New York health officials have ordered a struggling hospital in Queens to stop admitting new patients, end all surgeries and develop a plan to transfer current patients after an inspection found problems with its clinical laboratory.
State Health Commissioner Nirav R. Shah issued the order after suspending Peninsula Hospital Center’s laboratory permit Thursday. An inspection found “problems that failed to meet the accepted standards of care.”
Without a lab, the Health Department says patients could be at risk.
A spokeswoman for the 173-bed hospital in the Far Rockaways says it is following the directive. Liz Sulik says a team is assessing the transfer of patients.
In a statement, the hospital said it will “expeditiously” work to fix the lab’s “deficiencies.”
Peninsula nearly closed in 2011 when it filed for bankruptcy.
{NBC New York/Matzav.com Newscenter}
