Area Officials and Community React to Potential Hospital Merger
Faxton St. Luke's Healthcare and St. Elizabeth Medical Center announced Friday the passing of a resolution to begin discussing the benefits of merging or other options that could closely link the hospitals. And now the potential merging is the talk of the town, but still in the preliminary stages. The decision could have an effect on our area economy and the quality of health care. It's a process the medical centers say will take 18 to 24 months to complete, so the Board of Directors and Trustees from both institutions are just getting started. Regardless, the announcement is a big deal, and certainly has people talking.The Chairman of the Board of Directors at Faxton St. Luke's says the economy and government regulations are making it difficult for hospitals to survive, and exploring the potential merge is necessary to sustain the healthcare needs of the community. Utica resident Charles King says the think this action is inevitable. "Because of the way the economy is a lot of businesses are going to have to merge to make ends meet," he says.
But the potential merging of two large area health care providers and employers concerns some area residents. "If they're good people and they care about the community then the merger could be the best thing for the community," says King, "If it's a situation where they don't, then it's going to be a problem."
Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi feels that both health care centers are good institutions, and will do what's best for the area. "They're going to put a lot of thought and study into this and if they think it's something that is going to create longer waits and not good quality patient care I don't think they're going to move forward with it."
Mayor Roefaro reiterated the assemblyman's thoughts, saying that people should not be nervous or concerned at this point. He says we just need to wait and see the plan the board of directors comes up with. Of course what's on the minds of many is the potential loss of jobs through the merger. But both Roefaro and Brindisi say it's just too early to predict the economic impact this will have on the area.
-->By: Elsa Gillis
Updated: December 19, 2011
The Chairman of the Board of Directors at Faxton St. Luke's says the economy and government regulations are making it difficult for hospitals to survive, and exploring the potential merge is necessary to sustain the healthcare needs of the community. Utica resident Charles King says the think this action is inevitable. "Because of the way the economy is a lot of businesses are going to have to merge to make ends meet," he says.
But the potential merging of two large area health care providers and employers concerns some area residents. "If they're good people and they care about the community then the merger could be the best thing for the community," says King, "If it's a situation where they don't, then it's going to be a problem."
Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi feels that both health care centers are good institutions, and will do what's best for the area. "They're going to put a lot of thought and study into this and if they think it's something that is going to create longer waits and not good quality patient care I don't think they're going to move forward with it."
Mayor Roefaro reiterated the assemblyman's thoughts, saying that people should not be nervous or concerned at this point. He says we just need to wait and see the plan the board of directors comes up with. Of course what's on the minds of many is the potential loss of jobs through the merger. But both Roefaro and Brindisi say it's just too early to predict the economic impact this will have on the area.
