Statement from SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher on Comptroller DiNapoli's Audit of Downstate Medical Center
January 17, 2013
“The State University of New York takes seriously its commitment to Brooklyn, where Downstate Medical Center is the only academic medical center serving the borough’s 2.5 million people. The tremendous financial hardships at Downstate are well documented and reflect the systemic challenges facing health care facilities across the country.
“Many of the Comptroller’s findings – none of which we dispute or consider to be a surprise – are issues already remedied or currently being addressed at Downstate. SUNY System Administration has recruited a strong new leadership team at Downstate that is developing a comprehensive, fiscally responsible plan to ensure medical education and quality healthcare continues for the people of Brooklyn.
“This process, combined with the broader long-term planning that is underway, will make Downstate a stronger institution. With the support of our partners across state and local government, and the community, Downstate’s tradition of excellence will continue.”
About SUNY Downstate Medical Center
There are 140 medical schools in the country, but only one serving Brooklyn – a population that is among the most diverse in the world. Downstate is one of the largest medical schools in the State, and the largest within SUNY. One in three physicians practicing in Brooklyn, and one in nine in New York City, was trained at Downstate. In addition, Downstate educates and trains nurses and other healthcare practitioners.
About the State University of New York
The State University of New York, which celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, the state’s only college of optometry, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.4 million students amongst its entire portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.1 billion in fiscal year 2022, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit suny.edu.
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Holly Liapis
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