Judge orders ambulances back at LICH
SUNY must work with doctors group to reopen ICU, ER on Monday
Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Carolyn Demarest has delayed SUNY Downstate’s transfer of all assets back to Long Island College Hospital (LICH) until Sept. 6, while critical services are restored.
On Aug. 20, Justice Demarest found that SUNY Downstate Medical Center had violated a contractual obligation to keep LICH open and ordered that LICH assets be transferred back to either Continuum Health Partners or another willing operator.
Continuum has said it is not interested in operating LICH, however. “Continuum Health Partners received Judge Demarest’s decision and order in the matter of the Application of Long Island College Hospital today,” Stanley Brezenoff, President and CEO of Continuum, said in a statement. “Upon due consideration, Continuum respectfully concludes that we cannot reassume management of LICH and is unable to take responsibility for the hospital’s operations.”
After a meeting in her chambers on Thursday with SUNY, Concerned Physicians of LICH, the state Department of Health and a representative of the Attorney General’s office, Justice Demarest ordered on Friday that SUNY Downstate must work with a group of doctors that has been fighting for years to save LICH, and immediately reopen the Intensive Care Unit, restore full operation of the Emergency Department and restore ambulance service to LICH no later than 3 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 26.