A new blog, www.examinebarnabas.org, was launched last week to help the Bronx community get the full story about St. Barnabas Hospital, a 461-bed acute care hospital and Level I Trauma Center that many patients depend on.

“With so much of our economy in flux, now more than ever, the people of New York need to be reassured that the institutions we rely on are worthy of the trust that we put into them,” said Dr. L. Toni Lewis, president of the Committee of Interns and Residents. “For this reason, the Committee of Interns and Residents decided to launch “Examining St. Barnabas” as a public information project.” 

“Examining St. Barnabas” will provide information and commentary about the hospital’s fiscal health, executive salaries and patient satisfaction. It will also follow the hospital’s efforts to expand to new areas of the Bronx.

Although St. Barnabas Hospital is organized as a tax-exempt private institution, most of its revenue is derived from public funds. In 2008, 85.7 percent of the hospital’s patient revenue came from Medicaid- and Medicare-funded payors, while only 5.8 percent came from private insurance companies.

CIR is launching a community outreach campaign to get the word out about this resource for the community. Ads in bus shelters and in community publications throughout the Bronx will encourage people to visit “Examining St. Barnabas” and to share their own stories about the hospital.