STATE OF NEW YORK
GOVERNOR ANNOUNCES AGREEMENT ON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL Buffalo, NY - Governor George E. Pataki today announced an agreement between Kaleida Health, Local 1199 of the Service and Employees International Union and the Women and Children's First Coalition to maintain Children's Hospital at its current location and help ensure the long-term fiscal stability of Kaleida Health. "After significant and lengthy discussions, Kaleida Health management and representatives of employees, community groups, and pediatricians have reached an agreement to keep Children's Hospital at its Bryant Street location," said Gov. Pataki. "This agreement will pave the way to build a strong and lasting health care partnership within the Kaleida Health System. More importantly, it will help ensure high quality care for women and children in a facility within their community." Gov. Pataki also announced that he has directed the State Health Department and the Dormitory Authority to be active partners in Kaleida's efforts to stabilize its finances. U.S. Representative Thomas M. Reynolds said, "Children's Hospital has been a vital part of our community for more than a century, and its loss would have been a huge blow not only to Buffalo and Western New York, but all of New York state. I am grateful for the Governor's leadership and the commitment of Kaleida, Local 1199, the Women and Children First Coalition leadership, and so many others, to ensure that this institution remains a vital part of the health and well-being of our residents and I'll fight hard in Washington with our delegation to get the assistance we need." Representative Jack Quinn said, "This is great news for the City of Buffalo and all of us in the community who received care throughout our childhood years at Children's and who now may even take our own kids there. I commend the Governor for his efforts to ensure the highest quality of care possible for women and children without jeopardizing the entire Kaleida System. The stability of Children's Hospital is a top priority for our community. Like the Governor, I have facilitated meetings with all parties involved because I believe it was possible to negotiate a successful resolution to this problem." William D. McGuire, Kaleida Health President and CEO said, "Today's agreement has been reached as a result of collaboration and compromise, with a focus on our common goal - the best possible health care for Western New York's children. We appreciate the fine efforts by Women and Children First, the Kaleida Board and particularly Gov. Pataki and Dennis Rivera in helping to bring about a solution that's in the best interest of the entire community." County Executive Joel A. Giambra said, "Today's announcement is very much in line with the theme we outlined in our State of the County Address - that we need to take what we have and make it better. Thanks to Governor Pataki and the others who forged this agreement, we've taken an important step in this direction." Senator Dale M. Volker said, "Children's Hospital is one of the cornerstones in our Western New York community. I am thankful for the generosity that Governor Pataki has shown to our Western New York region over the past several years. This commitment to keep Children's Hospital freestanding is a remarkable achievement and it will pay enormous dividends in the quality and delivery of pediatric health care services for years to come." Assemblyman Sam Hoyt said, "Today is the day we who have been fighting to save Children's Hospital have long awaited. I want to thank Governor Pataki, Denis Rivera and the amazing group of doctors and health care professionals at Children's Hospital. Most importantly I want to thank the tens of thousands of Western New Yorkers who signed petitions, contacted their local officials, and came together to demand that one of our region's greatest assets be preserved for generations to come." Dennis Rivera, President of SEIU/1199 health care workers union, said, "Through cooperation and hard work we have helped maintain an important community resource in Buffalo. I want to particularly thank Governor Pataki, whose commitment to the health of all New Yorkers has helped make this important day for Buffalo happen." Steven J. Lana, M.D., said, a member of the Women and Children First Coalition and President of the Children's Hospital medical staff said, "Today's announcement by Governor Pataki signals the beginning of a new era for Children's Hospital within Kaleida Health. With the Governor's help, the Children's Hospital will be renovated into a state-of-the-art facility whose mission focus will serve the unique needs of mothers and their children as well as represent an investment in the future of Western New York." Jill Kelly said, "Jim and I can definitely say without hesitation that we don't know what we would do without Children's Hospital. The outstanding care we have received each and every time we have walked through the doors is unmatched. As a mother of three little ones, I thank you for doing whatever it takes to preserve the excellent care for women and children provided by Children's Hospital." Carol Malmin, a member of Children Aren't Little Adults, said, "As parents we look forward to working with Kaleida to establish a new relationship based on trust to provide the best quality health care for the children of Western New York." The Memorandum of Agreement reached by the parties covers the status of Children's Hospital, its finances and governance. The provisions of the agreement include: • A requirement that Children's Hospital operate as a freestanding facility at its present location at Bryant Street. The hospital will remain a part of the Kaleida Health System and will be governed by the Kaleida board pursuant to the terms of the system's merger; • The creation of an Advisory Council of Children's Hospital consisting of 11 to 15 members that will advise Kaleida and make recommendations regarding actions to safeguard Children's mission, quality assurance and control, operating and capital budget, management practices and relationships between Children's and third-party payers. • SEIU, the Women and Children First Coalition and Kaleida will work with the federal government and the state's congressional delegation to aggressively pursue additional sources of federal revenue. If successful, funding would be directed toward the construction of a new ambulatory center and related capital improvements; • The negotiating parties will seek new debt servicing from the state Dormitory Authority and the Federal Housing Administration and Department of Housing and Urban Development. • Kaleida will assume liabilities incurred by Children's through the end of 2004; • Kaleida will request the Children's Hospital of Buffalo Foundation to provide operating and/or capital assistance to encourage Children's Hospital OB/GYN physicians to maintain an ongoing practice on-site; and • Kaleida will request the Children's Hospital Foundation to expend $11.5 million to complete NICU and emergency department capital projects already underway. State Health Commissioner Antonia C. Novello, M.D., M.P.H., Dr. PH., said, "Governor Pataki's goal was to ensure community input into this process, and it has worked. Today, mothers and fathers, doctors, employees and the leadership of Kaleida are talking and working out solutions that will ensure high quality care and a vibrant system for years to come." "Thousands of people from all walks of life in Buffalo let it be known that Children's Hospital was a vital part of their community," said Governor Pataki. "Their voice was heard. I want to congratulate Bill McGuire, Dennis Rivera and other leaders for coming together with us in the first step of maintaining an important component of Buffalo's neighborhoods and health care community." # # # |
