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Wednesday, October 22, 2008

New Jersey Monthly: Who killed Muhlenberg Hospital?



Supporters gather for mock funeral on the eve of
Plainfield's Muhlenberg Hospital's closing. NJ Monthly.


The current issue of New Jersey Monthly has a must-read article entitled 'Who killed Muhlenberg Hospital'.

Written by Ken Terry, a former editor of Medical Economics magazine (and author Rx For Health Care Reform), the article presents an overview of the process of the closure by Solaris Health System of the 131-year-old community hospital which served 15 area communities.

The map showing distances to area hospitals is worth the price of the magazine alone if you are not a subscriber.

My only quibble is that Terry touches very lightly on the roles of Assemblyman Jerry Green and Plainfield Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs.

While it is true that the Mayor (without consulting the Council) decided to file suit against the state's decision to close Muhlenberg, an action in which she was later supported by the Assemblyman, a fuller telling of the story would include outlining the Assemblyman's failure to have a 'Plan A' to save the hospital in the first place and only bringing forth his 'Plan B' to smooth the way for the closure once Solaris made its announcement last spring.

Perhaps NJ Monthly could ask Terry to do a followup?


-- Dan Damon

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1 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mr. Damon,

I believe your 'quibble' is just that. For, Assm. Green, as well as Mayor Briggs are both, politicians. Muhlenburg, is a business. A BUSINESS DECISION was made by Solaris, to close the acute ward.

If you wanted the above-mentioned politicians to do more, well then, you are asking for a HEARTY dose of SOCIALISM, at its best. For, if the gov't did step in and take command of the problem, SOCIALISM would be alive, well, and running in our city of Plainfield.