Is CRMC Back on Critical List?

by: Bill Liblick

Several months ago it looked as if Catskill Regional Medical Center was embarking on a new day in providing improved health care for Sullivan County residents. The team that had worked so hard when CEO Art Brien was forced out was truly turning things around. The exciting merger with Orange County Regional Medical Center, a new Board of Directors, and a rekindled romance with Crystal Run, all seemed like CRMC was on the road to recovery. But, now one has to wonder if it really is.

The hospital in recent weeks has embarked on another massive cost-cutting program, many doctors affiliated with the medical facility are leaving, and patients hospitalized are complaining about poor care.

Nick Lanza, the hospital’s CFO has left to take a job in Goshen. When Brien was fired, Lanza was credited for improving medical care and nursing at the facility. He reorganized departments, and hired new personnel. Kate Thomas was put in charge of nursing, and Stuart Hirsch the emergency and trauma unit. Their goals and accomplishments were quite impressive.

Has all their hard work been for naught?

CRMC has terminated the contracts with a number of well respected doctors, and renegotiated others. Is this being done as an effort to provide first-class medical care, or a means to get the hospital out of the red?

It is extremely bothersome that the hospital closed its health care facility which was credited for providing services for our poor. Those patients are now being asked to utilize Hudson River Healthcare, a non-profit in Monticello.

Dr. Gary Good who ran the infectious disease department at CRMC has also left the facility to join the medical group in Monticello.

With the huge number of reported AIDS cases in Sullivan County, it is quite shocking that our only hospital would shut down its infectious disease unit, and force Dr. Good out.

The hospital’s new CEO Steve Ruwoldt claims that he has plans to purchase new updated equipment for the facility and expand other medical departments such as vascular surgery. Is that because these units will produce more revenue?

I understand that it is not easy running a medical facility such as CRMC, Sullivan County has a huge number of Medicaid cases, and a hospital must provide emergency care to everyone whether they can pay or not. On the other hand, facilities like Crystal Run can and do turn away patients who do not have medical insurance or are on Medicaid. A good financial move for CRMC is to get out of clinic based services, and see it moved elsewhere. But, that does not mean it is the ethical thing to do.

The prognosis right now for CRMC seems like we are back on the critical list after seeing so much improvement. Ruwoldt and his Board of Directors have to be reminded that it should not only about the bottom line, but it should also about providing all Sullivan County residents with superior medical care.

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