Lee Memorial Granted One-Year Extension

June 27, 2008 Contributor

Submitted by the office of Assemblyman Will Barclay

Assemblyman Barclay announced today that A.L. Lee Memorial Hospital will remain open for now and has received a one-year extension to meet criteria outlined by the Berger Commission and the State Health Department.

The extension is significant. Its previous deadline to eliminate its 67 in-patient beds was Monday, June 30.

Barclay has been in meetings and had several conversations with the State Health Department to try and save the hospital. He encouraged an affiliation between Oswego Health and A.L. Lee Memorial after (former) Governor Spitzer made the Berger Commission’s findings law in 2007 and legislative efforts to stop the Commission’s recommendations from being implemented were thwarted by the Assembly majority.

Barclay learned today from the New York State Health Department of the one-year extension. This is a comparatively large exception, considering other hospitals across the state have already closed or created affiliations under Berger’s recommendations. Barclay has had several conversations in recent weeks with the State Health Department to try to save the hospital.

The extension will allow the Fulton-based hospital to pursue an affiliation with another hospital under a far-less restricted timeline. However, Barclay is urging the hospital to move quickly so that quality of health care does not suffer further due to employee morale.

“I’m very pleased the State Health Department has shown its willingness to negotiate to the benefit of the community and has extended the hospital’s deadline,” said Barclay. “I hope A.L. Lee Memorial uses this opportunity to pursue an affiliation with Oswego Health, as I feel this is still in the best interests of both hospitals and of the residents of this area.”

“One year will give both hospitals the time they need to carefully review terms of an affiliation, to complete due diligence, and to, ultimately, serve the residents of this region and provide the health care the area needs,” said Barclay.

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