Plea to Paterson for hospitals

Dear Governor Paterson:

I am writing to you as a resident of Forest Hills who is deeply concerned about the imminent closure of St. John's Queens Hospital and Mary Immaculate Hospital.

We live in a community with increasing population and decreasing health care services. This is dangerous. According to a recent article in the New York Daily News, the hospitals serve 200,000 patients a year. Please help!

St. John's Queens Hospital has a hyperbolic chamber which serves the residents of our community. St. John's is a 911 ambulance center having many ambulances; Mary Immaculate also has many ambulances. Without these ambulances, the response time in emergencies would clearly increase to a dangerous level.

Mary Immaculate has an oncology section and a nursing home. Both hospitals serve all segments of our diverse Queens community. Every member of our community will be impacted. In any emergency situation, our residents' health and safety depends upon these facilities.

Based upon the NYS Department of Health website, the performance of St. John's Queens Hospital is 97.6 percent for appropriate heart attack care. This is especially important given our demographics.

In addition, these two hospitals employ 2,500 workers. This is an urgent appeal to you to help. I understand that Congressman Weiner, State Senator Addabbo, Councilwoman Katz have all sent correspondence in support of these two hospitals.

Governor, in your press statement of Feb. 10, 2009, you indicate that improving the efficiency and effectiveness of health care services in New York's cities, towns and villages requires the hard work and collaboration of our state and local government.

Our community needs to be protected. We cannot afford to lose our health care services. Investment in the health care for our community is needed at this critical time.

Thank you for your consideration of this request.

Heidi Harrison Chain

Editor's note: The writer is a candidate for City Council in the 29th Council District.