150 Laid Off at Long Island College Hospital

Cobble Hill’s laid off 150 employees on Friday, which officials say was a result of “serious financial pressure,” according to the Brooklyn Paper.

The hospital gave 30 days notice to the terminated workers, spokeswoman Zipporah Dvash told the paper.

“While the precarious financial situation has forced these difficult decisions, I remain confident we will continue to provide outstanding care to our patients, education to our students, and commitment to our research and surrounding communities throughout this process,” Dr. Ian Taylor, officer-in-charge of SUNY Downstate Medical Center, told the paper.

LICH merged with SUNY Downstate this year to form The University Hospital of Brooklyn at LICH, after .

According to the article, the layoffs affected doctors, nurses and hospital staff, with some receiving severance packages and some not. A source told the paper that the 300-bed facility will plan to downsize to 220 beds.

"No departments are slated to be closed," a staffmember told Carroll Gardens Patch. "It's just a step toward a smaller footprint that reflects the trend toward outpatient care over in-patient care today." 

The source added that while no additional layoffs are planned for this campus, more can be expected at other locations.

"Our main campus will also be undergoing something similar," the staffmember said.