The Observation Deck

I'm an old guy. Just attended our Class of '67 50th Reunion. Way back when---- the high school nurse was in an obscure office. If you were an athlete you had to deal with bone breaks, muscle tears, etc.
Can somebody update me on how we got to this situation?
After a general overview of the situation which should be non judgmental then lets discuss the specifics of how this service provider was selected.

Selected?

I hardly see how they were selected.

I would love to see how this arrangement evolved. CCF had a teen clinic or whatever on Madison just east of the Madison-Hilliard intersection. We used it once for a sports physical and the experience was appalling. Waited over an hour for our appointment, even though we were the only people there, the receptionist was eating brownies and offering us some, and when my daughter was finally called in I was terribly nervous about letting her go. She said the nurse practitioner that signed off on her physical was fine, but that clinic was dodgey at best.

Our daughters received care at Neighborhood Pediatrics, a wonderful independent practice in Lakewood. Were they given an opportunity to set up shop at the high school? Metro, UH, or anyone else? Given our experience with CCF's teen clinic, I would rather a child see the fine docs and NPs at Neighborhood Pediatrics any day.

We all forget so quickly...

Follow this...

The Cleveland Clinic was hoping to announce the agreement with the city by the fall of 2014. It was Mayor Summers that asked for it to be pushed back until mid-June 2015. That way they could spin their BS, and not announce until after the close for applying to Board of Elections to run for Mayor or Council, thus keeping out people running on saving hospital.

PART OF THE LOI was the Cleveland Clinic getting a monopoly on on health care in Lakewood.

Knowing that why would some members of the School Board look anywhere else but the Clinic?

This underlines yet again, that the silent or supportive School Board members lied about not knowing any of the plans.

It also points out to another lie by City Hall that this was a sudden unplanned thing, that just seemed to manifest itself suddenly in 2015.

The School Board and City Hall are separate for damn good reasons. Here, all part of the cabal.

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It just goes on and on. It's so outrageous I almost can't care anymore. And that's the hugest problem, the apathy has so set in - it's all done and over with so what's the point of even looking anymore. It's clear every government official from every branch has signed off on all of this and everybody that was involved on the inside is better off for it.

todd vainisi wrote:It just goes on and on. It's so outrageous I almost can't care anymore. And that's the hugest problem, the apathy has so set in - it's all done and over with so what's the point of even looking anymore. It's clear every government official from every branch has signed off on all of this and everybody that was involved on the inside is better off for it.

Todd

This is one of the problems, and the reasons they fight to release documents. It is hard for the public to stay informed, stay up-to-date with what is in, and what is coming in.

When I spoke with Mayor Summers in the fall of 2014, my advice was to be honest and transparent with the people.

That is not the route they chose.

We cannot bring back the hospital, but we have every right to see the documents and understand what happened.

The one thing that is obvious, anyone connected with this nightmare, can no longer be trusted with any funds coming out of this, and should be excluded from any project.

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todd vainisi wrote:It just goes on and on. It's so outrageous I almost can't care anymore. And that's the hugest problem, the apathy has so set in - it's all done and over with so what's the point of even looking anymore. It's clear every government official from every branch has signed off on all of this and everybody that was involved on the inside is better off for it.

Yep, just as "Team Summers" wanted, folks have become so overloaded with scandal and misconduct that it barely registers anymore.
As I warned here many months ago, the election of Cheeto Jesus would provide cover to our corrupt local politicians.
The average Lakewoodite is too busy hearing about the Nazi-in-Chief's constant stream of gaffes, hate, and bizarre behavior. He dominates all political discussion....there is very little room left for local matters.

BTW, where are the folks here that supported Trump last fall? I seem to recall some of you selling the "let's give him a chance" line.

Michael Deneen wrote:BTW, where are the folks here that supported Trump last fall? I seem to recall some of you selling the "let's give him a chance" line.

Drifting a bit, but...
I don't know if I said it publicly, but I was inclined to give him a chance, but it was a very short leash that lasted about two weeks following the election. With all his other B.S., I can't even remember what the situation was at the time. And it's gotten progressively worse.

Every time Summers' regime is compared to Trump, you lose readers, and we stop talking about local issues, the ones we have some input on.


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We don't have the luxury of being distracted by Trump or the Summer's administration, or the decisions of the School Board. They are happening to us in real time and we have to deal with them. Like when you think you should call an ambulance but you don't want to because you've heard that they will take you to Lakewood's non emergency room whether you like it or not. Is that true? I have heard that it is, and that it isn't. I hope to find out before someone in my family might need that service.

But I digress...

I was at the doctor's office Friday and two moms were discussing the new Cleveland Clinic inside LHS when I came out of my appointment. One mom was saying to the other, "I've told my son that he is not to set foot in that Health Center." The other said that she didn't get it. How is it going to be paid for? The first said, "Well, you'll need to give them your insurance information and sign some kind of consent form that they can treat your kid," The second one said, "I don't want anyone treating my child without me there. I have my own doctor who I trust."

We've never had to deal with having to pay to send our kids to the school nurse's office before. It's been a FREE SERVICE that came with sending your kid to school, for their safety. At the orientation assembly we were told that the new Health Center would be great because our kids could do things at the Health Center instead of taking off school for doctor's appointments, and thus would miss less school. They can now get immunizations, or strep tests, even prescriptions while they're in school.

Here is where it gets confusing. If your kid is sick, you are not sending him to school in the first place. Is LHS now advocating that we DO send our kids to school if they're sick? That's not a good idea. If they possibly need a strep test, better to get one at an office apart from the whole population of kids and teachers. Prescriptions? No way. These kids are mostly under eighteen, are we handing over our health power of attorney to the school? Or the Cleveland Clinic Health Center? I think not. Wait, do I have to leave my job in the middle of a school day, to go into school to be with my child at the LHS Health Center? This isn't even getting into the insurance problem.

What if you have Care Source Insurance? Many Lakewood families do. Cleveland Clinic is not accepting Care Source after August 31st. What if a child doesn't know what insurance his family has, but he's just been injured? Like say on Tuesday of this week. Does he get sent to the Clinic inside the high school, and then his parents get billed? With or without insurance? That sounds expensive and upsetting. So your kid gets hurt at school, you don't have insurance for the School Clinic, so now that kid can't get treated at the only Health Center the school has? Is there still a school nurse that will treat them without using the clinic? One who will help without needing to bill your insurance company? Is this going to lead to some of the kids having less care than before if your family doesn't want to, or can't sign up for Cleveland Clinic?

It sounds like a mess. Like Kate McCarthy says above, my family has a very good relationship with our pediatrician, she has known my kids since they were born. When they are sick, I want my kids to see her. I also want her office to get the business when the kids need vaccinations, strep tests, etc. Many health care professionals have left Lakewood since the hospital was dismantled, I want to give my full support to the ones who have stuck around and stayed loyal to their Lakewood families.

I'm not sure how this idea came into being but I'm very sure that as a parent, I should have heard something before now, and I don't think that a mention in a March 2015 school newsletter counts. This past week we received packets in the mail with all kinds of information and forms to fill out but not a word about this new Health Center and yet school is starting in one day. How can this be, when this new plan requires more paperwork and more important paperwork than anything else that was sent home?

What is more important than parents being on top of their children's healthcare?

The next School Board meeting is this coming Monday, Aug 21st. The portion that the public is allowed to attend starts at 7pm at Grant Elementary School, in the cafetorium, 1470 Victoria Ave. There is a communication portion of the meeting during which you can voice your concerns, or you can stick around afterward, to speak to them one on one.

Betsy Voinovich

We no longer have to be concerned with high school services, but like Tara, we have insurance that is Metro only.

There is now a sign posted at the high school identifying a space as the "FUTURE HOME OF CLEVELAND CLINIC/CLEVELAND CLINIC CHILDREN'S MEDICAL CLINIC AT LAKEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL." Cabinets are placed but finish work is yet to be completed.

Additionally, the online student registration system informs parents of the clinic's presence and then asks if interested in their services.

Whoa--- Everybody is in favor of health care but this sounds like a straight out commercial solicitation and enterprise on public facilities

Meg Ostrowski wrote:In the presentation Betsy references at the beginning of this discussion, it was very clear that all of the pieces are in place.

Betsy Voinovich wrote:I'm not sure how this idea came into being but I'm very sure that as a parent, I should have heard something before now, and I don't think that a mention in a March 2015 school newsletter counts. This past week we received packets in the mail with all kinds of information and forms to fill out but not a word about this new Health Center and yet school is starting in one day. How can this be, when this new plan requires more paperwork and more important paperwork than anything else that was sent home?

Meg Ostrowski wrote:There is now a sign posted at the high school identifying a space as the "FUTURE HOME OF CLEVELAND CLINIC/CLEVELAND CLINIC CHILDREN'S MEDICAL CLINIC AT LAKEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL."

Additionally, the online student registration system informs parents of the clinic's presence and then asks if interested in their services.

Freshman parent presentation? Small sign at the high school building? One sentence/question on an electronic student registration form that few parents have even utilized? Are any of these (even combined) adequate communication to parents for this new healthcare delivery option? But particularly to the broader community given the public school system’s involvement and unhealed civic wound due to the poor handling of the hospital closing?

Meg Ostrowski wrote:Freshman parent presentation? Small sign at the high school building? One sentence/question on an electronic student registration form that few parents have even utilized? Are any of these (even combined) adequate communication to parents for this new healthcare delivery option? But particularly to the broader community given the public school system’s involvement and unhealed civic wound due to the poor handling of the hospital closing?

These people have consistently believed that they are above the law and any accountability.
So far, they're right.....they can do whatever they want and the public will play along.
The Team Summers current catch phrase is "move on".

Will these scoundrels succeed in the long term?
The sad truth is yes, they likely will.
But I'm glad that Mr. Essi and others are working to find the truth.