Blade Editorial: How to save UTMC

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Note: this editorial was published in the April 8, 2020 edition of the Toledo Blade.

It is important that Greater Toledo retains its own hospital system.

It no longer has its own bank.

And it has precious few Fortune 500 corporate leaders active as citizens — the kind of people who built and nurtured and led Toledo in the past.

At the same time, there is a countervailing social good before us. It is important that ProMedica not be allowed to do its own gobbling when another vital community resource is at stake — the former Medical College of Ohio and the UTMC hospital.

If that hospital goes out of business, or if all of the medical college students and faculty are transferred to the Toledo Hospital campus owned by ProMedica, that’s clearly good for ProMedica.

But it is bad for the medical college, which would see its custom built campus hollowed out. And it is bad for South Toledo, which would lose a community hospital.

It would also be bad in the era of coronavirus, when there are clearly not enough doctors, nurses, or hospital beds available.

Suddenly the hospital consolidation and centralization model looks not so wise and not so healthy. We are being reminded that nonprofits devoted to public health should actually be that, first and last.

To not only save but to re-energize the UTMC campus and hospital the campus must be repopulated — with doctors.

And there is a way to do that. It is to not only allow but to invite and welcome Toledo Clinic doctors to practice and teach on the medical campus. Toledo Clinic is a large practice without a host hospital.

UTMC needs doctors. The marriage is natural, rational, and just. In the past it has been avoided or prevented. It should now be encouraged.

Bringing Toledo Clinic to UTMC as a partner simply makes sense, and it does not harm ProMedica, which will still have the capacity to host medical college students at ProMedica Toledo Hospital.

The University of Toledo’s president and board need to make this simple revivifying reform happen.

Blade: UT board remains mum about closed-door meetings

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Members of the Save UTMC Citizens Group were hopeful the University of Toledo Board of Trustees would emerge from its latest meeting behind closed doors to announce that it is moving forward Monday with initiatives to help save the the college’s medical center.

Instead, trustees emerged from their special meeting to discuss the ”trade secrets and the sale of property” only to announce no action would be taken. 

Click here to read the full article

News Release 4/3/2020

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It is vital that we remain in communication at this profoundly significant moment in our world, country, and community—and we, the Save UTMC Coalition will do just that on a weekly basis.

Former Mayor of Toledo, Carty Finkbeiner, is on the steering committee of this group. He was recently asked of our objective. He states:

  • Bring Toledo together in support of retaining our South Toledo Medical Campus and UTMC Hospital. It is critical during this public health crisis, one not endured in a generation, that human beings with healthcare needs have immediate proximity to a hospital;
  • Demonstrate to University of Toledo leadership the positive impact our South Toledo Medical Campus makes;
  • Assist UT leadership in finding specific ways the South Toledo Medical Campus can be financially stabilized ASAP, and grow in fiscal strength;
  • Find medical and financial partnerships to assist with this growth.

Progress on these four points is happening. The Blade reports a breakthrough in COVID-19 testing made by researchers at the UTMC Campus. Previously, virus testing took 4-to-5 days. UTMC now provides test results in under 8 hours.

Toledo Blade: “UTMC specialists worked swiftly…“

Meanwhile, Dr. James C. Willey, and other UT doctors, have been working with the Toledo Clinic to welcome new physicians to our campus. Leadership at TCC has been fantastic. We hope UT leadership will soon sign this collaborative agreement, which will bring both doctors
and dollars to our South Toledo Medical Campus.

Finally, the congressional appropriation of $2.6 TRILLION dollars includes $300 billion for hospitals. We expect that the demonstrated accomplishment of UTMC researchers will gain the attention and consideration of Ohio Governor Mike Dewine.

We will gather together again, in-person, as soon as public health protocols allow. Meanwhile, we offer all our best wishes for health and safety.

We remain strong for UTMC and our South Toledo Medical Campus,

The Save UTMC Coalition

Blade: ‘Critical for society’: How UTMC specialists worked swiftly to bring coronavirus testing to area

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“Testing in Lucas County previously took up to eight days for results to finalize even as concerns around the global pandemic continued to heighten and the number of confirmed cases skyrocketed nationwide.

But today, the lab at UTMC can test up to 180 samples a day and returns take 48 hours or less. That quick turnaround is possible thanks to efforts from molecular specialists such as Ji-Youn Yeo and Heather Kvale and a handful of others at UTMC, according to Cynthia O’Connell, the administrative director of the medical center’s pathology lab.”

Click here to read the full article

Blade: UTMC announces lab testing for coronavirus

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“Amid shortages around the country, the University of Toledo Medical Center announced Tuesday its pathology lab has started testing samples for coronavirus in an effort to speed up the time it takes to process results locally.

The testing, which began Monday with a beta-test batch of 21 samples, takes up to 48 hours for results. The lab at UTMC, the former Medical College of Ohio hospital, has the capability to process up to 180 samples per day through two batches of 90 samples each. The lab is the first in northwest Ohio equipped to test for coronavirus. Officials hope it will drastically cut the time it takes to process a test locally.”

Click here to read the full article

News Release 3/24/2020

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Local news outlets, including The Blade and 13ABC, have reported that the pathology lab at the University of Toledo Medical Center “has started testing samples for coronavirus.” The Blade, Brooks Sutherland, March 24, 2020

This is a developing story, and we encourage you to keep up with information via local media outlets, and our own Save UTMC website, and Facebook groups (see links below).

At this time, there is no directly discernable connection between onsite COVID19 testing at UTMC and the future of our South Toledo medical teaching facility. However, we view this development at this historic moment in public health as another reason to remain dedicated, with enthusiasm, to our mission: the preservation of our hospital and its Health Science Campus.

News Release 3/20/2020

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Due to the corona virus, we will not be having a Town Hall meeting this Saturday, March 21 .

Your health and safety, and our community’s health, are top priorities, and without you this movement would not be possible. Additionally, we would like to express our gratitude for the support you give in our united effort to “Save UTMC” and our South Toledo Health Science Campus.

ACTIVITIES OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE MARCH 16

Earlier this week our steering committee teleconferenced with UT President Sharon Gaber. Several issues were discussed, and future conversations will be held. That same day, Carty spoke with Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur at some length regarding her vision for our hospital and its Health Science Campus working in collaboration with other hospitals to better serve the general public. Follow-up conversations with both President Gaber and Congresswoman Kaptur
are on the agenda.

Financial challenges are never easy. However, all of us, including President Gaber and Congresswoman Kaptur, are joining efforts to seek the very best solutions possible for South Toledo families, businesses, unions, and our South Toledo Medical Campus. All concerned deserve, and will get, our united very best effort!

ONGOING COMMUNICATION

During this medical crisis it is very important that we all remain in communication with each other. Toward that end, our social media and public relations teams met this week to improve our digital footprint. We have since then developed a new “SAVE UTMC” webpage, where you will be able to find a lot of helpful and interesting information, including news articles, videos, our petition, and information on yard signs. In addition to clickable links on this page, (which is a template we will be using for all upcoming media releases), you can reach the webpage at one of the following three addresses:
saveutmc.com saveutmc.org saveutmc.net

We will also continue running our current Facebook group sites as well. So, look for the latest updates and information on our new website, and keep yourselves well informed.

You can also help us get our magnificent yard signs up at your neighbors’ and friends’ homes in South Toledo, where our goal is 2 yard signs on every street.

We welcome any suggestions you might have to improve our communication with each other and our outreach to fellow citizens who are not yet in touch with us. If you have any suggestions, please call:

Carty Finkbeiner: 419-309-5636 Randy Desposito: 419-902-1287

We should not let our presently curtailed lifestyles halt the momentum, energy, and enthusiasm of our mission: the preservation of our hospital and its Health Science Campus. Our South Toledo community deserves no less.

SAVE UTMC TOGETHER!

March 21 public meeting postponed due to COVID

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The public meeting planned for March 21 at the Heatherdowns Branch Library has been postponed due to concerns over the ongoing spread of COVID-19, the coronavirus.

Save UTMC organizers are hard at work exploring options for a digital town hall. Stay tuned!

To the editor: Recalling MCO glory

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Note: this letter was published in the March 14, 2020 edition of the Toledo Blade.

The fact that the former Medical College of Ohio hospital has been pretty much decimated at the greedy hands of ProMedica is very disturbing to me and many others. I used to work there back during its glory days and was very proud to be a simple part of that institution.

I worked in the heart station and saw firsthand the care and attitude of the health-care providers. There were so many exceptional doctors. For cardiac care and orthopedics, MCO was the place to go. The heart and kidney transplant teams were becoming renowned. We had a Level 1 brain trauma center. It was not unusual for the heart surgeons and cardiac physicians to sit at the bedsides of patients into the wee hours of the morning in an effort to assure the well-being of their patients.

When my mother was taken to MCO via squad, I found out about it as I was leaving home for work. I immediately went to her room and will never forget that four cardiologists were around her bedside. They did not know she was my mom. Administration stressed that we should treat everyone as a patient or customer, everyone we came in contact with daily, which was the true meaning of team health care.

We were taught to respect and address the needs of everyone from radiology to physicians, nurses and techs, so that patients received the best care possible. The fact that it was becoming a well known teaching hospital was quite thrilling. The students, interns, etc., were very well trained and were a special breed. The whole Medical College of Ohio concept was something for our region to be proud of. Now, it is unrecognizable, and that is a shame.

RITA OTT
Sylvania