ALBANY - Governor David Paterson announced the Saint Vincent's Medical Center (SVMC) Stakeholder Task Force, created last week, to explore all possible avenues for ensuring the continued viability of the hospital and preserving access to the critical services SVMC provides to the community. The Governor also announced the creation of smaller working groups that will meet daily to provide any updated status reports and outcomes as they occur. The full Task Force will meet on Wednesday, February 17 to reassess SVMC and discuss its future viability.

"My most immediate concerns are for the patients served by Saint Vincent Medical Center. Earlier this week, I worked to provide a $6 million loan”, Paterson said. “This, combined with the $2 million loan from General Electric Capital allowed the hospital to make payroll. I also called a meeting of all interested parties to deliver a very simple message – Saint Vincent's Medical Center is very important to New Yorkers, however, the State is not in the position to bear the financial burden alone," Governor Paterson said. "I look forward to working with the Task Force to help Saint Vincent's figure out a strategy for its future and for the health of those served by the hospital."

The Task Force is comprised of representatives from SVMC and its sponsors, lenders, 1199SEIU, the New York State Nurses Association, the Greater New York Hospital Association, and federal, State and local elected officials. The Task Force will utilize the smaller Working groups to facilitate, organize and streamline the sharing of information.