It’s final: White Plains Hospital joins Montefiore

New York state”™s acting health commissioner has given final approval to an agreement that makes White Plains Hospital a member of Montefiore Health System Inc.

The agreement, first announced last February, makes Bronx-based Montefiore the “active parent” and co-operator of the 292-bed community hospital in White Plains. Montefiore officials have said the White Plains hospital will be the hub for Montefiore”™s tertiary level of hospital services in its growing Westchester network.

Montefiore last year acquired and took over operations of two bankrupt community hospitals in New Rochelle and Mount Vernon and is said to be in talks over a potential partnership with St. John”™s Riverside Hospital in Yonkers.

Dr. Steven M. Safyer, president and CEO of Montefiore Health System, and Jon B. Schandler, CEO of White Plains Hospital, on Monday issued this joint statement:

“Our institutions are partnering to bridge the divide between academic medical centers and community hospitals ”“ giving Westchester the best of both worlds. White Plains Hospital will continue to expand its level of highly specialized treatment, with all the resources and advantages of Montefiore”™s innovative care delivery system and academic partnership with the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

“Montefiore and White Plains Hospital will work together to manage care by delivering high-quality, efficient tertiary services locally, in a familiar setting, close to our patients”™ homes and cared for by physicians in the community. It is a model of care that communities outside of New York City will benefit from, and will help sustain a strong health care infrastructure throughout the region.”

Spokespersons for the partnering institutions said White Plains Hospital”™s board of directors will remain intact with the addition of three members-at-large from the Montefiore Health System board. Three members of the White Plains Hospital board also will serve on the Montefiore board.