As someone who has treated celebrities before, I have to tell you that the headlines circulating the birth of Beyonce’s baby are, in my opinion, somewhat unfair.Lenox Hill Hospital has a longstanding tradition of delivering great medical care to New York City, and that applies to everyone.
When a celebrity of the stature of Beyonce or Jay-Z comes to a medical center, one of the primordial requirements – besides great medical care – is a high level of security.
To think that a patient like Beyonce, who had a cesarean section, does not require some degree of special attention, is a bit of a fantasy.
The fact is, there are thousands of people trying to obtain access to her and her newborn, take photographs and get a hold of her private information. The hospital has a duty to make sure none of that happens.
For example, in 2008, UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles was forced to fire some employees and discipline others for looking at the confidential medical records of pop star Britney Spears while she was hospitalized in its psychiatric ward, according to a hospital official.
In 2007, more than two dozen hospital staffers at Palisades Medical Center in North Bergen, N.J., were suspended after allegedly peeking at actor George Clooney's confidential medical information when he was injured in a motorcycle accident.
Taking those instances into account, plus the constant presence of paparazzi and excited fans, and it becomes clearer why privacy is such a big concern.
Finally, I know that it seems sometimes when we have celebrities or notable figures at hospital, the rest of patient population is relegated to the backseat, but that’s not true, either. Doctors and nurses provide equal care to all patients.
So, instead of looking to place unnecessary blame, why not just congratulate the happy couple? They deserve privacy, and the right to enjoy the birth of their newborn.
Dr. Manny Alvarez is the Chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Science at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey.
