Judge Halts Hospital Closure

A couple weeks back, Long Island residents found out that the trustees of the State University of New York (SUNY) had voted unanimously to close Long Island Community Hospital (LICH) in order to save money.  The institution has been struggling with budgetary concerns, and LICH was one of a number of programs which the college voted to close.  The decision came as no surprise, but many in the community reacted with outrage.  LICH has over 2,000 staff members not only from Brooklyn, but also from Long Island.  Many patients from Nassau rely on LICH to get the care they need.  

Two unions and a group of doctors petitioned for the hospital to remain open, and in response, a judge on Thursday agreed to halt the closure of the hospital for the time being.  Justice Betsy Barros’ decision is temporary, and may or may not permanently block the plan the university filed with the State Health Department.  The college was also about to send out 90 day notices to the 2,000 employees who would be losing their jobs, but was halted before it could draft the memos.  At this point, proponents of keeping the hospital open are enjoying a victory, but the hospital’s fate over the long term is still undecided.

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