(ALBANY, NEW YORK) - After a lengthy investigation, the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) has issued a record $375,000 in fines to Albany Medical Center for failing to safely staff the Hospital.

This is the largest fine issued to a hospital for breaking the State Staffing Law to date that the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) is aware of.

In August 2024, the NYSDOH issued a Staffing Deficiency Report that outlined over 500 staffing violations of the State’s Safe Staffing Law, more than any other hospital to date.

The report was shared publicly for the first time in February by Nurses who received a copy via the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Law.

NYSNA Nurses have been calling attention to the crisis of understaffing at Albany Med for years and have submitted numerous complaints detailing the hospital’s staffing crisis.

They recently held a speak-out to call for the Hospital’s Board of Directors to intervene and make the Hospital follow New York’s Staffing Laws - and settle a fair contract with the Nurses employed there.  

Correspondence between the NYSDOH and the Hospital showed Albany MedAdministrators denied official NYSDOH findings of staffing deficiencies and failed to submit adequate plans of correction multiple times.

After notifying the Hospital in December 2024 that the case was being referred for enforcement, the Hospital was given another opportunity to submit a plan of correction.

On May 23rd, Hospital Administrators asked Nurses on Albany Med’s Clinical Staffing Committee - for the first time, to collaborate on a plan, as required by law.  

Throughout the lengthy investigation and enforcement process, Hospital Administrators - including CEO Dr. Dennis McKenna, continued to deny the seriousness of the staffing violations, NYSNA Officials said.  

According to recent reporting, the NYSDOH accepted Albany Med’s most recent corrective action plan late last week.

The settlement that Albany Med reached, which is not yet public, includes an admission from the Hospital that there was “substantial evidence of violations.”

NYSNA President Nancy Hagans said: “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 NYSDOH is a necessary step in the right direction. We hope this can be a wakeup 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.”  

NYSNA Nurses at Albany Med, meanwhile, are continuing their call for the Hospital to negotiate a fair Union contract with a comprehensive plan to recruit, retain and respect Nurses to solve the Nurse staffing crisis at the Hospital and ensure quality care for the community.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: ALBANY MEDICAL CENTER FINED RECORD $375,000 BY DOH AFTER FAILING TO SAFELY STAFF HOSPITAL | New York State Nurses Association