Area fire departments are concerned the planned closure of Massillon, Ohio-based Affinity Medical Center will cause a "public crisis," resulting in hospital overcrowding and transportation issues for patients in need of hospital treatment, CantonRep.com reports.
Brentwood, Tenn.-based Quorum Health, the 38-hospital spinoff of Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems and the parent company of Affinity Medical Center, plans to close the hospital before midnight Feb. 4. If the closure is successful, area fire departments will have to divert patients to other nearby hospitals, which may result in an additional 10 to 15 minute drive for patients and longer wait times at those facilities, the report states.
Massillon Fire Department Chief Tom Burgasser told CantonRep.com the nearby hospitals — Mercy Medical Center and Aultman Hospital, both in Canton, Ohio — will also likely witness a 20 to 30 percent increase in traffic as a result of the closure.
Data provided to CantonRep.com by nine of Stark County's 10 fire departments indicate Affinity Medical Center receives roughly 38 percent of the departments' hospital transports annually, according to the report.
While local physicians, lawmakers and U.S. senators have voiced their concerns and are working to stop Affinity Medical Center from closing, Mr. Burgasser said Stark County fire chiefs will meet next week to discuss how officials will move forward and keep transport times as short as possible if the hospital does close next month, the report states.