SEN. WILLIAMS ON MONTGOMERY HOSPITAL MEDICAL CENTER RELOCATION

To the Editor:

Since October, when it became obvious that rumors about Montgomery Hospital Medical Center packing up and moving out of Norristown were more than just rumors, I have been meeting with officials from the hospital, Einstein Healthcare Network and local officials to ensure that Norristown residents are not without a hospital.

The announcement earlier this month that a partnership between the hospital and Einstein had been reached and that a new state-of-the-art medical facility would be constructed within the next five years – and probably not in Norristown – is disappointing.

I cannot fault the hospital or Einstein for looking at the bottom line and trying to make sound business decisions that will allow a new medical facility to operate in the black. If you’ve followed the coverage of the partnership plan, you’ve likely read that nearly half of Norristown’s population falls below the poverty line and more than a third of the residents do not have health insurance. Debt has risen along with uncompensated care.

Unfortunately, these same facts and figures make it imperative that a hospital remains in the community. This hospital began as Charity Hospital of Montgomery County in 1889 in a vacant school to address the health-care needs of the people of Norristown. Those needs still exist – the need for 24-hour access to emergency care, consistent and available primary care, and a place close to home for maternity care and pediatrics. Nearly a quarter of Norristown’s population do not have personal vehicles and rely on their ability to either walk or use public transportation to access care at the hospital.

As the board of directors for the new corporation between Montgomery Hospital and Einstein begins in earnest to finalize plans for the location of the new hospital, I again ask that they consider the options that remain available to them in Norristown. I have already expressed my willingness to work with state, county and local officials to consider options on the state hospital grounds.

 Beyond this, I can only ask that residents of Norristown stop and think about what it is going to be like in five years (or less), when their community hospital – their lifeline to health care – is located in Whitpain Township. Think about the jobs that will be lost (the hospital is the second largest employer in Norristown), the impact it will have on Norristown Area School District, and on health-care delivery in the area (especially medical care for low-income residents).

 There also remains the issue of what will be done with the present location of the hospital and whether the new corporation is willing to continue any investment in health-care in Norristown. To date, there has been no firm commitment. Closing the hospital is going to be a blow to Norristown’s residents, and to its economy and employment market.

 Now is the time to act. Talk to your doctor and other health-care professionals, write to the hospital, and tell them the impact this move will have on you and your family. Urge them to consider options in Norristown. Remind them that public transportation to the new facility may be a problem for not only patients, but also for the staff that may be offered positions at the new hospital.

 There remain possibilities for a new medical center to be just as profitable in Norristown as in Whitpain Township. My door is open and I’m ready to work with the new organization to make this happen.

 Sincerely,
Constance H. Williams
State Senator
17^th District