The Golisano Children's Hospital opened in 2009 on Irving Avenue in Syracuse on the site where the former Syracuse Psychiatric Hospital stood until its demolition in 1990. The cupola of nearby Crouse Hospital can be seen to the right. (Rick Moriarty | rmoriarty@syracuse.com) SYRSYR
I am pediatrician in the Syracuse area. I am also the past president of the Upstate Medical Alumni Foundation and the current president of the Onondaga County Medical Society. Since coming to Syracuse from Queens, New York, to attend medical school here, I have had the pleasure and honor of caring for children in the Central New York community and the ongoing opportunity to work with all of the local healthcare institutions and my colleagues who have committed themselves in delivering excellent health care services to those in need.
During these past 2 ½ years, we have lived through very difficult times in healthcare. Not only have we had difficulties in providing for the needed medical services, both directly and indirectly related to the Covid pandemic, but we continue to endure financial, employee and logistical difficulties in our community. We continue to experience limitations in healthcare access as well as recurrent restrictions of hospitalizations, surgeries, and specialty care. We have witnessed a record number of hospital bankruptcies and closures due to the financial strain of the pandemic and unavailable healthcare staff to care for patients in need. Recognizing the local strain of services, such as emergency room overcrowding, hospital bed limitations due to inadequate nursing staff and rising administrative costs, our local institutions have continued to enact creative and required changes to adapt to the needs of our community.
The integration of Crouse and the Upstate Medical University hospitals will allow for the maintenance of inpatient services and more effective use of medical staff and coordination with outpatient healthcare services. It is obvious that Crouse Hospital can no longer function as an independent institution, yet the loss of their inpatient beds, including the special care nursery, would be devastating to the community, to say the least. If the merger of these institutions does not occur, most likely an out-of-area entity may consider the assumption of the Crouse Hospital services, in a manner that is neither integrative nor empathetic to our local needs. The merger of Upstate and Crouse will benefit from the guidance of the leaders at both institutions to address all healthcare access and needs of Central New York, as well as provide them in a fiscally efficient manner. I strongly support the merger of these fine institutions and I look forward to being supportive and helpful with the process.
President, Onondaga County Medical Society
Medical Director, Summerwood Pediatrics & Infusacare Medical Services
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