Recently, a Newsday report found that Stony Brook (N.Y.) University Hospital dished out the second-most overtime pay among state-owned organizations, but hospital executives defended their overtime practices, saying it provides the hospital flexibility while minimizing costs.
L. Reuven Pasternak, MD, CEO of Stony Brook University Hospital, and Kenneth Kaushansky, MD, dean of Stony Brook School of Medicine, wrote an op-ed explaining how overtime costs save the state and the organization money. For example, they said hourly overtime costs for nurses are 12.8 percent less than adding a new full-time nurse with hourly pay and state employee benefits. Drs. Pasternak and Kaushansky also said salary costs, including overtime pay, are covered by hospital revenue, not taxpayer dollars.
"Less than 3 percent of the hospital's annual operating budget comes from the state of New York," according to the op-ed. "To help offset reduced state support, we are finding ever-more efficient ways of operating, so we can continue to generate excess revenue for reinvestment in healthcare services for patients and families. Fortunately, we have maintained our profitability while improving our efficiencies. The result is smarter, more cost-effective care for our patients."
L. Reuven Pasternak, MD, CEO of Stony Brook University Hospital, and Kenneth Kaushansky, MD, dean of Stony Brook School of Medicine, wrote an op-ed explaining how overtime costs save the state and the organization money. For example, they said hourly overtime costs for nurses are 12.8 percent less than adding a new full-time nurse with hourly pay and state employee benefits. Drs. Pasternak and Kaushansky also said salary costs, including overtime pay, are covered by hospital revenue, not taxpayer dollars.
"Less than 3 percent of the hospital's annual operating budget comes from the state of New York," according to the op-ed. "To help offset reduced state support, we are finding ever-more efficient ways of operating, so we can continue to generate excess revenue for reinvestment in healthcare services for patients and families. Fortunately, we have maintained our profitability while improving our efficiencies. The result is smarter, more cost-effective care for our patients."
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