Hospital use and abuse (Episode 4 of 6)

Documentary on New York City hospitals, evaluating the affiliation program between municipal and voluntary hospitals and abuses in the system. Episode 4: Hospital use and abuse. The Affiliation Program is a proposed arrangement between municipal and voluntary hospitals, which some are promoting as a solution to the city’s hospital problems. For instance, doctors at so-called volunteer hospitals are not paid and only report to duty when they are willing and able to do so. Has been condemned by others as a giant boondoggle. This episode of the series explores hospital affiliation — what the program consists of, why it was created, and what the outcomes could be. Voices heard on this program include Dr. George Bayer, a member of the New York City board of hospitals; hospitals commissioner Joseph Terenzio; New York state senator Seymour Thaler; Dr. Donald Meyers, president of the Health Department’s doctor’s association; health services administrator Bernard Bukoff; Dr. Donald Dixon, associate commissioner of the New York state health department; Columbia economist Robin Elliott; Robb Burlage, director of the Health Policy Advisory Center; State investigation commission chairman Myles Lane; and New York Times reporter Martin Tolchin.