Union plan takes more body blows

LYNN – Local residents, including the city?s police chief, want to know where mentally ill people who are treated at Union Hospital under a proposed expansion plan will go after they are discharged.The need to safeguard against the prospect of recently released psychiatric patients roaming Lynnfield Street neighborhoods drew applause from 80 people attending Tuesday?s meeting with Partners HealthCare executives.But some people in the North Shore Community College audience praised Partners? plans.Lisa Rose agreed with Partners psychiatric care doctors who said an increasing number of mental health patients spend hours in emergency rooms and end up hospitalized miles away from where they live because of a lack of psychiatric beds in local hospitals.?This is a chance to get people back into communities,” Rose said.Partners in October announced a plan to expand psychiatric care beds at Union Hospital from 38 now in the hospital to more than 100 by relocating mental health facilities in Salem and Medford to the Lynnfield Street hospital.Eighty-three surgical care beds at Union will be relocated to Salem under a three-year, $200 million Partners plan.Police Chief Kevin Coppinger credited Partners with working with Lynn police but he said the prospect of more psychiatric patients receiving treatment at Union parallels his concerns about the number of local drug treatment facilities caring for addicts.?Their failures become our clients and my job gets busier,” he said.The college gymnasium audience applauded Coppinger when he said hospital executives must talk to city officials, including police, about discharge plans for psychiatric patients treated at Union under Partners? plans.North Shore Medical Center President Robert Norton told Tuesday?s audience – the third to meet with hospital representatives since Partners unveiled its plan – that the proposed hospital changes are centered around shifting health care so it is oriented to the best way to treat patients instead of providing all types of care at hospitals.?We all used to go to the hospital – it?s the model of the past,” Norton said.The next step in the planning process is to submit the proposed changes to state health officials for review.But resident Jamie Rittershaus said Union Hospital, surrounded as it is by residential neighborhoods, is not the place for expanded mental health care.?This is not the spot for it. We all know it?s necessary; we all know people we love who need this care. Is this the best plan for you or for us?” she asked Norton.?I?m sure there will be changes before we finish,” he replied.School Superintendent Catherine Latham also raised concerns about Partners? plans for Union and pointed out there are two schools near the hospital.?My concern is for the safety of the children of Lynn,” she said.Resident Dale Orlando echoed those concerns.?You?re talking about releasing people onto the streets who may or may not be compliant with their medication. You are really doing the city of Lynn a great disservice – we deserve better,” she said.Norton said the planned reorganization will continue specialty care in Union Hospital as well as diabetes and nutrition programs, and other changes designed to provide “stronger regional care” in communities north of Boston served by Partners.But Ward 1 City Councilor Wayne Lozzi said Partners? plans “change the character” of Union Hospital for local residents who have been treated there or have had family members treated in at Union.?Lynn is going to get the short end of this business decision,” Lozzi said.