Who Are They Going To Blame?

Paul Levy | Not Running A Hospital | October 31, 2012

Once the dust settles, or the flood water recedes (in this case), someone will conduct a root cause analysis to figure out why the emergency generator at NYU Langone Medical Center failed to operate during Hurricane Sandy when the Con Edison power supply was disrupted.  Given that this investigation will involve two sectors of society (politics and health care) most characterized by a need to find someone to blame, some poor person at the hospital will be deemed to be the culprit.  It will not be a person too low in the organization, as that would generate sympathy and make it look like a cover-up of higher wrongdoing.  Nor will it be the CEO.  I am guessing it will be the vice president for facilities.  It has to be high enough in the organization to make it look a person of certain authority failed at his or her job.  Being a good soldier, he will gracefully fall on his sword and issue apologies. That will do the trick to produce a fine newspaper story.