COBBLE HILL — Ambulance services and patient admissions have been halted at Long Island College Hospital as of Wednesday night, according to reports.
Hospital employees were informed about 6:00 p.m. on Nov. 6, through a telephone call from Dr. Michael Lucchesi, Chief Medical Officer at SUNY Downstate, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported.
In June, SUNY Downstate ordered ambulances to divert emergency cases away from LICH and transfer patients in critical care units to other hospitals. The services were restored in September, but only for non-critical care.
SUNY blamed the abrupt clamp on services on a shortage of medical specialists at LICH, according to a statement from David Doyle, director of communications.
"[M]easures were taken in conjunction with FDNY to ensure that Long Island College Hospital did not receive patients beyond its capabilities," he said Thursday evening.
Gathering additional resources, including doctors from University Hospital of Brooklyn and other state SUNY insititutions, they hope to resume ambulances for basic medical services by Friday, he said.
Back in September, patients with life-threatening conditions — strokes, heart attacks, spinal cord injuries and complications due to pregnancy — were urged to seek care outside the Cobble Hill hospital "because of the continuing absence of the appropriate medical personnel," Doyle said.
In their repeated attempts to shutter the Cobble Hill hospital, SUNY has faced strong opposition from the community, local officials and Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio.
“The day-to-day situation at LICH remains fluid and will continue to be until there is clear resolution of the many complicated issues involving the future of the facility. SUNY is making every possible effort to safely maintain current levels of service until such an agreement can be reached," according to the statement.
