Closure of King/Drew unit hurts children
Re “Major Cuts at Hospital Urged,” Aug. 5
How the closure of King/Drew Medical Center’s neonatal intensive care unit and its maternity ward can aid in regaining an accreditation lost because of pervasive problems in internal medicine and other adult specialties boggles the mind. It’s just easier to make children pay.
Even though the hundreds of thousands of kids in King/Drew’s health district really have no other place to go when their terrible asthma, infections, diabetes and traumas hurt them, the Los Angeles County health director, Dr. Thomas Garthwaite, states they can be cared for in any other hospital. Yes, of course, except that this area has no other hospital capable of pediatric specialty care.
ROBERTA BRUNI MD
Asst. Professor of Pediatrics
Drew University and UCLA
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