University Hospitals is consolidating several practices on the west side of Cleveland, including closing its UH St. John cardiac surgery program and transitioning birthing services from UH Elyria Medical Center to UH St. John Medical Center.
The system is expected to continue deliveries at UH Elyria through Oct. 31. Cardiac surgeries are expected to end at UH St. John by Oct. 1.
In a news release, UH cites what it has learned during the pandemic as a reason for this shift, having demonstrated the value of leveraging resources and expertise in clinical and nonclinical disciplines.
"Its achievements were the result of collaboration on a unified approach to the crisis," according to the release. "Now, as UH looks beyond the pandemic, it believes the time is right to apply the same principles of a system approach across its entities, institutes and service lines to ensure the highest value for patients."
Upon the closure of the UH St. John cardiac surgery program, the system will perform more heart surgeries at UH Elyria, according to the release, which notes that UH St. John will remain an "important center for heart and vascular services." UH St. John will continue offering diagnostic and therapeutic cardiac and peripheral catheterization procedures, including elective and emergency ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) percutaneous coronary intervention, as well as diagnostic electrophysiology procedures, device implantation and right-sided ablations.
After the transition of labor and delivery from UH Elyria to UH St. John, the system will continue to offer comprehensive women's and children's services at UH Elyria, including OB/GYN physician and midwife care, the Hampson Mole Breast Health Suite, GYN surgical services and pediatric ED services in the Rainbow-branded Emergency Department on the Elyria campus, according to the release.
UH Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute caregivers are not expected to be impacted, and those working in labor and delivery at UH Elyria will have opportunities to transfer to other facilities in the system, including UH St. John, according to the release.
"We know that there will be concerns in the Elyria community about these changes," said Dr. Daniel Simon, chief clinical and scientific officer for UH, in a provided statement. "But we're confident that these moves will benefit all of our West market patients. Experience nationally shows that outcomes and patient experience improve when the number of similar procedures performed at a facility increases. Higher volume care can also be provided at a lower cost, helping to keep health care more affordable for patients."
"UH to consolidate cardiac, labor and delivery services" originally appeared in Crain's Cleveland Business.
