EPA Photo New York Presbyterian Columbia University Medical Center, where in 2013 the average emergency room wait to see a doctor was 85 minutes, ranking the Washington Heights facility among the state’s 10 worst.
An upper-Manhattan lawmaker who slammed New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center this summer for its long wait times and “horrendous conditions” will host a hearing on the matter next month.
State Sen. Adriano Espaillat said he hopes to find ways to improve conditions at the 995-bed hospital on 168th St. near St. Nicholas Ave.
Last year, emergency room patients waited an average of 85 minutes before seeing a doctor, ranking the Washington Heights medical center — one of six operated by the health care system — among the state’s 10 worst, according to state data.
Officials last month pledged to double the hospital’s emergency room capacity to 88 beds, and conduct outreach encouraging patients to see their primary care doctor for non-emergency-related matters.
Interfaith Medical Center in Brooklyn recorded the state’s longest door-to-diagnostic average wait time, 125 minutes.
Todd Maisel/New York Daily News State Sen. Adriano Espaillat, who has scheduled a hearing next month to examine reported long emergency room wait times and “horrendous conditions” at New York Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center in Washington Heights.
“This hearing will bring together a diverse collection of voices,” said Espaillat. “It is an opportunity to discuss the challenges the ER is facing in an inclusive, transparent setting, and identify solutions for improving conditions.”
The hearing is scheduled for Dec. 10 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Center, 3940 Broadway.
For questions call (212) 544-0173 or email eventsRSVP@adrianoespaillat.org.
jransom@nydailynews.com
Health – NY Daily News