Workers rally in support of Peninsula

From the Daily News:

A potential white knight for Peninsula Hospital is blowing in from the windy city Tuesday, the Daily News has learned.

People’s Choice Hospital, a Chicago-based group, has expressed interest in taking over the floundering Far Rockaway facility, which is slated for closure.

But thus far Peninsula’s court-appointed trustee has balked at the offer of a lifeline, sources said.

“There are problems that need to be solved, but if all parties are reasonable, there’s a deal to be struck,” said Dr. Seth Guterman, president of the umbrella company, comprised mostly of doctors.

Guterman is coming from Chicago on Tuesday night to pitch his plan to local stakeholders in the Rockaways. He said his group would be willing to pony up as much as $20 million to rescue the distressed hospital.

“They need senior management that understands how a hospital works,” he said.

But trustee Lori Lapin Jones, who was appointed by the bankruptcy court to oversee hospital operations, has yet to agree to meet with Guterman, he said.

“There’s a moral commitment to [the community] when there’s a decent option on the table,” Guterman said.