She's New York's $4 million woman.
Dr. Linda Brady, the head of a tiny Brooklyn hospital, raked in just over that amount in total compensation in 2009 - more than any other nonprofit hospital executive in the state, tax records show.
Brady, president of Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center in East Flatbush, was awarded the hefty sum the same year the hospital was forced to close a clinic and lay off workers and staff members took furloughs because of budget tightening.
"You're taking a bonus the same year you're firing people, forcing furloughs and not funding pensions," said an outraged Dr. Abdul Malik, former chief of the hospital's cardiocare unit who now operates his own practice across the street from Kingsbrook.
"Why are you taking this much money? It's not that people cannot make money in this country, but this is too much."
The 326-bed facility is considered one of five Brooklyn hospitals that advocates fear is in danger of being shuttered by Gov. Cuomo's medical redesign team. Many of Kingsbrook's patients are Medicaid recipients.
Joanne Doroshow, executive director of the consumer advocacy group Center for Justice & Democracy, which in March found that Brady's compensation was the highest in the state, called Brady's compensation "a shock."
"The money's coming from somewhere, so to the extent it's going into the pocket of the CEO, it's not being used to serve patients," said Doroshow.
But hospital officials defended Brady's compensation, noting she was paid $1,094,443 in base salary in 2009 - and that $2,891,335 will be doled out as retirement and deferred compensation she accumulated from 30 years of service.
Brady also received $215,241 in bonuses and nontaxed benefits in 2009. "Dr. Brady's compensation is, in fact, at market rate and reflects the board's full faith in her abilities and execution of her job," said Ed Lieberstein, chairman of the Kingsbrook board of trustees' finance committee.
Brady denied a request to be interviewed.
In 2008, Brady took home $1,054,406 in base pay plus an additional $137,335 in deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits, tax records show.
In 2007, she hauled in $1,023,452 in base salary plus $195,661 in deferred compensation, the records show. The doctor's 2010 compensation was not available.
More than a dozen Kingsbrook doctors interviewed by the Daily News said the lush compensation package was too much during these tough times.
"This is a small hospital in a low-income neighborhood," said one Kingsbrook doctor. "That money should go toward patient care and improving hospital infrastructure."
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