Friday, February 8, 2013

SUNY Board votes to close Long Island College Hospital

SUNY Board votes to close Long Island College Hospital

From WABC-TV Channel 7 Eyewitness News :

NEW YORK (WABC) -- The only hospital emergency room in the Brooklyn Heights-Cobble Hill area will soon be shuttered.

Officials of Long Island College Hospital voted in favor of closing the financially-strapped facility Friday morning.

The 155-year-old hospital is run by SUNY Downstate Medical Center, whose president said LICH has a projected $41 million deficit this fiscal year. He says the gap is expected to increase to $60 million next year.

Officials had recommended shutting down the inpatient facilities and then working with the community to find a long-range solution. About 2,000 jobs are at stake, and hospital staffers gathered Thursday to denounce the proposed shutdown. At a hearing Thursday night, 150 people packed an auditorium yelling "Why close LICH?"

Officials say there are no plans to sell the property.

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