NYU's emergency room gave special treatment to donors and VIPs including Chuck Schumer

New York University's hospital emergency room has been accused of giving special treatment to well known donors, including the man who bears its name, as well as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. 

NYU Langone Health's ER allegedly uses a room known only as Room 20, which is meant for the highest priority patients in terms of health, but has ended up used for those with the most money or fame.

At least 30 doctors claimed that there was at least an implication that the wealthy and well connected be treated with utmost importance.  

One of the beneficiaries has supposedly been Home Depot cofounder Ken Langone, who the hospital is named for. 

New York University's hospital emergency room has been accused of giving special treatment to well known donors, including the man who bears its name, as well as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer

He reportedly got taken to the highly prioritized Room 20 for mere stomach pain. Langone has denied asking for or receiving special treatment. 

According to the New York Times, a well-known trustee of the hospital was taken to Room 20 simply because he was out of breath after exercising.  

The VIPs were said to be given first choice ahead of the poor and homeless, who were sometimes even sent to a nearby public hospital, according to ambulance workers. 

A nurse at that hospital, Bellevue, Kim Behrens said: 'There isn't a day that goes by that we don't get an NYU dump.' 

In the case of Schumer, he and his wife, Iris Weinshall, were once sent to Room 20 when Weinshall - herself the COO of the New York Public Library - was short of breath.

According to the report, both of them were given expedited tests for COVID-19 while patients who were sicker got treated in the hallway. 

A spokesperson for Schumer said that his security protocol requires he be kept in as secure a location as possible.  

One of the beneficiaries has supposedly been Home Depot cofounder Ken Langone, who the hospital is named for

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer was also given priority treatment

VIPs were said to be given first choice ahead of the poor and homeless, who were sometimes even sent to a nearby public hospital, according to ambulance workers

In the case of Schumer, he and his wife, Iris Weinshall, were once sent to Room 20 when Weinshall - herself the COO of the New York Public Library - was short of breath

Other reps for the university argued that some of those quoted in the article were doing it out of spite for not getting jobs.  

The hospital could face trouble getting approval of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education due to the controversy. 

They sent a letter to the hospital with allegations that the system 'teaches residents patient bias' in November 2021. 

The council, which interviewed 50 doctors on its own before sending the letter, oversees medical training programs across America. 

They wrote the letter after getting an anonymous complaint and after their interviews, which reportedly confirmed doctors were not only giving VIPs favorable treatment but that some doctors had been fired or feared reprisal if they didn't follow the informal policy.  

The hospital could face trouble getting approval of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education due to the controversy

The council, which interviewed 50 doctors on its own before sending the letter, oversees medical training programs across America

The council told the times they were not clear on whether NYU had reformed since sending the letter.  

An NYU spokesperson said: 'We strongly disagree with the accusations made in today's article as it is based on distorted and outright fabricated allegations from sources with an agenda. 

They added: 'NYU Langone Health provides one standard of world-class care to every single patient that comes through our doors, and the article seeks to undermine the great work our care teams diligently deliver every day to save lives regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, religion, status, or wealth.'