As a practitioner and facility owner in New York State, I’m part of a group (names of the group are listed at the end of this post) engaged in a dialogue with New York State Department of Health officials over an issue that has recently arisen in our state. Our intent is to solicit evidence of any similar activity anywhere else in the country, as well as to identify sources of support for our ongoing effort to bring this issue to a higher level of awareness.
As briefly as possible, the situation is as follows: Operated by the New York State Department of Health (staff are New York State employees), Helen Hayes Hospital, a highly regarded 155 bed rehab hospital north of New York City, has recently proposed expanding the P&O services it offers from its’ main location in West Haverstraw to an area two counties north and accross the Hudson River, as a satellite operation. The proposed area of expansion, in Poughkeepsie, is currently served by 5 privately owned facilities.
Our group of regional practitioners is currently in dialogue with area legislators and the Department of Health in an effort to force them to reconsider this expansion. We’ve taken the position that it is inappropriate for any state agency to enter into competition with the private sector, especially in an area in which no evidence of need has been demonstrated (we’ve been informed that no needs study has been done). We’ve recently been told by a Department of Health official that this State hospital has made a “business decision” to offer services in this manner.
As we work to establish a base of resistance to such activity, we’d like to solicit evidence of any precedents from other states of similar inappropriate activities on behalf of state agencies elsewhere in the country. Comments and support welcome.
Thomas Passero, CP, President and Clinical Director Prosthetic & Orthotic Associates, Inc., and Aesthetic Concerns Prosthetics, Inc., Middletown New York
1. Tim Lacy, CP
LaTorre Orthopedic Laboratory, Albany
2. Dennis Ebbing, CPO
Mid Hudson Orthopedic Systems, Poughkeepsie
3. Michael Lefton, CPO, Justin Horowitz, CPO, Ron Cahill, CPO M&M Prosthetics, Kingston 4. David Huysman, CPO Huysman Orthotics, East Moriches, Long Island 5. Joan Zinter, OTR, CPO Prosthetic & Orthotic Design, Kiingston/Poughkeepsie 6. Daniel Morgan, CPO Prosthetic & Orthotic Design, Albany 7. Bill Sampson, CPO Sampson’s Prosthetic & Orthotic Laboratory, Albany/Schenectady 8. Ted Drygas, CPO Care Crafters, Nanuet 9. Andrew Cinque, CPO J-K Prosthetics, Mount Vernon 10. David Moskowitz, CPO Orthopedic Alternatives Ltd., Jamaica/Queens/New Jersey 11. Andrew Carubbia, CPO Prosthetic Rehabilitation Services, Newburgh 12. Thomas Passero, CP Prosthetic & Orthotic Associates/Aesthetic Concerns Prosthetics, Middletown/Monticello
