To the Editor:

The recent Consumer Report safety ranking of Princeton Medical Center of 39th out of 62 New Jersey hospitals reflects the need for the hospital’s president and board to restore the confidence and win back the recognition of all health care consumers in the Princeton area. Not an easy task when you consider the lack of community support by the hospital officials to hold Avalon Bay responsible for adhering to master plan and building code requirements to build on the hospital’s former site. Consider also the competition from two other nearby hospitals among the five in the county.

CEO Rabner rightly observed how important it is for consumers to have the information they need to make intelligent choices about health care. There is, of course, a hierarchy of health care quality which is directly proportional to the expertise and experience of healthcare providers. While facilities and equipment “with welcoming décor and amenities” are important, it is the nursing staff which is the backbone of hospital care, something learned from 20 years of hospital volunteer service. Consumers also need to know medical care is both art and science, not science alone, and that doctors and nurses need recognition for a job well done in the community they serve. The Princeton Medical Center has yet to win this recognition.

Louis Slee

Spruce Street