The Observation Deck

Crowd of residents gathering at Lakewood Hospital.


Attorney Chris DeVito, prior to the announcement of the lawsuit.

pdf of the Complaint here:
http://media.lakewoodobserver.com/media/docs_1432831567.pdf

Exhibits for the complaint here:
http://media.lakewoodobserver.com/media/docs_1432831632.pdf


Chris DeVito announces the complaint.

This lawsuit has some real teeth, and covers many expenses that in the plaintiffs
opinion would be incurred from the announcement of the move, and loss of services.

After the reading, everyone relaxes for a photo...



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I have read the complaint. WOW! Mr. DeVito and his staff have put an incredible amount of time into this. I believe that in time, the citizens of Lakewood and the City of Lakewood will be indebted to Mr. DeVito and his courageous clients for their hard work. Their lawsuit will likely produce much information that will put sunshine on this dark chapter in Lakewood's history. Since I assume that the defendants all have insurance to protect them and our City assets and LHA and LHF assets, I wish them all the best with their efforts and the remedies they seek in the judicial arena on behalf of the City and the rest of us.

I plan to continue my work with elected leaders, LHA trustees, doctors, hospital administrators, attorneys and anyone else who will work with me to achieve similar goals in the political arena.

Brian,
You read fast!

ALL the other news outlets are ignoring this lawsuit.

I wonder why?

There is enough drama here for a mini series and NO ONE from the media shows up?

media we don't need no stinkin media

how is this law suite differnt then the one rejected by law office director a few weeks ago...i read that its trial by jury...how do you know it will go hat far?



if the clinic pulls out and breaks the lease the hospital will still close... no/ there will be no employees to run it?

I sent news alerts to all local stations and asked for their support in covering the story since the city and CCF would like nothing more than to keep this issue quiet. After reading the lawsuit I am even more incensed by all of the shenanigans perpetrated by those who were entrusted to act in the best interest of the taxpayers and citizens of Lakewood.

Christopher Dan,

The Clinic has been pulling out of Lakewood for years. There will be plenty of CCF doctors, nurses and employees loyal to Lakewood that will rejoice if the Clinic leaves and jump ship. There are plenty of independent doctors as well as Premier Physicians who are all eager for the Clinic to leave. Metro is also eager to support the hospital and allocate personnel. According to the May, 2014 Metro proposal, the Clinic will owe Lakewood $40 to $50 million if they want out of Lakewood--that would be for 2015 till 2026.

I read the lawsuit as holding CCF accountable for damages prior to the January 2015 announced closing as well thereafter 1/5 of their claim would be $80 million--enough to make the hospital viable for over 20 years according to the Clinic.

The bigger problem is getting the Clinic to leave---they don't want a perceived competitor operating in Lakewood.

The lawsuit will never make it to the jury---Clinic will cry 'Uncle" --the squeal factor will be when their private info begins being exposed through discovery--all bullies back down when confronted with the facts. Attorney DeVito appears to have done his due diligence.

Action 19 link
http://www.19actionnews.com/story/29184 ... ting-as-is

I have been biting my tongue on this for so long.....but I just can't hold back any longer. (I am NOT in this lawsuit....)
First off...great save the hospital...what does that do for new and upcoming families everyone wants to move in to the city? There is NO pediatric wing there. Your kid needs a hospital stay...sorry not in Lakewood. Go somewhere else. It is NOT a level 3 trauma center. I don't even know if it is a level 2.

The hospital in all the 12 years that I have been living here has never offered the services I need for my family. My autistic son goes to main campus or Fairview as they just moved the unit there. My other son (who is now special needs thanks to a doctor who screwed up so bad he has permanent damage) has to go to Avon Lake or Main campus. My husband has to go to main campus for the neurology center. And myself...well I have to go to either Fairview or Main Campus for all of my needs.

When I did go to to ER in lakewood for my appendix I had to wait....there was no surgeon on call at the hospital at the time. They could not do my emergency surgery till 10 at night....I was in the er at 6 in the morning. Ummm....hello...dying here. My gallbladder I was told to go to Fairview as lakewood was not equipped to handle it. (it ruptured and it was just bad bad bad)

When my son had his appendix rupture we had to go to Fairview again because they could not handle pediatrics.

What I am asking is if the hospital is saved....what services will it offer? Will they change so that kids can be seen and kept there if needed? Will they up their trauma services? It seems now that they are not equipped to handle the needs of this city as it grows. So how will saving what we have, help us? (I guess I am just super confused on all of this)

Missy,

I have heard many stories of lives saved due to the proximity and exceptional care provided at Lakewood Hospital. I have also heard stories similar to yours. When I ask people if they think the Cleveland Clinic provides world class healthcare many say “yes.” Well, the sign out front reads: Lakewood Hospital a Cleveland Clinic Hospital. So what gives?

Rather than support its closure due to negative experiences, we should all be working together to truly save Lakewood Hospital by improving it in the process.

Thank you for speaking up.

And, I'd like to add that we need to keep in mind that the reason that many of these services are no longer available at Lakewood is because of the Clinic's "strategic planning". In other words, they have been siphoning away Lakewood Hospital's services for years knowing all along that the plan was to make it unable to compete. Planned Obsolescence is the term, I believe.

Missy,

We at Save Lakewood Hospital know exactly what you are talking about. Cleveland Clinic has been removing department after department, out to their other hospitals, for years - intending to cripple Lakewood to the point that the city thinks it isn't operable. When you moved here 12 years ago, this was already happening.
This is what we are working to fix. Clinic was required to maintain the building, the departments and the medical staff, keep the specialty departments, maintain diagnostic equipment and operating rooms, etc. One of the newer operating rooms is state-of-the-art, matching their Main Campus - and Clinic plans to take that OR to AVON. IT ISN'T THEIRS TO TAKE. Our ER has 20 rooms, was remodeled just a few years ago. Orthopedic Rehab was remodeled a year ago - and then almost immediately, Clinic moved that department out to another hospital.
Help us to Save Lakewood Hospital and make Cleveland Clinic restore the specialty departments you have mentioned. That is why we have Lakewood Hospital. You should be able to come here with your family for all your medical care (except for some specialty work). You shouldn't have to go to Fairview and Avon and Main Campus.
Many docs and nurses are eager to work at Lakewood, to come back if they are at other CCF hospitals. They really want to be here to take care of us.
Find us at SaveLakewoodHospital.com
Join us!
Next meeting Sat. May 30 at 4 pm, Lakewood Main Library, Multipurpose Room. Together we can make a difference.