44%
of neighborhoods served have higher than average premature mortality
(American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates 2016)
55%
of births are to low-income mothers
(NYC Health Atlas 2016)
After months of battling the worst public health crisis in our city’s history, we’re more aware than ever of the critical role of our independent, community-focused hospitals. Healthcare heroes put it all on the line to protect the health and safety of our family, friends, and neighbors. As New York continues to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic, and prepares for what’s next, there’s a plan to save the Brooklyn Hospital Center to protect the independent care that Brooklyn deserves.
While a lot has changed in 175 years, the independent, full-service, community-based care that The Brooklyn Hospital Center provides remains vital to keeping the community healthy and to ensuring justice and equity for the more than 300,000 individuals the hospital serves annually.
175 Years Ago...
- Brooklyn still had its own mayor
- The USS Monitor hadn’t been built yet at the Navy’s ship building yard in Brooklyn
- Fort Greene Park didn’t exist
- The City of Brooklyn hadn’t figured out a way to pay for a new City Hall (now known as Borough Hall)
While a lot has changed since then, now — more than ever — Brooklyn needs a hospital of its own to meet its needs and keep Brooklyn healthy.
The orginal Brooklyn City Hospital, now The Brooklyn Hospital Center
37%
of TBHC’s service area is in poverty
(American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates 2016)
2523
Babies Delivered in 2018
$120 million required
for repairs of the outdated physical plant
For an independent hospital that operates with no public subsidy, there’s a cost to delaying modernization – a cost that has forced 50% of the city’s independent hospitals to close.
With cramped, older facilities that cannot accommodate advanced systems and equipment, it has become clear that modernizing the hospital’s buildings that range from 40 to over 100 years old is more cost effective than it is to maintain an outdated facility.
As an independent, full-service, community-focused institution, The Brooklyn Hospital Center can tailor its healthcare services to the unique needs of the neighborhoods it serves.
Recognizing the value of independent care, The Brooklyn Hospital Center’s plan ensures a financially sustainable future as an independent healthcare institution so that it can continue to provide quality, full-service care in a way that directly responds to the needs of its neighbors.