TOLEDO, Ohio — The fight over the future of the University of Toledo Medical Center continued on Saturday in South Toledo.
During their weekly community meeting the Save UTMC coalition discussed the contents of a letter that was sent a letter to University of Toledo President Sharon Gaber and UToledo officials with recommendations that they believe will benefit the hospital financially and prevent a possible closure in the future.
These recommendations include allowing non-University of Toledo physicians to work alongside UTMC medical staff at the south Toledo hospital. The coalition is also recommending that the university upgrade its current American College of Surgeons trauma center designation from Trauma Level III up to a Trauma Level II.
Within the last year the hospital’s trauma center was downgraded from Trauma Level I to Trauma Level III.
According to the American Trauma Society a Level I trauma center has 24-hour in-house coverage by general surgeons, and prompt availability of care in specialties such as orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, anesthesiology, emergency medicine, radiology, internal medicine, plastic surgery, oral and maxillofacial, pediatric and critical care. 24-hour coverage by emergency medicine physicians and the prompt availability of general surgeons and anesthesiologists.
A level II trauma center has 24-hour immediate coverage by general surgeons, as well as coverage by the specialties of orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, anesthesiology, emergency medicine, radiology and critical care.
A Level III trauma center, has 24-hour coverage by emergency medicine physicians and the prompt availability of general surgeons and anesthesiologists.
The coalition says they expect President Gaber, along with the board of trustees, to look over the recommendations this weekend and vote on making amendments to its Medical Staff Bylaws in their special meeting Monday evening.
Those wanting to save UTMC are hopeful the university will take their recommendations into consideration.
“Let’s just say that we’re very hopeful that they’re going to listen to the coalition as we’ve been asked to get together, outline what we want, make recommendations and we’ll see if we are being heard,” said State Sen. Teresa Fedor from Ohio’s 11th District.
In February, University of Toledo leaders said they are working to determine the best options moving forward when it comes to the well being of UToledo, its faculty, staff, students and the community.
“We have been investing in UTMC to help strengthen and expand the services most needed in our region because it is the right thing to do for our employees and the right thing to do for our neighbors,” said University of Toledo President Gaber at the time.
The university previously shared that the hospital’s losses for fiscal year 2018 totaled $3.5 million and grew to $7 million in fiscal year 2019.
