If you are a resident of Queens, you are undoubtedly aware that last year Parkway Hospital was forced to close by the State of New York, and then in February both St. John’s Queens and Mary Immaculate Hospital closed in bankruptcy. This left approximately 125,000 annual emergency room visits to be absorbed by other local hospitals.

Perhaps it is just coincidental karma or the work of the nefarious minded that the sign at Elmhurst Hospital (which absorbed a majority of St. John’s patients) sent a different message than what it’s city employed administrators intended. The darkened bulbs changed the sign from Elmhurst to lmhurt.

The dirty truth is that Elmhurst Hospital has not had the best reputation for expedient emergency care, even before the closure of the other 3 hospitals. The population of Queens continues to be under served and there is no sign of it improving anytime soon with or without Universal Healthcare.

The sign says it all…

Photo Source: Asylum via The Bitter American