MEETH is closing

[wolverine32]

New York's Commission of Healthcare Facilities just came out with a list of hospitals across New York State that they are recommending for closure. (The recommendations must be passed or rejected as a whole, and the recommendations have the support of both outgoing Governor Pataki and incoming Governor Spitzer.) The only affected hospital that has a ophthalmology residency program is MEETH, which is affiliated with NYU.

Here's a link to an article: http://www.newyorkbusiness.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061129/FREE/61129011/1086/FREE

And here's a link to the Commission's report (search the pdf file for "meeth"): http://www.nyhealthcarecommission.org/docs/final/appendix2-newyorkcityrac.pdf

Does anyone have any thoughts about how this might affect the NYU/MEETH program, in terms of the number of residents they can accomodate, and the impact on their volume? From what I understand, most NYC programs had below average clinical/surgical volume to begin with.

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[NJ Ophtho]

Thanks for posting - I was wondering about this as well.
my understanding from the NY Times is that MEETh is only closing it's inpatient beds. Since so few ophthalmology patients stay overnight post-op, I wonder if this will affect the program that much. that said, the NY Times said the following:

several other hospitals would effectively be closed by being forced to shed their beds to become clinics or outpatient facilities. That is the case with a sixth hospital that will effectively close in New York City, the Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital on East 64th Street.

Also, this is not a final decision yet, although it seems likely to be passed by the state legislature.
Perhaps more will be revealed after the NYU interviews this weekend?

I also wonder how the other closures affect prelims. I interviewed at one of the closing hospitals - this will probably make it harder to match there...

 

[Mirror Form]

Thanks for posting - I was wondering about this as well.
my understanding from the NY Times is that MEETh is only closing it's inpatient beds. Since so few ophthalmology patients stay overnight post-op, I wonder if this will affect the program that much.

We see a lot of inpatient consults at my program. How will you get any experience with the really sick patients if you're essentially at a super clinic? Exams on ICU patients are a lot different than exams in the clinic, and you frequently see different things. And trauma?

At the same time though, I could probably live without all those fungemia consults.

 

[KBerg21]

The closing of MEETH is horrible news for NYU because for years they have been talking about closing the Manhattan VA, as well. Suddenly, their hospital coverage would be cut in half and clinics would be cut by more than that. What a shame...

 

[Starburst]

It was decided over the summer that the Manhattan VA would remain open. Lenox Hill is also rumored to be looking for a partner that would help keep MEETH open - which I think was noted in the appendix of the official report. However, if they will be successful is anyone's guess at this point. I'm not sure how much of NYU's volume (and inpatient consults) actually comes from MEETH as compared with Bellevue and the VA.

 

[rubensan]

At the same time though, I could probably live without all those fungemia consults.

👍 😉

 

[jjwiiwi]

To set the record straight...

1. No MEETH is not closing. Yes, the inpatient beds may be closed. I don't believe this will have an impact on the way the program is run or change the experience of the residents.

2. The vast majority of inpatient consults are at Bellevue Hospital (where there is a ton of pathology, trauma, and all the fungemia one could desire), and not at MEETH anyway.

3. The Manhattan VA is not closing, this was decided this past summer.

 

[GuP]

To set the record straight...

1. No MEETH is not closing. Yes, the inpatient beds may be closed. I don't believe this will have an impact on the way the program is run or change the experience of the residents.

2. The vast majority of inpatient consults are at Bellevue Hospital (where there is a ton of pathology, trauma, and all the fungemia one could desire), and not at MEETH anyway.

3. The Manhattan VA is not closing, this was decided this past summer.

How do we know this is credible?

 

[4424]

i'm sure it'll be discussed at the NYU interviews this wk

 

[sisyphus22]

I couldn't attend the NYU orientation by Dr. Dodick on 12/1 prior to my interview the next day, so for people who attended, was anything explicitly said about MEETH? My understanding, based on what NYU residents have told me, is that only inpatient beds are likely to close (virtually no impact on the residency, since there are very few ophth inpatients at MEETH), and the ER will be "converted" to a walk-in clinic (not sure what this really means). I assume the MEETH outpatient clinic will remain intact. Also, none of this will affect current applicants - ie they can't make any changes until after we have finished our residency. Overall, it seems pretty inconsequential - save for a small blow to NYU's reputation, given that everyone on the interview trail seems to talk about it as if it portends doomsday for NYU's residency program...

 

[Radeye]

Hi,

I'm the MEETH chief resident. This makes me both credible, and as I'm sure some would love to point out, non-credible. I'll reply to each of your concerns above.

To wolverine32:
Inpatient hospital beds are closing at MEETH, and our "er" is changing its status to a 24 hour per day walk in clinic. This has mainly to do with nursing and staffing issues. In my 3 years at MEETH, I have seen 4 or 5 patients "inpatient" at MEETH because those beds were already unoccupied. In fact, while at MEETH our fungemia consults are called in at Lenox Hill Hospital, our "uptown" inpatient hospital. Keep in mind that NYU has 5 hospitals - the VA, Bellevue, Tisch Hospital, Lenox Hill, and MEETH. The only functional difference is that if a corneal ulcer comes in to MEETH and we decide to admit the patient, the patient will take an ambulette to Lenox Hill for admission instead of remaining at MEETH.

NJ Ophtho:

The press was off by saying that "a sixth hospital that will effectively close in New York City, the Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital on East 64th Street." We have contacted our PR department about this erroneous mistake. On Thursday of this week, I watched one of our private ophthalmologists come out of a busy OR after performing his 20th cataract of the day... That's not the kind of volume you would expect at a hospital that has "effectively closed."

Mirror Form:

Unfortunately you'll get fungemia consults at the VA, Bellevue, Tisch, and Lenox Hill. I can say without reservation that inpatient ophthalmology at Bellevue is the best in the city and probably beyond - you cant match the pathology anywhere else.

KBerg21:

Not bad news at all (because MEETH isn't closing), and as jwiwi pointed out, the VA is secure.

Re volume: Its true that NYC is typically a tough place for volume, particularly for cataracts. However, our volume is outstanding. Clinically, we have very, very busy clinics and even our first year residents develop outstanding clinical skills. Our cataract volume is above average for NYC. The loss of a few inpatient beds will not change this.

So, in closing, please consider my totally biased opinion: I love NYU/MEETH, and I don't think there is a better program for me anywhere in this world. I'm not worried about where this program will be in 20 years, but I hate to see the facts misplayed in the media. As Jack Dodick mentioned at our interviews, nothing is changing here. The changes we are going through are evolutionary - not revolutionary. We have a great program and we don't need to change it in order to produce great ophthalmologists.

Nate
Chief Resident
NYU/MEETH

 

[redd002]

Hello, I am one of the chief resident's at NYU/MEETH and I would like to address some of your questions.

1. Meeth beds are closing
2. Meeth beds have been closed unofficially for some time
3. Most specialty hospitals have had their beds closed (eg. Wills)
4. It has not and will not impact clinical volume or surgical volume
5. In actuality, it will help redirect funding to outpatient services
6. I have no reason to give you a false impression since I will be leaving for a fellowship in vitreoretinal surgery in 6 months. I just want you to have the right information and not to be mislead by something that was poorly handeled by Lenox hill