Note: this letter to the editor was published in the November 14, 2020 edition of the Toledo Blade.
In last Sunday’s Toledo Blade the Save UTMC Coalition placed an ad calling ProMedica arrogant and selfish.
Thursday’s Blade had a story with the headline, “McLaren St. Luke’s files lawsuit against ProMedica,” which said the legal complaint accuses ProMedica of attempting to eliminate competition from the University of Toledo Medical Center, the former Medical College of Ohio Hospital, by engaging in an affiliation agreement that has shifted large numbers of faculty from UTMC to ProMedica.
Both St. Luke’s and UTMC have lost markets share since 2015, and ProMedica has monopoly power in the market, according to the lawsuit.
Over the past few months, Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center, McLaren St. Luke’s Hospital and the coalition have each lashed out at the blatant efforts of ProMedica to eliminate competition. If ProMedica succeeds, medical and hospital bills in the Toledo area would soar.
The coalition will stand with University of Toledo President, Dr. Gregory Postel, as he places programs and professional administrators in key positions at UTMC, each committed to bringing fresh energy, talent, and leadership skills to UTMC and the medical campus.
Our coalition is grateful to U.S. Reps. Marcy Kaptur and Bob Latta, state Sen. Teresa Fedor, and the northwest Ohio delegation for their ongoing support. To St. Luke’s, thank you for your leadership. Thanks to the Toledo Clinic for your teamwork.
Toledo area residents, please speak out loudly against the arrogant efforts of ProMedica to eliminate health-care competition. Citizens, please stand solidly behind our united effort to sustain each of Toledo-Lucas County’s present hospital systems.
The critical effort to defeat the pandemic requires all of our hospital systems working together on a daily basis. Together, we can and will defeat our opponent.
CARTY FINKBEINER
Former Toledo mayor and coordinator, Save UTMC