Ababhinqileyo abahamba bengena kutyando lwezithambiso eManhattan Eye, Ear nase Throat Hospital bonke balindele ukuphuma bahle kunasebusuku xa bengena. Kodwa isibhedlele ngokwaso siphuma sibi. Eyona nto imbi.
Emva kweenyanga zemfazwe evulekileyo kunye no-300 oogqirha baso, isibhedlele, esaziwa njenge-Meeth, sayalelwa yijaji yase-Federal nge-30 kaSeptemba ukuba imise ukuthengiswa kwayo kwe-41 yezigidi zeedola kwi-Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Centre. Oko kuthetha ukuba ibhodi yesibhedlele kuya kufuneka ukuba iqwalasele ngokunzulu izibonelelo ezivela kubathathu abakhuphisana nabo beSikhumbuzo ukuba bathathe ikhampasi ye-East 64th Street-kwaye bagcine iManhattan Eye, i-Ear kunye ne-Throat Hospital. Kakhulu ukubulala inceba ngokukhawuleza, okungenabuhlungu.
Isibhedlele i-Lenox Hill, i-Continuum Health Partners Inc. kunye ne-Mount Sinai-New York University Health System bonke bakhuphisana ngokukuko ngesiquphe esona siqwenga sesibhedlele esinexabiso kakhulu kwisiXeko saseNew York. I-titan yesine, isibhedlele saseNew York-Presbyterian, ikwiingxoxo nebhodi kaMeeth yokuthatha iikliniki zayo ezicetywayo kunye nethala leencwadi.
Ngobusuku nje, le nto isuke ekubeni yimpumelelo kwaye yayiyimeko yokhuphiswano, utshilo umphathi kwisinye sezibhedlele ezintathu ezibhidliza iSikhumbuzo Sloan-Kettering kulawulo lwendawo iMeeth. Siyaphila.
Ukwenza izinto nokuba zingangxoli, i-Ofisi yeGqwetha likaRhulumente Jikelele-ejonga izibhedlele ezingenzi nzuzo kunye nezinye izibonelelo-ayikuthandanga oko ibikubona. Kuqwalaselwa ukutsala iplagi kwibhodi yabalawuli kaMeeth.
Inkqubo yokwenza izigqibo yebhodi kunye nokuziphatha ngokubanzi akwamkelekanga, igqwetha likarhulumente u-Eliot Spitzer uxelele I-Braganca. Ayamkelekanga kangakanani? Kuyacaca ukuba ngexesha elithile ngexesha sinokumisela ukuba indlela abaziphethe ngayo imbi kakhulu kwaye siza kufuna ukuba basuswe enkundleni, uMnu Spitzer wongeze. Asikasondeli kuloo ndawo okwangoku, kodwa siya kujonga indlela abaziphethe ngayo ngokusondeleyo. Ngokusondeleyo kakhulu.
Ukuphononongwa kukaMnu Spitzer akumangalisi kwibhodi kaMeeth. Isothuso kwabo babeza kwenza isivumelwano kukuba iDemokhrasi Jikelele yeDemokhrasi ilisusile iphulo layo lokulwa ukuthengiswa kweMeeth ngomnxeba oshushu kuGr.George Pataki, waseRiphabhlikhi.
Oogqirha abebesilwa ngamandla isivumelwano seSikhumbuzo seSetan-Kettering bebesitsho iinyanga ukuba ibhodi yegazi, ekhokelwa nguLindsay (Dinny) uHerkness III, usekela-mongameli eMorgan Stanley Dean Witter & Inkampani, unetalente yokwenene yokwenza iintshaba .
Isivumelwano se-Meeth-Memorial bekufanele ukuba silungelelaniswe kakuhle kwaye sithengise ivenkile. Abaphathi be-Meeth bathi isibhedlele siphulukene nezigidi ezi-2 zeedola ngenyanga, kwaye banyanzelekile ukuba benze, umthetho, ukuphelisa ukopha.
Ngaphantsi kwesivumelwano se-inki ngoJulayi, iSikhumbuzo sasiza kwakha iziko lomhlaza webele elitsha kraca kwindawo yesakhiwo esikhulu saseMeeth; Iipasile ezimbini ezincinci zomhlaba zaziza kuthengiselwa iDowntown Development, umakhi wezindlu onqabileyo. Meeth wayeza kuhamba ne- $ 41 yezigidi. Ayizukubakho indawo yayo edumileyo eseMpuma, amagumbi ayo okusebenza asemgangathweni ali-17, iinkqubo zayo zokuhlala ezinobuchule.
Kodwa ukufezekisa igunya lebhodi lokubonelela ngononophelo lwempilo-kunye nokwenza ubumnandi imbiza kubahloli belizwe-ibhodi kaMeeth ivotele ukusebenzisa ingeniso ukwakha iikliniki ezinesiqingatha semimandla kwiindawo ezihlwempuzekileyo ezifana neHarlem kunye nedolophu yaseBrooklyn.
Abahloli belizwe, nangona kunjalo, abayithengi. Nge-30 kaSeptemba, uMnu. Spitzer ufumene uloyiso xa iNkundla ePhakamileyo yeLizwe iJaji uBernard Fried yayalela uMeeth ukuba agcine iingcango zawo zivulekile kwaye aqale iintetho zokholo kunye nawuphina umntu onokuthi enze isithembiso esifanelekileyo sokuyigcina isebenza kwindawo yayo ngoku. Ngo-Okthobha u-14, uMeeth kuya kufuneka akhusele isivumelwano seSikhumbuzo kwityala elifutshane.
Okwangoku, iatmosfera e-East Side yezithambiso zotyando i-mecca iya kuhlala, ngegama, elibi. Ukuqala ngoJulayi, baqesha oonogada abathi ngokusisiseko bababamba bonke abaguli kunye noogqirha, utshilo uGqirha David Edelstein, umlawuli wenkqubo ehloniphekileyo yendlebe, impumlo nomqala. Kudala bejonga iingxowa zomntu wonke, nazo. Kuyathuka. Yenzelwe ukwenza ukuba ubomi bungakhululeki kangangoko kubo bonke abantu ukuze sivele sincame simke. Ayizukusebenza.
Besingenandlela yimbi, uphendule watsho u-Abigale Knapp. Sinezehlo apho oogqirha babethatha izixhobo ezibiza kakhulu.
Zavuma ukungavumi
Abantu abaninzi, kubonakala ngathi bafuna isiqwenga seMeeth. Ngokutsho kweofisi kaMnu Spitzer, akukho ngaphantsi kwezine amaziko ezonyango enze imibuzo enzulu malunga nokuthenga isibhedlele, bonke baneliso lokugcina ukusebenza. Ngo-Meyi, iNtaba yeSinayi yeNew York-yeNkqubo yezeMpilo yaseYunivesithi yanikezela nge-27.5 yezigidi zezigidi kwibhodi yesiza.
ILenox Hill ipheke izindululo ezithathu ezahlukileyo, kubandakanya nesicwangciso sokugcina esona sakhiwo siphambili saseMeeth sivulekile ngelixa sityala imali eyi- $ 3 yezigidi ngonyaka kangangeminyaka eli-10 yokuvuselela isibhedlele esigulayo. Elona xabiso lakutshanje leLenox Hill yi-hybridi: Baza kuthengisa ipropathi yeMeeth kwiSikhumbuzo, emva koko basebenzise ingeniso ukwakha isibhedlele esitsha sendlebe, impumlo kunye nomqala kwiziko laseLenox Hill's East 77th Street. (Andazi ukuba senze njani esihogweni, utshilo ilungu elididekileyo laseLenox. Asinasithuba saneleyo ngokwethu njengoko sinjalo.)
Isiphakamiso sesithathu, kwaye sixoxwa ngokunzulu, sivela kumaQabane eeMpilo aQhubeka, iqela elinobundlobongela eliqhuba iSibhedlele iBeth Israel kunye neZiko leSibhedlele iSt. Ngaphantsi kwesicwangciso sabo, i-Continuum yayiza kuthenga iMeeth ngexabiso elingachazwanga kwaye idityaniswe neManhattan Eye kunye ne-Ear Infirmary esandula ukuthengwa, ebekwe kwisitalato i-14 nakwindlela yesibini. U-Continuum uza kutyala imali efikelela kwi-10 yezigidi zeedola eMeeth ngelixa egcina isibhedlele kwindawo yesitalato i-64 kwisithuba seminyaka emihlanu. Ngokuka Mnu Spitzer, Usihlalo we Continuum webhodi, u-Morton Hyman, uthembise ukuthatha i-Meeth kwisaziso seeyure ezingama-24, ukuba kukho imfuneko.
Izindululo, abalawuli bakaMeeth bathi, azizintsha kwaye azithandeki. Kubonakala kuthi ukuba [i-ofisi yeGqwetha Jikelele] ine-bid Continuum-ethandwayo, utshilo igqwetha uJohn Aerni, iqabane neLeBouef, iMvana, iGreene kunye neMcRae, emele ibhodi kaMeeth. Andazi ukuba kutheni beshushu kangaka kwinto yokuQhubeka. Kukho izibonelelo ezininzi kwiinyanga ezininzi, kwaye sizithathele ingqalelo zonke nzulu. ISikhumbuzo yeyona nto ibalaseleyo.
Intloko ye-ofisi ye-Attorney General ye-charity bureau, uWilliam Josephson, ayinakuphikisa ngakumbi. Kwingxelo efungelweyo enamaphepha angama-43 engeniswe kuJustice Fried, uMnu.Josephson watyhola u-Meeth ngokucinga yedwa ngemali yeSikhumbuzo.
Ngalo lonke ixesha lasehlotyeni, abanye abafowunelwa babiza umnxeba, kwaye uMnu Herkness kunye namanye amalungu ebhodi baluvala ucango, ngokuka Mnu. Josephson. Abaphathi be-Continuum, xa bebuzwa ukuba babone iirekhodi zezemali zesibhedlele, kwathiwa baxelelwe. Abasemagunyeni baseNew Jersey eHackensack University Medical Centre bathi bafumana impendulo efanayo kwaye bagqiba kwelokuba bangafaki sicelo emva kokuba uMeeth engavumi ukunika ulwazi. Embindini kaSeptemba, uMnu. Josephson uxele, umphathi omkhulu waseLenox Hill uGladys George kuye kwafuneka ukuba anqumle uthethathethwano nebhodi ye-Meeth emva kokuba enqatshelwe ikopi yophando lwayo malunga neeklinikhi zommandla ocetywayo.
Abafumana-nyani ngurhulumente abakhange baphumelele. Amagosa eSebe lezeMpilo kaRhulumente ahlasele kaninzi umnumzana Herkness kunye nomphathi omkhulu kaMeeth, uGeorge Sarkar, ngamaxwebhu aphambili.
Kodwa kuyacaca ukuba ibhodi ibincokola nayo neSibhedlele saseNew York-Presbyterian ngeenjongo zokufumana isigebenga sasemantla ukuba sixhase iikliniki zommelwane ezicetywayo zaseMeeth kunye nokwenza icandelo elincinci le-Meeth kwikhampasi yalo ese-West 168th Street. Ukutshintshiselana, iNew York-Presbyterian ingafumana i-10 yezigidi zeedola ezinkozo, i-8 yezigidi zeedola kwizixhobo kunye nelifa lelayibrari yezonyango exabisekileyo kaMeeth.
Imeko ibalulekile
Umnumzana uJosephson uthe iindaba ezinjalo ziye zangena kwiofisi yakhe. Igqwetha Jikelele lafunda malunga nekhontrakthi yeSikhumbuzo ngokukhutshwa kwabapapashi, nangona ibhodi ye-Meeth isinike isiqinisekiso sokuzimisela kwabo ukugcina igqwetha Jikelele lazisiwe ngezinto ezinkulu, wabhala uMnu Josephson kwi-affidavit yakhe.
Kwelabo icala, abakhuseli bakaMeeth bathi bazama nje ukukhusela isicwangciso sabo sokuvula iikliniki zabahluphekileyo kuhlaselo olwenziwa ngabantu bangaphandle kwezopolitiko. Umnumzana Spitzer, bathi, uthathwe ngoogqirha abangama-300 abagxothiweyo esibhedlele kunye nezinja zabo zokuhlasela ezinamandla amakhulu kunye nezopolitiko, igqwetha uCharles Stillman kunye nobudlelane noluntu uHoward Rubenstein.
Yinto engaqhelekanga into yokuba amaziko asebenza ngoncedo achitha lonke ixesha lawo esebenza nabanye oogqirha abacebileyo beplastiki abazizityebi kwizigulana zase-Upper East Side, utshilo umnumzana Aerni, igqwetha likaMeeth.
Igqwetha Jikelele, longeze umthombo kwiSikhumbuzo, yindoda ekhaliphileyo. Wenza umhlaba ukhuselekile kuqhaqho lwezithambiso.
Kodwa nesicwangciso seklinikhi esithandwayo sikaMeeth sihlaselwe njengelinge lokungxama ekukhululweni kwe-altruism engacwangciswanga kakuhle kwaye emiselwe ukusilela. Baqhekeza le nto ngenyanga, utshilo uMnu. Stillman, igqwetha loogqirha.
Okwangoku, iimeko zemihla ngemihla eManhattan Eye, Ear naseTroat zinokuthiwa zibalulekile. Kuphela zisithoba kumagumbi okusebenza e-Meeth ali-17 asasebenza, kwaye igumbi likaxakeka alisebenzi kakuhle. Kukho ukunqongophala kwekhemesti okungapheliyo kunye nokutshixa okutsha kwiminyango emininzi, kwaye oogqirha bashiya imihlambi. Ukusika ngaphezulu, isibhedlele kutsha nje sigxothe uGqirha Iris Klatsky, umlawuli weNkqubo yokuBuyiselwa kweLizwi ehlonitshwa kakhulu kwizigulana ezinomhlaza womqala. Abahlali baseMeeth abangama-50, ababenikwe ingxowa ekupheleni kwenyanga kaJuni, baqala ukukhutshwa kwizindlu eziphantsi kwesibhedlele.
Xa uGqirha Edelstein, umlawuli weendlebe, impumlo nomqala kaMeeth, wangena emnyango kwiiveki ezimbalwa ezidlulileyo efunda iitshathi zakhe, wathi wabuliswa nguMnu. Sarkar, umphathi wakhe, kwaye wayalelwa ukuba ahambe.
Undixelele ukuba andinalungelo lokuba lapho, utshilo uGqirha Edelstein. Ndamxelela ukuba ndiyenzile. Kukho wonke umlo ngokufutshane.
