Healthcare workers, labor and community leaders joined New York state Sen. Zellnor Myrie on March 25 in calling on lawmakers to grant emergency funding to stabilize SUNY Downstate Medical Center.
The hospital, New York City's flagship state-run healthcare institution, faces a significant funding shortfall after being designated a COVID-19-only facility in 2020, according to a news release from Myrie's office.
SUNY Downstate was designated as Brooklyn's sole COVID-19-only hospital on March 28, 2020, according to the release. That meant all non-COVID inpatient cases were diverted to other facilities, elective and emergent surgeries were canceled and all clinics were closed.
The severe financial effects continued even after the designation was lifted, resulting in a COVID-19-related deficit of $159 million.
The public teaching hospital employs about 4,000 workers, United University Professions President Frederick Kowal, PhD, said in the release.