Clinical Laboratory Technologist

12 nurses say they are being replaced by AI. - New York hospital nurses say this move is just the "tip of the iceberg" by Shannon Firth, Enterprise & Investigative Writer, MedPage Today Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, New York, fired 12 nurses and plans to replace them with artificial intelligence (AI) software, said nurses and city and state officials during a call with reporters on Wednesday. The change comes on the heels of a February agreementopens in a new tab or window between the nurses' union and the Montefiore hospital system that ended a nearly month-long strikeopens in a new tab or window. Nurses say the terminations directly violate that agreement, and the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) has filed a class action grievance. A spokesperson for Montefiore Health System says the claims are "inaccurate and misleading." In late May, Ajita Mathew, RN, who has been a nurse for 36 years and is a member of Montefiore's utilization review team, received a letter from the manager of Labor and Employee Relationsopens in a new tab or window stating that her position would be eliminated in 45 days. "During this time, the Medical Center will work closely with you to determine whether there are suitable positions that [are] in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement," the letter stated. "Montefiore recognizes the commitment you have made to its patients and will work hard to make this transition easier for you." All 12 nurses on the utilization review team received a similar letter, NYSNA said. Marilyn Shuler, RN, who has worked at Montefiore for 39 years, said nurses had been told that "someone" would be sending necessary clinical information from patients' charts to payers, but no one made clear whether that task would fall to a nurse or a machine. Utilization review nurses have a "vast knowledge" based on years of experience, Shuler said during the Wednesday call. "So much of what we do cannot be reduced... to a click." New York City Council member Shirley Aldebol, who advocated for Montefiore to stop its "45-day displacement clock," said she's worried replacing "complicated clinical judgment by real nurses" with AI will lead to dropped cases, missed diagnoses, unapproved surgeries, and other patient services being denied. Judy Sheridan-Gonzalez, RN, an emergency department nurse at Montefiore and former NYSNA president, said utilization review teams exist because insurers want to save money and not pay for prolonged visits if they can avoid it. "The patients require a human being to advocate for [them] to see if the visit is necessary," she noted. If a patient's situation improves but they're not well enough to go home, an algorithm can't make those calls, she pointed out. "These algorithms just take very raw data and make a conclusion... without taking into account the patient's gender, race, ethnicity, cultural needs, physical needs, and clinical needs, because they can't do that analysis," Sheridan-Gonzalez said. Unlike an algorithm, nurses reviewing charts have access to people and can say, "There's something missing here. Let me go find out what that is." "This is all about human beings, about their outcomes," she added. "It's about... what's going to happen while they're in the hospital, what kind of teaching needs do they have, what learning needs do they have, what kind of support do they have at home? How will they survive when they go home?" It's about "other complex conditions that come into play here, which require a different type of assessment. Only a human being can do that," she argued. Sheridan-Gonzalez also pointed out that the changes violate the most recent union agreement, which states "that any use of AI really has to be discussed with the union to ensure that our patients are protected." "Montefiore is denying that AI has anything to do with this, which we know is not true," she noted. In a statement to Gothamist,opens in a new tab or window Joe Solomonese, a spokesperson for Montefiore Health System, blasted the nurses' claims. "As is often the case, the claims by NYSNA are inaccurate and misleading," Solomonese said. "What is true is that we are always investing in new technology to ensure the best care and outcomes for our patients and will continue to do so for the betterment of the people we serve." The nurses said Montefiore changed its utilization review process earlier this year, using AI-powered software from Datavant, a private equity-backed health IT company. In May, Datavant settled a class action lawsuitopens in a new tab or window following a data breach that impacted 320,702 individuals. Sheridan-Gonzalez said that this move is the "tip of the iceberg." They started with nurses doing documentation, "but who's to say that in the future they won't replace... other nurses who actually touch patients, work with patients in the hospital, have that intimate relationship... with something else, whether it's a machine or a robot or some kind of algorithm," she pointed out. "Nurses are not against technology," said Shaiju Kalathil, RN, an NYSNA executive committee member at Montefiore. "The problem is when hospitals roll out new technologies without evidence that these technologies will improve the lives of patients and working people, and worse, with evidence that patient care may suffer, and jobs will be long lost." Shuler stressed that "what we want is simple: to stop layoffs, the hospital to keep a licensed nurse to complete the utilization review and sit down with the nurses who do this work, [and] discuss how AI can support us instead of replacing us."

Top left menu. The American Heart Association presents Get With The Guidelines(R)- Stroke Gold Plus award for demonstrating commitment to delivering evidence-based, life-saving stroke care Nyack, NY, June 30, 2026 - Montefiore Nyack Hospital has received the American Heart Association's Get With The Guidelines(R)- Stroke Gold Plus quality achievement award for its commitment to ensuring people experiencing stroke receive timely, appropriate treatment based on nationally recognized, research-based guidelines, ultimately helping to save lives and reduce disability. Montefiore Nyack Hospital also received the American Heart Association's Target: StrokeSM Honor Roll Elite award. To qualify for this recognition, hospitals must meet specific criteria that reduce the time between an eligible patient's arrival at the hospital and treatment with thrombolytic therapy. Additionally, Montefiore Nyack Hospital received the American Heart Association's Target: Type 2 Diabetes(TM) Honor Roll award. Target: Type 2 Diabetes aims to ensure patients with Type 2 diabetes, who might be at higher risk for complications, receive the most up-to-date, evidence-based care when hospitalized due to stroke. Stroke is the No. 4 cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the U.S, according to the American Heart Association's 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics Report. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel supplying the brain is blocked by a clot or ruptures, preventing blood and oxygen from reaching brain tissue. When this happens, brain cells begin to die. Early detection and rapid treatment are critical to improving survival, minimizing disability and supporting faster recovery. Get With The Guidelines brings the expertise of the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association into hospitals nationwide, helping ensure patient care is aligned with the latest research- and evidence-based guidelines. Get With The Guidelines - Stroke is an in-hospital program designed to improve stroke care through consistent adherence to these guidelines, which can minimize long-term effects of stroke and help prevent death. Montefiore Nyack Hospital is committed to improving patient care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines, said Mark Geller, MD, FACR, president and CEO of Montefiore Nyack Hospital. Get With The Guidelines helps its teams put proven science into practice every day. Research shows this approach can support better recovery, with the ultimate goal of helping people in Rockland County live longer, healthier lives. Each year, participating hospitals qualify for the award by demonstrating how their organization has committed to providing quality stroke care. In addition to following clinical treatment guidelines, Get With The Guidelines participants also provide education to help people manage their recovery and ongoing health at home. Montefiore Nyack is proud to recognize Montefiore Nyack Hospital for its commitment to caring for people experiencing stroke, said Steven Messe, M.D., volunteer chair of the American Heart Association Stroke System of Care Advisory Group. Participation in Get With The Guidelines is associated with improved patient outcomes, including greater likelihood of being discharged home, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates - a meaningful benefit for health care systems, families and communities. About Montefiore Nyack Hospital. Montefiore Nyack Hospital is a 375-bed community acute care medical and surgical hospital founded in 1895. Its mission is to provide competent, innovative, and accessible emergency and acute care services to the residents of Rockland County, NY, and its surrounding areas. It is a member of Montefiore Health System and a partner with Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, providing clinical rotations to medical students. To learn more, visit www.montefiorenyack.org; follow Montefiore Nyack on Facebook, X, LinkedIn, and Instagram; view Montefiore Nyack on YouTube. About Get With The Guidelines(R). Get With The Guidelines(R) is the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association's hospital-based quality improvement program that provides hospitals with the latest research-based guidelines. Developed with the goal of saving lives and hastening recovery, Get With The Guidelines has touched the lives of more than 18 million patients since 2001. For more information, visit heart.org.

Montefiore Mount Vernon Hospital unveils the first and largest phase of its renovated Emergency Department. The Project is Backed by a Portion of a $41 Million New York State Capital Investment Grant for the Transformation of Montefiore Mount Vernon Hospital MOUNT VERNON, N.Y., June 26, 2026 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ - Montefiore and Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard have unveiled the first and largest phase of Montefiore Mount Vernon Hospital's newly expanded and renovated emergency department. Thanks to a portion of the $41 million capital investment from New York State for transformation at Montefiore Mount Vernon Hospital to establish a new benchmark for accessible care, Phase 1 of the Emergency Department renovations brings 11 new patient beds, two triage rooms and an isolation room, so people can be cared for more efficiently and appropriately based on the severity of their conditions. The care areas are complemented by a security vestibule, waiting area and a dedicated lounge, locker room, and administrative offices for staff. "Together, we're demonstrating how as a community we are ensuring the residents of Mount Vernon receive nothing less than the best care, delivered by the top doctors and staff, in the most modern of facilities," said Mount Vernon Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard. "This emergency department reflects our successful advocacy for our community and embodies how we're fostering a healthier future-state for our friends, neighbors and families." Additional phases of the Emergency Department are anticipated to be completed during the second half of 2027. All in, the renovations will nearly triple the size of the Emergency Department and double capacity allowing for an estimated 40,000-50,000 visits annually. The newly renovated emergency department comes on the heels of the upgraded Family Health & Wellness Center at Montefiore Mount Vernon Hospital which was also made possible by the $41 million NYS Capital grant. The modernized primary and specialty care facility features Montefiore Einstein's first-class services ranging from cardiology, gynecology, urogynecology, and infectious disease to neurology, to ear, nose and throat medicine. "Primary and specialty care serves as the gateway to health, while the emergency department functions as the front door to our hospital," said Regginald Jordan, Vice President for Clinical Services & Executive Director, Montefiore Wakefield Hospital and Montefiore Mount Vernon Hospital. "By having the initial phases of the transformation plan complete, we're meeting the evolving needs of the Mount Vernon community and exponentially increasing access to care." Looking ahead, in addition to the continued emergency department renovations, Montefiore Mount Vernon is proceeding with construction on its operating rooms, including upgraded surgical suites with the latest, state-of-the-art equipment which will provide more surgical options closer to the homes of Montefiore Mount Vernon residents. The full project is anticipated to be completed in 2027. About Montefiore Health System Montefiore Health System is one of New York's premier academic health systems and is a recognized leader in providing exceptional quality and personalized, accountable care to approximately three million people in communities across the Bronx, Westchester, and the Hudson Valley. It is comprised of 10 hospitals, including the Children's Hospital at Montefiore, Burke Rehabilitation Hospital and more than 200 outpatient ambulatory care sites. The advanced clinical and translational research at its medical school, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, directly informs patient care and improves outcomes. From the Montefiore-Einstein Centers of Excellence in cancer, cardiology and vascular care, pediatrics, and transplantation, to its preeminent school-based health program, Montefiore is a fully integrated healthcare delivery system providing coordinated, comprehensive care to patients and their families. For more information, please visit www.montefioreeinstein.org. Follow Esglobal on Twitter and Instagram and LinkedIn, or view Esglobal on Facebook and YouTube. SOURCE Montefiore Health System