Albany Medical Center fined $375K by NYS Department of Health

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10)-- Albany Medical Center will pay $375,000 to the New York State Department of Heath in violations for reportedly failing to safely staff the hospital. According to the DOH, $125,000 of the total amount will be waived after the hospital complies with the settlement.

In August 2024, the Department of Health released a staffing deficiency report on the hospital after the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) raised concerns over staffing in the hospital. That report, which was made public in February, highlighted over 500 staffing violations.

The report also detailed the hospital’s plans to correct the violations, including boosting new staff recruitment efforts and increasing the wages of current employees. However, upon review, the DOH deemed the plans to be inadequate.

According to the DOH, the settlement reached includes an admission from the hospital that violations occurred, but also resolves additional enforcement by the state of staffing violations.

According to the hospital, Albany Med has the same goal as the state and is looking to invest in its workforce and infrastructure to ensure a high level of care.

"We share the same commitment as the Department of Health: to deliver the highest quality health care to the 3 million people living in the 25 counties that make up upstate New York," Dennis McKenna, hospital president and CEO, said. "In pursuit of this shared goal, we worked closely with the department and our own Clinical Staffing Committee to develop a revised plan, which received favorable approval. This collaborative effort reflects our mutual dedication to advancing care for our region."

According to the nurses association, the fines are a step in the right direction.

"We applaud the Department of Health’s effort to hold Albany Medical Center accountable. Although we continue to be deeply disappointed in Albany Med’s refusal to follow the law and safely staff their hospital, we believe this enforcement action from the DOH is a necessary step in the right direction," NYSNA President Nancy Hagans, RN, BSN, CCRN, said. "We hope this can be a wake up call for this hospital and others who refuse to invest in safe patient care. Nurses will not back down until Albany Med makes a real effort to safely staff the hospital by working to hire and retain experienced nurses."

The nurses at Albany Medical Center have been working without a contract for nearly a year. According to NYSNA, the nurses are urging for improved staffing and retention.

Contract negotiations remain ongoing, the hospital said.