoped Benedictine would be kept open, opining that it was a better hospital, with more space and plenty of parking. (It also has a helipad.) Apart from the reproductive rights issue, at least one other speaker clearly favored Benedictine. “If it’s Kingston Hospital that’s fine but we’ll go to Albany, St. Francis, Vassar,” said Paul Jankiewicz.
A hard decision
What factors are the executives considering in making the choice of which to close? The debt incurred at one or the other — which basically balances out — certainly wasn’t a factor, said Lowe. She hinted that Kingston Hospital had an edge when she cited the important factor of pedestrian access, a comment that stirred a murmur of protest.
HealthAlliance aims to establish 210 beds at the single facility, an expansion which each hospital could accommodate. Having room to expand further in the future isn’t a consideration, given the current realities, the executives said.
Lundquist said the next step is a meeting with the state Department of Health on July 9, at which HealthAlliance will present a preliminary plan. A decision is expected in the fall. Before it can take action, HealthAlliance has to submit its certificate of need to the state, which takes from six to nine months, although the organization hopes to expedite this.
In closing, Josefski cited the names of numerous hospitals that have closed in the state and said there’s a risk Kingston could wind up with no hospital at all.
“If the people of Kingston and Ulster County choose to go to Dutchess County or Albany or St. Luke’s, we can’t be successful,” he said. HealthAlliance, he added, is a provider of “very good services,” including a stroke center that has a platinum rating. Preserving that level of care is impossible while the organization is burdened with the cost of two buildings; accreditation of the two hospitals alone “runs into the millions,” he said.
“We can support one good hospital. It could work for the majority of people,” Josefski concluded.
“Three years ago we made a compromise and gained more than we lost,” added Lowe. “Everyone will not be happy with the outcome. We have two hospitals, two missions, and the community has two strong beliefs about what should or should not happen. The best thing about Ulster County is it’s one big small town, and we all talk to each other.”
The smoking gun which should have led to the immediate termination of Mr. Lundquist was his admission here that there was a multi-million dollar upgrade of records systems whilst he knew the financial boat around him was sinking. Who holds his stinking job–this silly/pathetic board? Maybe the entire board has to be fired also!! All the execs took cozy little salaries the years they all KNEW the boat was sinking. How shameful. Simply put, there cannot possibly now be success while Mr. Lundquist is Captain of the ship. Secondly, unfortunately the employees were disregarded while the boat was sinking, but now we have a much bigger shipwreck than merely the employees. Third, no one has yet analyzed all the factors that have led to this, simply throwing out speculation thus far as to what these have been–without which, recovery to previous levels of care is unlikely. Fourth, if THIS doesn’t illustrate, IN LIVING TECHNICOLOR, SCAM upon the public the for-profit hospital business continues to be in this community AND nation, I wouldn’t know what WOULD or possibly COULD!