For the second straight year, auditors raised substantial doubt about NuHealth's ability to continue operating, according to Newsday.
NuHealth, a public benefit firm that runs Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow, N.Y., saw its budget gap reach nearly $64 million last year and is expecting an even larger deficit in 2020, according to audited financial documents. NuHealth also operates an extended care facility and family healthcare centers.
Before the coronavirus pandemic, NuHealth forecast an operating deficit of $86.1 million, but the pandemic put more strain on its finances.
While the medical center, Nassau County's only public hospital, cared for a surge of COVID-19 patients, it has seen a drop in admissions since New York's coronavirus surge subsided, according to the report. The drop in volume is expected to result in losses of $4 million to $6 million.
Auditors said that the COVID-19 pandemic "has added further uncertainty regarding the operations of [NuHealth], as well as the healthcare system in general," according to the report.
Robert Detor, chairman of NuHealth, said the audit note "reflects the potential that the institution wouldn't survive," adding that, "We're looking at … not a good spiral here."
NuHealth is working with Alvarez & Marsal, a financial consultant to improve operations.
The Nassau Interim Finance Authority, a state board that took over NuHealth finances in February, voted to hire the consultants in May.
The authority's chairman, Adam Barsky, said the board is "in the midst of analyzing the hospital."