“This evening Governor Paterson announced that Lenox Hill Hospital and a group of 4 Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) have been awarded New York State HEAL Grants to provide Health Services to the West Side of Manhattan. The Lenox Hill proposal will provide the community with an urgent care center providing 24 hour/7 day per week care to our community.

“I am satisfied that the state has chosen a top rate hospital to provide 24 hour/7 day per week care to the community. However we must be clear that this does not totally provide all services to the West Side of Manhattan that St. Vincent’s provided. Any patient requiring in patient or more elaborate acute care will have to be transported to another site. I thank the Governor, the State Department of Health, 1199 SEIU, local elected officials, community leaders and members of the Governor’s Task Force for helping to create the best possible option short of finding a new hospital to fully absorb St. Vincent’s and their massive debt. This plan is far better than the original Continuum plan that was presented to the community.

“The Lenox Hill proposal which works with North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health Care will provide the community with a walk in urgent care center, on-site lab and diagnostic services, access to medical imaging and protocol based care. The FQHC’s will help to provide additional preventative and primary care services. Doctors from the HIV/AIDS program will be working with Mt. Sinai Hospital, and the Behavioral health and pediatric programs will be working with other institutions in New York City.

“Only a full service hospital can fully replace St. Vincent’s Catholic Medical Center. However, no hospital has come forward with a proposal to buy St. Vincent’s and their massive debt. Unless that happens the state has strived to save as many of the services that St. Vincent’s operated as possible.

“My office is now exploring legislation that could force hospitals to notify the City of impending financial problems in advance of actual problems. We must do everything possible to prevent other communities from having to go through what we are experiencing.

“In the coming days we will invite DOH, Lenox Hill, and additional health care providers to come speak to the community about this plan.”