More than 300 people filled the Chestertown Fire Department Hall on Sunday to air their grievances about a possible discontinuation of inpatient care and diminished services at Chester River Hospital Center. More than 200 people, who could not enter the facility, listened from doorways and windows as a panel of elected official and others made their case for continuing and enhancing medical services locally.
Part One
The Save the Hospital town meeting, orchestrated by Sen. Stephen Hershey R-Upper Shore, District 36 Delegate Jay Jacobs, Dr. Gerry O’Connor, and County Commissioners, along with President and CEO of UM Shore Regional Health Ken Kozel made their cases.
Mr. Kozel opened the forum with an overarching history of the Chestertown hospital, the 2008 merging with University of Maryland Health System, the current national state of health care delivery and how it impacts rural hospitals and how the changing state of medical delivery could impact the future of Chester River Hospital Center.
Part Two
Kozel also said that UM Shore Health has made no decision about the future of the hospital and that they were currently waiting for recommendations set up by a regional board. Their recommendations should be available by May of this year, Kozel said.
Dr. Gerry O’Connor, a physician at CRHC, and primary advocate for the meeting challenged UM Shore Health’s public mission statement saying that during meetings with hospital officials that they, in fact, conveyed a plan to substantially reduce the hospital to emergency services only and to eliminate inpatient care. Patients needing inpatient care would then be sent to Easton’s hospital. O’Connor questioned the logic of eliminating services from a hospital that has been operating with positive revenue and went as far as saying that were CRHC to downsize that he wouldn’t want to be taken there during a medical emergency.
The full spectrum of impacts sustained by a reduction of inpatient services and loss of specialists, complex and profound, were addressed by speakers. Issues included: the erosion of health service delivery, a lack of network transportation for patients, distances family would have to travel to be with loved ones, dramatic economic impacts on the community at large—loss of jobs, diminished attraction for new residents and students and professors at Washington College, job placement with businesses in the community, the impact on services for children at county schools, the effect such a change would have on providing for an aging community, and an overall sense that as the town shows signs of productive growth it will not be able of offer core health services.
In an effort to change the decision-making process impacting the future of rural hospitals, Sen. Stephen Hershey will introduce a bill to the Maryland legislature requiring that such decisions be made by a local board, rather than remotely. It was pointed out that of the current regional board readying their recommendations, few were residents of Kent County. The bill will be co-sponsored by Sen. Jim Rosapepe, D-Prince George’s County.
In Part One of the video, key points made by Mr. Kozel, Dr. O’Connor, Jay Jacobs, William Pickrum and Chris Cerino are presented. In Part Two, Rev. Ellsworth Tolliver, Dr. Karen Couch, Dr. Xavier Cole from Washington College, Garrett Falcone from Heron Point, Kay MacIntosh from the Town of Chestertown, and Bob Grace from Dixon Value.
It was noted that Ben Steffens of the Maryland Health Care Commission was in attendance to observe the proceedings.
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