FNA News
Montefiore hospital fires 12 nurses and plans to replace their roles with AI, union claims
New York — Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx has dismissed 12 experienced nurses from its utilisation review team and intends to replace their work with artificial intelligence software, according to the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA).
The union says the terminations violate a February agreement reached with the hospital system after a month-long strike. It has now filed a class-action grievance over the decision.
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The nurses, who review patient records to determine whether hospital stays and procedures are medically necessary and covered by insurance, received termination letters in late May. Each was told their position would end within 45 days.
Experienced staff affected
Among those affected is Ajita Mathew, a registered nurse with 36 years of experience, and Marilyn Shuler, who has worked at Montefiore for 39 years. Both were part of the hospital’s utilisation review team.
Nurses told reporters that hospital management had informed them that clinical information would continue to be sent to insurance companies, but it was unclear whether this task would be performed by a nurse or by software.
Marilyn Shuler said the role requires deep clinical knowledge that cannot easily be automated.
“So much of what we do cannot be reduced to a click,” she said during a media call on Wednesday.
Concerns over patient care
Judy Sheridan-Gonzalez, an emergency department nurse at Montefiore and former NYSNA president, warned that replacing human review with algorithms risks undermining patient advocacy.
“These algorithms just take very raw data and make a conclusion without taking into account the patient’s gender, race, ethnicity, cultural needs, physical needs, and clinical needs,” she said.
She added that only a human reviewer can identify missing information in a patient’s records and follow up directly with clinical teams.
New York City Council member Shirley Aldebol also raised concerns, saying she fears the change could lead to denied care, missed diagnoses and unnecessary barriers for patients.
Hospital response
Montefiore Health System rejected the union’s claims. Spokesperson Joe Solomonese said the accusations were “inaccurate and misleading”.
“What is true is that we are always investing in new technology to ensure the best care and outcomes for our patients and will continue to do so for the betterment of the people we serve,”
he said.
The union said Montefiore has already begun using AI-powered software from Datavant for utilisation review tasks. NYSNA maintains that the technology is being used to eliminate nursing positions rather than support them.
Union position
NYSNA argues that the February agreement requires any introduction of AI to be discussed with the union to protect both staff and patients. The union is calling for the layoffs to be reversed and for licensed nurses to continue performing utilisation review work.
Shaiju Kalathil, an NYSNA executive committee member at Montefiore, said nurses support technology when it improves care, but not when it is introduced without evidence or proper consultation.
The dispute highlights growing tension in US hospitals over the use of artificial intelligence in clinical and administrative roles traditionally performed by nurses.
FNA News will continue to monitor developments and provide updates as they emerge.
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