Parkchester_General_Hospital

Parkchester General Hospital

Parkchester General Hospital

Defunct hospital in The Bronx/NYC, subsequently a nursing home

Parkchester General Hospital, located in The Bronx,[1][2] was a privately owned[1] 208-bed medical facility[2] that opened in 1941 and closed in 1978.[1]

Quick Facts Geography, Location ...

Overview

The hospital's initial building stood 8 stories high. A four-storey addition was built in 1960. The owner, Dr. Charles Louis Engelsher, died while plans were being made for an adjacent third building which was to house an eight-storey nursing home.[3] The hospital closed March 20, 1978 and was demolished some time prior to 2006 when an apartment building was built on the site.[4]

History

The hospital opened in 1941[5] as a privately owned hospital. When it closed in 1978, Parkchester was owned by Dr Bernard Kamer.[1] It was earlier owned by Dr Charles Louis Engelsher from 1941[5] to his death from coronary occlusion on August 25, 1964 (age 62).[3] A program to help those in need, especially the elderly, named RAIN, was founded by a Parkchester Hospital nurse, Beatrice Castiglia-Catullo.[6] The sponsored residences found at the site of the old hospital are named for Beverley.[7][8]

Controversy

Kamer, the hospital's owner, filed for a Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on March 17, 1971, after which the State Commissioner of Health in New York began proceedings to close the hospital.[9][10][11]

The final closing of the hospital followed a 30-day suspension of the abortion and maternity services by the New York State Health Department, citing "life‐threatening deficiencies".[1] The hospital contended that there was an undeserved rush by State officials to close them, even though the hospital had previously passed two accreditation inspections, both before and after the investigation.[1]

References

  1. [1]
    "Parkchester Hospital in the Bronx, A Subject of Inquiry, Closes Doors". The New York Times. March 20, 1978.
  2. [2]
    "Suit seeks a stay on Hospital Code. 3 3 Physicians Challenge Qualifications Provisions". The New York Times. December 3, 1964. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
  3. [3]
    "Dr. Charles L. Engelsher Dies; Owner of Parkehester Hospital; Sargeon Was a Political Baff Who Treated Officials—Hired Ex-Convicts". The New York Times. August 26, 1964.
  4. [4]
    "1424 Parker St. in Westchester Square". streeteasy.com. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
  5. [5]
    "Ex-Convicts aided job law doctor; One of the 5, His Brother, Was 'Executive Director' of His Hospital in Bronx". The New York Times. June 11, 1943.
  6. [6]
    "About". R.A.I.N. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
  7. [7]
    "Locations". R.A.I.N. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
  8. [8]
    "Our Founder". R.A.I.N. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
  9. [9]
    "Business Records". The New York Times. March 18, 1978. Friday, March 17, 197_
  10. [10]
    NYTimes: "Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems." In this case, the correct year is 1978, not the 1971 displayed by the archive. FYI: March 17, 1971 was a Wednesday; in 1978 it was a Friday
  11. [11]
    Howard J. Wein (1978). "Environmental Regulation and the Bankruptcy Act" (PDF). Duquesne Law Review. p. 144. addressed this issue in In re Parkchester General Hospital ... "high quality health service was a matter of vital public concern"


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