A Pediatrician at St. Luke’s
View
Testimony: Prop Q Hearing on
the CPMC proposed closure of the NICU at SLH
San Francisco Public Health
Commission December 4, 2007
My name is Abha Goel and I am a pediatrician and
director of the Pediatric Hospitalist Program at St. Luke's .In 2005 the
administration implemented its first cost reduction, as a result of which
infants who were born before 32 weeks/or were very sick were transferred to
other Hospitals. In 2006 we were forced to undergo a second downgrade of our
NICU as a result of cost reduction.
This current proposed cutback would be the third
time our program will be reduced in order to balance the budget. While the harsh
reality of the monetary aspect cannot be ignored entirely, at the same time we
should not lose sight of the impact on the lives of families with sick and/or
premature newborns. I strongly believe that when a woman chooses to deliver at
any hospital, she trusts them to take care of her newborn as well. Providing
quality care for the Mother-Baby Unit as a whole is important in maintaining
continuity, while providing a family centered care at the same time.
In small gradual steps, Sutter has diminished
our ability to meet these expectations of our community created a gap in this
continuum.
St. Luke's Hospital Obstetrics and Neonatal
services have received praise throughout the Bay Area for our culturally
sensitive, high quality medical care for all mothers and babies regardless of
socioeconomic status. Our Newborn Intensive Care Unit has a low census in part
because of excellent prenatal care for mothers and immediate intervention for
at-risk newborns provided by pediatric hospitalists and experienced neonatal
nurses. These programs should be held up as an example of what can be achieved
in a community hospital in an urban environment with limited resources.
The latest plan is to maintain a Special Care
Nursery to meet the needs of the community until the end of2009, and
subsequently eliminate this service. Mothers and babies are at high risk after
birth and the lack of an appropriate healthcare would jeopardize the wellbeing
of this community. We need a change in policy at various levels, a commitment
for finances from organizations to ensure the welfare of our families. I am
hopeful that with the support of this commission we will be able to achieve this
goal.
Dr. Ahba Goel
St. Luke’s Hospital
Director of the Pediatric Hospitalist Service
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