By:Nick Buglione
Taken by his years of experience and knowledge of the health-care industry, the dozen or so community leaders left the meeting with an almost unanimous sense that if anyone can pull the hospital out of its financial quagmire, itÕs Kane.
ÒIt was uplifting and positive,Ó said Nassau County Legislator Norma Gonsalves, a Republican of East Meadow, who called the meeting. ÒHe certainly came across as someone interested in communicating with the community.Ó
Since former President and CEO Richard TuranÕs resignation and the countyÕs move to consolidate control of the Nassau Health Care Corporation, which runs NUMC, concerns began to grow among East Meadow community leaders that sweeping changes were on the way, and theyÕd be kept out of the loop.
Those fears, however, were quelled after the meeting. ÒIÕm hopeful,Ó said Richard Bivone, a business and civic leader who was present. ÒI think we need to support this gentleman.Ó
The community leaders aired myriad concerns they have at the hospital, especially recent rumors that the new administration might undertake large-scale construction projects on NUMCÕs campus to increase patient volume.
ÒThat is a community issue because anything they build will impact East Meadow,Ó Bivone said. ÒWe want to be involved in the dialogue of that process.Ó
Maintaining NUMC as a teaching hospital and making sure its top-notch Burn Center remains running were also discussed. ÒThe Burn Center is not a money-making operation,Ó Gonsalves said. ÒSo, we have to go out there and see if we can raise some money.Ó
Community leaders also rehashed a request they pushed for during TuranÕs three-year tenure -- creating medical facilities for local veterans on one of the hospitalÕs vacant floors.
For years, local veterans have had to trek to the Northport VA Medical Center in Suffolk County -- a roughly 60-mile round trip from East Meadow -- to receive the care they are guaranteed because of military service.
Kane appeared receptive to nearly all the requests. ÒHe is listening to the concerns of the community, which is very important,Ó said Helen Meittinis, president of the Community Association of Stewart Avenue. ÒI was impressed by him and his track record and his involvement with other hospitals.Ó
Having logged 14 years as president and CEO of Englewood Hospital and Medical Center in New Jersey and having served as head of tertiary hospitals in Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Wisconsin, Kane has the experience Turan lacked. ItÕs understood, TuranÕs appointment was a political favor.
ÒI think he has a lot of experience and a lot of credentials,Ó said Robert Zafonte, president of the East Meadow Civic Association. ÒHe wants to work with us and we want to work with him every step of the way.Ó
Both sidesÕ willingness to work together was a clear indicator that partisanship has been set aside on the once-politically charged issue of the hospital, which continues to lose millions of dollars every year.
Kane, hand-picked by the Democratic Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi, seems to have an ally in the largely Republican East Meadow community.
ÒHe said that he was never troubled by partisanship at his other hospitals, and we said that he wonÕt be troubled with partisanship here,Ó Gonsalves said. ÒWe have to put all politics aside.Ó
