We are fortunate to have three personable candidates running to become mayor of Easton, but we may have trouble finding just one primary care physician. We could use more health care providers in Easton and on the Eastern Shore.
Having experienced similar challenges regarding the viability of a hospital and need to recruit medical personnel in North Platte, Nebraska, and having also served as president of the Chambers of Commerce of both North Platte and Talbot County, candidate Al Silverstein is uniquely qualified to complete the decade-long effort to build UM Shore Regional Medical Center.
The site was acquired in 2014. Governor Wes Moore has since passed on Governor Hogan’s plan to contribute $100 million to this effort; but a bill was recently passed allowing funds to be awarded, and $20 million is currently available.
As a fellow of the University of Maryland’s Academy of Excellence in Local Government who has served in state government and has strong connections in Annapolis, Al Silverstein is the candidate to complete this mission.
An integrated healthcare delivery system has in the meantime been developing in Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties. Facilities include freestanding medical pavilions, stand-alone emergency rooms, urgent care centers, and a Cancer Center and UM Shore Regional Health Diagnostic and Imaging in Easton.
Just parts of Easton’s Memorial Hospital were built in the early 1900s; but Cambridge Hospital, built in 1904, has been replaced by UM Shore Medical Center, a facility consisting of 22 emergency beds with short-stay options for outpatient surgeries. Those 142 beds at the new regional medical center are eagerly awaited.
With $3 million of ARPA Rescue Plan funds remaining, and as the citizens of Easton will benefit from this new regional hospital at its north border, Al has suggested that the town offer $1 million in good faith for the construction of the new hospital.
We will be glad to see medical professionals moving to the Eastern Shore, and neighboring communities will be relieved.
Carol Voyles
Easton
Easton
Tom Alspach says
This is naive.
Al Silverstein’s “connections” in Annapolis are not going to get us a new hospital. What might those connections be? UMMS has been “promising” us a new hospital for at least the past fifteen years. Throughout that time, Al has been Director of the Chamber of Commerce, and a member of the Easton Council. Why have his connections not already been utilized.?
Proposing that the Town should offer UMMS $1 million to get the project going might be a good campaign tactic, but it makes no sense and would be a waste of taxpayer dollars. UMMS is not going to greenlight a $400M hospital because Easton offers $1M as a “good faith gesture” (whatever that is supposed to mean). After all, the County gifted UMMS 200 acres of free land ten years ago, and Easton amended its zoning ordinance to permit development, and even that did not get the hospital project going.
Perhaps there are reasons to vote for Al for Mayor, notwithstanding his demonstrated utter disdain for Easton’s Comprehensive Plan, when it conflicts with his desire to promote Big Box development (see my previous Spy letter on this). But those reasons would not include his “connections” in Annapolis, nor his suggestion that, by dangling $1million in front of UMMS, their Board will be induced to go ahead and commit the other $399 million.
Alan Boisvert says
I agree with the premise of this article and thank you. However, with all the anti-growth advocates that live in the area, where on earth will all the new “medical professionals moving to the Eastern Shore” live? Remember, all you anti-growth advocates once moved here into someone else’s back yard, against their wish. Therefore if the residents of this area value top-notch health care facilities filled with and worthy doctors, nurses, etc everyone here needs to do what they can to promote growth and stop screaming the NIMB siren-song.
Richard Lynch says
I agree of all the candidates running, we are fortunate as they are all good candidates but Al Silverstein is the best choice!