Dr. Jerry O’Connor, a surgeon who has practiced for 32 years at the University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Chestertown, has some very serious concerns about the future of the Chestertown hospital. After three decades of watching the medical center be downsized and merged into the UM Health system, he has decided to speak out about those concerns as Shore Health begins a final review process for its long term strategic master plan.
One of Dr. O’Connor’s issues is related to the process that Shore Health has used in this planning effort, which he feels has ignored or marginalized the concerns of many medical professionals in Chestertown. But his main concern is the possible loss of in-patient care in Kent County. He believes this is a result of Shore Health, and other Maryland health care providers, relying on GBR (global budget revenue) and population health metrics which focuses on numbers rather than people.
In his Spy interview, Dr. O’Connor remains guardedly optimistic that Shore Regional Health leadership has not closed the door on a workable solution for Chestertown. In particular, he is eager for decision-makers to look more carefully at making Chestertown a “Critical Access Hospital” allowing for a more flexible reimbursement structure. While that might take some time, he feels Shore Health can in the meantime do far more outreach and consultation with doctors in Kent County before a final plan of action has been decided.
This video is approximately fifteen minutes in length
Sherwin Markman says
For more than a year, I have questioned the veracity of the Hospital’s s0-called commitment to our community (including my comments here on their misleading published propaganda missives). Now we have been blessed with Dr. O’Connor’s well founded words. We should all pay close attention to what he says and do what we can to back him up.
MARY WOOD says
Thank you for bringing Dr. O’Connor to your readers. He is explaining what many members of the community old and young have been concerned about. “Our” hospital is being turned into some sort of money making machine – and the health of people in this area is second to efficiency and profit.
I have read Mr. Kozel’s pronouncements. He does not seem to understand that this community raised the money to build the hospital and has supported it through the years. I think it a dereliction of duty to have eliminated Maternity and Pediatrics. I have heard of a young woman in Rock Hall who has scheduled a Cesarean so as not to be caught in labor on the Bay Bridge on her way to Anne Arundel hospital on a weekend. What can be done?
Al Townshend says
Cooperate America, even in the health care industry seems to care little for anything but the almighty bottom dollar. University of Maryland Shore Medical Center has already stopped several critical services with no concern for the community hoping to attract young couples and those contemplating retirement. It is my understanding there are no obstetrical services offered unless it is an emergency. If there are no inpatient services, who, looking for a home to retire would consider Chestertown? What is that going to do to property values? If there is an exit, what impact will that have on our current businesses, let alone our efforts to attract new businesses?
Their next step, loss of In-Patient care at our hospital, will have devastating effects not on the health services of the community but it will also have a far reaching economical effect on our citizens as well. I am only a veterinarian but I too took the Hippocratic Oath as did all of the doctors among the decision makers at University of Maryland Medical Facilities and a major part of that oath is to DO NO HARM!!!
It’s time that we all join with our doctors (including our congressmen, county commissioners and town councils) in doing all we can to make our concerns known and resist this unethical and in my opinion immoral effort to leave us high and dry.
Al Townshend, DVM
William Graham says
What is the chance that our community could buy the hospital from the University? I feel that the lack of obstetrics and the reduction of beds effects our ability to attract young families as well as retirees to our county. Obtaining a Certificate of Need, I am advised, would be very uphill considering the politics of such a move. I applaud Dr. O’Connor’s expression of concern, but I feel that we should not take half measures to get our hospital back. Dr. Joseph Aquilla through Letters to the Editor in the Kent News has long warned of the consequences of the takeover by the University of Maryland.
https://mhcc.dhmh.maryland.gov/certificateofneed/Pages/default.aspx
William Graham
Galena
Patricia Deitz says
I am very heartened by Dr. O’Connor’s decision to bring the true health care needs of our community back into the discussion, as Shore Regional and University of Maryland proceed to dismantle our hospital based on the bottom line of a huge medical system in which our small county appears insignificant. The option of Chester River becoming a “critial access hospital” seems very relevant, since those words describe exactly what the seniors and families who live here need: an accessible, local acute care facility providing treatment and prevention services. I am sure there are enough citizens in this community prepared to join in the effort to keep a functional hospital in Chestertown. How should we proceed?
Dr Jerry OConnor says
We have had three “consortium ” meetings with business leaders, Washington College, Board of Ed Chamber of Commerce, Heron Point, local mayors, senators and delegates and we are rolling..for one purpose… to preserve the services at this Hospital…stay tuned…there will be a community meeting ….soon
MARY WOOD says
We are all in agreement who will lead the way? Should there be an area wide meeting? I think the idea of trying to buy back the hospital might be the way to go. The Board would be local citizens. and the slogan would be “Do No Harm”
Keith Thompson says
Interesting interview, but the very end of Dr. O’Connor’s comments indicate where a lot of the disconnect lies. He is apparently bothered that Chestertown and Kent County is considered a rural community and therefore the funding qualifications as well as the functions of the hospital are defined as that of a rural community. This is a rural community which has both of its advantages as well as its drawbacks. One of those drawbacks is that rural communities don’t have the same access to services that urban and suburban communities have. One has to expect that when one moves from an urban or suburban community into a rural community. It is certainly possible for a rural community to grow into a suburban community (just look up the road at Middletown where residents now have access to a local healthcare facility when they previously had to go to Christiana) where you will gain access to more of the services that urban and suburban facilities have (plus gain the problems of those communities). Of course, doing that means that you lose the advantages that a rural area has. It’s a balancing act and I think many are guilty of wanting it both ways here. I find it interesting that many of the same people who are complaining about the loss of services at the hospital or are complaining about school consolidation plans are the same people who were complaining about Tractor Supply Company opening shop in the Kent Plaza. If you want to keep your hospital or you want better schools, you need the community to grow by giving more opportunities and incentives to get more people, especially young families, moving here. That doesn’t mean Chestertown is going to become the next Middletown or Kent Island, but it has to grow in a way that sustains the community and retains the area’s culture and history. I do think the county (and the municipalities) are moving more in that direction (the push for improved internet is exciting) but that requires that people accept that Kent County has to adapt. If it doesn’t, it will go from being a rural paradise to a rural backwater.
Angry Mob says
Great work Spy!
Jill Hessey says
I worked at what started out as Kent & Queen Anne’s Hospital for 22 years. I therefore enjoy
The privilege of having known it as it was and the pain of seeing what it is happening to it.
Like others opposed to the merger I struggled to accept it and hoped that it would bring good
things to healthcare in the community. However as Dr. O’Connor points out few of the pacifier promises made by UMMS were delivered. What had been a vibrant and deeply committed group of physicians and hospital staff was methodically whittled down via attrition or downsizing. Those who stuck it out began to have the aspect of a conquered culture.
It did not take long to become thoroughly convinced that everything that was happening was part of the UMMS plan from day one.
Clearly both organizations and people must adapt to changing times….but did UMMS have to throw the baby out with the bathwater?
The merger was destined to be less than successful because the corporate clench of UMMS always intended to strangle the “small town rural” culture of our hospital and replace it with its own.
I am heartened by the effort to stop this progression and preserve the services the community both needs and deserves. Not surprised that it is being spearheaded by the physicians whose commitment to their patients I witnessed for so long.
BRAVO Dr. O’Connor and consortium….I fervently hope you succeed.
day one.
Group of physicians and hospital staff was slowly whittled away and those
Susan Legg Rennaker says
This article has come at a great time for many reasons, but for the first one is yesterday 12/2/2015 my brother was sent the ER with severe back pain for several days. His primary care ordered an X-Ray. As the radiologist read his x-ray the noticed an enlarged aneurysm in his stomach. After a CT of his abdomen they determined this enlarged aneurysm was not leaking blood, but here is the kicker, we were told because Chester River or University of Maryland (so many name changes I don’t know) did not have a Vascular surgeon he would have to be sent to Christiania Hospital. Well I thought we had a Vascular surgeon here Dr. Paul Johnson. I am glad my brother was released several hours later, but if we had a full service facility he could have been treated her and would not need an ambulance to transport let alone 2 separate hospital charges. People ask why is healthcare so unaffordable well this doesn’t help. And hat Dr. O’Connor said our hospital does get reimbursed by the insurance companies differently then hospitals n a larger patent setting, we get paid lower because of our location and our population. All this affects all of us.
Second reason is we need this hospital, their are so many elderly people that can not get to Easton or AAMC, we also have many lower income families who also cant get to these other locations, we need this hospital to stay a total full service facility, we need to bring in other specialty physician’s such ENT, Ophthalmologist, OB-GYN, list goes on, lets keep it here in our County and not someone’s else’s.
Louis Howeth Sr, says
Several weeks ago I was having lunch in Cambridge with a group of folks from that area. One of the ladies asked another lady if their
mutual friend had delivered her baby. The friend said that she had, and she followed up with the comments that she was required to deli ver at the hospital in Annapolis because babies are not any longer delivered in Easton Hospital. The Ob docs have moved their services to
Annapolis I first thought they were talking about Chestertown, however this was not the case . I would question the idea that not any babies are being delivered at Easton, but what does seem to be accurate is that the largest group of Ob docs have pulled out of Easton Hospital in favor of providing services in Annapolis Hospital. I understand that Pediatric patients are mostly admitted to the
Hospital in Annapolis because several yrs ago most of the Pediatric Docs decided that this was the move that was in the best interest of
all. I was told that Vascular Surgeons from Easton Hospital some three yrs ago also started doing their surgery in Annapolis.
Even if some of my understandings above are not totally correct this to me is all very serious. We must remember that the UMMS
is in total Control. We must also remember that Easton Hospital and Chestertown hospital are also now one Hospital. If they have problems or even potential problems ,we who have relied on Chestertown hospital have problems as well. My thoughts and thoughts
of others need to be investigated and should be made public knowledge.when proven to be accurate. Thanks Dr. O Connor