Thursday, February 7, 2008

Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins Announces Dobbs Ferry Hospital Will Remain Open

Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D- 35th District) joined State Health Commissioner Richard F. Daines, M.D., today at Community Hospital at Dobbs Ferry to announce that health care services will continue to operate under the sponsorship of St John’s Riverside
Hospital, as it has for many years.

“It is the right decision to keep this excellent health-care facility open to serve its community. I have made it a priority to keep this hospital open because there is a clear and demonstrated need for an emergency room and a primary health-care facility in the Rivertowns part of Westchester. I am thrilled that the proposed emergency room will have better and broader-based services – and additional outreach training which will even extend to community-based EMS personnel. This will also allow St. John’s hospital to continue to operate the many health care services it offers to the many low-income patients it serves in Yonkers,“ Senator Stewart-Cousins stated.

“The expansion of the superb Ashikari Comprehensive Breast Care Center is a significant and welcome part of this plan. Preventative breast
care services and early detection and treatment of breast cancer are essential components of women’s health care that would not otherwise be readily available to women in our community. The significance of the continued and expanded presence of the Ashikari Comprehensive Breast Care Center in our community cannot be overstated,” the Senator added.

The Community Hospital at Dobbs Ferry, a 50-bed hospital slated to close by the Commission on Health Care Facilities in the 21st Century, would be re-opened by St. John’s Riverside Hospital, which will pilot an innovative health-care delivery model – designed to reduce hospitalizations and integrate primary care in the emergency room.

“Except in rural areas, New York has no financially viable health care delivery models that tailor services to target the needs of communities,“
Commissioner Daines said. “We need to shift the focus from institution based planning to patient-centered delivery systems. This Rivertowns community presents an optimal forum to test an alternative model for the health care: It’s a small community where health outcomes can be monitored and improvements can be measured.”

Chairman of the Board of Community Hospital, Gregory M. Fisk and Ronald J. Corti, Chief Executive Officer of Community Hospital said jointly, “We are grateful to the many people whose efforts contributed to keeping Community Hospital open. Most of all, we are grateful to Senator Stewart-Cousins, who led the charge from the anxious beginning to this happy end on behalf of the hospital and our community. For the many times you listened and made sure that our voices would be heard – by the Department of Health, by the Commission, by anyone who could help our cause – we thank you, Senator. Because of your leadership and advocacy we announce today that we will be here to serve our community for years to come.”