An advisory board created to save and transform SUNY Downstate Medical Center on Thursday said it would like $1 billion to modernize the central Brooklyn hospital to preserve all inpatient and outpatient services.
Governor Kathy Hochul said she received the Downstate Community Advisory Board's proposal after a series of public meetings on how to preserve SUNY Downstate, after the state tried to consolidate the hospital in 2024 that sparked strong community opposition.
In its report, the board recommended the following:
- Retain all current inpatient and outpatient services, including maternity and kidney transplant services.
- Convert all double occupancy rooms to private rooms with showers and add additional rooms, resulting in 225 operational beds (with the goal of increasing the current 165 average daily census).
- Modernize and expand the emergency department to 45 stations.
- Establish/renovate dedicated inpatient specialty units for cardiology, oncology, and orthopedics.
- Build a new hospital annex, including a state-of-the-art ambulatory surgery center that expands services in oncology and cardiology.
- Address the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing infrastructure issues that have resulted in repeated system failures.
- Improve leadership and operations to achieve greater operational sustainability.
“This plan represents an extraordinary investment in SUNY Downstate’s hospital and a bright future for our patients, our students, and our faculty and staff," said SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University President Dr. Wayne J. Riley.
The governor said Brooklyn residents "deserves world-class health care."
“This plan was shaped by the voices of those who know and rely on Downstate — community members, faculty and staff — and their input was critical to getting this right. I’m grateful to SUNY and the advisory board for their commitment to building a strong, sustainable future SUNY Downstate, and I look forward to thoroughly reviewing the proposed plan.”
