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You'll Still Need To Travel
Did someone suggest or say, "With the new downtown hospital, you will not need to travel for care."? This is simply not true, just read into why and you'll understand.
Conversation from the web... "It's true, people shouldn’t have to travel to NYC or other cities for better medical care. This proposed new downtown hospital is still going to leave Utica doing just that for several departments though. Don’t buy into their “state of the art” messages without pressing to see their actual data and proof. Example: there will be 8 pediatric beds available (for use by Oneida, herkimer, and Madison counties). These will be placed 2 per floor if I remember right? These rooms will also be designed so other patients can use them if need be. So pediatric specialists, nurses, equipment will be spread out and used for all sorts of health related issues - not efficient or safe. Definitely doesn’t qualify as “state of the art” - not to mention this will effect at least 25% of our population (those 18 years and under) PLUS their legal guardians (not easy taking off of work, let alone having to travel to Syracuse/Albany to care for your child’s health). Anyways, just one example. #NoHospitalDowntown has been going strong for 3 years, still with very few (if any) answers from MVHS. It’s sad really, the healthcare should absolutely be the focus." [Ref.]
April 28, 2016 - False Hopes: With New Hospital, Families Won't Have To Travel... Seeking acceptance of their plan, one hope supporters of a new downtown hospital offer is that local residents will no longer need to drive to Syracuse, Boston, or elsewhere for healthcare. However, according to a Harvard Business Review article titled ""The Strategy That Will Fix Health Care, it reports numerous studies suggesting otherwise.
New #Utica #NY #Hospital not likely to prevent families/patients from driving right past it https://t.co/qOF9GmP31I pic.twitter.com/kO2cYxqRxj
— #NoHospitalDowntown (@NoHospitalDwtn) April 29, 2016
According to the article "...as hospital volumes rose, the chances of a patient’s dying as a result of the surgery fell by as much as 67%. Patients, then, are often much better off traveling longer distance to obtain care at locations where there are teams with deep experience in their condition. That often means driving past the closest hospitals."
In fact, placing the hospital downtown would decrease any chance that their hope could be realized. As going downtown will be significantly more expensive, and that added cost would take away from investments in; equipment, better staff/doctor pay, or lowering hospital operating costs/debt costs. If advocates truly cared about healthcare, they would undertake adding a "high tech" wing to St. Luke's and strength the medical district already well established around and alongside Utica College.
November 19, 2017 - The newspaper's editorial board takes on job of selling new hospital, in their OUR VIEW: Downtown hospital good medicine for our region, however one needs to read carefully...
"New resources, too, can lead to improved health care for us and future generations,
They ONLY say "lessening", as they realize our small city CANNOT complete with large cities. Then, the quote...
"Our [Utica's] convenient geographic location -
Yes, the fact is Utica is close to major metro areas. So while not convenient as driving across town, bigger cities are close (an easy drive) to much larger populations, their much better equipped doctors and facilities.
Consider the article, The Advantages Of Living In A Big City. The headline could also read:
For The Best Possible Medical Care, it’s Big Cities!
It states, "Medical care in rural areas simply cannot compete with the options available in a big city. Most people living in remote regions travel dozens of miles to visit a doctor, and specialist visits could become an overnight trip. Living in a big city gives you the opportunity to receive the highest caliber of medical care without traveling hours from your home. Competition in cities drives medical centers to hire only the most knowledgeable staff, ensuring the finest care for you. More than a dozen hospitals in the Chicago area are nationally ranked for the quality of their medical care and superior staff. When it comes to finding a doctor in big cities like Chicago, you have unparalleled options and resources to get the care you need.
It is not fair to expect all the greatest doctors and equipment to exist in Utica. It is just not rationale. Utica is a very small city, ranked only 10th largest in New York State alone. A new hospital, regardless where constructed, CANNOT compete with larger cities. If one believe, or are told “the new downtown hospital means you don’t have to travel for healthcare”, it is very safe for you to not believe them. And the more money wasted on bulldozing downtown, the less they have for more staff and new equipment.
You can help, please join us on Facebook #NoHospitalDowntown. Also consider adding your voice to Hundreds of People Saying, "No Hospital Downtown". Get to know BUD, that's the future of the Columbia Lafayette Neighborhood!
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