It was announced yesterday that the board of St Vincent's in Greenwich Village has voted to close in-patient services next week. After trying to find a buyer or partner for months, they've run out of options. St Vincent's Catholic Medical Centre opened 160 years ago, in 1849. Started by 4 nuns tasked by Elizabeth Seton, it had 30 beds at the time. St Vincent's grew rapidly to one of the largest charity hospitals in the US. The hospital has been on the front line of some of the most historic events in the nation:

 

1899 - Cholera pandemic of 1899

1911 - Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire

1912 - RMS Titanic

1981 - AIDS

2001 - September 11

 

I did some of my nurse training there and was employed by St Vincent's more recently. It's a real shame. As one friend and former employee put it, why couldn't the pope have sold a painting or two? I guess charity is no longer one of the Catholic Church's main missions, but covering up abuse allegations is. That's probably not fair however, the loss of a facility like this to a city such as New York is devastating and whose effects are only beginning to be seen. I hope those responsible for running the hospital into the ground can sleep at night. Those of us tasked with providing care to the people they're abandoning, however, cannot.