• A Message from Jim O'Connor
• Testimony to the
  Rightsizing Committee
• Berger Commission News
• Senator LaValle
  Supports St. Charles
• Doctor calls Berger Commission's
  recommendations 'dangerous'
• Port Jefferson Resolution
• Senate Confirms Daines
  as NY's Helath Commissioner
• The Maryhaven Letter
• Email Talking Points
• Your St. Charles Story

 

Senator LaValle Supports St. Charles

May 23, 2007
Dr. Richard F. Daines
Office of the Commissioner
New York State Department of Health
Corning Tower, ESO
Albany, NY 12237

Dear Commissioner Daines:

As your agency moves forward with the implementation of a statewide hospital restructuring plan, I am certain that you share my belief that patient safety must be the number one priority. I am writing today to bring to your attention a matter of great concern impacting our mutual constituencies. While I am grateful that the commission on Health Care in the 21st Century (The Berger Commission) did not call for the closure of St. Charles Hospital in Port Jefferson, their recommendations left the hospital with an unworkable plan that is not viable from either a clinical or a financial perspective. If implemented in their current form, the Berger Commission recommendations would put patients, especially pregnant women and newborns, at great risk.

The Regional Advisory Committee (RAC) to Berger was made aware early in the process of the important role that St. Charles Hospital has played in the delivery of health care services to our community for over 100 years. A great effort was made to demonstrate how the loss of this institution would negatively impact patients in Suffolk County. When RAC called for the closure of St. Charles Hospital in their report, I was disappointed but not deterred. The final recommendations were made by the Berger Commission and I was greatly relieved when they overturned RAC’s call for closure. This was the only recommendation for closure by a RAC that was overturned by the Berger Commission to keep a hospital open. This clearly demonstrates that the Berger Commission fully recognized the need for the continuum of services that this hospital provides to local residents.

While the administration of St. Charles Hospital agrees that there are areas where restructuring is appropriate and financially feasible, I share their concern that the recommendations drafted by the Berger Commission would jeopardize the health and safety of patients, as well as the community at large. Representatives of St. Charles Hospital recently met with the regional Office of Mental Hygiene (OMH) and Office of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS), which are charged with approving bed conversions as written in the Berger report. Both indicated strong concern with the recommendations. In fact, the Suffolk County Office of Mental Hygiene has written a letter indicating its opposition to the Berger plan.

I am currently working with the administration of St. Charles to develop a plan that will redefine the Berger recommendations in such a way as to accomplish three goals:

1. Salvage a viable clinical business model for St. Charles;
2. Right size St. Charles through a reduction in medical surgical capacity, which closely approximates the beds Berger is seeking to take out of the system;
3. Achieve behavioral health priorities of OMH, OASAS and the Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (OMRDD) through the development of programs serving adolescent psychiatric and disabled children.

During discussions with the hospital administration, both the Deputy Commissioner of the State Education Department and representatives from the Department of Health have expressed an interest in these goals.

It is my belief that the vision the Berger Commission held for St. Charles Hospital cannot be realized by implementing the recommendations in their current form. From a policy perspective, patient safety must be our primary objective as we explore any reforms to the delivery of health care in New York State. I hope you will consider the hospital’s “right sizing” goals, which are in keeping with their mission of dedicated service to our community. I would welcome the opportunity to further discuss this matter with you at your earliest convenience.

Sincerely yours,

Kenneth P. LaValle
State Senator

 

St. Charles Hospital · 200 Belle Terre Road · Port Jefferson · NY 11777