By Eileen Buckley
North Tonawanda, NY – A celebration was held at DeGraff Memorial Hospital in North Tonawanda Monday afternoon to appauled the State Health Department's decision on the future of the facility.
Last week, Kaleida Health announced that DeGraff had been granted permanent status as an acute care facility.
The Berger Commission had recommended that DeGraff be turned into a nursing home. But DeGraff president Tony Zito tells WBFO News after intense lobbying efforts by the hospital and Kaleida Health, acute care will continue.
"We've already put some plans in place for what we want to do with the hospital in expanding the acute care services. Those plans are to create a niche for the geriatric population on the acute care serves provided in this community," said Zito.
DeGraff will focus on geriatric care.
"The demographics of this community are such that the fastest growing component of it are ages 55 and older. The health care needs of the senior population need to be addressed in this community. I think that is what convinced the state to allow us to continue operating as an acute care facility," said Zito.
Monday's celebration was a thank you for DeGraff employees and its doctors for their dedication to patient care.