Agreement Finalized for Lenox Hill Hospital to Join North Shore-LIJ Health System

NEW YORK, May 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- An agreement has been finalized for Lenox Hill Hospital to join the North Shore-LIJ Health System, hospital officials announced today.  The agreement, approved by both the Lenox Hill Hospital and North Shore-LIJ boards of trustees, has cleared the federal regulatory review process without being challenged, enabling North Shore-LIJ to establish its first hospital in Manhattan and 15th overall in the New York metropolitan area.

The partnership opens a new and exciting chapter in Lenox Hill Hospital's 153-year history, preserving a rich legacy of exceptional care that the 652-bed hospital and its approximately 3,600 employees provide to more than 325,000 patients annually. For North Shore-LIJ, the addition of Lenox Hill Hospital expands its coverage area beyond Long Island, Queens and Staten Island. North Shore-LIJ is already the largest integrated healthcare provider in New York State, the ninth-largest employer in the City of New York and the largest on Long Island with a workforce of more than 38,000.

"When Lenox Hill Hospital began the process of seeking a partner, North Shore-LIJ was identified as desirable since both organizations have similar cultures with core missions of providing high-quality clinical care supported by medical education and research," said William O. Hiltz, chairman of the Lenox Hill Hospital Board of Trustees.

"The decision was also based on North Shore-LIJ's reputation as a highly respected organization that has successfully integrated independent hospitals into its system," said Gladys George, president and chief executive officer of Lenox Hill Hospital. "We are confident that our patients will benefit from North Shore-LIJ's nationally recognized quality initiatives, depth of clinical services, and new medical school being developed with Hofstra University."

The winner of the National Quality Forum's 2010 National Quality Healthcare Award, North Shore-LIJ is expected to find out in June whether it will receive preliminary accreditation to open a medical school with Hofstra in the summer of 2011.

"This is an unprecedented opportunity to build upon Lenox Hill Hospital's legacy of medical excellence," said Saul B. Katz, chairman of the North Shore-LIJ Health System Board of Trustees.  "Utilizing North Shore-LIJ's infrastructure and resources will further strengthen Lenox Hill Hospital's ability to provide its physicians with access to the full continuum of care for their patients. The board is confident that this new partnership will bring great value to both Lenox Hill and the North Shore-LIJ Health System."

North Shore-LIJ President and CEO Michael J. Dowling said the health system will provide the necessary support to help Lenox Hill Hospital enhance its clinical services, which have a well-deserved reputation for excellence in cardiac care, digestive disorders, maternal-child health and orthopedics.  "By making clinical investments at Lenox Hill and providing other resources and support that will enhance quality and reduce expenses, we're confident we can build on the hospital's unique operating niche as a physician- and patient-friendly facility that attracts clinical talent and patients from throughout the metropolitan area," he said. "Among Lenox Hill's attributes is its large core of loyal physicians in key clinical areas who are critical in attracting patients and expanding programs."

About Lenox Hill Hospital

Lenox Hill Hospital is a 652-bed, fully accredited, acute care hospital with a national reputation for providing the highest quality patient care, medical education, research and community service.  Ranked among the nation's top hospitals in heart and heart surgery, digestive disorders, and neurology and neurosurgery by U.S. News and World Report in its annual "America's Best Hospitals" survey, the Hospital is also recognized nationally as a leader in orthopedic surgery and sports medicine and in maternal/child health. Lenox Hill Hospital physicians are pioneers in the field of minimally invasive cardiac surgery, "off-pump" bypass surgery and many other cutting edge techniques for the treatment of heart disease, including robotic cardiac surgery, and the interventional treatment of carotid stenosis and aortic disease. For more information, go to www.lenoxhillhospital.org.

About North Shore-LIJ Health System

The nation's third largest, non-profit, secular healthcare system, the North Shore-LIJ Health System provides a full continuum of care for people of all ages throughout Long Island and the New York metropolitan area – a service area encompassing more than five million people. The winner of the National Quality Forum's 2010 National Quality Healthcare Award, the North Shore-LIJ Health System consists of 15 hospitals, 17 long-term care facilities, The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, four trauma centers, five home health agencies, a hospice network and dozens of outpatient centers. In addition, North Shore-LIJ is partnering with Hofstra University to develop a new medical school. North Shore-LIJ's owned facilities house about 5,000 beds, employ more than 9,500 nurses and have affiliations with more than 7,500 physicians. Its workforce of about 38,000 is the largest on Long Island and the ninth-largest in New York City.  For more information, go to www.northshorelij.com.

SOURCE North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System