If legislation is passed as promised, the Chestertown hospital’s primary functions will not change—at least for one year.
Last night, State Senator Thomas Mac Middleton and Steve Hershey drove to Chestertown from Annapolis to tell the “Save the Chestertown Hospital” committee that they are amending proposed legislation so that the Chester River Hospital will maintain its inpatient beds and lose no more medical services for one year. This 12-month grace period will always Maryland lawmakers to create a statewide system for health care in rural Maryland with community input.
The next step… committee members say, is to testify in Annapolis next Wednesday. Stay tuned.
Fletcher Hall says
Perhaps it may be to wise who made earlier decisions to “be careful what you wish for”.
Stephan Sonn says
The good news is we won the first round. The bad news is UMMS UMMS still has cover for another try.
wayne benjamin says
To state that Chestertown Hospital will not lose any more services and will keep inpatient beds for 1 year and suggest it is a victory is a joke. SHS never suggested we were going to lose inpatient beds or services this year. What we need is to pass S. B. 12 where they can not do these things without the consent of the County Commissioners acting as Health Departments. I question what he means by “community input” and “Maryland lawmakers” dedication to rural healthcare. Whatever happened to S.B. 12? There was something which gave “community input”. I guess Senator Middleton was not impressed with a bill that that took away the power of local governments! Let those of us who are cynical be respected and those of us who are naïve be questioned.