8.5.09 | Mary Vanac

Summa Wadsworth-Rittman Hospital welcomes protesters, but ’

WADSWORTH, Ohio — Administrators at Summa Health System expect about 50 protesters and their families this evening at Summa Wadsworth-Rittman Hospital.

The hospital’s board is meeting tonight, and rumor has it that board members will vote on whether to close the obstetrics department at the hospital.

That rumor is false, said health system spokesman Mike Bernstein. “At this time, there have been no decisions made to make any changes,” Bernstein said. “There is no vote on the agenda tonight to close any unit of any kind in the facility.”

But there is a basis for the rumor. Summa is “in the midst of a thorough review of our entire offering of women’s health services to ensure the community’s being cared for appropriately,” Bernstein said. Specifically, the Akron-based health system is reviewing women’s health units at Summa Wadsworth-Rittman and at Summa Barberton Hospital, which share a region, he said.

Summa agreed to acquire Wadsworth-Rittman Hospital in 2007. “We started 2007 with three hospitals, and we finished with six,” Bernstein said. “I think that the review is part of the natural progression when you grow.”

Summa closed the obstetrics unit at Cuyahoga Falls General Hospital a year ago because it was not serving enough patients, Bernstein said. “We were delivering a couple babies a day,” he said. Now owned by its physicians, that hospital goes by the name Summa Western Reserve Hospital.

The Akron health system is not alone in rationalizing its obstetrics operations. “In general, there is a trend nationally that a lot of the units are leaving the community hospitals, they’re going to the bigger, tertiary care hospitals,” Bernstein said.

Seven in ten women who live near Summa Wadsworth-Rittman Hospital are giving birth outside of the region, Bernstein said. ”So we’re actually delivering less than one baby a day at the hospital,” he said.

“Certainly, we understand the passion the community has for [the hospital]. We also have an obligation to make sure that we’re … caring for the community, and that we’re serving all the people in those facilities appropriately.”

Bernstein said the women’s health services review likely will be completed within two weeks. After that, he expects a decision about the Wadsworth-Rittman obstetrics department.

As for tonight, Summa will welcome the protesters. “This is our property. We have no intention of telling [the protesters] they can’t come and do this on our property. So we do very much take into consideration the community,” Bernstein said. “And we do appreciate the passion that these people are showing for the hospital. We share it. We understand it. We want them to be heard.”

Will Summa leaders consider the protesters when they make their decision about the obstetrics unit? ”Absolutely,” Bernstein said. But the protest is ”part of the equation, it can’t be the driving force,” he said.

Mary Vanac

Mary Vanac is a co-founder of MedCity News.

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Tags: hospitals, Northeast Ohio, Ohio, Summa Health System

Comments Post a comment

I seriously hope that they do consider the community and the outlying communities that WRH OB unit serves. Why is it that we are only part of the equation and not the driving force? Shouldn’t patient care be the driving force and not a bottom line at the end of the day? Maybe that is why WRH OB unit is the way it is, maybe it is because at the end of the day they care about the patient and their families instead of Summa’s bottom line.

Comment by Melissa — August 5, 2009 @ 9:33 pm

I hope that they do take what REALLY matters into condsideration, which is their patients. WE do NOT want this facitlity closed. My family and friends have delivered babies there for over thirty years and we will all be quite disappointed if the board decides to close one of the most valued birthing units within miles of itself (inluding the larger units in Akron and surrounding areas)…

Comment by Rosa B — August 6, 2009 @ 10:15 am

As a manager at one of the two major hospitals in the Akron area this would be a very good move for the community and for survival of the hospital system. From a cost and earnings standpoint both Akron General and Summa are suffering tremendous losses do to the uninsured. Even though the Wadsworth area has a emotional attachment to the hospital, unfortuneately it doesn’t make economical sence to run a better larger OB unit at City and a smaller OB unit not too far away in Wadsworth.

Summa will welcome patients at the main hospital near downtown Akron.

Comment by Jill R. — August 6, 2009 @ 12:10 pm

This article contains quite a bit of misinformation. The number of births at Wadworth has encreased significantly. It is true that only 30% of Wadsworth residents deliver at WRHHS, however, people come from as far as Cleveland to deliver there. The care is unlike the care that you receive at some of the larger â€œwalmartâ€ hospitals. At WRHHS a laboring patient has her own nurse who remains in her labor room through most of her labor doing thing such as rubbing her back and offering emotional support as opposed to managing her 3 patients from the nurse’s station. Because of this more personal care the c-section rate is only 15 percent, which is within WHO recommendations. City and General are not necessarily better for a low risk birth. Additionally, WRHHS OB has the highest rate for breastfeeding success. If Summa would put a small amount of money into WRHHS directed towards advertizing as opposed to closing the unit the system could actually see a reward. Smaller hospitals have something to offer that the large impersonal city hospitals will never be able to. I delivered at Akron City and it was a horrible experience. I did not see a lactation consultant until I was being discharged and the nurses continuously insisted that they take my infant to the nursery despite him being in excellent condition.
The economy will recover and the medical systems will again begin to see profit, but by shutting down an excellent birthing center that offers perconal care absent at the larger centers women will suffer a temendous loss.

Comment by Sandra — August 6, 2009 @ 4:57 pm

I came from Parma to deliver my daughter at Wadsworth. I could not believe that the board of directors would be thinking about closing the OB ward. I could not have ask for a better network of care providers that had a true interest in my, my husband’s, and our daughter’s health and well being. I can’t imagine delivering future children anywhere but WRHHS. Not once during my stay did I feel neglected in ANY way. I never felt like the nurses on duty were too busy for my family. I am so thankful to have found such a wonderful hospital- even if it is 45 minutes away from our home. After speaking with numerous mothers who had different birthing experiences at other hospitals I cringe to think that there is a possibility that I will have to deliver at one of them in the future. I sincerely hope that the board puts into account the first hand experiences of patients that have delivered at Wadsworth before making a decision that may prohibit future patients from experiencing such a wonderful birthing experience.

Comment by Kara — August 6, 2009 @ 8:31 pm

I hope they make the right decision and do NOT close down this birth center. They would be taking away the choice to use a midwife from hundreds of women and that would be a huge mistake. Being able to see a midwife throughout my pregnancy and have her deliver my baby was the greatest thing I could have done, and without Wadsworth Rittman hospital it would not have been possible.

Comment by Michelle — August 7, 2009 @ 9:32 am

I delivered my daughter at Wasdworth 2 weeks ago. I was not even 10 days postpartum but I attended the protest anyway. Wadsworth has the best OB department in the state of Ohio. I live 2 miles from Medina hospital but chose WRH because of their excellent care of patients.

Comment by Stephanie — August 11, 2009 @ 11:26 am

[...] the status of the obstetrics unit because of that low volume. Yet some residents and patients had protested the potential closure, citing in part a high level of [...]

Comment by Summa Wadsworth-Rittman Hospital to end obstetrics services : MedCity News — August 19, 2009 @ 2:56 pm