The Winthrop South Nassau University Health System, Inc. and Catholic Health Services of Long Island have formed a joint venture to sponsor Massapequa General Hospital and Mid Island Hospital in Bethpage.

The partnership's plan, a spokesperson for the deal said, is designed to secure the long-term futures of the two hospitals through their conversion to not-for-profit status and to ensure that they continue to serve as community hospitals with comprehensive, high-quality healthcare services.

"This has been a three-year process," said Kevin Meneilly, president of Massapequa General Hospital, citing that the first step occurred when Massapequa General joined with Winthrop University Hospital under affiliate status.

Both hospitals are expected to continue to provide in-patient, out-patient and emergency room services. The plan would also make possible the introduction of new programs and it is intended to equip the hospitals to effectively anticipate and respond to new developments in healthcare delivery and patient care.

"Massapequa General provides basic hospital care, primary care in our primary care center, and emergency care which, last year, included 18,962 cases. In other words, we're the community's first line of defense," said Kevin Meneilly, president of Massapequa General Hospital.

The joint venture is subject to legal and regulatory approvals by the courts and regulatory bodies.

The joint venture's plan for Mid-Island and Massapequa General is the first major cooperative initiative between the Winthrop South Nassau University Health System and Catholic Health Services.

Mid-Island is currently licensed for 223 beds and Massapequa General for 122 beds. With the addition of these two institutions, the combined total number of beds controlled by the two systems will be 2,725 or approximately one-third of Long Island's licensed hospital beds. The combined system will consist of a total of eight hospitals in Nassau and Suffolk.

On Dec. 16, 1997, the board of directors of the Winthrop South Nassau University Health System approved the joint venture; on Feb. 2 the board of directors of Catholic Health Services also gave its approval.

"The fact that the Winthrop South Nassau System's mission is so compatible with that of Catholic Health Services provided the impetus for our systems to unite and develop a plan to preserve healthcare services in the communities currently served by Massapequa and Mid-Island," said Martin J. Delaney, co-chief executive officer of the Winthrop South Nassau University Health System. "The strength of this new partnership clearly identifies the potential for the development of a high-quality healthcare delivery system with a significant presence in both Nassau and Suffolk Counties."

"Our goal is to enable Mid-Island and Massapequa General Hospitals to continue to meet the needs of the communities they serve, and with our help, expand and enhance their services," said Michael Rodzenko, co-chief executive officer of the Winthrop South Nassau University Health System.

"This joint venture advances our ability to remain highly competitive in this rapidly changing and challenging marketplace," said Ronald R. Aldrich, president and chief executive officer of Catholic Health Services. "Our combined geographic reach, financial strength and unparalleled quality of care puts us in the forefront of regional healthcare delivery systems."

"It's a win, win situation for all the hospitals involved and it's a win, win situation for the community," said Meneilly.

Meneilly said that without the assistance of Catholic Health and Winthrop South Nassau, that Massapequa General might have been headed for financial disaster. "The diminished payments and the increased demand for services has consistently taken its toll," he commented, adding that, without the deal, Massapequa General might have faced bankruptcy in the next three years. "We were making enough just to stay afloat in 1997," Meneilly added. "It got us to the point where we would probably have lost money in 1998."

Massapequa General will be able to maintain its identity as a community hospital, while giving patients the resources of the entire system. And because patients at Massapequa General will have the opportunity to use all of the other Winthrop University and Catholic Health hospitals, the system receives the entire Massapequa area as a base for new customers.

Member institutions of the Winthrop South Nassau University Health System are Winthrop-University Hospital (Mineola) and South Nassau Communities Hospital (Oceanside). Both Mid-Island and Massapequa General have for a number of years been clinical affiliates of Winthrop-University Hospital.

Member institutions of Catholic Health Services include: Good Samaritan Hospital (West Islip), Mercy Medical Center (Rockville Centre), St. Francis Hospital - The Heart Center (Roslyn) and St. Charles Hospital and Rehabilitation Center (Port Jefferson). St. Charles also has an integrated joint venture with John T. Mather Memorial Hospital (Port Jefferson). Catholic Health Services is linked to more than 75 health and human services sites in Nassau and Suffolk Counties.