The approval of an asset purchase agreement opened the door for South Nassau to receive the FEMA funds, pending the agency’s approval of an “alternative use plan” for the facility, which calls for a 911-receiving emergency department at LBMC. Under the agreement, South Nassau will acquire the hospital — including its land, buildings and equipment — for $11.7 million. 


SNCH said that while it moves forward with plans for a 24-hour emergency department at LBMC, it would also invest in programs and services on its Oceanside campus.

South Nassau’s chief executive officer, Richard Murphy, said that the hospital is evaluating the LBMC campus and exploring the idea of locating the urgent care center there, since major work to allow two of five wings to reopen, including the emergency department, was completed a year ago.

“That’s certainly an option,” Murphy said. “I think the longer-term vision is to build an ambulatory facility with 911-receiving capabilities. We see that as an interim measure as we do a full assessment of the facility.”

Murphy was referring to a plan to establish a 5,000-square-foot mobile modular facility that would initially serve as an urgent-care center, before transitioning it into a fully functional emergency department that could accept ambulances. He said that South Nassau officials are working to have such a unit ready by July 1, pending approval of the New York State Department of Health, a process that Murphy said is being expedited.

“Initially, it has to function … as an urgent-care and primary and family medicine facility, to the extent that we can enhance the modular facility with freestanding capabilities,” Murphy explained. “Otherwise we would await the enhancement of the campus. Our commitment is to definitely provide that community with 911-receiving services, and we’re working with the City of Long Beach on a point-of-entry plan. We will probably close on the facility on June 30, and hope to have this in operation by July 1.”