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Brooklyn, NY - Are The 3,137 Births at a Borough Park Hospital Because of Hospital Spillover? |
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At Maimonides Medical Center, the 74 babies born in 48 hours two weeks ago set a record - but that was just the tip of the iceberg.
In the first five months of this year, 3,137 babies were born at the Borough Park hospital - up 16% since 2006.
"I don't think there's a biological event going on. I don't think World War II ended nine months ago and the GIs are returning to Borough Park," said Dr. Howard Minkoff, chairman of Maimonides' obstetrics and gynecology.
Instead, Minkoff attributed the jump to the recent closings of St. Mary's and Victory Memorial Hospitals, along with Long Island College Hospital's threat to close its obstetrics unit.
"We [deliver babies] at some financial cost," he said, noting that because of low insurance reimbursement rates, hospitals lose $1,000-$4,000 on every delivery. "Other hospitals have made a different calculus."
Interfaith Medical Center in Bedford-Stuyvesant shuttered its maternity ward in 2004. Boroughwide, the number of obstetrics beds has dropped from 418 in 2001 to 377 today - meaning fewer beds to handle the same number of births.
At Methodist Hospital in Park Slope, 1,887 women gave birth from January through April of this year - up 22% from last year and 38% from 2007.
Dr. Steven Silver, vice president for medical affairs at Methodist, said many patients who would otherwise have given birth at LICH - where the state would not allow the maternity ward to be closed, but births have still fallen 19% - ended up at Methodist. Five doctors have also moved from LICH to Methodist, which has added three new labor and delivery rooms in the last two years.
"Now it's getting tight again," said Silver. "I don't think we anticipated such a big rush so soon. LICH was a big surprise."
Other hospitals reported more modest increases. Births at SUNY Downstate are up 5% since 2005.
Maimonides has nearly doubled its number of labor and delivery suites but is still struggling to keep up with high demand. "Once or twice a month you'll have days that are just overwhelming," Minkoff said. There was a smaller spike last week, with 33 babies delivered on Wednesday, compared to an average of 20 a day.
"Under no circumstances do we allow [patients] to be unsafe, but sometimes we can't prevent inconvenience," he said, adding women are sometimes kept waiting for delivery or recovery rooms. "We do go around and say I'm sorry, which I have had to learn to say in 51 languages."
At Methodist, the biggest crunch comes after women have given birth. "We're not throwing anybody out, [but] we're trying to encourage people to go home as soon as they're ready," Silver said.
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Read Comments (32) — Post Yours »
1
Jun 07, 2009 at 09:24 PM happy Says:
b" h klal yisroel should only have this kind of problems
2
Jun 07, 2009 at 10:41 PM Geual Says:
Baruch Hashem and unfortunately just as many woman and more are still childless. There for lets daven for those woman in need. Lets hope that all the necessary neshomas will come down this year E"H & then the geula shlaima.
3
Jun 07, 2009 at 10:32 PM Shidduch Crisis Says:
Will this be the solution to the Shidduch Crisis in 17 - 20 years from now?
4
Jun 07, 2009 at 10:23 PM Anonymous Says:
Perhaps it's time for the community to open its own birthing center.
5
Jun 07, 2009 at 10:13 PM Anonymous Says:
“ b" h klal yisroel should only have this kind of problems ”
the hospital better be ready to meet the needs of these women giving birth. A hallway isnt a great place to recover after birth!
6
Jun 07, 2009 at 09:59 PM Proud Mommy Says:
I am a proud Yiddishe Mommy who truly believes that giving birth at home should be the only way. Hospitals should be for patients only. Giving birth doesn't make a person a Choleh, unless there is Chas V'Sholom a problem. This would solve all hospital bed problems. I am glad to say that I am a Yiddishe Mommy.
7
Jun 07, 2009 at 09:53 PM maimonides obgyn Says:
its not only jewish births.. many of the births are asian, etc..
less than 30% are jewish
8
Jun 07, 2009 at 09:50 PM AuthenticSatmar Says:
They are losing 1-4k per birth? I find that figure unbelievable.
9
Jun 07, 2009 at 09:27 PM Anonymous Says:
Wow...Kein Yirba! You should see the new ward at Maimonidies. It is really comfortable and beautiful.
10
Jun 07, 2009 at 11:33 PM Anonymous Says:
to # 6 - that is insane!
of course giving birth doesnt make one a "choleh" but there are many risk one takes when they give birth at home, Meconium is one such example, where in the hospital its no big deal - they can tell before and remove it immeidiately at birth but at home it can be Fatal! i dont have the exact count but about 1 in 10 births the baby swallows Meconium!
if you really are a proud mother think twice !
11
Jun 07, 2009 at 11:20 PM yidel Says:
“ Wow...Kein Yirba! You should see the new ward at Maimonidies. It is really comfortable and beautiful. ”
they built it with the $1-4 K they lose on each birth...see they are there for one thing and one thing only to serve the community...
GIMEE A BREAK...
the nursing staff at mimo is a SHREK
12
Jun 07, 2009 at 11:16 PM Dov Says:
“ They are losing 1-4k per birth? I find that figure unbelievable. ”
They lose $1-4000 for each but they make it up in volume
13
Jun 07, 2009 at 11:49 PM frustrated at bloggers.... Says:
“ I am a proud Yiddishe Mommy who truly believes that giving birth at home should be the only way. Hospitals should be for patients only. Giving birth doesn't make a person a Choleh, unless there is Chas V'Sholom a problem. This would solve all hospital bed problems. I am glad to say that I am a Yiddishe Mommy. ”
Don be so proud....A brainless Yiddishe mommy perhaps!!!!!! Hospitals should be for patients only, why is a woman giving birth given heter for many things during that time - because giving birth is considered life threatening and her life is in danger...many mommies have not be zocheh to see their little ones, and b"h we have available at our fingertips the finest care in the hospitals to look after both the mummies and their babies. Giving birth DOES INDEED make a woman a Choleh and ask any rav that question, and if you think not, then why is a woman who just gave birth not obliged to fast on Yom Kippur or T'B'av. So next time if you wanna post something - try being a little more mature about it...
14
Jun 08, 2009 at 04:47 AM mikesdinette@aol.com Says:
#10 & #13 I couldn't have set it better..in a split second there is so much that can go wrong; for her to say that it's best to give birth at home is idiocy! Personally, it should be criminal to choose giving birth at home...
15
Jun 08, 2009 at 04:45 AM Anonymous Says:
“ I am a proud Yiddishe Mommy who truly believes that giving birth at home should be the only way. Hospitals should be for patients only. Giving birth doesn't make a person a Choleh, unless there is Chas V'Sholom a problem. This would solve all hospital bed problems. I am glad to say that I am a Yiddishe Mommy. ”
ur kidding me right? i'm looking at the screen and laughing hysterically what is wrong with you? do you not know the risks involved? any rav even the most machmir will call a woman giving birth a chola in sakanas nefashos! grow up
16
Jun 08, 2009 at 06:15 AM Anonymous Says:
“ ur kidding me right? i'm looking at the screen and laughing hysterically what is wrong with you? do you not know the risks involved? any rav even the most machmir will call a woman giving birth a chola in sakanas nefashos! grow up ”
Do any of you know how many baby's get infections from being in the hospitals ?What about the high rate of c sections because the doctor has to cover his back against lawsuits How many times do they induce labor because labor because the doctor lost patience and wants to leave. Haveing it at home with an experienced midwife is not that "insane" They come fully equipped to handle all the basic emergency plus the calmness of your own home.Thay have almost a zero percent c section rate and they won't induce they will just wait it out.If something does go wrong there average is about 1 in a 100 they all have doctors that back them up and in less than 15 minutes you can be at the hospital.Even than its not usually life threatening.
17
Jun 08, 2009 at 01:26 AM Anonymous Says:
“ They are losing 1-4k per birth? I find that figure unbelievable. ”
of course not they would be out of business, what he meant to say was the cost to have a baby is between 1 and 4 thousand, they charge insurance companies between 5 and 6 thousand
18
Jun 08, 2009 at 12:46 AM Another Homebirth Frum Mother Says:
Having more homebirths would make things easier! And for those who are concerned, homebirth of a low-risk mother (that's most of us) is just as safe as in the hospital in terms of mortality, with a lower rate of interventions. FYI meconium and "cord around the neck" are not emergencies. My latest (homebirth) baby had the cord around his neck twice - just unwrap it!
Get a trained midwife, who knows how to recognize emergencies before they become emergencies (that's what hospitals are for - where to go in cases of true emergency). Save a fortune (midwives cost $2-$4 thousand, including all prenatal care, wheras hospitals charge $8,000 for the simplest natural birth with no pain medication). And best of all, avoid the 1/3 rate of C-sections, many of which are unnecessary! (The rate should be 10%)
19
Jun 08, 2009 at 12:14 AM Anonymous Says:
Sometimes waiting for a delivery is abnormal in Mamonidies you get your room when your almost delivering and then the room is empty of supplies because they don't have the time to restock.
20
Jun 08, 2009 at 06:55 AM C. Emergency Says:
Getting there in 15 minutes and my daughter would have died.
21
Jun 08, 2009 at 07:44 AM Gambling with THREE lives Says:
Yes, this shayla has been brought to rabbonim many, many times. EVERY godol has paskinned that a woman in labor is a choleh, and it is absolutely mutar to be michallel Shabbos for her, etc. The Satmar Rov, ZY"U, ruled that the husband should even ride with her in the ambulance or car to the hospital, even if he is not driving, as long as she only "asks" him to. He felt that even "upsetting" or "frightening" a woman in labor was enough for it to be a mitzvah to be mechallel Shabbos for her.
Those familar with childbirth know that some complications may arise which really do need the facilities of a hospital.
That being said, for a multipara multigravida, who feels confident she can have yet another smooth delivery, there is nothing wrong with utilizing a "birthing center" which is well equipped, has trained staff, and has a good hospital association, with easy transfer to said hospital.
But, any woman who does not use a hospital who had trouble a previous time, or is a primipara or primigravida, first childbirth or first pregnancy, or has high blood pressure, or any other elevated-risked situation who does not go to the hospital is being irresponsible, and is putting THREE people at risk: she is putting her baby at risk, she is putting the mother of her baby at risk, and she is putting her husband's wife at risk.
22
Jun 08, 2009 at 08:26 AM home birth is NOT 100% safe Says:
When I had my oldest 18 years ago, I read that a mom who was low risk still had a 1-2% chance of something going wrong. If it were YOUR baby on the line, would you want to risk?
I have a friend who did a home birth. She was low risk and everything seemed ideal. Well, her baby's shoulder's got stuck in the delivery. The midwife tried everything, but they couldn't not get this little one out. The midwife rushed her to the hospital, but sadly, the baby died in route. This woman mourns her dead baby and blames herself. She has had 12 kids all together. Every single subsequent child was delivered in a hospital. She still, to this day, regrets her decision to deliver at home. IMHO, why put yourself in that risk? Yes, I guess home births can be better. But ask yourself, do you want to have to live with your decision for the rest of your life if Chas V'shalom you fall into that small 1-2% of something going wrong?
23
Jun 08, 2009 at 10:20 AM rebbetzin hockstein Says:
“ Don be so proud....A brainless Yiddishe mommy perhaps!!!!!! Hospitals should be for patients only, why is a woman giving birth given heter for many things during that time - because giving birth is considered life threatening and her life is in danger...many mommies have not be zocheh to see their little ones, and b"h we have available at our fingertips the finest care in the hospitals to look after both the mummies and their babies. Giving birth DOES INDEED make a woman a Choleh and ask any rav that question, and if you think not, then why is a woman who just gave birth not obliged to fast on Yom Kippur or T'B'av. So next time if you wanna post something - try being a little more mature about it... ”
try being a little mature about it? back at ya, baby! In other countries, like Holland, MOST births are home births, the system is set up this way to have excellent trained midwives attend births with ambulance backup and hospitals not far away in the event of need for transfer for more specialized care. and the statistics are astounding, more healthy babies, more healthy moms, less C-sections, less complications.....Don't be so quick to call someone brainless just because this is THE WAY in our country/culture. It is NOT the only way! Do your own research as this (former) childbirth educator/doula has. I am also a mom of home birthed, birth center and hospital babies K"AH, I have experienced birth in all 3 locations: in my never to be humble opinion, home is best. Now, no flame wars or name calling, try to be "mature" about this!
24
Jun 08, 2009 at 11:48 AM deepthinker Says:
"AuthenticSatmar Says: They are losing 1-4k per birth? I find that figure unbelievable."
There is something very fishy about that figure. Schneifer's Hospital, a division of Long Island Jewish, has a shuttle service from Williamsburg for Maternity partients. They are actually looking for more birthing business. They are a top-grade hospital.
Obviously, they are making money on each birth, and they want to make even more.
So, the other hospitals who claim to be losing money are mismanaged.
I don't understand why Maimonides doesn't employ midwives for the overwhelming majority of normal low-risk births, with emergency back if anything is considered high-risk. That would cut the costs dramatically, without endangering the mother or child.
I suspect there is more than meets the eye here. These hospitals are not playing with a full deck.
25
Jun 08, 2009 at 11:41 AM Anonymous Says:
“ They lose $1-4000 for each but they make it up in volume ”
the volume only exacerbates the 1-4k loss per birth...what are you saying?
26
Jun 08, 2009 at 01:10 PM deepthinker Says:
CORRECTION TO COMMENT NO. 24:
The correct name for the Maternity division of Long Island Jewish Hospital is SCHNEIDER'S CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL.
27
Jun 08, 2009 at 03:00 PM Milhouse Says:
“ I am a proud Yiddishe Mommy who truly believes that giving birth at home should be the only way. Hospitals should be for patients only. Giving birth doesn't make a person a Choleh, unless there is Chas V'Sholom a problem. This would solve all hospital bed problems. I am glad to say that I am a Yiddishe Mommy. ”
"Giving birth doesn't make a person a Choleh,"
Actually it does. That's why you can get a goy to do things for you, and don't have to fast on Yom Kippur.
28
Jun 08, 2009 at 06:39 PM Anonymous Says:
“ to # 6 - that is insane!
of course giving birth doesnt make one a "choleh" but there are many risk one takes when they give birth at home, Meconium is one such example, where in the hospital its no big deal - they can tell before and remove it immeidiately at birth but at home it can be Fatal! i dont have the exact count but about 1 in 10 births the baby swallows Meconium!
if you really are a proud mother think twice !
”
Why think of the worst case scenario? Women in less civilized societies give birth without "benefits" of hospitalization and do not exhibit 1 in 10 mortality rate due to ingestion of meconium by the newborn. If a qualified attendant is on hand and transfer to the hospital in case of emergency is uncomplicated by distance or lack of transportation facilities a woman may demonstrate her Bitachon in Hashem by giving birth at home.
29
Jun 08, 2009 at 08:29 PM Anonymous Says:
“ Perhaps it's time for the community to open its own birthing center.
”
It would cost the U.S. taxpayer to much for Boro Park to open "it's own" birthing center, because you know who ultimately pays the bill....nice, generous Mr. John Doe American Taxpayer. Just like they said in the article, Maimonides loses between $1,000 - $4,000 on every birth, meaning this is strictly a Medicaid money-losing fiasco (i.e. taxpayer funded). Mark my anonymous words: it is only a question of time before Maimonides shuts down its labor & delivery wing because it can no longer haemorrhage so much money.
30
Jun 08, 2009 at 08:35 PM Anonymous Says:
“ try being a little mature about it? back at ya, baby! In other countries, like Holland, MOST births are home births, the system is set up this way to have excellent trained midwives attend births with ambulance backup and hospitals not far away in the event of need for transfer for more specialized care. and the statistics are astounding, more healthy babies, more healthy moms, less C-sections, less complications.....Don't be so quick to call someone brainless just because this is THE WAY in our country/culture. It is NOT the only way! Do your own research as this (former) childbirth educator/doula has. I am also a mom of home birthed, birth center and hospital babies K"AH, I have experienced birth in all 3 locations: in my never to be humble opinion, home is best. Now, no flame wars or name calling, try to be "mature" about this! ”
Answer us this, Ms. Doula. If home birth is the preferred way to go, why then, do these experienced mothers in Boro Park refuse TO GO HOME FOR WEEKS EVEN AFTER GIVING BIRTH????? They go to kimpeturin homes and lodge with Mothers and Mothers-in-law. It sounds by your answer that you have never practiced in the heimisch oilam of Boro Park because your answer sounds clueless.
31
Jun 08, 2009 at 08:32 PM Anonymous Says:
“ They lose $1-4000 for each but they make it up in volume ”
Dov, let's put on our thinking cap and reread your illogical answer. If they LOSE $1,000 - $4,000 on EACH AND EVERY BIRTH (ON AVERAGE), then if there are 10,000 births that means they have lost between $10,000,000 and $40,000,000. It doesn't matter what the volume is, they are only LOSING MONEY.
32
Jun 09, 2009 at 11:49 AM Tam Says:
“ I am a proud Yiddishe Mommy who truly believes that giving birth at home should be the only way. Hospitals should be for patients only. Giving birth doesn't make a person a Choleh, unless there is Chas V'Sholom a problem. This would solve all hospital bed problems. I am glad to say that I am a Yiddishe Mommy. ”
A woman giving birth IS a Choleh. You can ask anyone from Hatzalah. As is well known, the best place for giving birth is the place the mother feels most comfortable, and Hatzaloh will take the mother on Shabbos to her hospital, even if it is further away and a better hospital is close by.
Same regarding giving birth in house. One may be Mechalel Shabbos to call a midwife etc. and do all work necessary in helping the mother, as well as avoidable items that is intended only to make the mother feel more comfortable. So you see that a mother to be (Kimpetoren in Yiddish) is a Choleh.
#13 Don't go down so hard.