Mount announced Feb. 24 that it would close Beth Israel on March 26 after New York Supreme Court Judge Jeffrey Pearlman dismissed a lawsuit against the system that prevented its closure.
The closure had been tied up in litigation from the Community Coalition to Save Beth Israel Hospital that sought to keep the hospital open after Mount Sinai shared plans to shutter the hospital in September 2023. Mount Sinai received conditional approval in July 2024 from the New York Department of Health to close Beth Israel, but the hospital was kept open due to the ongoing lawsuit.
Following the Feb. 24 dismissal, Arthur Schwartz, a lawyer for the coalition, told Gothamist he would appeal the decision and seek a new stay on the closure. The Feb. 28 ruling puts the closure on hold while a panel of judges determines the appeal, according to the report.
A spokesperson told Gothamist that as of Feb. 27, there were no inpatients at Beth Israel and all inpatient services have ended. The emergency department remains open and will remain open until closure. The spokesperson said the system will adhere to the stay order and will not close any further services while it fights the case in court.
Mount Sinai has said it is spending between $500,000 to $600,000 daily to maintain operations and has lost over $1 billion over the last 10 years. In mid-January, Mount Sinai began moving equipment and employees at the hospital to other parts of the system to ensure other facilities were receiving proper patient care.
