Koudanis: Terminology important in hospital fight

LYNN – Officials need to watch their language when discussing the need to save Union Hospital because there is a big difference between “essential services” and “full-service hospital,” according to Aikaterini Panagiotakis Koudanis.”There is a legal definition, and essential services is not a full-service, acute care hospital,” she said. “It’s not acute care at all.”According to the Department of Public Health, essential services does not include offering intermediate care or skilled nursing facility services, chronic care services, trauma service or primary stroke services.Koudanis argues that essential services is in line with what Partners Healthcare is offering for Union but not what the group trying to save the hospital wants.The health care giant unveiled plans last fall to move surgical beds from Union Hospital to Salem Hospital and increase the number of psychiatric care beds in Union.The Save Union Hospital group wants the hospital to remain an acute care or full-service facility, which would include a full-service emergency room, operating rooms and providing services like CT scans. Unfortunately officials who have pledged to support the hospital group have adopted the wrong phrase, Koudanis said.State Sen. Thomas McGee, Rep. John Tierney and City Councilors Brendan Crighton and Wayne Lozzi have all used the term “essential services” when talking about the need to save the hospital when they should be using full service, Koudanis said. Using the wrong terminology can hurt their cause in the long run because Partners could use it against the group, she added.Koudanis said she is trying to educate everyone on the differences and the need for hospital advocates to watch what they say.”Because of language like this, the community thinks this is a done deal,” she said.The deal, however, is far from done.The determination of need documents haven’t even been filed for the hospital, though Partners initially planned to file last spring.North Shore Medical Center spokeswoman Laura Fleming said late last month that the documents “have been delayed for several months” due to “external regulatory activity,” including state and pending court reviews related to Partners’ plan to acquire Hallmark Health Systems.