City of Lakewood could invest $32M in community wellness foundation if hospital closes

Lakewood, Ohio Mayor Michael Summers announced Wednesday that if Lakewood Hospital closes next year, the city would have a unique opportunity to invest $32 million in a community wellness foundation, according to Cleveland.com.

Mr. Summers, the Lakewood Hospital Association and the Cleveland Clinic disclosed plans Jan. 15 to close Lakewood Hospital because of declining patient volumes. The Cleveland Clinic's lease for the hospital expires after 2026, and the Lakewood City Council would need to approve plans to close the hospital early, according to the report.

Mr. Summers announced the possibility of the community wellness foundation at the city's fourth community forum on the planned hospital closure alongside guest speakers from the Deaconess Foundation and the St. Luke's Foundation. Executives from those foundations discussed opportunities and challenges that the city would face when closing a hospital and starting a foundation.

If the hospital closes, the Lakewood Hospital Association and the Cleveland Clinic would give the city $32 million to use for projects aimed to improve the health of Lakewood residents. The city would be responsible for defining the mission of the foundation and its structure, according to the report.

During the forum, several Lakewood residents said they would prefer to see the hospital remain open than establish a community health foundation.

The vote on the 2016 closure of Lakewood Hospital could occur as early as the end of May. However, Attorney Christopher DeVito has called on the city to take legal action to require the Cleveland Clinic to keep the hospital open through the end of its lease.

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