Mount Sinai Beth Israel is closing services for stroke and cardiac patients due to staff leaving, as the hospital aims to shut down the facility. Ambulances will stop taking these patients to Beth Israel, as the hospital allows its certifications to expire. Patients who arrive will be treated and transferred to other hospitals. The hospital has faced staffing challenges and voluntary departures since announcing its closure plan.
State approval for the closure plan is pending, with the health department ordering a halt to closing services without their approval. As a result, the hospital faces ongoing litigation. The closure will strain nearby medical centers, such as Bellevue Hospital, as ambulance crews will have to travel further. Concerns have been raised about Mount Sinai’s attempt to force the closure by reducing services prematurely.
Efforts to prevent the closure include a lawsuit by the Community Coalition to Save Beth Israel Hospital and a temporary restraining order issued by a judge. Employees have been directed to job fairs to choose assignments at other Mount Sinai facilities, but transfers may be postponed. The union representing employees declined to provide information on the transfers. Mount Sinai stated they are working with regulators to ensure patients receive proper care. The situation remains uncertain as the hospital continues to face challenges in the closure process.
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