New Amsterdam (2018) s01e11 Episode Script
A Seat at the Table
1 Dr.
Ryan to Pediatrics.
Dr.
Ryan to Pediatrics.
- There he is.
- Hey.
- Right on time.
- Reporting for duty.
I half expected I'd have to physically drag you out of your office.
Have you met the group? Uh uh, no actually, uh Come.
Don't be shy.
- Morning everyone.
- Morning.
- Hey.
- This is Max.
- It's his first day, so - Yeah.
Why are you in scrubs? - Oh, uh, I'm a doctor.
- Mm, where? - Here.
- Nice.
I wish I could do chemo at Whole Foods, but we're not even allowed to use our phones.
Mm-hmm.
Uh, Max, this is Mr.
Kiggens.
- "Big Mike.
" - Yeah, clearly.
That's Willow.
Smart, bringing your own food.
- No one delivers here.
- Really? And Millie.
Don't be scared, Max.
We don't bite.
Uh, no, that's thank you, but I'm not, uh I'm not scared.
Okay.
Hey, you know, why don't you join us? We need a fourth for euchre.
You know, I would love to, but I actually got the, uh, to-go chemo.
It's fewer calories, so Max, it's three hours.
You can't stay put for three hours? Yeah, no, I would, but you know me and sitting.
It's just not a good have a good game.
Good luck out there.
You know, a doctor with an IV pole is gonna frighten patients.
That's a good point.
Why don't we just, uh, do this.
There we go.
Meet Earl, my new sidekick.
Oh, yeah, that's much better.
- Right? - A smiling bag of poison.
Yep, going full chemo.
- Please don't say that.
- Got it.
Uh I know that at some point I'm gonna be useless.
Thanks for not disagreeing.
Well, we both know what's coming.
And, uh, after what happened in Cold Spring, I can't just let the hospital fall apart.
I mean, I need to find someone who can, you know, take take over when I'm, uh when I can't Will will you be my deputy Medical Director? Sorry, I don't know why that sounded like I was asking you to prom.
I'm flattered, of course.
My friend Earl, here, doesn't think you look flattered.
I've already cut back on my public appearances.
If I cut back anymore, we're gonna start to lose funding.
Okay, yeah.
Well, think about it.
Otherwise I'm gonna have to give my friend Earl, here, a sad face.
Uh, was, uh, that our Medical Director attached to an IV of cis-platinum? Don't ask.
Why are you here? Uh, tough one.
Uh, because this is a hospital and I'm a doctor.
You said that you were gonna take some time off.
Well, that was before.
I mean, Max needs my help, clearly.
Sweetheart, this is important.
You need to take care of yourself.
And I am going to, okay? I'm just gonna do it without leaving the hospital.
I flushed all my pills this morning.
You know I'm going cold turkey? Yes, it is gonna suck for a while, but it's what I need to do.
And not just for me.
For Max.
Oh.
Ooh, triage.
Gotta run.
Damn it, Andy.
Triage said an acute coronary syndrome in here.
I did not use those words 'cause I don't know them, but it had to sound serious or they would have given me to one of your residents.
Yeah, well, you nearly gave me an acute coronary.
Did you do something new with your hair? All right, Andy, what's the story? My knee's been swelling up.
I can't move it without Patel, uh, let's let's drain Andy's knee.
Hey, take your time, LB.
Clean sheets.
Yeah.
Tony, I know it's difficult to talk about the attack but we should.
Um I was painting up in Mohonk.
Lots of light.
My dad came with me, so I was annoyed.
I I'd wanted to go solo.
But it's good he was there, 'cause when I moved my easel near the tree line, I I saw this shape.
Okay.
Tell me more about that.
It was daytime.
They're nocturnal, right? Yeah.
It shouldn't have been there.
But I saw it, and it just it just stared at me.
Mm.
And then it started running right at me And then I turned and ran, and I'm fast.
I used to run track, but I didn't make it two feet.
Before it before it So before this most recent attack, you hadn't seen the wolf in over a month, correct? Uh Yeah.
Hey, Tony, is the, um is the wolf here right now? Okay, all right.
Here's what we're gonna do: I am gonna go get your dad, and we are going to talk next steps.
Okay? - Right.
- Okay.
Oh, my God, this is Rohan.
I mean, I thought it might be because he has the same but I didn't to okay, I'm done.
- Hi.
- Uh, it's so nice to meet you.
Your dad talks about you all the time.
He does? Okay, thank you.
Thank you, Ella.
Now he's blushing, so this is a disaster.
I'm gonna go, but I hope I see you again.
You talk about me? Uh, yes.
I wanted to get you a gift, and Ella was helping me.
What kind of gift? We've not decided, but I didn't want to get you something which meant something other than what I wanted it to mean.
Oh, that's that's thoughtful.
There is something Yes, tell me.
I told you about the songs I'm writing? - Mm-hmm.
- Well, I'd love to make a demo, and do that, I need to rent a studio.
I was wondering if you could, you know Give you money? I don't think it's a good idea.
Okay.
Okay.
Baby steps, right? - LB.
- How's that knee doing? - Eh, it's better.
- Oh.
So why are you still here? I meant better than bad, which is still, you know, not good.
All right, Andy.
Why don't you tell me what's really going on? My shelter voucher doesn't start till Saturday, so I got four days on the streets.
So I thought We're a hospital, okay? You don't warrant an overnight stay.
Yet.
Just do some more digging.
There's gotta be something else wrong with me.
I'm a very unhealthy person.
You paged? Uh, yeah.
Yeah, is, uh, now a bad time? For both of you? Oh, yeah.
What do you got? You said you wanted to know the next time a frequent flyer came in.
Yeah, frequent flyers mean we're not doing our job.
Oh, well, then you're in luck Meet the Amelia Earhart of frequent flyers: Andy Keener.
How can I help? Looking good, Dr.
Reynolds.
Just hold it there.
Fantastic.
That's perfect.
Thanks, Chris.
That was great.
This is going to come together seamlessly.
I thought Fred Niemens usually does the, uh, medical articles? My editor thought the personal angle would be better for "The Face of Diversity.
" Is that the angle? I figured we'd start with a profile on you and then talk about how you've put together your department.
- Okay.
- For your profile, I was thinking it's a "rags to riches" story.
I already know the layout.
Just below the headline, there'll be these two pictures of you where you are now right next to this: I wanna know the details of what led to the mug shot so we can This interview is over.
Wait Um, sorry, I didn't mean Your chemo bag is making people nervous.
Yeah, sorry, just one more hour.
And by "people," I mean me.
Did you know that Andy Keener has been in this hospital over 100 times? He's a frequent flyer.
If my math is correct and I'm pretty sure that it is Andy Keener has cost New Amsterdam $1.
4 million dollars this year.
And we haven't done a thing to help him.
Andy Keener has rung up over $1 million in charges here at New Amsterdam.
That is enough for 50,000 prenatal visits, two liver transplants, or, you know, one NBA contract.
How do we lower this number right there? Don't look at me.
Well, he's had over 30 visits and three surgeries for a foot ulcer.
He walks around all day.
He can't keep his foot elevated.
Look, bandages fall off, antibiotic creams get lost.
Okay, Bloom.
ED's number one on the hospital encounters hit parade.
My ED is open 24/7, so if he wants to get out of the rain, or snow, or sun, or get a hot meal, then - Got it.
- 10 EEGs and 18 head CT scans this year alone.
All indicated and necessary.
Andy falls, and gets beaten up, and has a withdrawal seizure.
EMTs bring him in and we give him the same evaluation we would give to anyone else.
Yeah, Helen, you can't tell me that all these biopsies were necessary.
Well, if we don't have a patient's family history then all concerns have to be taken seriously.
Psychiatry, help me out.
There's gotta be a way to save a dollar.
Just one dollar.
Uh, no.
No can do, Doc.
Andy suffers from PTSD and depression.
An abusive childhood will do that to you.
Not to mention, he is an alcoholic.
Multiple detox stays.
Okay, so what everyone is telling me is that not only was there no way to avoid spending $1.
4 million on Andy Keener this year, but apparently there's no way to avoid spending another $1.
4 million on Andy Kenner next year? Yes? Yes, I was hoping to meet Earl.
Is Earl here? Is he coming later? Not here, okay.
Hey, Max, hold up.
You got a fix for Andy Keener? No, apparently I missed the Solve-America's-Homeless- Epidemic class in med school.
Fair enough.
All right, so, uh, look a reporter from "The New England Cardiothoracic Journal" dug up some dirt on me.
Some dirt that that could embarrass the hospital.
Define "dirt.
" Ten years ago I was arrested and, um she wants to print my mug shot.
Every time I think this is dead and buried it just keeps popping back up in my life, and I never wanted to be a burden to you or this hospital.
You're not.
You wanna tell me what happened? Do I have to? Well, if I knew the story would I trust you less? No.
Would it make me think less of you as a surgeon? No.
Then I don't need to know, and neither does anybody else.
I just don't want anyone to think less of me.
- Patients, colleagues - They won't.
- Let's go full chemo on this.
- "Full chemo"? Let's get legal to bring down the hammer.
I wanna keep him overnight for observation.
The, um the delusions are back, full-on.
I'm I'm so sorry, Hector.
This last attack, he was screaming.
Clawing at his throat.
He thought he was dying.
My little boy.
How's he supposed to live like this? I mean, what's he gonna do when I'm gone? I I've been reading about, uh, "deep brain stimulation"? Deep brain stimulation is not designed for psychological issues.
It's for, um it's for Parkinson's.
It's people with physical ailments.
But there's trials happening right now.
Yes, Hector.
A a handful of patients with delusional disorders have tried it, but you know, the side effects are not we're we're not talking scars, here.
The kind, funny, artistic son that you know and love right now? It can change Tony's personality.
Ativan Paxil, Klonopin Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
Hypnosis, ECT.
Electricity shooting through my cariño's brain.
That hasn't changed him? 'Cause it has.
We can try a compassionate-use trial.
But, Hector, you you gotta know that if you send your son in for this surgery you may not recognize the person that you get back.
Do you understand? If helping him means losing some of him Parts of him I love I'll pay the price.
Hey, there.
You okay? No.
Got a migraine.
Among other things.
Did we did we page you? No.
No, I just got you some ginger tea.
Okay.
Why? Because ginger is a miracle cure-all for the whole system.
Wait, are you monitoring me? No.
I'm just checking up on you.
Oh, I'm sorry, I thought I was an adult.
I didn't realize I needed a babysitter.
- Lauren - You know what, don't, okay? I am leaving now.
Because, you know, I've got an ED to run.
Oh, hey.
Hey.
Ella, right? Yeah.
Are you, uh, waiting for your dad? Oh, no.
Just taking advantage of the free Wi-Fi.
- Have a seat.
- Thanks.
What are you writing? Nothing.
Oh, no, come on.
We've known each other a whole two minutes now.
I'm a song writer.
Go ahead, take your best shot.
Oh, I should have known your dad would raise the sensitive, artistic type.
Back then he didn't do much raising.
Right, sorry.
He, uh he's just been so generous with me.
- I didn't mean to - "Generous"? How? Um, like how he totally saved my dog's life.
My dad's still a human neurologist, right? Yep.
But, uh, he paid for my dog's surgery.
- He did? - Yeah.
Gave me $2,000.
I didn't even have to ask.
Wow.
Bloom? We've been trying to help Andy Keener entirely the wrong way.
Are you screaming right now, or is it just me? I figured out what to give him.
- Andy? - MG.
Um, we have done you a great disservice.
You guys have the best service in New York.
Every time you've come to this hospital, we have focused on treating a whole host of symptoms.
I I'd give you five stars on Yelp if I had a computer.
That ends today.
Scripts? The, uh, fatigue, stress, heart arrhythmia, malnutrition, you name it each of these symptoms is the result of you not having a stable living environment.
This cure will fix all of that.
Mr.
Keener I am prescribing you a home.
- Morning.
- Morning.
- Max in yet? - Haven't seen him.
Day two can hit you like a ton of bricks.
He might still be in bed.
Okay.
Well, if you do see him I made it, I'm here.
Sorry.
I made it.
Call off the dogs.
How do you feel? Oh, like a million bucks that was shoved dollar by dollar through an industrial shredder and then set on fire with a blowtorch.
- Your feet, huh? - Points for Big Mike.
Swollen and sore.
Thank you.
You should borrow some Crocs from the nurses' stash.
They're super ugly but they do make a difference.
And then you should you should sit down.
You should join us for euchre.
We could still use a fourth.
Appreciate the generous offer, Millie, but this hospital never sleeps, so Back at it.
I'm going mobile again.
Max.
They know what they're talking about.
You should listen.
Well, Willow was right.
They are ugly.
But man, I feel like I'm walking on clouds.
Mm.
And Earl is shaping up I know, right? To be far creepier than any plastic bag has a right to be.
Now, that's just mean, all right? Maybe he could use a hat.
I, um I want you to know that I've truly considered your offer Great.
And I I can't be your deputy, Max.
Oh.
I'm barely maintaining the commitments I already have, and as you know I'm knee-deep in oocyte cryopreservation.
When the time comes to move forward with implantation I I understand, I do.
What about Bloom? - Bloom? - Yeah, she's reliable.
She's great under pressure.
Let me get back to you.
Okay.
So he really has to be awake for this? Yeah, yeah.
It, uh it reduces the risk of damaging critical areas that control speech and other skills.
And we can't have him draw, so singing is the next best thing.
Very good, Tony.
Keep going.
Advancing the wire.
Pull back.
Let's keep going.
You know, you've raised an amazing young man.
For his 13th birthday, he begged me to take him to the Uffizi.
I mean, what kind of kid begs to go to the Uffizi, right? But I I took him, and he marched straight up to "The "Birth of Venus.
" Studied every detail.
And he knew what he wanted to be when he grew up.
But then the wolf appeared.
And never left.
And all that potential I just I hope the wolf goes away so he can be that man again.
Max.
You must really enjoy putting me through this, because that is the only explanation I can come up with.
Probably, but, uh, what are we talking about? Just explain to me why I got a phone call from a landlord on First Avenue asking me if Andy Keener has any pets.
Oh, that.
I can explain that.
Yeah, I sure hope you can.
Yeah, uh, since I've only been here at New Amsterdam for a few weeks, the landlord wouldn't let me cosign his lease.
So, I, um, put your name down.
- Did you? - Yeah.
And who is Andy Keener, and why are we renting an apartment for him? Uh, Andy is a, um, frequent flyer.
His homelessness has cost this hospital over $1 million this year alone, and many of those costs will go away if Andy simply has a full-time place to stay.
I mean, renting this man an apartment is actually gonna save this hospital money.
So you suddenly decided to care about money.
Well, I care about money when it's only going to one patient when it should be going to thousands.
Right, so let's say I let you do this hypothetically.
Okay.
And we rent this apartment for a year.
Right.
And then Andy gets back on his feet and he pays for it himself, right? No, we would be paying for it for a while.
How long is "a while"? Just, you know, forever.
- Oh, Max.
- No, look, I'm already solving one enormous fiscal problem for this hospital.
- I can't also solve - This is socialism.
This is exactly what's wrong with our whole health care system.
You're right.
Somebody really should fix it.
So this guy abuses the system and he gets a free apartment.
What about all the other guys who are working their asses off? You think this is fair to them? It's not fair to them, but it's smart business for us.
We're talking about saving over $1 million a year.
That's $1 million that could be spent on those very people who are working their asses off.
Who do deserve more.
Andy better not have any pets.
- Hey.
- Oh, no tea today? No tea.
Just, uh, I'm sorry.
You were right.
I was hovering.
But that's not because I don't trust you.
I want to help you.
I obviously have no idea how to do that.
Oh, that's all right.
I know your people like to think that tea fixes everything.
- Wow.
- That was pretty good, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah.
That's a horrible accent.
So, look, I I'm sorry too.
I shouldn't have been so defensive.
Just, uh it was a lot rougher than I thought it was gonna be.
- You seem better today.
- Yeah.
Yeah, I, uh I got a lot of sleep.
Uh, okay, I gotta go to work.
Um, do you maybe want to grab some dinner after work today? Yeah.
Yeah, sure.
Uh, just meet me back here when you're done.
Yeah.
Okay.
I heard.
I'm sorry.
Yeah, thanks.
Max wants me to go "full chemo" on this reporter.
I don't know what that means, exactly, but here are our few options.
Okay.
Step one, we pull the interview.
If she wants to write about a ten-year-old arrest, she can go right ahead, but she can expect a defamation suit to follow.
No doubt she indemnified the publisher when she was hired, so when we threaten to sue her for libel and demand damages the onus will be on her.
Not on "The New England Cardiothoracic Journal.
" And that's just step one? Do you want to go "full chemo" or not? I can make it so this Penny Atwater can't find a job at "The New England Journal of Trout Fishing.
" Damn, you're good.
It's just so typical.
It's like if you're African-American and you're exemplary, they're always looking for a catch.
I just want my nephew to know that you can be exemplary without a catch, you know? As your legal representation, I can make this all go away.
But as your girlfriend I think you should own your story.
Not in spite of your nephew.
Because of your nephew.
He should know the truth.
All of it.
Well here we are.
It's safe to come all the way in.
Well, will you look at that? Stove works.
Good to know.
I haven't made myself a cup of coffee in decades.
Look, Andy, uh, I know this place isn't much but No.
It's an awful lot, Doctor Goodwin.
When do I need to be out of here? No, um, this isn't temporary.
Andy, this place is yours as long as you want it.
Just no pets.
Other than that, you make the rules.
All of this is mine? Welcome home, Andy.
Floyd? You wanna begin? Yeah.
It was, uh It was 2008.
Election night.
And we're having this this big party out in Connecticut where I was, uh, interning at a hospital.
And, uh it was electric.
I remember I I never felt so, uh, empowered, you know? So present.
So American.
I felt invincible and and I was on my way home back to my apartment.
And I remember I rolled the windows down so that I could feel that cool breeze.
And the empty road.
And then flashing red lights.
Siren.
I was getting pulled over.
And I checked the speedometer only three miles over the speed limit.
Officer asked me to step out.
Still had on my scrubs.
Showed him my hospital badge but he didn't like my tone.
And I begged him.
I begged him to just give me a ticket.
Nope.
There I was, face-down on my own hood with my arms cuffed behind my back on a night that started out at my dream internship celebrating this newfound hope for America.
Ended with me in a holding cell, stripped of my dignity Waiting for my sister to catch the next train up so she could bail me out.
Not even a Morehouse College license plate or a Yale Med School bumper sticker could save me.
No, a mug shot that you found as a lifelong souvenir.
You know, I was ashamed of that night for a long time.
That's why I that's why I buried it.
You know, that's why I tried to forget all about it.
I mean, the fact that you were so eager to shoehorn it into an article that purports to celebrate a black doctor, I mean That says very little about me.
I'm a good surgeon.
Period.
That's your story.
Hey, Beta.
What are you doing here? Can't I just stop by to say hi? Any time.
All the time.
Would you like to go for dinner? There's a nice Indian restaurant down the street.
The food tastes exactly like your mother's cooking.
Actually, I have plans with Ella.
Ella? Turns out we have the same taste in music.
Weird, right? Where are you going? We're gonna go see this band play.
The bassist is a friend of mine.
We used to jam together a lot.
He was gonna help me with the demo.
Okay.
Anyway thanks for introducing us.
You paged? I did.
What happened? Uh, he says he fell off a ladder and hit his head.
Make that 1.
5 million.
Hey.
Hey, uh, so can we please go somewhere not healthy, for once? I mean, I actually think I hate salad.
Uh, Dr.
Bloom? Can I ask you to take a quick look at a patient in Bay 4? So close.
Okay, um, I'm gonna be right back.
Uh, your job is to Google dive bars.
I want a giant, disgusting burger.
Eww.
Lauren Lauren! You're not real.
You're not real.
Hey, buddy, you need a hand? You know what? That'd be awesome, thanks.
All right, thank thanks, man.
You you should really go see a doctor, man.
That's a good idea.
Max.
- Where are you? - 33rd and Park.
I don't think I can make it.
Stay there, I'm coming to you.
I don't understand.
Well, it's um it's an agricultural co-op.
It's not a hospital.
No, it's not.
What kind of medicine do they practice there? None.
They don't practice medicine there.
That's the point.
You're suggesting I I send my son away without me to a farm? To a a place where they claim the way to fix him is to pretend that he's not sick? You know, Hector, one of the keys to avoiding relapse in delusional disorders is environment.
Plain and simple.
And and Tony's current environment it's it's not helping.
You know? You mean me? And me.
And this hospital.
That boy is the pride of my life.
I know.
He needs his father.
Someone who will loves him.
Who will run through walls for him.
No, no, no.
Listen, listen, listen.
You're trying to fix him.
We're all trying to fix him.
And on on a very deep profound level, Tony feels that.
He knows it, and it's making him worse.
This place will accept him as he is.
You're telling me to stop trying to make him better? To not be his father? You told me that to help Tony you'd be willing to risk losing some of him.
This is how you do that.
Andy? You gonna take away my apartment? No.
I don't know what to do.
I I guess I just like it here.
Think we're the only ones.
You are always welcome here.
When you're sick.
And when you're not sick, we have a lot of people that we have to take care of, and that's just the way it has to be.
I'll I'll leave.
No problem.
Excuse me? Sorry, does anyone know how to get to the ICU? Oh, dude, you can't get to the 12th floor from this building.
You gotta take the elevator to the 3rd floor, then take the breezeway to Harriman.
Then you take the second set of elevators to 12.
Then you walk to the end of the hall.
Thanks, man.
You're a lifesaver.
Andy Do you know how to get to the Oncology Ward? Of course, I've had many the nonexistent tumor examined there.
How would you like to start paying off that apartment? How? By spending a little more time at New Amsterdam.
Hey, champ.
You got time to rap for a minute? I got something to tell you.
And I'm hoping you can still be proud of me.
I I can draw here? You can draw and paint and just be you.
If you want, Tony.
If it'll make you happy, I'll let you go.
Lauren.
Done enough good for one day? Think I'm gonna puke.
We paid enough for those chairs.
I think that our Medical Director deserves to try them out sometime.
I don't want everyone to see me so Weak.
You know? It's why I can't let Georgia come.
Why I can't sit in that chair.
Everybody's gonna see me.
The answer's yes, Max.
I'll be your deputy.
- But you - Go.
Be weak.
Sit.
I won't watch.
Millie.
Glaciers are moving.
Children are being born.
Can you shuffle any faster? I I think I just went from a stage three to a stage four.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Room for a fourth? Yeah, always.
Unfortunately.
Loving your slipper game, dude.
Oh, yeah, thanks.
I'm, uh, feeling pretty good about it.
Those are, uh, pretty sharp yourself.
Okay, so, uh, these are mine, I take it.
Whose are those? Those are Stevie's.
Our old fourth.
We always deal him in.
Mm.
You know how to play euchre, Max? Uh, I'll catch on.
Ryan to Pediatrics.
Dr.
Ryan to Pediatrics.
- There he is.
- Hey.
- Right on time.
- Reporting for duty.
I half expected I'd have to physically drag you out of your office.
Have you met the group? Uh uh, no actually, uh Come.
Don't be shy.
- Morning everyone.
- Morning.
- Hey.
- This is Max.
- It's his first day, so - Yeah.
Why are you in scrubs? - Oh, uh, I'm a doctor.
- Mm, where? - Here.
- Nice.
I wish I could do chemo at Whole Foods, but we're not even allowed to use our phones.
Mm-hmm.
Uh, Max, this is Mr.
Kiggens.
- "Big Mike.
" - Yeah, clearly.
That's Willow.
Smart, bringing your own food.
- No one delivers here.
- Really? And Millie.
Don't be scared, Max.
We don't bite.
Uh, no, that's thank you, but I'm not, uh I'm not scared.
Okay.
Hey, you know, why don't you join us? We need a fourth for euchre.
You know, I would love to, but I actually got the, uh, to-go chemo.
It's fewer calories, so Max, it's three hours.
You can't stay put for three hours? Yeah, no, I would, but you know me and sitting.
It's just not a good have a good game.
Good luck out there.
You know, a doctor with an IV pole is gonna frighten patients.
That's a good point.
Why don't we just, uh, do this.
There we go.
Meet Earl, my new sidekick.
Oh, yeah, that's much better.
- Right? - A smiling bag of poison.
Yep, going full chemo.
- Please don't say that.
- Got it.
Uh I know that at some point I'm gonna be useless.
Thanks for not disagreeing.
Well, we both know what's coming.
And, uh, after what happened in Cold Spring, I can't just let the hospital fall apart.
I mean, I need to find someone who can, you know, take take over when I'm, uh when I can't Will will you be my deputy Medical Director? Sorry, I don't know why that sounded like I was asking you to prom.
I'm flattered, of course.
My friend Earl, here, doesn't think you look flattered.
I've already cut back on my public appearances.
If I cut back anymore, we're gonna start to lose funding.
Okay, yeah.
Well, think about it.
Otherwise I'm gonna have to give my friend Earl, here, a sad face.
Uh, was, uh, that our Medical Director attached to an IV of cis-platinum? Don't ask.
Why are you here? Uh, tough one.
Uh, because this is a hospital and I'm a doctor.
You said that you were gonna take some time off.
Well, that was before.
I mean, Max needs my help, clearly.
Sweetheart, this is important.
You need to take care of yourself.
And I am going to, okay? I'm just gonna do it without leaving the hospital.
I flushed all my pills this morning.
You know I'm going cold turkey? Yes, it is gonna suck for a while, but it's what I need to do.
And not just for me.
For Max.
Oh.
Ooh, triage.
Gotta run.
Damn it, Andy.
Triage said an acute coronary syndrome in here.
I did not use those words 'cause I don't know them, but it had to sound serious or they would have given me to one of your residents.
Yeah, well, you nearly gave me an acute coronary.
Did you do something new with your hair? All right, Andy, what's the story? My knee's been swelling up.
I can't move it without Patel, uh, let's let's drain Andy's knee.
Hey, take your time, LB.
Clean sheets.
Yeah.
Tony, I know it's difficult to talk about the attack but we should.
Um I was painting up in Mohonk.
Lots of light.
My dad came with me, so I was annoyed.
I I'd wanted to go solo.
But it's good he was there, 'cause when I moved my easel near the tree line, I I saw this shape.
Okay.
Tell me more about that.
It was daytime.
They're nocturnal, right? Yeah.
It shouldn't have been there.
But I saw it, and it just it just stared at me.
Mm.
And then it started running right at me And then I turned and ran, and I'm fast.
I used to run track, but I didn't make it two feet.
Before it before it So before this most recent attack, you hadn't seen the wolf in over a month, correct? Uh Yeah.
Hey, Tony, is the, um is the wolf here right now? Okay, all right.
Here's what we're gonna do: I am gonna go get your dad, and we are going to talk next steps.
Okay? - Right.
- Okay.
Oh, my God, this is Rohan.
I mean, I thought it might be because he has the same but I didn't to okay, I'm done.
- Hi.
- Uh, it's so nice to meet you.
Your dad talks about you all the time.
He does? Okay, thank you.
Thank you, Ella.
Now he's blushing, so this is a disaster.
I'm gonna go, but I hope I see you again.
You talk about me? Uh, yes.
I wanted to get you a gift, and Ella was helping me.
What kind of gift? We've not decided, but I didn't want to get you something which meant something other than what I wanted it to mean.
Oh, that's that's thoughtful.
There is something Yes, tell me.
I told you about the songs I'm writing? - Mm-hmm.
- Well, I'd love to make a demo, and do that, I need to rent a studio.
I was wondering if you could, you know Give you money? I don't think it's a good idea.
Okay.
Okay.
Baby steps, right? - LB.
- How's that knee doing? - Eh, it's better.
- Oh.
So why are you still here? I meant better than bad, which is still, you know, not good.
All right, Andy.
Why don't you tell me what's really going on? My shelter voucher doesn't start till Saturday, so I got four days on the streets.
So I thought We're a hospital, okay? You don't warrant an overnight stay.
Yet.
Just do some more digging.
There's gotta be something else wrong with me.
I'm a very unhealthy person.
You paged? Uh, yeah.
Yeah, is, uh, now a bad time? For both of you? Oh, yeah.
What do you got? You said you wanted to know the next time a frequent flyer came in.
Yeah, frequent flyers mean we're not doing our job.
Oh, well, then you're in luck Meet the Amelia Earhart of frequent flyers: Andy Keener.
How can I help? Looking good, Dr.
Reynolds.
Just hold it there.
Fantastic.
That's perfect.
Thanks, Chris.
That was great.
This is going to come together seamlessly.
I thought Fred Niemens usually does the, uh, medical articles? My editor thought the personal angle would be better for "The Face of Diversity.
" Is that the angle? I figured we'd start with a profile on you and then talk about how you've put together your department.
- Okay.
- For your profile, I was thinking it's a "rags to riches" story.
I already know the layout.
Just below the headline, there'll be these two pictures of you where you are now right next to this: I wanna know the details of what led to the mug shot so we can This interview is over.
Wait Um, sorry, I didn't mean Your chemo bag is making people nervous.
Yeah, sorry, just one more hour.
And by "people," I mean me.
Did you know that Andy Keener has been in this hospital over 100 times? He's a frequent flyer.
If my math is correct and I'm pretty sure that it is Andy Keener has cost New Amsterdam $1.
4 million dollars this year.
And we haven't done a thing to help him.
Andy Keener has rung up over $1 million in charges here at New Amsterdam.
That is enough for 50,000 prenatal visits, two liver transplants, or, you know, one NBA contract.
How do we lower this number right there? Don't look at me.
Well, he's had over 30 visits and three surgeries for a foot ulcer.
He walks around all day.
He can't keep his foot elevated.
Look, bandages fall off, antibiotic creams get lost.
Okay, Bloom.
ED's number one on the hospital encounters hit parade.
My ED is open 24/7, so if he wants to get out of the rain, or snow, or sun, or get a hot meal, then - Got it.
- 10 EEGs and 18 head CT scans this year alone.
All indicated and necessary.
Andy falls, and gets beaten up, and has a withdrawal seizure.
EMTs bring him in and we give him the same evaluation we would give to anyone else.
Yeah, Helen, you can't tell me that all these biopsies were necessary.
Well, if we don't have a patient's family history then all concerns have to be taken seriously.
Psychiatry, help me out.
There's gotta be a way to save a dollar.
Just one dollar.
Uh, no.
No can do, Doc.
Andy suffers from PTSD and depression.
An abusive childhood will do that to you.
Not to mention, he is an alcoholic.
Multiple detox stays.
Okay, so what everyone is telling me is that not only was there no way to avoid spending $1.
4 million on Andy Keener this year, but apparently there's no way to avoid spending another $1.
4 million on Andy Kenner next year? Yes? Yes, I was hoping to meet Earl.
Is Earl here? Is he coming later? Not here, okay.
Hey, Max, hold up.
You got a fix for Andy Keener? No, apparently I missed the Solve-America's-Homeless- Epidemic class in med school.
Fair enough.
All right, so, uh, look a reporter from "The New England Cardiothoracic Journal" dug up some dirt on me.
Some dirt that that could embarrass the hospital.
Define "dirt.
" Ten years ago I was arrested and, um she wants to print my mug shot.
Every time I think this is dead and buried it just keeps popping back up in my life, and I never wanted to be a burden to you or this hospital.
You're not.
You wanna tell me what happened? Do I have to? Well, if I knew the story would I trust you less? No.
Would it make me think less of you as a surgeon? No.
Then I don't need to know, and neither does anybody else.
I just don't want anyone to think less of me.
- Patients, colleagues - They won't.
- Let's go full chemo on this.
- "Full chemo"? Let's get legal to bring down the hammer.
I wanna keep him overnight for observation.
The, um the delusions are back, full-on.
I'm I'm so sorry, Hector.
This last attack, he was screaming.
Clawing at his throat.
He thought he was dying.
My little boy.
How's he supposed to live like this? I mean, what's he gonna do when I'm gone? I I've been reading about, uh, "deep brain stimulation"? Deep brain stimulation is not designed for psychological issues.
It's for, um it's for Parkinson's.
It's people with physical ailments.
But there's trials happening right now.
Yes, Hector.
A a handful of patients with delusional disorders have tried it, but you know, the side effects are not we're we're not talking scars, here.
The kind, funny, artistic son that you know and love right now? It can change Tony's personality.
Ativan Paxil, Klonopin Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
Hypnosis, ECT.
Electricity shooting through my cariño's brain.
That hasn't changed him? 'Cause it has.
We can try a compassionate-use trial.
But, Hector, you you gotta know that if you send your son in for this surgery you may not recognize the person that you get back.
Do you understand? If helping him means losing some of him Parts of him I love I'll pay the price.
Hey, there.
You okay? No.
Got a migraine.
Among other things.
Did we did we page you? No.
No, I just got you some ginger tea.
Okay.
Why? Because ginger is a miracle cure-all for the whole system.
Wait, are you monitoring me? No.
I'm just checking up on you.
Oh, I'm sorry, I thought I was an adult.
I didn't realize I needed a babysitter.
- Lauren - You know what, don't, okay? I am leaving now.
Because, you know, I've got an ED to run.
Oh, hey.
Hey.
Ella, right? Yeah.
Are you, uh, waiting for your dad? Oh, no.
Just taking advantage of the free Wi-Fi.
- Have a seat.
- Thanks.
What are you writing? Nothing.
Oh, no, come on.
We've known each other a whole two minutes now.
I'm a song writer.
Go ahead, take your best shot.
Oh, I should have known your dad would raise the sensitive, artistic type.
Back then he didn't do much raising.
Right, sorry.
He, uh he's just been so generous with me.
- I didn't mean to - "Generous"? How? Um, like how he totally saved my dog's life.
My dad's still a human neurologist, right? Yep.
But, uh, he paid for my dog's surgery.
- He did? - Yeah.
Gave me $2,000.
I didn't even have to ask.
Wow.
Bloom? We've been trying to help Andy Keener entirely the wrong way.
Are you screaming right now, or is it just me? I figured out what to give him.
- Andy? - MG.
Um, we have done you a great disservice.
You guys have the best service in New York.
Every time you've come to this hospital, we have focused on treating a whole host of symptoms.
I I'd give you five stars on Yelp if I had a computer.
That ends today.
Scripts? The, uh, fatigue, stress, heart arrhythmia, malnutrition, you name it each of these symptoms is the result of you not having a stable living environment.
This cure will fix all of that.
Mr.
Keener I am prescribing you a home.
- Morning.
- Morning.
- Max in yet? - Haven't seen him.
Day two can hit you like a ton of bricks.
He might still be in bed.
Okay.
Well, if you do see him I made it, I'm here.
Sorry.
I made it.
Call off the dogs.
How do you feel? Oh, like a million bucks that was shoved dollar by dollar through an industrial shredder and then set on fire with a blowtorch.
- Your feet, huh? - Points for Big Mike.
Swollen and sore.
Thank you.
You should borrow some Crocs from the nurses' stash.
They're super ugly but they do make a difference.
And then you should you should sit down.
You should join us for euchre.
We could still use a fourth.
Appreciate the generous offer, Millie, but this hospital never sleeps, so Back at it.
I'm going mobile again.
Max.
They know what they're talking about.
You should listen.
Well, Willow was right.
They are ugly.
But man, I feel like I'm walking on clouds.
Mm.
And Earl is shaping up I know, right? To be far creepier than any plastic bag has a right to be.
Now, that's just mean, all right? Maybe he could use a hat.
I, um I want you to know that I've truly considered your offer Great.
And I I can't be your deputy, Max.
Oh.
I'm barely maintaining the commitments I already have, and as you know I'm knee-deep in oocyte cryopreservation.
When the time comes to move forward with implantation I I understand, I do.
What about Bloom? - Bloom? - Yeah, she's reliable.
She's great under pressure.
Let me get back to you.
Okay.
So he really has to be awake for this? Yeah, yeah.
It, uh it reduces the risk of damaging critical areas that control speech and other skills.
And we can't have him draw, so singing is the next best thing.
Very good, Tony.
Keep going.
Advancing the wire.
Pull back.
Let's keep going.
You know, you've raised an amazing young man.
For his 13th birthday, he begged me to take him to the Uffizi.
I mean, what kind of kid begs to go to the Uffizi, right? But I I took him, and he marched straight up to "The "Birth of Venus.
" Studied every detail.
And he knew what he wanted to be when he grew up.
But then the wolf appeared.
And never left.
And all that potential I just I hope the wolf goes away so he can be that man again.
Max.
You must really enjoy putting me through this, because that is the only explanation I can come up with.
Probably, but, uh, what are we talking about? Just explain to me why I got a phone call from a landlord on First Avenue asking me if Andy Keener has any pets.
Oh, that.
I can explain that.
Yeah, I sure hope you can.
Yeah, uh, since I've only been here at New Amsterdam for a few weeks, the landlord wouldn't let me cosign his lease.
So, I, um, put your name down.
- Did you? - Yeah.
And who is Andy Keener, and why are we renting an apartment for him? Uh, Andy is a, um, frequent flyer.
His homelessness has cost this hospital over $1 million this year alone, and many of those costs will go away if Andy simply has a full-time place to stay.
I mean, renting this man an apartment is actually gonna save this hospital money.
So you suddenly decided to care about money.
Well, I care about money when it's only going to one patient when it should be going to thousands.
Right, so let's say I let you do this hypothetically.
Okay.
And we rent this apartment for a year.
Right.
And then Andy gets back on his feet and he pays for it himself, right? No, we would be paying for it for a while.
How long is "a while"? Just, you know, forever.
- Oh, Max.
- No, look, I'm already solving one enormous fiscal problem for this hospital.
- I can't also solve - This is socialism.
This is exactly what's wrong with our whole health care system.
You're right.
Somebody really should fix it.
So this guy abuses the system and he gets a free apartment.
What about all the other guys who are working their asses off? You think this is fair to them? It's not fair to them, but it's smart business for us.
We're talking about saving over $1 million a year.
That's $1 million that could be spent on those very people who are working their asses off.
Who do deserve more.
Andy better not have any pets.
- Hey.
- Oh, no tea today? No tea.
Just, uh, I'm sorry.
You were right.
I was hovering.
But that's not because I don't trust you.
I want to help you.
I obviously have no idea how to do that.
Oh, that's all right.
I know your people like to think that tea fixes everything.
- Wow.
- That was pretty good, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah.
That's a horrible accent.
So, look, I I'm sorry too.
I shouldn't have been so defensive.
Just, uh it was a lot rougher than I thought it was gonna be.
- You seem better today.
- Yeah.
Yeah, I, uh I got a lot of sleep.
Uh, okay, I gotta go to work.
Um, do you maybe want to grab some dinner after work today? Yeah.
Yeah, sure.
Uh, just meet me back here when you're done.
Yeah.
Okay.
I heard.
I'm sorry.
Yeah, thanks.
Max wants me to go "full chemo" on this reporter.
I don't know what that means, exactly, but here are our few options.
Okay.
Step one, we pull the interview.
If she wants to write about a ten-year-old arrest, she can go right ahead, but she can expect a defamation suit to follow.
No doubt she indemnified the publisher when she was hired, so when we threaten to sue her for libel and demand damages the onus will be on her.
Not on "The New England Cardiothoracic Journal.
" And that's just step one? Do you want to go "full chemo" or not? I can make it so this Penny Atwater can't find a job at "The New England Journal of Trout Fishing.
" Damn, you're good.
It's just so typical.
It's like if you're African-American and you're exemplary, they're always looking for a catch.
I just want my nephew to know that you can be exemplary without a catch, you know? As your legal representation, I can make this all go away.
But as your girlfriend I think you should own your story.
Not in spite of your nephew.
Because of your nephew.
He should know the truth.
All of it.
Well here we are.
It's safe to come all the way in.
Well, will you look at that? Stove works.
Good to know.
I haven't made myself a cup of coffee in decades.
Look, Andy, uh, I know this place isn't much but No.
It's an awful lot, Doctor Goodwin.
When do I need to be out of here? No, um, this isn't temporary.
Andy, this place is yours as long as you want it.
Just no pets.
Other than that, you make the rules.
All of this is mine? Welcome home, Andy.
Floyd? You wanna begin? Yeah.
It was, uh It was 2008.
Election night.
And we're having this this big party out in Connecticut where I was, uh, interning at a hospital.
And, uh it was electric.
I remember I I never felt so, uh, empowered, you know? So present.
So American.
I felt invincible and and I was on my way home back to my apartment.
And I remember I rolled the windows down so that I could feel that cool breeze.
And the empty road.
And then flashing red lights.
Siren.
I was getting pulled over.
And I checked the speedometer only three miles over the speed limit.
Officer asked me to step out.
Still had on my scrubs.
Showed him my hospital badge but he didn't like my tone.
And I begged him.
I begged him to just give me a ticket.
Nope.
There I was, face-down on my own hood with my arms cuffed behind my back on a night that started out at my dream internship celebrating this newfound hope for America.
Ended with me in a holding cell, stripped of my dignity Waiting for my sister to catch the next train up so she could bail me out.
Not even a Morehouse College license plate or a Yale Med School bumper sticker could save me.
No, a mug shot that you found as a lifelong souvenir.
You know, I was ashamed of that night for a long time.
That's why I that's why I buried it.
You know, that's why I tried to forget all about it.
I mean, the fact that you were so eager to shoehorn it into an article that purports to celebrate a black doctor, I mean That says very little about me.
I'm a good surgeon.
Period.
That's your story.
Hey, Beta.
What are you doing here? Can't I just stop by to say hi? Any time.
All the time.
Would you like to go for dinner? There's a nice Indian restaurant down the street.
The food tastes exactly like your mother's cooking.
Actually, I have plans with Ella.
Ella? Turns out we have the same taste in music.
Weird, right? Where are you going? We're gonna go see this band play.
The bassist is a friend of mine.
We used to jam together a lot.
He was gonna help me with the demo.
Okay.
Anyway thanks for introducing us.
You paged? I did.
What happened? Uh, he says he fell off a ladder and hit his head.
Make that 1.
5 million.
Hey.
Hey, uh, so can we please go somewhere not healthy, for once? I mean, I actually think I hate salad.
Uh, Dr.
Bloom? Can I ask you to take a quick look at a patient in Bay 4? So close.
Okay, um, I'm gonna be right back.
Uh, your job is to Google dive bars.
I want a giant, disgusting burger.
Eww.
Lauren Lauren! You're not real.
You're not real.
Hey, buddy, you need a hand? You know what? That'd be awesome, thanks.
All right, thank thanks, man.
You you should really go see a doctor, man.
That's a good idea.
Max.
- Where are you? - 33rd and Park.
I don't think I can make it.
Stay there, I'm coming to you.
I don't understand.
Well, it's um it's an agricultural co-op.
It's not a hospital.
No, it's not.
What kind of medicine do they practice there? None.
They don't practice medicine there.
That's the point.
You're suggesting I I send my son away without me to a farm? To a a place where they claim the way to fix him is to pretend that he's not sick? You know, Hector, one of the keys to avoiding relapse in delusional disorders is environment.
Plain and simple.
And and Tony's current environment it's it's not helping.
You know? You mean me? And me.
And this hospital.
That boy is the pride of my life.
I know.
He needs his father.
Someone who will loves him.
Who will run through walls for him.
No, no, no.
Listen, listen, listen.
You're trying to fix him.
We're all trying to fix him.
And on on a very deep profound level, Tony feels that.
He knows it, and it's making him worse.
This place will accept him as he is.
You're telling me to stop trying to make him better? To not be his father? You told me that to help Tony you'd be willing to risk losing some of him.
This is how you do that.
Andy? You gonna take away my apartment? No.
I don't know what to do.
I I guess I just like it here.
Think we're the only ones.
You are always welcome here.
When you're sick.
And when you're not sick, we have a lot of people that we have to take care of, and that's just the way it has to be.
I'll I'll leave.
No problem.
Excuse me? Sorry, does anyone know how to get to the ICU? Oh, dude, you can't get to the 12th floor from this building.
You gotta take the elevator to the 3rd floor, then take the breezeway to Harriman.
Then you take the second set of elevators to 12.
Then you walk to the end of the hall.
Thanks, man.
You're a lifesaver.
Andy Do you know how to get to the Oncology Ward? Of course, I've had many the nonexistent tumor examined there.
How would you like to start paying off that apartment? How? By spending a little more time at New Amsterdam.
Hey, champ.
You got time to rap for a minute? I got something to tell you.
And I'm hoping you can still be proud of me.
I I can draw here? You can draw and paint and just be you.
If you want, Tony.
If it'll make you happy, I'll let you go.
Lauren.
Done enough good for one day? Think I'm gonna puke.
We paid enough for those chairs.
I think that our Medical Director deserves to try them out sometime.
I don't want everyone to see me so Weak.
You know? It's why I can't let Georgia come.
Why I can't sit in that chair.
Everybody's gonna see me.
The answer's yes, Max.
I'll be your deputy.
- But you - Go.
Be weak.
Sit.
I won't watch.
Millie.
Glaciers are moving.
Children are being born.
Can you shuffle any faster? I I think I just went from a stage three to a stage four.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Room for a fourth? Yeah, always.
Unfortunately.
Loving your slipper game, dude.
Oh, yeah, thanks.
I'm, uh, feeling pretty good about it.
Those are, uh, pretty sharp yourself.
Okay, so, uh, these are mine, I take it.
Whose are those? Those are Stevie's.
Our old fourth.
We always deal him in.
Mm.
You know how to play euchre, Max? Uh, I'll catch on.