Polhemus-0708.jpg97-Amity-Street-0708.jpg
Citing debt and unmanageable malpractice costs, Long Island College Hospital is closing its maternity ward and selling two more buildings, according to an article in the Times. LICH is putting 97 Amity Street (right) and a former medical school across the street, the Pholemus building (left), on the market. Some doctors have complained that LICH’s practice of selling its real estate holdings is a precursor to the hospital shutting down. Recent LICH sales include the Lamm Building at 110 Amity Street and Carroll Gardens’ International Longshoremen’s building at 340 Court Street, both of which are being redeveloped into condos (340 Court is now demolished). Stanley Brezenoff, president of Continuum Health Partners, LICH’s parent company, said the hospital’s obstetrics practice, which delivered 2,800 babies last year, is its biggest money loser. Another hospital official said the buildings could be turned into condos. “It would be like buying a condo in the hospital,” one doctor said, noting how many medical buildings surround the two properties that are for sale. “Maybe sick people would like to buy these condominiums.”
Community Hospital in Brooklyn Is Closing Maternity Ward [NY Times]
LICH To Sell Buildings, Cut Bed Capacity, Close Obstetrics [Brooklyn Eagle]
Cash-Strapped LICH Delivers Bad News [NY Daily News]


What's Your Take? Leave a Comment

  1. pierre de taille- Not clueless,thank you very much. I do know for a fact that at the time my niece was born, 18 years ago, LICH made a concerted effort to build up its ob-gyn department and my sister’s doctor was just hired as department head. My niece was born in LICH because of that.

    I have no idea what went wrong since then but the high cost of malpractice insurance is hardly limited to the LICH Ob-gyn department so I don’t believe that’s the whole answer. LICH has had administrative problems- that took a toll as well. My post was simply in reply to someone saying the hospital specifically tied the closing to malpractice insurance.

    And I certainly am sorry to hear that LICH will come down so far. I’d been treated there several times and I don’t know what other hospital is in that vicinity. If the sale of the building will be reinvested in LICH, it’s a good thing but from what you’re saying, I have a feeling Continuum simply wants to eventually close it down entirely.

  2. Unfortunate for LICH.I think their problems are due to bad management. They never recovered from the fraud committed by the previous administrator.Too bad. I had been a patient for years but noticed the quality of service and knowledgeable staff has deteriorated greatly thus leaving me no choice but to find the wonderful doctors I found at Methodist.I wish them well.

  3. Hey bxgrl while I respect your opinions in general I believe in this case you are clearly clueless my dear. OB malpractice premiums are completely out of control and not in sync with the rest of the industry as a whole. Many of the OB doctors are now only doing GYN because of the insane malpractice premiums and yes GREEDY lawyers in our quick to sue society. LICH has been having problems for a few years now and we believe it is only a matter of time that the whole place becomes relegated to a minor outpatient clinic. They’ve closed 1/3 of the ORs, no Pediatrics ICU or residency, and now no L&D…very sad indeed for such a storied institution.
    Polhemus building is one of the absolute beauties of Cobble Hill and the sale while sad will probably be a good thing b/c it is in a state of disrepair and LICH simply cannot afford it @ this time. Hopefully the money from the sale gets invested into the institution…this is the other problem.
    PS: I am a doctor who left LICH 2 years ago but still have lots of friends there:)