St. Luke’s board members announced plans in July to close the hospital’s emergency department due to a decline in utilization over the past seven years. The ED was originally slated to close Oct. 1.
About a month before the closure date, hospital officials paused the application to shutter the ED until questions about access to care could be addressed with local leaders and elected officials.
On Tuesday, hospital officials said the pause on closing the ED had been lifted. The Cornwall facility’s emergency services will be consolidated with services at the hospital’s campus in Newburgh, N.Y.
“To address the concerns regarding capacity in the Newburgh emergency department, we’re adding nurses and providers; increasing the hours of fast track and initiating a process for definitive treatment at triage,” said Scot Hill, MD, chairman and medical director of emergency services at SLCH.
Officials also plan to expand nonemergency services at the Cornwall facility, including strengthening primary care and oncology services and enhancing its rehabilitation program.
In January, St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital joined Bronx, N.Y.-based Montefiore Health System’s network.
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