Atlanta, GA
City leaders ‘blindsided’ by Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center closure
Countdown begins for Atlanta Medical Heart shutdown
In simply 60 days, Wellstar’s Atlanta Medical Heart will formally be shutdown. FOX 5 Atlanta spoke to group members and councilmembers about what this implies for residents who depend on the hospital.
ATLANTA – The countdown to closure is on for Wellstar Atlanta Medical Heart Downtown. In precisely 60 days Wellstar plans to close the hospital down.
“I am positive it should be a nasty factor for lots of people,” stated Erica Youngblood.
Youngblood’s husband has been a affected person at AMC for greater than 50 days. She worries about what the impression might be as soon as the hospital folds.
“There is a want,” she stated. “Grady cannot deal with all people and there is numerous trauma in our metropolis.”
Wellstar introduced Wednesday that AMC would shut its doorways for good on November 1. They are saying the largest motive comes right down to {dollars} and cents. Wellstar says the hospital misplaced greater than $100 million final 12 months, and so they haven’t been capable of finding methods to maintain the hospital sustainable.
Atlanta Metropolis Councilwoman Liliana Bakhtiari who represents District 5, which the hospital is in, says the town was blindsided.
“My concern is the individuals that may find yourself dying due to this, that folks will find yourself bleeding out on the road due to crime or gunshot wounds or different incidents due to this,” she stated.
Lots of these individuals should flip to Grady, which is already busy.
Wellstar Atlanta Medical Heart Downtown in Atlanta (FOX 5).
In a crucial assertion, Grady Well being System wrote “… this choice by Wellstar to desert the group will additional pressure our operations, significantly our emergency room, as extra sufferers will current with medical wants…”
AMC’s closure has the potential to impression minority and underserved communities probably the most.
“My concern is as soon as once more how we’re failing our low-income residents, and this once more sends the message that since you’re barely surviving, we’re not going that can assist you,” Councilwoman Bakhtiari stated.
Whereas Wellstar appears adamant that the hospital will shut down on November 1st, Councilwoman Bakhtiari wish to see a compromise that will shield affected person care in Atlanta.
Atlanta Medical Heart Downtown is closing, says Wellstar, staff had no thought
Staff inform FOX 5 they’d no thought Wellstar deliberate to close down Atlanta Medical Heart, which can shut its doorways by fall. This can be a growing story.
Wellstar ought to attempt “to maintain their emergency response open for a minimum of one other 8 months to a 12 months whereas we quickly all work collectively to attempt to pay right into a bond or do some fundraising for Grady to permit them to increase as rapidly as potential,” she stated.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens has demanded a gathering with Wellstar management in hopes of determining a path ahead.