News Briefs

Hospital Vital Signs Are Good

Until the College bought back $2 million worth of land from Oberlin Medical Center in January, things had been looking fiscally grim for the medical center. On Tuesday night, the hospital held a board meeting in which they discussed changes such as expanding and renovating the emergency facilities and renovating the hospital in general.
Vice President of Finance Andy Evans was at the meeting. “I am optimistic about the future of the hospital, and a year ago, I would not have said that,” he said. 
“They’re making some definite improvements, and among those are the financial improvements,” Evans said. 
The hospital is managed by Community Health Partners, which also runs Lorain Community Hospital and is owned by Catholic Health Partners. The affiliation means OMC reaps the benefits of reimbursements from the government. 
OMC is now run by the Catholic Health Partners, which has implemented a set of “ethical guidelines” for the hospital. The guidelines do not restrict doctors from prescribing medicine that compromises those ethical standards, such as contraceptives. Doctors are free to make all decisions about the care of their patients within the confines of their offices. 
Assistant to the President Diana Roose said, “In effect, yes, there is a change in policy because of ethical guidelines, but no, it doesn’t change any of the practices.”
In November, City Council heald public hearings in which the guidelines were explained. “It basically satisfied the community,” Roose said.
Of the ethical guideline policy, Evans said, “As far as I know, it’s working well. We’ve had no complaints about people not being treated.
OMC does not perform abortions. This is not a new policy, as Allen Memorial Hospital, its earlier incarnation, did not have the facilities. “Certainly they had physicians that were capable, but they didn’t do them,” Evans said.
As far as the College is concerned, the most important thing is that the hospital is functioning well. “The whole issue was saving the hospital, and having health care for the community. When the College became involved, that was the main concern,” Evans said. 
People seeking such surgery have typically gone to Cleveland abortion clinics.
—Nina Lalli