CaribWorldNews, BROOKLYN, NY, Thurs. July 3, 2008: A popular and at times controversial Caribbean American institute is coming to the defense of the chief executive of Kings County hospital, following the shocking death of a Caribbean immigrant in the facility`s psychiatric ward.

The Caribbean Guyana Institute, while expressing outrage over death of 49-year old Jamaican migrant, Esmin Green, insisted that the Trinidad-born CEO, Jean Leon, `is a consummate professional who demands the highest possible care and standards.`

`She and her staff have worked, since her appointment over a decade ago, to transform this facility into an entity which aims to provide exceptional care and service in our community. So, I am anxious to see the investigative findings of this horrific breakdown in professional care and protocol,` CGID President, Rickford Burke, yesterday stated to CWN.

While expressing outrage at the incident, which only became public this week, thanks to a leaked video, Burke said that ` Kings County Hospital Center is an excellent facility, probably the best in Brooklyn.`

`It has been invaluable to the people of our community, especially the indigent and disadvantaged,` he added. `We cannot allow the unacceptable and inhumane treatment of Ms. Green, by some callous individuals who should have never been within the employ of the emergency department of the psychiatric unit, to tarnish the reputation of an otherwise excellent facility with excellent providers.`

CGID is also raising questions about the management of the Kings County Hospital Psychiatric unit reporting directly to HHC and not to KCHMC management. `If this is the management structure in place, then HHC as well as the administrative and psychiatric supervisors on duty at the unit at the time must also be held to account,` Burke observed.  

He also said that he was advised by an elected official that Dr. Ann Sullivan, a psychiatric administrator and Senior Vice President at HHC’s Queens Health Network, has been appointed interim administrator of the psychiatric department to work closely with Leon to review and improve the delivery of psychiatric care.

But Burke said he would like to know from HHC President, Alan D. Aviles, what steps and policy decisions he personally took to improve the delivery of psychiatric care within the HHC system, since the ACLU filed a lawsuit against HHC on this issue last year.

Video surveillance tape show a slumping Green sitting in a waiting room chair for hours, then falling face down on the floor. Her head trapped between the legs of another chair, she remained in this position on the floor for over one hour, incapacitated and unattended. During this time she appeared to have had at least two convulsions. (see video clip here).

Surveillance tape show that at least three other patients as well as hospital staff; including a security guard, witnessed Green fall and failed to render any form of assistance or to alert medical personnel. Another security guard subsequently wheeled into the waiting room, seated on a desk chair, looked at the patient and then nonchalantly rolled away uncaringly. Sometime later, a medical doctor - a psychiatrist, arrived and saw Green’s lifeless body on the floor but callously turned way as well. 

The tape shows that a nurse then entered the waiting room and observed Green on the floor. However she just shoved her leg with her foot.  Although Green remained unresponsive, the nurse failed to examine her vital signs as well. She then left and returned with another nurse who then attempted to resuscitate Green. However, this was too late as she was already dead.

The nurses then falsified the patient’s medical chart; reporting that she was checked thirty minutes prior to them attending to her, and was found to be `ambulating` (moving around) and doing well.

Six hospital staffers, including the security guards, the nurse and a doctor have been terminated amidst a criminal investigation.