By Nina Mandell and Heather Grossmann
DNAinfo Producer/Reporter
MANHATTAN — Dozens of doctors and nurses joined City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and other local pols to protest a proposed takeover of St. Vincent’s Hospital, saying it would leave the lower west side of Manhattan without any emergency medical facilities.
A rival health care group, Continuum Health Partners — which operates Beth Israel, St. Luke's and Roosevelt hospitals in Manhattan — has submitted a plan to take control of the financially struggling, 727-bed Greenwich Village hospital.
But Quinn, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer and Congressman Jerrold Nadler said they were strongly opposed to the takeover.
Stringer raised questions about the connection between New York State Department of Health Commissioner Richard Daines, who is instrumental in the takeover decision, and Continuum Health Partners, where he used to be an executive.
"Back in 2007, when [Daines] was proposed to be health commissioner, people were very concerned that his relationship with Continuum would give them a benefit when they were dealing with hospital closures, and Continuum did quite well," said Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer.
"So I'm not suggesting there's an absolute conflict [of interest], but before any decision is made, we clearly have to have a vetting of what has transpired."
Under the plan, the hospital would be converted to a community health center. Patients currently being treated at the hospital would be rerouted within 60-90 days of the takeover and the regional emergency care and trauma functions of the hospital would be severely cut back.
St. Vincent's is also one of the state's designated AIDS centers, and has a psychiatric unit with 79 licensed beds.
“If the state allows this health group to move forward with its plans to remove emergency care, it would paralyze medical assistance on the west side of Manhattan,” Quinn said, speaking outside of the hospital.
“Every minute an ambulance has to travel longer to reach a hospital is another minute with a life in jeopardy.”
Several area residents were also outraged as news of the plan hit.
“I’m happy Marc Jacobs can afford to live here, but I’d rather have St. Vincent’s,” said Carole Lewis, who has lived in the West Village for 46 years.
“We don’t need more yuppie glass buildings, we need more services like they have at St. Vincent’s,” resident Joan Giles added.
Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer issued a statement on Tuesday urging for transparency in the process and warning against the closure of the hospital.
"Saint Vincent Hospital’s mission is important to not just Greenwich Village, but the entire City," he said. "For over 160 years Saint Vincent’s has provided free health care for many of our most vulnerable citizens."
