Announcements

Dear Save UTMC Coalition,

Over the last couple of months, the Coalition steering committee has been hard at work. We would first like to report that Senator Fedor and the rest of our Ohio legislative leaders have been working with the University to put language in the budget for additional Medicaid dollars that could amount to around $27.5 million dollars for UTMC.

The leadership of the hospital has started training sessions that involve the Epic software that was a significant expenditure for the University. This software will help the University communicate with other facilities and clinics to enhance the patient care experience. Additionally, the University approved monies to upgrade our medication dispensing system. We are hearing that we may be seeing a new MRI machine soon. Just recently the hospital received a three-star rating for overall quality of care from the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services. Our hospital also received a [B] rating in the spring 2021 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, a mark that recognizes the Hospital’s continued focus on patient safety. UTMC is among Toledo’s top metro hospitals in this recent leapfrog report. UTMC CEO Rick Swaine said the hospital’s entire workforce deserves credit for these improved rankings.

On Monday, May 3rd, President Postel delivered his 2021 State of the University address. In his remarks, President Postel reiterated his vigorous support for our hospital and our South Toledo medical campus. President Postel also highlighted a new partnership between the Dana Cancer Center and the Toledo Clinic. The DCC is thriving since partnering with the Toledo Clinic by advancing our resources to help our cancer challenged patients. Dr. James Willey was recently appointed the Medical Director of our Dana Cancer Center.

During the 2020-2021 pandemic our Rockets adapted and triumphed, especially our hospital and it’s health specialties. With a sense of urgency, we became a leader regionally and nationwide. UTMC is currently one of the first sites in the country to enroll patients in a national study aimed at identifying promising COVID-19 treatments. UTMC also continues to serve as one of Ohio’s COVID-19 vaccination sites providing vaccines to the public through its partnership with the Lucas County Health Department. Additionally, the University has hosted several vaccination clinics exclusively for our students, faculty, and staff. Our new advertising states “We are open for you.”

Lastly, our “Save UTMC Coalition” has a new supply of our popular “We Love UTMC/MCO” yard signs. Please call Carty or Randy to get your new yard signage. May you all be safe and blessed as we work together to grow and strengthen our South Toledo campus and hospital.

Carty Finkbeiner
419-309-5636

Randy Desposito
419-671-8001

Dear: SAVE UTMC COALITION MEMBERS,

The University of Toledo Medical Center is in a better place today than it was one year ago.  Amidst one of the world’s worst pandemics in over a century, UTMC is starting to reinvigorate our hospital after many of the staff had given up hope on this institution’s future related to an academic affiliation with Toledo Hospital.  UTMC has served the healthcare needs of N.W. Ohio for over 50 years and its employees have dedicated their lives to healing the patients and to being part of a Health Science Campus that has been known for its teaching, research, and healing.

Currently, we are seeing the University invest money on: 1] A new medical records system to the tune of $28.5 million dollars; 2] More physicians are being hired to treat our patients; 3] The Toledo Clinic has brought on additional physicians to help full-fill the healthcare needs of our campus community; 4] The University has hired a new nurse recruiter to bring on additional nursing staff, and; 5] The University has started an aggressive advertising campaign to bring in new patients.

The hospital is offering COVID vaccinations to the staff that care for our patients and the community, based on the at-risk populations (per our Governor’s roll-out initiative).  Additionally, UTMC has now entered a coronavirus study to determine what drugs are effective in treating the corona virus.  UTMC is one of just 40 hospitals in the nation that are involved in this study.

This is what University healthcare looks like at UTMC at this present time.  We have a way to go, but through the support of our patients, our staff, our physicians, and our community, UTMC can continue to be the hospital of choice for N.W. Ohio, as we continue to respond to the important needs of our patients.

The information above has been provided by Randy Desposito President of AFSCME Local #2415.  Randy, Dr. Jim Willey, recently promoted to Medical Director of the Dana Cancer Center, and Carty will report to the “SAVE UTMC COALITION” monthly on developments taking place on the UTMC campus.  Next month Dr. Willey will report on recent developments at the Dana Cancer Center.

Be well-stay safe and stay in touch!

Randy 419-902-1287                                                                                  

Jim  419-343-8010                                                                      

Carty 419-309-5636                                                                                                               

P.S. Please get your shots!  

Your University of Toledo Medical Center is

Open, Caring, and Growing.

It’s been a challenging year, but your 
Save UTMC Coalition remains strong.

We wish you and your families a
happy and safe holiday season
and a healthy new year.

From Your Save UTMC Coalition
Honorable Marcy Kaptur

ProMedica – ostensibly a non-profit committed to providing a benefit to the community – has relentlessly pursued profit for itself at the expense of the broader community. Nowhere is this more evident right now than in the bullying behavior it displays toward other area healthcare providers. By continuing to siphon doctors and services away from UTMC and moving St. Luke’s Hospital to “out of network” status with its insurance subsidiary, Paramount, ProMedica is putting barriers between patients and their doctors at the worst possible time. We are in the midst of the worst pandemic in over a century. Thousands of people are getting sick and dying from COVID-19 right here in Northwest Ohio. In fact, ProMedica has received $163 million from the taxpayers to fight the disease in 29 states, with $28 million of that amount received from the federal government to fight COVID-19 – more than any other Toledo hospital has received.

In times like this, healthcare providers need to put their own interests aside and work together to prioritize the health and safety of every citizen. Yet, ProMedica is working to do just the opposite – making healthcare less accessible and less affordable to an increasingly vulnerable population just to line their own pockets. For shame!

ProMedica’s actions suggest that it no longer sees itself as a healthcare company but as a brokerage firm that trades in healthcare assets, flipping hospitals and raiding private practices. If there are voices in ProMedica that are still committed to practicing healthcare first and business second, they must push their company to halt the transfer of physicians away from UTMC and allow Attorney General Yost to complete his investigation into the 2015 UT-ProMedica affiliation agreement. In doing so, they would be honoring the sacred maxim taught to health care practitioners all over the world for centuries – “First, do no harm.”

The last few weeks have been very positive for the UTMC South Toledo Campus and our Coalition! This past Monday, September 22, the University of Toledo Board of Trustees extended the interim president Gregory Postel’s post to 24 months. Our coalition has found Dr. Postel open and positive to work with. We believe he is keeping a much closer watch on our Health Science Campus than was his predecessor.

Earlier this month, our Steering Committee, Northwest Ohio public officials, and several ranking UT officials spent 2 hours in teleconference with President Postel and Board Chair Al Baker. It was a very interesting and satisfactory conversation, and we have learned that many positive initiatives are being considered by the university.

Also, in the past 2 months, our UTMC Hospital exceeded fiscal expectations for the first two months of the fiscal year by $6 million.

Another positive: Dr. Ishmael Parsai, a very talented research scientist working at the Dana Cancer Center had been ordered to report to ProMedica’s Flower Hospital by Sept. 1. He refused. The Save UTMC Coalition stood firmly behind Dr. Parsai, and he has been allowed to continue his work at the Dana Cancer Center.

Finally, backed with our support, 15 doctors from the Toledo Clinic have begun practicing at our South Toledo campus. We could not be more delighted.

We thank all our members, including AFSCME Local 2415 members for all of your strength, courage, hard work, and endurance on working to save UTMC. We have beautiful coffee mugs with our logo for each family on our roster, and plenty of yard signs to go around. Please contact Carty or Randy and they will let you know how you can get either item.

Thank you for your encouragement and support!

Carty Finkbeiner, Save UTMC Coalition Steering Committee            419-389-4940

Randy Desposito, President, AFSCME Local 2415                              419-902-1287

It has been a while since we last met, but a very important meeting and rally is scheduled for this upcoming Saturday, September 5 at noon on the lawn outside Dana Cancer Center. In recent weeks, Dean Chris Cooper has demanded that an esteemed Dana Cancer doctor involved in highly valued cancer research be transferred to ProMedica Flower Hospital. Dr Parsai feels that the work he is doing at the Dana Cancer Center is too important to abort and will not be continued at Flower Hospital.

Dr. Parsai stood up to Dean Cooper in opposition to his demand and Cooper refused his request to remain at UTMC Dana Cancer Center. Save UTMC has been working on Dr. Parsai’s behalf and we need to show up in support.

Please join us at noon on the lawn outside Dana Cancer Center. Wear your mask and bring a lawn chair or blanket to sit on. We’ll have yard signs and bumper stickers available.

Call us if you have any questions or comments.

Randy Desposito – 419-982-1287

Facebook event (click here to visit)

The Save UTMC Coalition is delighted that the University of Toledo has suspended plans to sell or lease UTMC, and we genuinely thank interim President Dr. Gregory Postel, and Board of Trustees Chairman Al Baker, for seeking new partnerships and funding initiatives that can form the foundation of UTMC’s future successes.

Thi is the appropriate time, we believe, to put on paper our vision and plan to support and enhance the medical campus and its hospital.

1. We remain opposed to any plan to sell, transfer, or co-manage UTMC, until all details of such a deal are made public, and time is provided for appropriate review and community input.
2. On July 1, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost halted transfers of physicians and programs from UTMC to ProMedica Toledo Hospital for 90 days. Based upon anti-competitive constrictions written into the 2015 Affiliation Agreement between UT and ProMedica, the ban on transfers should remain in place until all UTMC stakeholders’ concerns are addressed.
3. As for the Affiliation Agreement, we support the initiative of State Senator Teresa Fedor with AG Yost, and ask UT leadership to invoke arbitration if ongoing, anti-competitive decisions are not ended, and past harmful actions are not corrected.
4. We request that negotiations between current UTMC management and Toledo Clinic officials be encouraged and supported by UT administration and trustees, and that doctors of both institutions be welcomed to practice at both campuses as respective services are needed. Initial discussions between UTMC and Toledo Clinic centered upon the Dana Cancer Center, but additional opportunities to address physician shortages at UTMC, due to forced transfer of doctors to ProMedica Toledo Hospital, must also be on the table;
5. Re-establish Level 2 trauma support status at UTMC as soon as possible, in conjunction with physician support from the Toledo Clinic Association.
6. Carefully scrutinize and minimize inter-departmental cross-charges imposed upon UTMC to the main Bancroft St. UT campus. According to the recent State audit, UTMC had an operational profit between 2016-2018. However, cross-charges caused an overall deficit, resulting in unsustainable financial strain on UTMC.
7. Take steps to sustain the financial solvency of the University of Toledo Physicians (UTP) Group as a source of physician activity at UTMC.
8. Support and market the COVID-19 test capacity of the UTMC Pathology Lab. Our research scientists developed a test that reliably provides results in 24-48 hours.
9. Marketing! Marketing! Marketing! LET’S GET WITH IT, UTMC!
10. The Neighborhood Health Association is very interested in being on our South Toledo campus. UTMC management, the Toledo Clinic, and NHA are developing excellent plans to increase cancer care at the Dana Cancer Center. Encourage them!
11. We have major brand-name organizations in our immediate neighborhood: The Veterans Administration Clinic; The American Red Cross; the Area Office on Aging; the Ohio Mental Health Department — they should be encouraged to partner and expand within our Medical Center Campus. Dr. Michael Ellis of UTMC, and the Toledo Clinic, are developing resources so regional veterans may be treated at the Dana Center, instead of traveling to Ann Arbor. Save UTMC encourages and support these efforts.
12. Area labor organizations are supporting Save UTMC. Let’s encourage their families to find a home on our campus, and with our doctors and hospital.
13. Public Television is also adjacent to our campus. The last three months have introduced our national family to continuous discussions of not only Corona virus, but health and wellness in general. Let’s explore a professional relationship with WGTE Channel 30 – perhaps weekly talk programs, covering what is current, timely, and featuring interviews with doctors, nurses, and staff—all focused upon improving Toledoans health and well-being.

The Save UTMC Coalition is looking ahead, knowing full well that community partnerships and increased revenue are necessary to move the medical campus forward.

We are confident our best and hopes and aspirations can be realized – if we all work together!

Carty Finkbeiner, Former Mayor of Toledo – Coordinator
Matt Cherry, President, Toledo City Council
Kevin Dalton, President, Toledo Federation of Teachers
Randy Desposito, President, AFSCME Local #2415
Shaun Enright, President, Greater NWO AFL-CIO
Teresa Fedor, Ohio State Senator
Theresa M. Gabriel, Executive Board NAACP, and Former Toledo Councilwoman
Paula Hicks-Hudson, Ohio State Representative and Former Mayor of Toledo
Rob Ludeman, At-Large Toledo City Councilman
John McSweeney, Ph.D., Professor of Psychiatry, UTMC
Sean Nestor, Treasurer, Save UTMC
Erika D. White, President CWA Local #4319
James C. Willey, M.D., Professor of Medicine, UTMC
Eric Zgodzinski, Commissioner, Toledo-Lucas County Health Department

Honorary Chairman, Marcy Kaptur, U.S. Representative

Toledo, OH – Today, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09) and members of the Save UTMC Coalition, including state Senator Teresa Fedor (D-Toledo) and former Toledo Mayor Carty Finkbeiner, released the following statement in response to the announcement that the University of Toledo will indefinitely postpone the Request for Proposals (RFP) process issued for its medical center:

“I am thankful the University of Toledo Board and UT Interim President Dr. Gregory Postel have answered our community’s call to stay the sale of UTMC‘S Teaching Hospital and emptying out of its publicly-financed academic research and medical campus. This entire situation demands full sunlight and an accounting to our citizenry,” said Rep. Kaptur.

“Divesting or dramatically emptying out operations at northwest Ohio’s only public hospital during a public health emergency in my view would not only be a mistake, but a moral injustice. This campus serves as a major hub for advancing health outcomes, spurring innovation for economic growth, and linking to medically underserved areas in our tristate region,” Kaptur added.

“Significant federal funding through the CARES Act, which I fully supported, has recently been delivered to UTMC. To date, more than $21.5 million in CARES direct funding has been directed to UTMC. This means the hospital has been provided bridge funding to the future. In addition, realigned federal and state sponsored care reimbursements, a dedicated, hardworking physician and medical corps of professionals and an interim president who understands the importance of academic medical research, the hospital’s financials will improve,” continued Kaptur.

“While today’s decision is a step in the right direction, there remain too many unanswered questions. A complete audit covering the pre and post 2015 period at the University will better enable us to determine how UTMC’s financial standing has become so dire,” concluded Kaptur.

“This is a reasonable move amid the financial status of the university. There will be many challenges ahead and we look forward to working together,” said state Senator Teresa Fedor. “We have made great strides towards saving our public hospital, and to continue that work, we must maintain our status as a teaching and research institution. This is not an asset to be trifled with. We have seen what the hospital can do when it came to forging the path for COVID-19 testing in the region.”

“The delay will give UTMC time to identify and finalize partnerships with important allies such as the Toledo Clinic. Such a partnership would help UTMC replace more of the doctors who moved to ProMedica and enhance healthcare for the region. The delay also could help the Save UTMC Coalition find answers to the questions surrounding the flow of funds in and out of the hospital and determine the net worth of this important state asset,” former Toledo Mayor Carty Finkbeiner said.

Northwest Ohio legislators were scheduled to meet today with Ohio Auditor Keith Faber’s office.

The University of Toledo stated one reason for this decision was the public scrutiny surrounding a 50-year academic affiliation agreement between ProMedica and UT for its College of Medicine and Life Sciences (COM&LS). The agreement was initiated as a way to improve the university’s finances and help advance the COM&LS’s academic and research mission. However, the Save UTMC Coalition argues that the agreement has only exacerbated the university’s financial issues.

Thank you for the energy and brain power you’ve invested in our collective efforts to stabilize and grow the South Toledo medical campus and UTMC Hospital.

Dr. Gregory Postel has taken the reins as the University of Toledo’s Interim President, and Al Baker has been appointed Chairman of the Board of Trustees. This is the appropriate time, I believe, to put on paper our vision and plan to support and enhance the campus and its hospital on Arlington Ave.

With great respect for the ideas and priorities of all invested in Save UTMC, we offer the following: 

1. We oppose any plan to sell, transfer, or co-manage UTMC to/with ProMedica, or any other hospital system, until all details of such a deal are made public, and time is provided for appropriate review and community input.

2. On July 1, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost halted transfers of physicians and programs from UTMC to ProMedica Toledo Hospital for 90 days. Based upon anti-competitive constrictions written into the 2015 Affiliation Agreement between UT and ProMedica, the ban on transfers should remain in place until all UTMC stakeholders’ concerns are addressed.

3. As for the Affiliation Agreement, we support the initiative of State Senator Teresa Fedor with AG Yost, and ask UT leadership to invoke arbitration if ongoing, anti-competitive decisions are not ended, and past harmful actions are not corrected. 

4. We request that negotiations between current UTMC management and Toledo Clinic officials be encouraged and supported by UT administration and trustees, and that doctors of both institutions be welcomed to practice at both campuses as respective services are needed. Initial discussions between UTMC and Toledo Clinic centered upon the Dana Cancer Center, but additional opportunities to address physician shortages at UTMC, due to forced transfer of doctors to ProMedica Toledo Hospital, must also be on the table;

5. Re-establish Level 2 trauma support status at UTMC as soon as possible, in conjunction with physician support from the Toledo Clinic Association.
   
   
6. Carefully scrutinize and minimize inter-departmental cross-charges imposed upon UTMC to the main Bancroft St. UT campus. According to the recent State audit, UTMC had an operational profit between 2016-2018. However, cross-charges caused an overall deficit, resulting in unsustainable financial strain on UTMC.
   
   
7. Take steps to sustain the financial solvency of the University of Toledo Physicians (UTP) Group as a source of physician activity at UTMC.
   
   
8. Support and market the COVID-19 test capacity of the UTMC Pathology Lab. Our research scientists developed a test that reliably provides results in 24-48 hours.
   
   
9. Marketing! Marketing! Marketing! LET’S GET WITH IT, UTMC!
   
   
10. The Neighborhood Health Association (NHA) is very interested in being on our South Toledo campus. UTMC management, the Toledo Clinic, and NHA are developing excellent plans to increase cancer care at the Dana Cancer Center. Encourage them!
    
    
11. We have major brand-name organizations in our immediate neighborhood: The Veterans Administration Clinic; The American Red Cross; the Area Office on Aging; the Ohio Mental Health Department— they should be encouraged to partner and expand within our Medical Center Campus. Dr. Michael Ellis of UTMC, and the Toledo Clinic, are developing resources so regional veterans may be treated at the Dana Center, instead of traveling to Ann Arbor. Save UTMC encourages and support these efforts.
    
    
12. Area labor organizations are supporting Save UTMC. Let’s encourage their families to find a home on our campus, and with our doctors and hospital.
    
    
13. Public Television is also adjacent to our campus. The last three months have introduced our national family to continuous discussions of not only Corona virus, but health and wellness in general. Let’s explore a professional relationship with WGTE Channel 30 – perhaps weekly talk programs, covering what is current, timely, and featuring interviews with doctors, nurses, and staff—all focused upon improving Toledoans health and wellbeing.

The Save UTMC Coalition is looking ahead, knowing full well that community partnerships and increased revenue is necessary to move the medical campus forward. We stand ready to work together with all concerned parties to SAVE UTMC!

Happy Fourth of July to each and every one of you!! The last few days have seen three positive results for Save UTMC.

First, we have been told by UTMC doctors that there will be no physicians or UTMC personnel transferred to Toledo Hospital on July 1.

Second, UT Interim President Gregory Postel has announced there will be no funds transferred from the University of Toledo Physicians Fund (UTMC) to the University of Toledo’s main campus. This has been a major point of contention recently, as UT Dean of the College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Dr. Christopher Cooper, has transferred millions of dollars in just such a way.

Third, Al Baker will succeed Mary Ellen Pisanelli as Chairman of the Board of Trustees.

Also, US Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur has spoken directly with Governor Mike DeWine, Ohio Senator Teresa Fedor, and fellow NW Ohio representatives about keeping key information and data supporting UTMC in front of Ohio officials.

Finally, AFSCME Local #2415 placed a magnificent full-page ad in The Blade on Sunday June 28, supporting the contributions made by UTMC and its dedicated personnel.

Two sad notes: Dan Johnson and Lynn Brand have passed away. Lynn was one of our most dedicated supporters; she was President of UTMC Satellites (volunteers) for many years. Dan Johnson was president of UT from 2001-2006. Following leadership roles at universities in the United Arab Emirates, he returned to Toledo, retaining UT titles of president emeritus and distinguished professor of public policy and economic development.

 Our work goes on— I recently read the following:

Public sentiment is everything. With it, nothing can fail; against it, nothing can succeed. Whoever moulds it, public sentiment goes deeper than he who enacts statutes or pronounces judicial decisions.

Abe Lincoln, Aug. 1858

                                                                                                           

With these words in mind, we’ll keep on truckin’!

Carty Finkbeiner, and the Save UTMC Team