Trinitas Hospital CEO on the Betancourt Case

Trinitas Hospital President and Chief Executive Office Gary S. Horan published an opinion piece in today's New Jersey Today.  He vigorously defends the hospital's position in Betancourt v. Trinitas Hospital, still pending before the Appellate Division.

“Your April 30th article, “Trinitas Wants OK To Kill Patients” is wrong and potentially libelous.  It goes beyond reason to infer that Trinitas Regional Medical Center – a safety net hospital for many residents living below the poverty line and the fourth largest provider of charity care in the state – would act to withhold life-sustaining treatment from patients because they do not have insurance.”

Horan recounts the facts and procedural history.  He ends his column:  “Trinitas feels that to inflict treatment on a person who has multiple major organ failure, is in a persistent unresponsive state, and is in the process of decomposing and dying, is simply bad medicine.  This is not about providing futile care – but it’s about providing inappropriate care – which no hospital or physician should be ordered to do.”