KINGSTON HOSPITAL MERGER NEWSREMEMBERING JANE VAN DEBOGART, Health Care Stat and UCDW Member JAN 26, 2009 Paul Kirby Freeman staff Remembering Jane AUG 19, 2008 Ambulatory surgery center hailed, condemned at groundbreaking
See proposed plan for the women's reproductive services building - DETAIL or IN FULL DEC 10, 2007 Hospital Merger Notes - Jane Van DeBogart DEC 10, 2007 Hospital Merger Notes - Jane Van DeBogartThe Planning Board PB meeting in Kingston last night had a joint public hearing on the Kingston Hospital subdivision of land to FASC, as well as a special use permit for the unit. Millie Meyer, Carol Urban, our lawyer, and I attended, as did about 15 right to lifers, who did everything they could to disrupt the meeting by nitpicking the proposal. They will obfuscate for publicity and baffle them with b.s. However, the chairman Lee Molyneaux did a good job keeping things on track, and Kaminski was pretty good at replying. Their architect and engineering firm also made good presentations, including an aerial photo of the hospital grounds and location of FASC. The building's main floor will be about 5.5' higher than the parking lot; a long but enclosed handicapped ramp was shown. The PB's own engineering firm from Fishkill had submitted its report late yesterday afternoon, too late for Planner Suzanne Cahill to review it. There was a fair amount of discussion about the stability of the 25' retaining wall on the Foxhall Ave. side, built in 1989. The plans call for drilling piles into the rock under the building to make the FASC independent of the wall. There will be an emergency access door on the end of the building closest to Hasbrouck Ave. A number of people, apparently the RTL contingent, came in late and asked questions the chair or Kaminski had already answered. After RTLer Jack Grogan spoke for about 20 minutes dealing with an incomplete application, a too-crowded site, sprinkler systems that could fail, nearest hydrant, and especially wanting to include the health impact on women as part of the Environmental Review, the chair said others are waiting to speak, and I figured more of the RTL would jump up, so I spoke briefly, without notes, in favor of the plan: that it was right sized, a good plan (except for 23 parking spots lost, which Kingston Hospital has to address), there was a medical need for the FASC. Frankly, we all could have been better prepared to speak in support KH. Our attorney said nothing but later said he would consider a letter to the PB on our behalf. We need to follow up and give him some direction. Kaminski, in response to a Planner's question, admitted he was a Catholic. I thought that was interesting. Not wanting to blast the application in public, I whispered to the Hospital's engineer Dennis Larios (whom I know from my PB days in Woodstock), whose land the oxygen tanks will be on, TKH or FASC? He said the line goes between them but they were planning to move the tanks elsewhere. That's good. The last speaker was Dr. Joel Brind from Poughkeepsie (not an MD but a PhD.) whose life mission it is to make the connection between breast cancer and abortion. The PB chairman stopped him before he got into his "research"; it isn't relevant to the site plan. Altogether, pretty standard PB drama. It was hard to hear, even with the mikes, because the room was high-domed, and the planning board itself sat far away. After we left, I understand they approved the Environmental Statement but left open approvals on the special use permit and the subdivision. MARCH 12, 2007 UCDW Letter in response to the Memorandum of Agreement of the Ulster County hospital affiliationIn response to the recent Memorandum of Agreement of the parties to the Ulster County hospital affiliation the UCDW membership voted at the regular monthly meeting March 12, 2007 as follows: We, the members of Ulster County Democratic Women, are concerned that the existing plans and Memorandum of Agreement between The Kingston Hospital and Benedictine Hospital have not adequately protected patients’ rights and community access to care. Because the Berger Commission timetable (end of 2007) is rapidly approaching, we formally ask the hospitals to publicly address these concerns: Relocating women’s health services to a “proximate” location should not be approved. Reproductive health care is woven into the fabric of care throughout a non-religious hospital, and such a move would not further the public’s health because it would fragment and stigmatize reproductive health care. There is no practical or legal reason to segregate reproductive services if the hospital alliance is designed to protect the historic identities and missions of each hospital. The MOA and subsequent documents should explicitly ensure that Kingston Hospital and Kingston Regional Healthcare System (consisting of Margaretville Memorial Hospital, the Kingston Continuing Care Retirement Community, and the Kingston Regional Health Care Foundation) will remain nonsectarian and will continue to provide a full range of reproductive health services, HIV/AIDS prevention information and end-of-life choices within the hospital. The MOA and subsequent documents should not endanger the ability of Kingston Hospital and its affiliates to continue to provide a full range of health care services and research. Create a formal, ongoing opportunity for public participation—the first of which should be held before May 31st. Adopted by vote March 12, 2007. Ulster County Democratic Women UCDW membership represents: Kingston, New Paltz, Woodstock, Marbletown, Olive, Hardenburgh, Saugerties, Shandaken, Rosendale, Hurley, Ulster, Marlborough, Rochester, Esopus, Wawarsing, Shawangunk, Denning, Lloyd and Gardiner. |
