The city of Martins Ferry made the first move necessary to take the next big step in returning full-service medical care to the Purple City.
It was reported Wednesday afternoon at LedeNews.com that East Ohio Hospital, LLC was requesting as assist from the city. It asked that 75 percent of the 1 percent hospital employees would pay to the city in income tax be returned to the hospital to assist in needed upgrades.
Council’s answer? In short, a resounding yes—albeit a preliminary one.
Councilman Jack Regis Sr. made a motion to request that city law director Paul Stecker draft an ordinance giving back three quarters of the collected tax money from the hospital back to the facility. Councilman Thomas Burns seconded the motion and it passed, 7-0.
Stecker will draft the legislation that will likely be read at the next council meeting. Most likely, a motion will be made to waive the three-reading rule with the idea of approving said ordinance that evening.
For Chief Operating Officer Bernie Albertini and attorney David Croft, who attending the meeting and spoke on behalf of East Ohio Hospital, LLC, it was exactly the show of support they were looking for.
“We wanted to present the facts to council, and we know they are so supportive of the hospital and always have been,” Ablertini said. “We’ve received an outpouring of support from council and city officials, as well as citizens reaching out. It’s amazing and this was exactly what we were hoping to get, and it is a very reassuring feeling.”
Deal Details
Councilman James Schramm asked Croft how long this tax repayment would last, and Croft responded for 10 years.
Croft explained that purchasing the hospital was the easy part. It was getting it open that provided the challenge, especially from a financial standpoint.
“The hard part is getting it open and the hardest is sustaining the facility,” Croft said.
Upgrades to both the physical plant and areas of the facility are needed. The radiology and lab will need completely reoutfitted. If the EOH, LLC is going to bring back a full-service facility, it’s going to cost some coin.
Croft and Albertini both ballparked that figure at roughly $38 million.
The request for the tax break is legal thanks to Ohio Revised Code § 718.15 which reads:
- A municipal corporation, by ordinance, may grant a refundable or nonrefundable credit against its tax on income to a taxpayer to foster job creation in the municipal corporation. If a credit is granted under this section, it shall be measured as a percentage of the new income tax revenue the municipal corporation derives from new employees of the taxpayer and shall be for a term not exceeding fifteen years. Before the municipal corporation passes an ordinance granting a credit, the municipal corporation and the taxpayer shall enter into an agreement specifying all the conditions of the credit.
Prior to Regis’ motion, Councilman Rick Rodgers, first expressing his support, suggested the possibility of have the finance committee meet and discuss the impact in-depth before moving forward.
Croft responded by saying he understood Rodgers point, but added that what was requesting wasn’t anything already in the budget and that the city will receive 25 percent of something, which is better than 100 percent of nothing.
Phased Re-Opening
Councilman Bruce Shrodes inquired about what parts of the hospital would open first and what the overall plan was.
Albertini described it as a phased reopening, with emergency services, along with ancillary services like radiology, the laboratory, along with it. In addition, medical and telemetry floors will be needed at the onset.
“Fifteen percent of your emergency room patients will get admitted, so those floors will need to be open first as well,” Albertini said. “That will be followed by the long-term care and, in Phase II, the psychiatric component.”
Albertini knows the dearth of mental health care presently in the Upper Ohio Valley and knows the sooner that portion of the facility is opened the better.
“Especially for our Ohio patients. If it’s a voluntary pysch admission, they can be transported across the river. But if is involuntary, they have to stay in state. It’s a long trek to the nearest facility and it’s not easy to get people in. Sometimes, we had to hold people in the emergency room for over 24 hours, plus you have to provide transportation to get them there.”
Initially, the emergency room will be able to handle all emergencies. But as the facility gains traction and builds history, Albertini said he wants to return to a Level 3 trauma facility as in the past.
“You have to have history before you can make your application to the trauma registry,” Albertini said. “We’ll get open, handle anything that comes in and then, down the road, we can apply for trauma accreditation.”
Employment
One thing the facility won’t be lacking for is applications. Estimated at more than 200 jobs at its opening and growing to 600 as phases are implemented, many are already reaching out.
“I’ve had an outpouring of people contact me already about wanting to come back,” Albertini said. “And not to be cliché, but we had great employees. They want to come back and obviously, we will have an outreach when it’s time to reapply. But people have sent me their resumes already, it’s great.”
Councilman Robert Hunker asked Albertini about getting doctors back to the facility and also infusing the facility with younger MDs.
Albertini touched on both outright recruiting and also, as the facility progresses, working to get a residency program established.
“It won’t happen right away, but it’s a great way to affiliate with a university and have an internal residency program, a family practice residency,” Albertini said. “You get the young physicians in the facility and the community for three years and they will want to stay as they are established. We’ll also do some flat-out recruiting of some young talent. I’ve already spoken with a few young physicians who are just finishing up their residencies.”
Another option Albertini is exploring involves West Liberty University and its physician’s assistant program.
“I’ve spoken to someone about becoming a preceptor program for them,” Albertini said. “That’s how I got my first job as a pharmacist out of college was by doing my intern rotation for the school at Wheeling Hospital. It’s a great way to get a good look at the students.”
