The Observation Deck

Fellow Lakewoodites:

I must confess that I've been trying to think through a best-case win-win scenario regarding our hospital situation. I really don't care how we got into this crisis, nor am I interested in playing a blame game. I'm only interested in looking for a best-case solution that would help Lakewood to retain a first-class medical facility here, and it well may be that all we have to do is...
nothing.

As a simple resident, I certainly don't have all the answers to this, but there is an aspect here that I've been wondering about...

Some of us old timers remember the hospital situation that came up many years ago with Deaconess Hospital in Cleveland's Old Brooklyn neighborhood. I don't remember or even know all of the details, but it seems that there were many parallels to our present situation here in Lakewood.

At that time, questions regarding Deaconess were much the same as the ones our community is currently facing. Should that hospital be closed? Torn down? What exactly?

Many of the same raw emotions that we here in Lakewood have expressed also occurred with the Deaconess situation. We had friends living in that neighborhood who were quite concerned at the time.

Well, these days, I understand that Deaconess is still there in operation.

Now I completely understand why any single hospital group would have a concern with maintaining two duplicate service hospitals a little over three miles from each other. It could be very expensive, and unnecessarily redundant, for one medical organization to offer similar critical services within that short of a distance. I certainly do not blame any hospital group, for being on the lookout for ways to streamline and improve operations within their own medical system.

On the OTHER hand, I can certainly see why any of the OTHER hospital groups in our area might LOVE to be able to take over the existing Lakewood Hospital facility. Of course, it is my understanding that they can't even discuss that scenario presently with us, as long as we have the present contract?

The central problem, to me, would be what the consequences would be if our community decides to tear down Lakewood Hospital sooner than later. Lakewood would then no longer have a major medical facility as a community asset. Obviously, there are those who, for any number of reasons, would like to see our hospital building demolished or re-purposed, but would that action TRULY be in the interest of the citizens of Lakewood?

Looking at the present Deaconess situation, it does make one wonder whether we should be quite so quick with a wrecking ball for Lakewood Hospital, when there might just be the chance that another medical group would be interested in picking up our hospital- if, or when, our present contract concludes?

At THAT time, if there would be no takers, then we could indeed get out the wrecking ball and urban planning smart-board diagrams, but I think, not now. NOT just yet. Indeed, this situation could well turn in our favor at contract renewal time. If we simply demonstrate that we are resolute and determined to retain a hospital here, even our present medical partner might see the wisdom of staying with us and supporting our hospital facility, as they have in the past.

Now I'm just the banjo player around here. I'm no expert on any of this, and my observations and opinions here could well be wrong....

I'm just not sure that they are...

To find out, all that we REALLY need to do right now is just to keep our Lakewood Hospital building sitting right where it is. To my mind, we will have little to lose, and everything to gain by doing so.

Back to the banjo...

Gary,
I like the way you think. If only our mayor had the patience that you exhibit! No, everything's got to be done "right now". As Madigan said at monday's COW meeting, "it's GO time". It can't happen fast enough for those who would throw our hospital under the bus for some "pie-in-the-sky" redevelopment of our downtown.

This whole situation has the feeling of being rushed and rammed down our throats. Discussing development plans before anything has even been decided upon is putting the cart before the horse.

(I'd like to hear some of your banjo playing one of these days...)

One thing though ... Deaconess is no longer a full service hospital anymore.

MetroHealth bought the former hospital building, which abruptly closed in 2003 after declaring bankruptcy. The hospital had been in steady decline, and the neighborhood couldn't sustain it any longer ... nor were they part of a larger system like UH or the Clinic. After it was had been shuttered, MetroHealth bid $3.8m in an auction to acquire the building in 2004. However, Metro did not intend on reopening the building as a hospital, nor did any of the other 7 bidders, according to the Plain Dealer. Deaconess had hoped to be sold to to the Charlotte, NC-based Hospital Partners of America company in March 2004 and apparently had reached a deal, but then HPAbacked out, claiming insurance reimbursements were too low.

The original intent by Metro was to renovate the building to use it to house it's IT department. In 2005, Metro announced they were going to close the largest of its nursing homes, and open a senior care center in a renovated Deaconess Hospital building.

According to the Plain Dealer, "the new nursing home would accommodate 144 residents in the renovated Deaconess Hospital on Pearl Road. The building’s two towers – six and nine stories tall – would house a clinic specializing in geriatric medicine staffed by 25 physicians, a hospice, and two adult day-care programs operated in partnership with the Benjamin Rose Institute and Visiting Nurse Association. MetroHealth would also use the complex for new offices ... It would also bring an estimated 750 new employees to the Old Brooklyn neighborhood that has suffered since the once-bustling Deaconess has stood empty for nearly two years."

With great fanfare, the unit opened up in 2008 ... and then in 2011, Metro announced it was shuttering the 144-bed nursing unit. The Deaconess building would remain open as a senior health and wellness center.

Today the building is home to Metro's Old Brooklyn Health Center, and offers inpatient rehabilitation services, outpatient medical specialties, senior health services. It's no longer a full-service hospital. The only inpatient services provided are for things like stroke, brain injury, orthopedics, and spinal cord injuries. There's no ER.

It's essentially an outpatient health center, except it has several floors of inpatient rehab for certain specialized cases.

So while it's not a closed and empty building, it's certainly not a full-service hospital. If anything, it's closer to what the Clinic proposes in Lakewood than what the Lakewood Hospital is now.

So a better example might want to be cited ... except that there's not many.

C. Dawson,

No worries about needing "examples."

According to CCF's Dr. Jones, "if you've seen one FHC, you've seen one FHC." The same applies to hospitals.

Lakewood is not Deaconess.

An apple is not an orange.

Well everyone, (scratching my head here)

Whatever Deaconess is, or is not, presently....

...at least it IS still a medical facility...

...and, as long as that building is still there...

...so shall there be future options and alternatives.

My point was not so much what Deaconess was, or is, or whether to compare apples, oranges, or bananas...

My point was a bit simpler....

Whatever Deaconess is, or presently does, at least it's still THERE...

...doing SOMETHING....

...and here in Lakewood, we will be doing WHAT with our hospital???

What? Exactly?

One thing more...My thoughts and commentary are absolutely personal opinions and should not be seen as implying support for any one candidate in the upcoming election. I would simply like to see Lakewood retain as much of a REAL hospital as possible. That, and that alone, is my reason for posting. I have NO wish to criticize any individuals here.

Besides, if this old banjo player tried to seriously criticize, what would people think?


Back to the banjo...