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| April 29, 2024 |
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Letters to the Editor: Disgusted with St. Luke's Recent Announcement
September 25, 2013
09/21/2013
Dear Editor,
I am disgusted with the recent announcement that St. Luke's Cornwall Hospital, Cornwall Campus, is looking to reduce its Emergency Room hours to part time. Perhaps this is to be able to afford all the administrative staff they have? Reducing the hours of this emergency room will impact communities all across eastern Orange County. The following communities all use the emergency room, whether via private car or ambulance: Cornwall, Town of Highlands (Fort Montgomery/Highland Falls), Woodbury, Blooming Grove, Washingtonville, New Windsor, and Town of Newburgh. Additionally, there are many times when the Newburgh campus is on full divert or lockdown. It is the prevailing feeling that the numbers the hospital are quoting for ER usage are grossly under what the true numbers are.
From a historical perspective it is also felt that this reduction further violates the conditions of the hospital set forth by its founder, Dr. Stillman. Contrary to the hospital stating that less people are using emergency rooms, it is a fact that today more people actually go to an ER first. Reduction in ER hours will be a tragedy waiting to happen for the people of eastern Orange County. Some people will not have an additional 20 minutes in their life to get to an emergency room. Shame on the higher echelon of St Luke's Cornwall Hospital. This is the wrong way to go. The impact on the surrounding communities will be large, and it will be cruel.
I am not only a resident of Cornwall but a first responder with a local fire company and an EMT. Therefore my view on this proposal comes from a few different perspectives, of a local resident who will personally be impacted by this horrendous proposal, and also of someone who responds to emergencies. If the hospital is truly in the business of serving communities then they might start at their top to make cuts and not at the level that directly affects the citizens of eastern Orange County.
I strongly urge everyone to go to the hospital web site, go to “About Us” and click on: Board of Trustees – to see who sits on the Board; Executive Staff to see the array of well paid staff; and history to see how the decimation of the Cornwall Campus is missing from the hospital history. I urge everyone to find their voice and contact the hospital.
Nancy Bryan
Cornwall
Comments:
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Isn't it obvious? Over the years services that made TCH a hospital have been systematically shut down. When the ER is gone,what will be left?
posted by Jack Brennan on 10/01/13 at 5:17 PM
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