OPINION: An open letter to the staff of Long Island College Hospital

March 21, 2014 Patients for LICH Brooklyn Daily Eagle

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Now that the bids are all in and we await the outcome, the Patients for LICH want to thank the staff of Long Island College Hospital (LICH).

This past year’s fight to save LICH has brought together a coalition of healthcare workers, nurses, doctors, community groups, patients, and elected officials.

However, you are the ones who demonstrated tremendous courage, dedication and grace each and every day as you reported for work to care for your patients under the most stressful of working conditions. Many of you report to work under the threat of being laid off.

You worked at the hospital despite being confronted by SUNY officials, private security guards and even armed NY State troopers both inside and outside of the building. You provided medical care to patients although SUNY tried to prevent you from doing so. You saved lives.

Before and after your 12-hour shifts, you stood outside LICH throughout the year — albeit in sweltering heat, pouring rain or freezing snow — to protest the closing of the hospital.

You attended every rally, press conference and trip to Albany. You marched over the Brooklyn Bridge, testified before the SUNY Board of Trustees and were even arrested.

And, while some may think you were simply fighting for your jobs, we know differently. We know you have been fighting for the care of all patients – now and in the future. You have been speaking out to save lives and continue to care for those whose lives you save. For you, it is a vocation and we cannot thank you enough for your caring service. You have shown our communities, borough, city and state what dedication truly means. You never once neglected your duties. Your primary concern has always been your patients.

During this stressful time, we want you to know that we are grateful and proud to stand by your side. So on behalf of Patients for LICH and our friends and families we thank you. What you have done is truly heroic.

Patients for LICH is a network of patients and their friends and families. For the past year, Patients for LICH has been working side by side with community groups, elected officials and the physicians, nurses and health care workers at LICH to save LICH as a full service hospital.