MANHATTAN — The health care group that proposed taking over St. Vincent’s last week rescinded its offer because of the negative response it received from the state and the hospital’s board, the New York Times reported Thursday.
Continuum Health Partners’ plan to shutter the emergency facilities at St. Vincent’s and turn it into an outpatient clinic had drawn the ire of residents and politicians, but without its help the hospital may descend into bankruptcy.
The hospital had to take a $6 million loan from the state to make its payroll this week. Gov. David Paterson said the state would fund St. Vincent’s for at least a month as the hospital looks for offers, the Times reported.
The president of Continuum Health Partners, Steve Brezenoff, sent a letter last Friday to St. Vincent chief executive Henry J. Amoroso telling him that they were withdrawing the offer because of the unfavorable reaction, the Times said. The letter was not made public until Thursday.
Brezenoff’s letter indicated that he was unhappy that St. Vincent’s had been considering other offers, but left the door open for negotiations if the hospital wanted to speak on his terms, according to the Times.
