N.Y. New York City Health & Hospitals Corporation Act § 2
It is hereby found, declared and determined that the provision and delivery of comprehensive care and treatment of the ill and infirm, both physical and mental, are of vital and paramount concern and essential to the protection and promotion of the health, safety and welfare of the inhabitants of the state of New York and the city of New York.
There are serious shortages in the number of personnel adequately trained and qualified to provide the quality care and treatment needed. A myriad of complex and often deleterious constraints and restrictions place a harmful burden on the delivery of such care and treatment. Technological advances have been such that portions of the health and medical services now delivered by the city are not as advanced as they should be. A system permitting legal, financial and managerial flexibility is required for the provision and delivery of high quality, dignified and comprehensive care and treatment for the ill and infirm, particularly to those who can least afford such services.
It is further found, declared and determined that hospitals and other health facilities of the city are of vital and paramount concern and essential in providing comprehensive care and treatment for the ill and infirm, both physical and mental, and are thus vital to the protection and the promotion of the health, welfare and safety of the people of the state of New York and the city of New York.
There are inadequate general and specialized health care facilities including but not limited to nursing homes and related laboratories and ambulatory care clinics and centers and diagnostic treatment centers. The inadequacy and shortage of health facilities derives from such factors among others as the rapid technological changes and advances taking place in the medical field. These changes and advances have created the need for substantial structural and functional changes in existing facilities. Many of the health facilities of the city are overcrowded. Buildings are deteriorating and many suffer harm as a result of piecemeal and uncoordinated additions. The facilities available for education, research and development are inadequate to meet the demands of the medical field. Procedures inherent in the administration of health and medical services as heretofore established obstruct and impair efficient operation of health and medical resources.
It is found, declared and determined that in order to accomplish the purposes herein recited, to provide the needed health and medical services and health facilities, a public benefit corporation, to be known as the New York City health and hospital corporation, should be created to provide such health and medical services and health facilities and to otherwise carry out such purposes; that the creation and operation of the New York city health and hospitals corporation, as hereinafter provided, is in all respects for the benefit of the people of the state of New York and of the city of New York, and is a state, city and public purpose; and that the exercise by such corporation of the functions, powers and duties as hereinafter provided constitutes the performance of an essential public and governmental function.
N.Y. New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation Act Law § 2