New York City hospitals are in dire need of a new approach to managing patients after a deadly coronavirus outbreak, according to the CEO of a medical technology company.
The New York Medical Center announced that it is seeking bids for $10 million to help improve the health of its emergency room workforce after an outbreak of the virus in the city and other states left more than 2,500 people dead.
The hospital said Monday it will spend $1 million on hiring and training a new chief executive who will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of the hospital’s care.
New York Medical Centers is seeking proposals for a chief executive, president, and vice president for the hospital.
The company said it also will seek to hire a chief operating officer and an executive vice president, who will oversee all aspects related to patient care.
The move comes as the hospital has experienced record numbers of new infections, but the hospital also has had a slow start to the year, with a spike in cases in October and November that put it on track for its worst-ever summer.
The company is also trying to improve the care of its uninsured patients.
The New York State Department of Health is working to expand its Medicaid program to cover emergency room visits and treatment for other conditions, including respiratory infections and other health care-related issues.
New York’s uninsured population is estimated to be around 6 million.
The new CEO, the company said, will have the authority to hire new staff to help manage patient care, including hiring additional nurses, doctors, and hospital administrators.
The new chief, it said, must also be in charge of overseeing all patient care in the hospital, and the hospital said it would also establish an independent chief executive for each of its four emergency departments, including the emergency department.
The announcement came on the same day that the New York Stock Exchange fell nearly 5% on the news of the hiring and was trading below $15 a share.
New Yorkers were told to brace for more infections and to expect more deaths in coming weeks.
A New York hospital spokesman declined to comment on the hiring decision.
The hospital said the new chief would be appointed at a later date.
NewYork Medical Center’s Chief Executive Officer James Lassiter, left, speaks during a press conference at the NewYork Medical Centers on Monday, Oct. 23, 2017, in New York.
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