At Monday’s County Commissioners meeting, Commission President William Pickrum read into the commission minutes a letter from University of Maryland Shore Health President and CEO Ken Kozel. Kozel addressed the rumors about a possible hospital closure:
Letter from Ken Kozel:
I am sure that you have heard the rumors circulating in Kent County about the hospital. The Facebook site, Save our Hospital, (NOT a Shore Regional Health site, despite its appearance) has unfortunately and unnecessarily stirred the emotions and fears of local residents and hospital employees. The Facebook site’s assertion that there are imminent changes is untrue and we are trying to allay fears.
Toward that end, I wanted you to have the facts about our strategic process and an idea of the estimated time frame for that process, so you can help us reassure the community with factual information.
The facts are that a work group of University of Maryland Shore Regional Health board members, physicians and management has been meeting throughout the past year to understand and evaluate the impact of significant changes in health care at the national, state and local levels and to explore ways to successfully meet these changes and provide sustainable health care services to the region in the future. In gatherings and public communications during the past year to share our new mission, “Creating Healthier Communities Together,” I’ve discussed the magnitude of change in health care and shared a copy of our strategic plan. That strategic plan is the directional guide for the next five years and it calls for us to study the delivery of services throughout the region and to define a future regional plan. We have shared this plan with the community for the past year and it is posted on our website.
Our study this past year has led us to understand the changes affecting us from national and state regulations and laws. What we do not yet know is what the local impact of these changes will be. One thing is clear: the current model of health care in our nation, our state and in our region is not sustainable. We know that change is inevitable and we are working to develop answers to the questions about sustainable quality, access and financial viability in the face of a dramatic change in direction for all of health care. We do not want to see our communities without access to the care they need.
We will not know the answers, nor our roadmap for the future, for approximately nine months, while we undertake a deeper review of our specific services and future needs. That deeper review involves a regional council of the health system Board, management, physicians and other health professionals meeting to assess how specific health care services, community needs and improvement in the health of the region’s people might be addressed in the coming five to seven years. That Council’s work must be completed and thoroughly reviewed by the Board and then shared with the community during the next year.
We do not yet know the scope of local changes. However, we are continuing to provide excellent health care in the Kent County community, at University of Maryland Shore Medical Center in Chestertown and throughout the region, in our mission of creating healthier communities together.
If you have questions or would like to discuss further, please let me know.
Kenneth Kozel
President and CEO
UM Shore Regional Health
MARY WOOD says
I trust that in their planning these dignitaries will take into consideration the fact that there is no longer maternity service at the Chestertown Hospital.
A woman in labor must go to Easton or Annapolis .The Pediatric service has also been shut down.
Sherwin Markman says
Read carefully, the letter sounds pretty ominous to me.
Robert Kramer says
‘…evaluate the impact of significant changes in health care at the national, state and local levels and to explore ways to successfully meet these changes and provide sustainable health care services to the region in the future.’
Ding Dong, BINGO, Sherwin.
Janice Dickson says
Rumor that the hospital is closing, and the best he can do it send a letter. One of the largest employers in the county and he can’t even say “no, the hospital isn’t closing.”
Half truths and obfuscations prevail.
Stay tuned.
Joan Berwick says
Reading between the lines it sounds likely that we will have some reconfiguration of medical services to suit the financial needs of the University of MD Medical Conglomerate.
Tom Pierson says
It’s called Obamacare
nancy dolensek says
The impact of a hospital closure would obviously impact the quality of our health care, but as well would have a significant affect on the economics of our town and the desirability of living in or moving to Chestertown.