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Hospital hearing draws crowd: Activist calling on
gov to declare health crisis
by Jennifer Heldt Powell , Boston Herald
Tuesday, February 12, 2002
More than 1,000 doctors, nurses, residents and community leaders packed
a public hearing at Waltham's high school last night, armed with signs
and stories of saved lives that they hoped will help them save their
hospital.
Deaconess-Waltham Hospital is slated to close in April. CareGroup
Inc.'s plan to shutter the community hospital has touched off a fight
to preserve not just local health care services but a way of life
for Waltham, say some of the 1,200 people who work at the 163-bed
institution.
"We are a committed group who have spent our lives caring for each
other and taking care of our community," said Patricia Camuti, a nurse
at the hospital for 30 years. "It's an incredible thing that I don't
think every hospital has."
John Hamill, chairman of CareGroup's board, was booed when he spoke
last night.
"I recognize the emotion, because I'm emotional too," he said. "This
is an issue we struggled with for well over a year."
The hospital handles 20,000 emergency room visits a year that other
area hospitals would have to absorb. And it runs one of the state's
few psychiatric wards.
But fewer patients are coming to Waltham, and the hospital is on track
to lose up to $9 million this year. CareGroup said it had tried to
find other solutions - including a sale of the hospital - but could
not.
Hamill said there has been a 25 percent drop in patient volume from
1999 to 2001.
The chairman said a $5 million cancer care center that opened in 1999
will remain open and that CareGroup has talked with nearby hospitals
about taking on the emergency room services.
One potential buyer, Essent Healthcare Inc., broke off talks with
CareGroup last week, saying a deal wasn't financially viable.
Hospital supporters say they can come up with a plan to keep its doors
open, given more time and state aid.
Waltham will put up $2 million in city funds if the state will match
that amount, said Mayor David Gately. While there are questions about
whether the money would be enough, Gately called it a start and a
sign of commitment.
"The continuation of this hospital is very important to the community
of Waltham," he said.
The state has a fund for distressed hospitals, with less than $5 million
available.
A group of doctors and other staff are putting together a proposal
to keep the hospital open long enough to stabilize it and find a partner
to preserve it. That plan, expected to be submitted to CareGroup within
days, incorporates money from the city and state, said a group spokesman.
Hamill said CareGroup is talking to some doctors and local business
leaders who want to save the hospital. "We will carefully consider
any proposal they might make."
CareGroup officials said time is quickly running out, but they are
open to workable alternatives.
Boston University professor and health care activist Alan Sager called
on acting Gov. Jane Swift to declare a public health emergency to
keep the hospital open and let the state take over.
State Sen. Susan Fargo (D-Lincoln) was critical of the decision to
close the hospital and of what Swift has done about it. "We want to
stop the 90-day clock," Fargo said. "We want to have what this community
has had for generations - a caring hospital."
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