Summa Health Care – The Impact of 2017 Changes
Resident programs revoked after hospital found to be deplorable, 2017 staffing changes found to wreak havoc.
If you were treated at Akron Summa Hospital ER in 2017, you need to read this.
Imagine you show up to the ER for emergency care, only to find out that day the staff had been replaced, chaos ensued and the current and future quality of care was questionable, at best!
This isn’t the plot for a drama on Netflix – that is exactly what happened in our very own back yard at Akron’s Summa Hospital. Employees reportedly failing to reach contract negotiations in 2016 were abruptly led out of the door on January 1, 2017.
Unfortunately for Akron’s Summa hospital, 2017 has not been a prosperous year. Starting on New Years Day 2017, all hospital academic physicians contracted by SEA (Summa Emergency Associates) for decades, were also led out of the door. A new contracted company was put in place to provide staffing and the results were catastrophic. SEA employees were offered and declined generous packages by USACS, the new organization scrambling to fill roles. The hospital also lost its national accreditation for their medical residency program.
Out with the Old in with the New
USACS unfortunately miscalculated their opportunity, falling short on staff and on experience. Many physicians they brought in were not residing in Northeast Ohio, and had very little academic experience.
USACS supplies staff for hospitals across the US, providing physician placement and other health care industry roles. Coincidentally, USACS CEO is also the husband of Summa’s Chief Medical Officer – A relationship that was said not to have influenced the decision.
The resulting actions and loss of national residency accreditation occurred after compounding complaints by patients and other community partners – Claiming patients were being treated and released by residents – Ignoring requests for supervisor consults. Unfortunately for current and future students, this means their residency needs a new home – And Akron Summa is no longer an option.
How Medical Malpractice Happens in Transition
Poor planning and terrible decision making can both contribute to large instances of medical malpractice. Lack of medical experience in a training hospital, lack of organization and overall chaos can certainly allow patients’ care to fall through the cracks.
If you visited Akron Summa Hospital in 2017, and suffered an injury due to medical malpractice or neglect, you must call my offices today.
As your Ohio medical malpractice attorney, I’ll be there for you, and I’ll Make Them Pay!®
Author: Tim Misny | For over four decades, personal injury lawyer Tim Misny has represented the injured victim in in birth injury, medical malpractice, and catastrophic injury/wrongful death cases, serving Cleveland, Akron/Canton, Columbus, Dayton and neighboring communities. You can reach Tim by email at misnylaw.com/ask-tim-a-question/ or call at 877.944.4373.