Thread by @AndrewMakeTweet

I have patients who live near Kingsbrook. Its closure must be stopped.

Here's a THREAD on hospital closures.

This is relevant wherever you live. These forces are at work nationwide. Think: Hahnemann in Philly, Mercy in Chicago, countless rural hospitals. 1/

Why do hospital closures happen?

Is it because people no longer live in their area? That might make sense, but is not the case. 2/

Hospital closures are due to racist, anti-poor *intentional underfunding* of community and safety net hospitals, which are then blamed for being fiscally unsound. 3/

Chronic underfunding is manufactured by our political leaders and their austerity supporters, and are taken advantage of by private equity, real estate developers, and profiteering health systems. 4/

These profiteers pursue closure in order to pick apart these community institutions to make money, whatever the cost in terms of human health. E.g. close this "unprofitable" unit and turn it into condos, have this rich health system absorb this "profitable" unit. 5/

And the evidence is clear: closures keep people from necessary care, and are racist policies in how they worsen health outcomes across groups.

Check out this great report. 6/ bu.edu/sph/files/2015…

Now let's consider Kingsbrook specifically.

According to nurses I know there, this is not an unused hospital. They were hit hard by the pandemic. 7/

They told me ER nurses had 20 patients, worked 16 hours straight, and were left crying in their cars after shifts for the care they struggled to provide as they were understaffed.

This is a place that needs investment, not closure. 8/

And closure will further traumatize staff and a community that were so traumatized by the pandemic (and our failed response). 9/

Case rates and death rates were disproportionately high in East Flatbush.

Staff didn’t have enough PPE (as rich hospitals had private planes shipping in ample supplies).

The morgue was overwhelmed.

At least 6 health workers died. 10/

My patients, my colleagues, and other members of East Flatbush deserve better. When they get sick, they deserve timely, high quality care. 11/

Instead of closing Kingsbrook, we must equitably invest in community hospitals and we must ensure that healthcare is paid for as a right so that these hospitals aren't financially vulnerable in the first place. 12/

Please sign this to support these rank and file union health workers and the community. They are starting a campaign to pressure their union and members of the City Council and state legislature. 13/

If you're looking to learn more about hospital closures (or related topics like hospital corporatization and geographic disparities) or to take action, recommend:
@Arrianna_Planey
@OliviaWebbC
Nurses unions
@UniteThePoor
@DSA_HWC
@PNHP

Who has helped you learn more?
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