I copied this from Dottie G's letter of the 23rd. I find this not unexpected news very disturbing.

THIS JUST IN: a developer met with Plainfield’s Planning Board this evening about a proposal to purchase the Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center property. They discussed possible uses of the property, and members of the Planning Board made it clear that there must be a medical focus, including a full-service Emergency Room, etc. Apparently the developer has met with Solaris and there may be a tentative agreement for the sale of the property, although as far as we know nothing has been signed off on. The Nursing School would not be included in the sale. More discussion is planned for the next Planning Board meeting—Thursday, December 2, at 8 pm in the City Hall Library. WE WILL BE THERE! 

And from this Friday's(today) Plainfield Today: 


"According to Robertson, 'everything is on the table' from the developer's point of view -- including possible use as an assisted care facility with a nursing home component, residential apartments, a wellness center and/or an adult daycare center. These were given just as examples of the range of possibilities being explored, and Robertson noted the developer was also interested in exploring whether Summit Medical Group would be interested in using part of the facility."

Although the likely hood of the State ever even giving permission to reactivity any type of a hospital system in the Muhlenberg campus is most remote, once such deal as reported takes place there will be absolutely no known possibility. Plainfield and its area will have been completely abandoned for quality medical services, due to political and economic reasons, without consideration of humane or  moral values.

Certainly a "full-service emergency room" does not in any sense substitute for a facility that can render the level of critical urgent or emergency care that people in this area should receive. I think that a full description of what its capabilities are, what the staffing will be, and who will operate it, which informs ourresidents is in order. Will we get one? Probably not.

The fact is that Solaris by this sale will have completed the medical rape of Plainfield, gaining not only the highly profitable, Colon-Rectal Services,Vascular Surgical Services, as well as millions of dollars. There were other desirable medical assets of MRC that were transferred to JFK long before making public the plan to close the hospital. An ancillary result was our finding out that JFK catered primarily to patients that could support its existence via insurance or Medicare plans. 

In fact upon closing Muhlenberg, Solaris abandoned MRC's limited acute psychiatric care, as well as low income obstetrical services provided by the Neighborhood  Health Care Center, to other distant institutions.
 
It had been obvious to some that from the start Solaris never intended to accommodate the health care needs of the Plainfield area. With two hospitals close together there never was an effort made to merge the medical staffs, thus protecting the interests of those physicians who were using Kennedy as their main hospital. 

In fact there is no evidence that Kennedy gave even a damn about this communities health needs. That impression is supported by the fact that they have not lived up to the agreements which permitted the closing of MRC. 


There is also the appropriation by Solaris of tha endowment funds dedicated to the health of  Palinfield residents  for its own use. The  legality of this action has never been questioned by those, such as both branches of the City government, who have the power and resources to do so. 


Although much of the blame for today's lack of a local hospital has been placed on our Assemblyman's and Mayor's lack of aggresive opposition to the closure, the roots of the problem go back almost 3 decades.

Muhlenberg hospital was up to the 70s a nonprofit Association with the self-perpetuating Board of Governors. As a nonprofit Association it really belong to the people. It was formed by a few concern citizens after a train wreck and had its first location on Muhlenberg Place.

In the 70s for ill-advised financial reasons the Board of Governors created a for profit Muhlenberg Hospital  Corporastion and the Hospital itself became a nonprofit subsidiary which would benefit from income of independent for profit subsidiaries. Most of the later were  ill conceived and ultimately a failure. However the endowment funds were now the property of the "parent corporation which is the body that made the merger deal with Solaris as petitioners and became "secondary citizens". MRC became a loss leader for the Solaris financial books. There has been  no independent auditing of of  Solaris' books to account for any fiscal manipulations although some claim  that there were irregularities.

Be that as it may, Most of the blame must be placed on the Board of Governors that in its knowing what is best for you listened to poor advised from its employed managers. In all due respect to today's "blamers" it should be noted that one of the respected members of the Board in that era was the late Al. McWilliams. This was a period of hospital mergers for economic reasons and many like Muhlenberg/Solaris were ill conceived by one of the parties.  


I intend to expand my remarks in a few days.