LYNN – The initial fervor has died off, but residents are still strategizing on ways to keep Union Hospital a full-service outfit.”I’m holding a community meeting,” said Katerina Panagiotakis Koudanis, local activist and candidate for state representative. “I’m hoping to gather more people together to help advocate things we can do as a community.”Partners HealthCare announced plans last November to move psychiatric care from hospitals in Medford and Salem to Union and shift surgical care now located at the hospital to Salem Hospital. Koudanis said there is an online petition signed by more than 350 supporters hoping to put a stop to that plan.She is also urging residents across the city to target Partners, Governor Deval Patrick and the attorney general’s office with an email campaign opposing the plan to move Union’s hospital beds to Salem. She said she is hoping that if Patrick receives enough complaints he will launch an investigation into Partners.Ward 1 City Councilor Wayne Lozzi said he has heard Partners will soon be filing its Determination of Need with the state, which is the next step in the process for the healthcare giant, but he hasn’t heard anything else.”All the promises made in the past of keeping us aware and updated, I have not heard anything from any Union Hospital official,” he said. “We need to keep pressure on these folks to let us know what’s happening, ideally before it’s happened.”City Council President Daniel Cahill said he sat in on a recent meeting with Partners and was told the group had met with the police chief to discuss public safety issues and would be meeting with the fire chief as well. He also said there was talk of facilitating a neighborhood meeting, but there was no set date.Koudanis said she is concerned that changes will be made and plans set in motion with the community left unaware.”We should have been notified long before (Partners) made their announcement in November,” she said.She said she will also have maps available to show how detrimental it would be for residents should there be a flood situation.In a heavy storm there is the chance the Floating Pond Bridge could go under water cutting off access to Salem Hospital via Route 107, she said.”Some people say that Route 1A though Swampscott is easier access for people from Lynn but during heavy rains that always floods too,” she said. “We will basically be walled out.”The meeting will be held in the Lynn Public Library’s community room Monday at 7 p.m., and Koudanis said she is expecting about 24 people and hoping for more.”It’s open to the public,” she said. “Anyone is welcome to attend.”
