Most events celebrating America’s labor movement might be canceled this year because of the coronavirus pandemic, but that wasn’t the case Saturday for those who have labored for the past nine months in support of the University of Toledo Medical Center.
A crowd of about 60 people consisting of elected officials; UTMC doctors, nurses, and staff; and community supporters gathered Saturday afternoon in front of the Eleanor N. Dana Cancer Center to reaffirm their commitment to preserving the former Medical College of Ohio as South Toledo’s hospital and research institution.
The event was billed as an opportunity to update Save UTMC members and the community of recent initiatives to stop ongoing plans by the university to transfer services and doctors from the medical center to ProMedica.
Most recently, state lawmakers and Save UTMC members submitted letters to UT officials criticizing plans by the university to transfer residents, faculty, and programs from the cancer center on UTMC’s campus to ProMedica’s Flower Hospital that argued such a move would dismantle the nationally renowned residency program to UTMC’s detriment.
Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz told the crowd Saturday that university leaders have since invited him, along with Save UTMC members and Ohio elected officials at the state and federal level, to meet Wednesday and discuss plans for UTMC.
Mr. Kapszukiewicz said such a meeting likely wouldn’t have occurred months ago without the efforts of Save UTMC members, who have aggressively pushed back against the university.
“I don’t think that’s a criticism of the university per se, I just think that organizations respond to power. And frankly, a year ago, or nine months ago when this movement began, I don’t think this movement was seen as very powerful,” he said. “To put it plainly, this is a powerful organization right now and it takes citizen power to make change at higher levels I think it’s a good and healthy thing.”
Carty Finkbeiner, a former Toledo mayor who heads the Save UTMC coalition, said he felt encouraged that interim UT president Dr. Gregory Postel is willing to meet with lawmakers and the community to discuss UTMC’s future.
“Dr. Postel seems to be working very hard to hear other points of view than the ones that his predecessor and the board were following,” Mr. Finkbeiner said. “Hopefully that leads to more productive conversations on what’s best for this hospital and northwest Ohio in general.”
State lawmakers sent a letter to Dr. Postel late last month asking him to halt all future transfers from UTMC to ProMedica until the Ohio Attorney General’s Office concludes a review of the much-criticized 2015 affiliation agreement between the university and ProMedica.
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s office confirmed last month it is “looking at issues involving the University of Toledo Medical Center.”
UTMC supporters said they’ve been interviewed by the attorney general’s office about the agreement, which provided UT’s College of Medicine and Life Sciences with financial compensation in exchange for the training of residents at ProMedica facilities. UT officials likewise have said they are “cooperating with the state of Ohio as it reviews the Academic Affiliation Agreement.”
The deal was originally portrayed as a partnership to bolster the medical college’s finances and improve the medical education for residents and students, drawing medical talent to the region.
However, state lawmakers and UTMC supporters from the South Toledo community argue the hospital has suffered financially after a large number of UTMC faculty and hospital residents were moved to ProMedica’s flagship Toledo Hospital, leaving the public teaching hospital a shell of its former self.
UT officials say the planned transfers this month from the Dana Cancer Center are necessary because radiation oncology physicians’ recent resignations put its medical physics program at risk of not meeting accreditation requirements. They added UT reached out to ProMedica for assistance. The program’s accreditation was approved for three years on Tuesday.
Wednesday’s meeting will occur as UT officials work to finalize its budget, which is slated to be reviewed by the board later this month.
In June, the board approved a roughly $171.8 million temporary budget. During that time, board members said UTMC has suffered steep financial losses — including a more than $25 million budget deficit — and has become unsustainable. At that time, board members were also considering proposals to purchase, lease, or manage the medical college.
Officials announced in July they were tabling those plans indefinitely, in part because of an influx in federal money they believe will help offset some of UTMC’s financial burdens.
The next budget meeting is scheduled for Sept. 21.
First Published September 5, 2020, 11:49 p.m.
