The national certification for Huron Hospital's level II trauma unit expires Oct. 29. After the loss of three of the hospital's four trauma surgeons, Cleveland Clinic CEO Toby Cosgrove told Cleveland City Council today that that means the hospital will most likely lose the trauma unit.
Toby Cosgrove: I don't think we are going to be able to maintain it because I don't think we will get a level II trauma designation in the future I think its beyond our capabilities to manage that.
Cosgrove said tight staffing and declining numbers of patients to the unit made it difficult to keep up quality and attract surgeons. Based in East Cleveland, Huron Hospital also serves Cleveland's east side and its neighboring northeastern suburbs. Cosgrove said Huron's emergency room will stay open and trauma cases will be stabilized and transported to Hillcrest Hospital in Mayfield Heights. EMS Commissioner Ed Ekhart said response times from emergency responders across the city will go up as a result.
Ed Ekhart:You're asking this safety net to take on more stress, a group of people that from Cleveland EMS's perspective are running their butts off already today with only having 15 ambulances out on the street.
Cleveland Clinic's Cosgrove said he is committed to an ongoing dialogue to best figure out how to deal with the impact. Attorney and Clinic board member Fred Nance rebuffed allegations that the hospital system's decision was driven by either racism or a desire to serve only wealthier patients.