Bklyn Civic Leaders Rally Behind Maimonides Hospital After Negative Reports

By:  Benyamin Davidsons

Maimonides hospital has become the center of negative attention, with critics alleging declining patient care, financial mismanagement, and what they call exorbitant salaries and bonuses paid out to the hospital’s top brass.

As reported by the NY Post, now some 25 southern Brooklyn community leaders are standing behind the hospital to defend it.  The leaders co-signed a letter accusing critics of planning an attack campaign against the hospital, which is undermining the medical facility’s ability to perform.  “Maimonides is not perfect – no hospital is – but its leadership is eager to listen and addresses issues when raised,” the letter obtained by The Post said.

The letter defends the hospital saying that the COVID-19 pandemic has had “a devastating impact on our communities and created major challenges throughout society. All hospitals have faced enormous pressure on staffing and resources.” The letter continues, stating that the attacks on the hospital have not been constructive, rather divisive and harmful. “It is disheartening to see these global challenges used as a pretext for a divisive, misleading, harmful series of attacks on the hospital and its workforce – especially when the hospital has gone above and beyond to get us through the pandemic, visiting community centers and places of worship to provide vaccinations, support, and information,” the letter says.

The letter was co-signed various religious councils including Monsignor Jamie Gigantiello, vicar of development for the Brooklyn Catholic Diocese, the Federation of Italian-American Organizations of Brooklyn, United Senior Citizens of Sunset Park, the Bangladeshi-American Society, Islamic Society of Bay Ridge, Chinese American Planning Council, the Arab American Association of NY, the Arthur Ashe Institution for Urban Health, and others.  “As community leaders, we stand with Maimonides and its hardworking team of clinicians, staff, and administrators. We would encourage everyone to learn the facts about Maimonides and to make their voices heard in support of the hospital. Maimonides is a pillar of Brooklyn life which we can all feel proud to have in our backyard.”

The letter is the hospital’s latest effort to push back against critics.  In July, fivestate lawmakers had signed a letter calling for hearings into the hospital’s operations, ripping the hospital for “unacceptable” quality of care– citing long wait times and an overwhelmed staff. In the summer, a group calling itself Brooklyn Health Initiative set up tables outside the hospital, getting people to sign a petition, with the stated aim of “restoring integrity and excellence to our cherished neighborhood hospital.”  Maimonides, located at 802 10th Ave in Borough Park, is an independent nonprofit non-sectarian organization, and is Brooklyn’s largest privately run hospital.  As per the Post, this year, in a federal government report card, the hospital received only a 1-star rating out of 5 for patient satisfaction, and 2 out of 5 stars for overall care.

Maimonides has previously said the “malicious” claims coming out against it are “irresponsible” and a part of a “smear campaign.” In response to the new letter of support, Maimonides said in a statement: “As a destination center for advanced care and a safety net hospital serving diverse neighborhoods with high concentrations of Medicaid patients, we are incredibly proud of the top tier clinical outcomes we have been able to achieve for communities that have suffered from significant historic health disparities.”