Commission to help preserve critical health services and transform city’s health delivery system

New York, NY- Today, City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn announced the launch of the Citywide Health System Planning Commission, a stakeholder driven process that works in partnership with the New York State Department of Health, to transform the city’s health care delivery system one neighborhood at a time. While state and federal reform promise opportunities for better care and growth in the health care system, there are significant challenges threatening our hospitals and community health providers, putting some neighborhoods at risk of losing access to medical care.

As part of the announcement Speaker Quinn announced that she had secured agreement from New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Nirav R. Shah to have the New York State Department of Health participate in the Citywide Health System Planning Commission. The Commission will launch in communities facing the loss of critical hospital services. New York City’s health delivery system has struggled to stay afloat amidst the rising costs of health care, leaving some communities at risk of losing access to medical care. Interfaith Medical Center and Long Island College Hospital are teetering on the edge of closure, and St. John’s Episcopal Hospital – the only hospital on the Rockaways – has recently announced the closure of its primary care clinic, detox center and the sale of its dialysis center.

The Citywide Health System Planning Commission intends to protect access to quality medical care by developing a comprehensive plan that determines the city’s health care delivery needs on a neighborhood level. Working with city and state agencies, hospitals, community health centers, unions and community advocates, the Commission will look at ways to expand primary care, create partnerships between hospitals and community health centers, and drive health investments that can reduce the burdens that damage our vital hospitals, both public and private.

The Commission will prioritize the creation of patient-centered models of care that improve health outcomes and quality care for New Yorkers while reducing costs.

“It is time for the City to take an active role in ensuring that every single resident can access health services. This planning process will help us understand what each community needs, so we can get them the quality health services they deserve,” said Speaker Quinn. “The Citywide Health System Planning Commission will help us develop a 21st century healthcare system in New York City, one that meets the unique needs of all of our neighborhoods. I want to thank the Commissioner Shah for joining with us in launching this project, and I look forward to working with all participating stakeholders.”

“For too long, when a neighborhood has faced the possible loss of a hospital, elected officials and our community have felt there was little they could do to intervene,” said Council Health Committee Chair Maria del Carmen Arroyo. “This joint City/State Planning Commission will provide us with an opportunity to work together and identify the community health needs and work together to bring the critical resources to build and maintain the health care infrastructure required to meet those needs.”

“The rapid and chaotic closure of Long Island College Hospital a mere two years after it was supposedly saved by SUNY Downstate is a clear sign that the Brooklyn hospital system is in crisis,” said Council Member Brad Lander. “I congratulate Speaker Quinn on announcing steps to take a comprehensive look at the city’s hospital systems’ relationship with our neighborhoods.”

“With hospitals like Long Island College Hospital under threat of shutting down, it is important now more than ever that we do everything we can to preserve critical health care services for our communities. I want to thank Speaker Quinn for advocating for the launch of the regional health planning group and for prioritizing the health of all New Yorkers,” said Council Member Steve Levin.

“In the Rockaways, the loss of a single health care entity could quickly cut community access to vital services,” said Council Member Donovan Richards. “The launch of the Citywide Health System Planning Commission will play an important role in guaranteeing that we preserve the health services that our communities need.”

“Six hospitals have closed in Queens in the past decade and another one – the only one on the Rockaway peninsula – is facing growing challenges. Low reimbursement rates and overcrowded emergency rooms are among the daily problems that have put many hospitals on the critical list. I am grateful to speaker Quinn and State health officials for recognizing the need to examine healthcare delivery neighborhood by neighborhood and for taking the steps that will ensure a good outcome that puts our collective feet on the road to recovery,” said Queens Borough President Helen Marshall.

Speaker Quinn and the Council have also been working with working with Governor Cuomo and the State’s health care providers and caregivers to advocate for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to approve New York State’s Medicaid 1115 Waiver application. The Waiver would provide $10 billion to keep struggling local hospitals open and allow New York State to invest in innovative models of health care delivery. The application includes billions of dollars specifically dedicated to supporting struggling hospitals, including Brooklyn’s Interfaith and Long Island College Hospitals.
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