‘Revival’ hopes to give new life to hospital

Though he says that the reorganization of Peninsula Hospital Center has just begun, Todd Miller, who is serving as the chief restructuring officer, has two main goals: improving the hospital’s technology, and providing programs that will motivate more area residents to turn to the 200-bed facility for hospital services.

Miller, 48, has worked in health care in the New York area for the past dozen years, the last four with Brooklyn-based Revival Home Health Care, where he is the chief operating officer. Revival acquired the financially troubled hospital on Sept. 2, saving it from imminent closure.

“We are an entrepreneurially run company, and the hospital should be able to survive with the services it is providing,” Miller said, adding that the hospital will be run as a not-for-profit facility. “We are very focused that the expenses don’t exceed revenues.”

Revival was in negotiations with Peninsula officials for nearly two weeks before the agreement became official. The 104-year-old Far Rockaway facility was on the verge of closure amid its $60 million debt, a third of which is owed to SEIU Local 1199, the union that represents many of its 1,000 workers. Peninsula is expected to restructure financially by filing for bankruptcy this week, Miller said. The hospital acquisition includes Peninsula’s nursing home facility.

“The hospital needed an infusion of cash and someone with the wherewithal to make that kind of commitment to keep it a thriving community hospital,” said attorney Howard Fensterman, who helped structure the agreement.

Revival has already invested $1.5 million in the facility, and a larger investment is anticipated, as computerized medical and laboratory equipment will receive substantial upgrades, Miller said.

He said he expects to hire additional staff, bringing back former employees, and Revival’s own network of doctors who want to work with the hospital. The hospital’s board will also be reconstituted, with four new voting members and a community representative.

“We intend to accommodate all groups currently accessing the hospital, including the Orthodox,” said Miller, noting that while Revival is best known for serving the Orthodox Jewish community, it also has 3,500 clients coming “from all walks of life.” The hospital serves an estimated 100,000 Far Rockaway and Five Towns residents.

“It is a great community hospital, and we look to provide quality care, improving the technology and increasing the community health-related programs,” Miller said.

Despite being owed $20 million, Local 1199 union spokeswoman Leah Gonzalez expressed support for the acquisition by Revival. “It has always been the union’s position that closure was an unacceptable outcome for the community and seriously diminishes access to vital health care services in a borough that has already endured multiple closures,” Gonzalez said.

After Peninsula announced its possible closure and just before Revival’s acquisition, the nearby St. John’s Episcopal Hospital presented its own plan to expand overall services, including its emergency department. The plan, approved by the state Department of Health, has not changed and is moving forward, according to Nelson Toebbe, chief executive officer of St. John’s.