LICH closure proposal withdrawn
This afternoon, SUNY Downstate Medical Center withdrew its closure plan for Long Island College Hospital (LICH) from the New York State Department of Health and said it would continue to look for a healthcare service provider within the LICH area, including potentially another hospital operator.
The financial conditions at LICH remain unchanged. LICHs continued financial losses still threaten the viability of Downstate Medical and our world-renowned medical school, said Downstate President Dr. John F. Williams, Jr. We are withdrawing the closure plan so we can work with the state and other stakeholders on a sustainability plan for Brooklyns only medical school and to ensure quality medical care throughout the borough. The current legal proceedings prohibit this dialogue.
The new state budget gives SUNY a new and comprehensive set of tools for Downstate to restructure itself and requires that SUNY and Downstate, with the approval of the DOH and the State Division of the Budget, develop a Sustainability Plan, which is due June 1, 2013 with implementation to begin by June 15, 2013.