As Revenues Dwindle, Popular Cleveland Area Hospital to Shut Down

Community health is beyond doctor to patient health care. It is easy to equate the health of a community to the members of the community getting their flu shot, and staying overall in a “healthy” condition. However, when the center that provides not only care, but job security and city revenue goes out of business, we can see the impact that a hospital closing can really have a community as a whole.

“Lakewood hospital is this community’s biggest employer, with 1,000 workers. It has been a rich source of municipal revenues even as manufacturing jobs left the region.”

Of course, we want to ensure that we keep open only quality hospitals that provide good care for patients and are cost effective. But, the closing of a typically stable source of revenue for cities and its residents, can really have a profound impact on a community.

It is important for executives to properly manage hospitals not just for the day to day treatment provided to patients, but also for the community as a whole. There are many ways to keep a community “healthy”. And, employed and protected by the municipality they live in via law enforcement, fire fighters, etc., are also crucial to the well being of people.

Moving forward with constant redesigning of the healthcare system as we begin to see more and more consolidation occurring, hopefully companies will begin to look at longer term financial impacts that poorly run institutions, or poorly reimbursed institutions, can really have on a community. Could this closure and loss of jobs lead to poorer lifestyle and health for an already struggling suburb? Well, hopefully the hospital that the Cleveland Clinic is opening up in neighboring Avon will help to mitigate the situation slightly.

Summary by David Eisenberg

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David Eisenberg is currently a medical student at The Commonwealth Medical College in Scranton, PA, and a contributor to Medical Groups. David believes that it is critically important for physicians to not only be well rounded clinically, but also financially. In an ever changing healthcare system, David hopes to help physicians not only understand how to successfully navigate the dynamic healthcare landscape, but also how to take a leadership role in continuing to develop the medical profession that so many have diligently dedicated their life’s work to. In addition to contributing to Medical Groups, David works with thedoctorschannel.com, as well as helps to run an app for pre-med students that he co-founded, PreMD Tracker.

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