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Saturday, May 3, 2008

Green urges Somerset MC to save Muhlenberg




Will Somerset save Muhlenberg?


With his political fortunes skidding into the ditch, Plainfield Assemblyman Jerry Green is making last-minute moves designed to give the appearance of resisting the closure of Muhlenberg RMC by Solaris Health System.

In a page-one story in today's Courier, Somerset MC CEO Ken Bateman reveals that Green had approached him about partnering with 'an investor organization' to keep Muhlenberg open as an acute-care facility. (See more here.)

Is this a real change of heart on Green's part or just a smokescreen to cover his failure to fight for keeping Muhlenberg open?

Several of the points in the Bateman story seem to indicate that opponents of the closing have scored some points --
  1. Number one, just even talking about NOT closing Muhlenberg down -- the topic has been pooh-poohed by Green since his infamous task force announcement.

  2. Keeping Muhlenberg's license active -- this idea comes out of the 'Save Muhlenberg' campaign.

  3. Forcing Solaris to provide the most recent annual financial statement to the city.
This last point is probably a bit of smoke-and-mirrors as it is conditioned on legislation Green proposes to introduce in the Legislature. His batting average with legislative initiatives of this sort is, shall we say, not exactly Major League.

At last Wednesday's meeting with elected officials arranged by Olive Lynch of the 'Buy Muhlenberg' campaign -- to which Assemblyman Green and Mayor Robinson-Briggs were invited, but which they did not attend -- participants learned some of the OTHER REASONS that area hospitals might not be exactly thrilled with Muhlenberg's closure.

The impact the closing of Union Hospital has had on Overlook Hospital in Summit is most illuminating for what lays in store for JFK and Somerset, as well as Overlook, in the light of a Muhlenberg closing.

Overlook, attendees were told, is desperately struggling to cope with the additional demands for regular beds, intensive care and ER beds to accommodate those spilling in from the Union Hospital closing. They are additionally being faced with a deluge of pediatric cases overflowing from Newark. All of this is stressing staff and physical facilities. No one has even measured the negative impact of increased -- and unremitted -- charity care.

And all this is even before the first patient from Muhlenberg shows up.

I am told by people in the know that Solaris is quaking in its boots and hoping against hope that the vast bulk of the Muhlenberg patient load will NOT END UP ON ITS DOORSTEP. Good luck, folks!

In addition, Clem Fiorentino, writing in today's Courier story, outlines services Solaris (JFK) is NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE --
  • Cover 600 annual BIRTHS to mostly Neighborhood Health Service Center (PHC) clients;

  • In-patient MENTAL HEALTH services (not a high profit margin here);

  • Sixteen VOLUNTARY BEDS;

  • Intensive PEDIATRIC OUT-PATIENT SERVICES.
Kind of reminds me of the complaints by Muhlenberg supporters that JFK has always been interested mostly in skimming the cream.

Will all this last-minute legerdemain pull the rabbit out of the hat?

Those who think so should go out and rent the movie 'The Illusionist'.

For which the tagline is 'Nothing is what it seems'.



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5 comments:

Anonymous said...

This move by Assemblyman Jerry Green was only to deflect from the information that came out of the meeting at Wednesday’s meeting with other elected official. Which showed how complacent both Green and Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs are in this whole story. So, don’t believe the hype after all this is Jerry Green and it will do us all good to remember that. Assemblyman Green looks out for self and self preservation.

Anonymous said...

Anyone that has worked with the Green/Briggs team teams knows they take the path of least endeavor. It is all about giving the appearance of reflecting the expectations of the citizens, but when all is said and done, nothing has happened and nothing has changed. What a predicament! No wonder, thoughtful people as well as not so thoughtful people are fed up.

Anonymous said...

The non-existent leadership of Jerry Green and his puppet, our mayor, is a dismal failure in the most important issue ever to face our community! No matter what he says at this late date, we know now that he has been a part of this closing from the beginning. As a good Democrat, who has voted for Jerry in the past, I will never vote for him again and I urge everyone to show him the door at the polls!

John O'Malley said...

Jerry Green and our mayor have been a dismal failure for our community. The closing of Muhlenberg Hospital is the most tragic event to hit our community, and the surrounding area in decades. Not once did I hear Jerry commit to fighting the closure. Instead, he created a 'task force' to deal with the aftermath.
As a good Democrat who voted for Green in the past, I will never again vote for him or his puppet mayor. I urge all of my fellow Democrats to throw this failed leadership out of office! REMEMBER! THIS IS HAPPENING ON THEIR WATCH!

Anonymous said...

I hope people are taking note. If this bothers you, make sure to vote on June 3 and NOT for the people who are status quo. Vote for fresh ideas, vision and smarts.

GO ANNIE - ADRIAN - OLIVE!!!!!