A state senator and two city council members have joined South Toledo residents and local union leaders in requesting more information and transparency from those overseeing the University of Toledo Medical Center.
At issue are concerns about reduced services at UTMC — the former Medical College of Ohio Hospital — and a 2015 affiliation agreement between the university and ProMedica. That partnership sent an influx of money from ProMedica to UT’s College of Medicine on the Health Science Campus. In return, a large number of UT’s medical students and residents spend their training at ProMedica Toledo Hospital and ProMedica Toledo Children’s Hospital.
But critics have characterized that agreement as one-sided, and have said that the shifting of services and professionals to ProMedica has threatened UTMC’s future.
Now the list of community and labor leaders weighing in on the issue is growing. Sen. Teresa Fedor; Toledo City Council President Matt Cherry, and Councilman Rob Ludeman; Greater Northwest Ohio AFL-CIO Executive Secretary Kevin Dalton, and Northwest Ohio Building & Construction Trade Council Business Manager Shaun Enright were among seven people who signed onto a letter sent to UT officials Dec. 14.
The letter, addressed to UT President Sharon Gaber and the university’s board of trustees, request UT put into place several measures to address community concerns. Those included holding regular public information meetings and town halls to share updates and gather feedback, as well as putting together a written plan outlining the future for UTMC’s staff members and the university’s Health Science Campus — the home of UTMC in South Toledo.
Ms. Gaber on Monday told The Blade that the university’s administration and trustees are reviewing the letter.
“We’re planning on working forward with a plan for the hospital,” she said. “Part of it is, how do we continue to change the hospital and help it evolve to meet the needs of South Toledo and meet the changing demographics of our community and the changing nature of health care?”
She added that many changes to health care have occurred, which the university must consider.
“If you look at the past decade of health care it’s been rapidly changing. All of that is addressed in the letter and we’ll pay attention to it and figure out how we go forward. We’ll make sure we’re responsive,” she said.
Ms. Gaber added that university officials have reached out to Senator Fedor’s office, and a meeting is forthcoming.
Mr. Ludeman said he is in full support of the initiative to ensure transparency.
“I grew up less than a mile from the campus,” he said. “I live less than a mile from the campus and I represented the constituents for 24 years on city council. I obviously have a vested interest in anything that can affect the employees and neighborhood.”
He added the letter is intended to ensure that residents are being well-represented and communication remains open between the university and the public.
Senator Fedor said she has lived in South Toledo for many years and shares similar concerns as local residents.
“We’re concerned that our access is shrinking and that people have to go further to get the help that they need. This is a state-supported medical college and we need to continue strengthening our teaching colleges and providing the community with needed health access,” she said. “It’s important the community is involved in the changes that are happening and that they have input on those changes.”
Daniel Barbee, chief executive officer of UTMC, said last week the local hospital that has served the community for decades isn’t going anywhere. His comments came one day after UTMC employees held a town hall meeting to hear from the community about what services they’d like to remain at the hospital and to ensure it continues as a quality care provider. In August, UTMC announced it would downgrade its trauma designation from Level 1 to Level 3. Mr. Barbee at the time said the number of major trauma patients the hospital receives yearly didn’t warrant UTMC to remain a Level 1 center.
In a statement last week, a spokesman for ProMedica said the affiliation between UT and ProMedica was separate from UTMC.
“The Academic Affiliation is a relationship between ProMedica and The University of Toledo College of Medicine,” the statement read. “It is distinctly separate from the University of Toledo Medical Center (UTMC). As such, ProMedica is not involved in UTMC operations or decisions. The focus of the Academic Affiliation is on academics and research and providing learners the best educational experience possible.”
First Published December 17, 2019, 12:30 a.m.
