We, the concerned employees of St. Johns’ Queens Hospital are seeking your advocacy in voicing your concern regarding the potential closure of our community-based hospital. St. Johns’ Hospital has been meeting the health care needs of our Queens neighbors for the past 100 plus years, first in Long Island City and then in Elmhurst. Our mission has always focused on the respect and dignity of life, rendering care with integrity and excellence.
Our employees are not only the deliverers of care, but also the consumers since many live side by side with the patients who come to us seeking help and comfort for their medical ailments. This hospital was not one designated by the Berger Commission for closure and, therefore should remain open to continue to meet the needs of the community.
In 2008, St. Johns’ Queens Hospital had 48,000 emergency department visits, 7, 000 surgeries, 1,227 deliveries, 14,000 discharges and 50,245 clinic visits. Does this sound like a hospital that is not serving the needs of its community? Queens had been well documented as an extremely “under-bedded” borough.
With the recent closure of Parkway Hospital an additional 125 beds have been lost. We feel that closure of another facility in Queens will overburden the remaining facilities and put the health and safety of the community members at unnecessary risk and create a health care crisis.
We are asking for your support in helping St. John’s Queens Hospital remain open and assuring access to quality health care and continued health education for you, your family members and your neighbors. Please write and call your elected officials and express your concern.
The staff of St. Johns’ Queens Hospital and Catherine Wilkinson, RN, MSN, CCRN, CNA
Administrative Director Cardiovascular Services St. John’s Queens Hospital
