Stephanie Butcher speaks
photo by Hollie Webb
CEO Farrell Hayes speaks
photo by Hollie Webb
Catoosa County residents gathered Tuesday morning to show their support for saving Hutcheson Medical Center in Fort Oglethorpe.
If Erlanger decides to shut down the hospital, approximately 900 people will lose their jobs. It would also have a huge economic impact. In addition to the $29 million in payroll impact, Hutcheson is the largest client for many local vendors.
Dr. Tim Ashburn, a critical care pulmonologist at Hutcheson Medical Center, said in a press release, “We’ve treated thousands of emergency patients whose lives were literally slipping away.
If they had been forced to drive to a Chattanooga area hospital, they would not have survived. If a local North Georgia resident needs urgent emergency care, Hutcheson is their quickest option and the best bet to save their life.
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Many residents agreed, including Stephanie Butcher. When her young daughter had an allergic reaction, her parents rushed her to the hospital. On the way, her reaction became increasingly severe.
Ms. Butcher said, "If we would've had to drive 15 more minutes, it would have been too late and we would have lost our precious daughter."
Ms. Butcher also pointed out that in driving to Chattanooga, not only was distance a factor, but also traffic in areas such as Gunbarrel Road.
She said, "Our loved ones deserve to have readily available health care. I just want everyone to know that minutes matter...I live in Georgia. I don't want to have to go to another state to take my children to the doctor."
Without Hutcheson, the next closest medical center after those in Chattanooga is in Rome, Ga., even further away. If Hutcheson is forced to close, the 87,000 people that it serves annually will have to drive to one of those.
Citizens across the North Georgia region are also urged to attend three upcoming public hearings in support of the community hospital. The first hearing will be held Tuesday, Nov. 11, from 7:00 until 8:00 p.m. at the Catoosa County Civic Center Auditorium. The second hearing will be held Thursday, Nov.13 from 7:00 until 8:00 p.m. at the Walker County Civic Center Auditorium. The final hearing will be held Tuesday, Nov. 18, from 7:00 until 8:00 p.m. at the Dade County Administrative Building.
More information can also be found at www.savehutcheson.com.