CRMC Still Lacking Significant Change

by: Bill Liblick

Catskill Regional Medical Center is in grave condition despite all of the efforts they say they have made in recent months to turn things around.

In their public relations campaign, they have given us a convincing argument as to why the medical center is in its budget crunch. As expected it is due to high costs of medical care, and accounts receivable.

They also state that the expense of keeping CRMC state of the art has put a hardship on its bottom line.

Then again, what about what it costs patients for medical care? Look, we all know the system stinks on both sides. We need a major overhaul of the medical system in the United States.

The fact still remains that the hospital board is paying out huge amounts of monies to those professionals asked to turn things around, and the only results seen so far are jobs being axed and more cost cutting.

I am certain that there were some positions that deserved to be eliminated, but for hospital administrators to claim that patient care goes unaffected is inaccurate. There are numerous cases that have already proved them wrong.

Those treated at the facility often have horror stories to tell when speaking about CRMC. The hospital is clearly understaffed. Nurses are overloaded with patients. The amount of paper work they are required to do besides treating those they are assigned is contemptible.

In fact, poor patient care was the foremost reason Crystal Run in Rock Hill withdrew its affiliation from the hospital, despite what former Hospital CEO Art Brien and others claimed at the time.

The hospital has fewer admissions and patients not because there are less sick people, but because medical attention has become and is considered sub standard.

The fear that there will be a new round of layoffs affecting the nursing staff and other departments, has added further salt to the wound.

Sullivan County cannot be without a hospital. We need to see some dramatic positive changes very quickly. 

CRMC Board of Directors should be embracing Crystal Run’s Director Dr. Hal Teitelbaum; instead they are looking elsewhere for help.

No matter what the hospital might believe Crystal Run will not be going anywhere soon. Unlike CRMC, they have built a great reputation for medical care in Sullivan County in just a few short years.

Their Urgent Care Unit has been praised throughout the state both on the patient and professional side.  And, the medical team affiliated with the center is amongst the finest in the region.

CRMC must set as their top priority a consolidation or merger with another Medical Center. Hospitals throughout the state, especially in New York City have done it with positive results. 

Einstein Hospital and Our Lady of Mercy in the Bronx are now part of the Montefiore Medical Group.

CRMC needs to do something similar to cut their costs and to regain credibility within Sullivan County.

There are hospitals in Middletown, and other areas that would make a perfect marriage for CRMC.

Perhaps those in charge at CRMC do not want give up their reins, and will do everything within their power to keep it the way it is today. We all know that they have not made it easy for those who want to make positive change.

I recently received an email from a former hospital administrator who has a summer home in Sullivan County who wanted to offer free advice on cutting costs at the facility, but he claimed that the hospital had too many built in walls to get to talk to someone.

Not having a quality, respected hospital in Sullivan County would have a devastating consequence on all of us.

The clock is ticking very quickly for CRMC, and the prognosis so far should not put anyone of us in Sullivan County at ease.

If the hospital Board of Directors stays on the same path they are on today, there is no alternative but for the State of New York to step in and take over.

CRMC sadly remains on the critical list.

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