Madison Avenue Hospital

Madison Avenue Hospital[1] was a 121-bed Manhattan hospital that opened in 1950[2] and closed in 1976.[3] In 1971 it was described as "a profit-making institution where abortions are performed on a large scale."[2]

One unresolved problem with the hospital's building, noted in 1969, was that at the "16-story structure at 30 East 76th Street built in 1928, there is only one exit."[1] The build has been converted to luxary apartments.[4]

History

Madison opened in 1950 when Dr. Imre Weitzner "headed a syndicate that bought the proprietary hospital, then called Gotham Hospital" which was renamed to Madison Avenue Hospital. By 1971 his son "Dr. Howard B. Weitzner, chief of gynecology at Madison Avenue Hospital" had opened an abortion referral service, the subject of "questioning by a legislative committee." There were other hearings regarding funding in 1974.[5]

Loss of funding

Madison was the third of a series of hospitals closed in the mid-1970s for "life-threatening fire and health violations"[3][1] Linden General Hospital and Wadsworth Hospital were the prior pair. Initially the each lost certification, then they lost funding. As a result, it was "economically unfeasible for the hospital to stay in business."

Gotham Hospital

Gotham Hospital was planned as "a hospital for people with average incomes"[6] with doctors "who at present are without hospital affiliations;" it later became Madison Avenue Hospital.[2] When Gotham opened their 30 East 76th Street 16-story 121-bed hospital on November 7, 1929, affordable prices was still their focus.[7][8] A group of doctors bought Gotham in 1950[9] and renamed Madison Avenue Hospital.[2]

References
  1. David Bird (March 6, 1975). "Persistent Violation Found in Study Here Of Private Hospitals". The New York Times.
  2. John Sibley (February 20, 1971). "A Hospital Owner Tells Inquiry He Has Abortion-Steering Unit". The New York Times.
  3. Frances Cerra (May 24, 1976). "Medicare Drops Madison Ave. Hospital". The New York Times.
  4. "30 East 76th Street PHB, Manhattan, NY 10021". Corcoran Group.
  5. "Medicaid Denial By State Upheld". The New York Times. February 5, 1974.
  6. "Gotham Hospital to ask Low Fees: Women Founders of New Institution Will Try To Lower the Cost of Illness for the Person Of Average Yearly Income". The New York Times. January 30, 1927.
  7. "Gotham Hospital to Lower Prices; Proposed Institution Aims To Cut Illness Costs For Patients of Small Means". The New York Times. November 10, 1929.
  8. "Gotham Hospital". The New York Times. November 9, 1929.
  9. "The Gotham Hospital is Bought by Doctors". The New York Times. June 20, 1950.
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