Nyack (N.Y.) Hospital is establishing a policy that emergency room patients having a heart attack be transported to NewYork Presbyterian Hospital in New York City. The policy is based on the fact that NewYork Presbyterian provides advanced cardiac care not available at Nyack and that many Nyack cardiologists are affiliated with NewYork Presbyterian. In the past, some patients were transferred to the city hospital while others were sent to Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern, N.Y., Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla, N.Y., or New Jersey facilities, according to the report.
Good Samaritan opposes Nyack’s new policy, arguing patients should be transported to the closest cardiac center — in this case, the center Good Samaritan opened in 2007 — so patients can receive angioplasty quicker and have an increased chance of survival.
Representatives from Nyack and Good Samaritan hospitals spoke at the Rockland Legislature to answer questions from Legislator John Murphy about the new policy, according to the report. Nyack representatives said their cardiologists’ affiliation with NewYork Presbyterian will enhance patient care if patients are sent there and that patients will still be able to indicate a preferred hospital. Michael Innerfield, MD, a cardiologist on staff at both hospitals, said Nyack’s new policy is “immoral” and getting treatment as quickly as possible is in the patients’ best interest, according to the report.
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