MetroHealth's doors are open. We need your support

by Dr. Philip Fragassi

Saturday July 26, 2008, 10:00 PM

I love MetroHealth. I have been working here for 14 years, since finishing my residency at Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital in 1994. I am married and the father of two boys born at Metro. My wife and I receive all of our health care at the main hospital, and our children are seen at the Buckeye Clinic near Shaker Square.

We have a choice in where to go for our health care needs, and we choose Metro. We have come to expect sensitive, professional, quality care in times of trauma and during routine wellness visits.

One of the main reasons I work at MetroHealth is the privilege of serving those who are most vulnerable. I can guarantee that there is not a person at MetroHealth who will ever turn away a patient in need. I have been the medical director at the Juvenile Detention Center, and I have directed a program for crack-exposed infants. I have run clinics in CMHA housing and taken care of countless young people in need.

I also take care of lawyers' children, physicians' children and the children and grandchildren of families in my neighborhood. These are people with choices, who chose MetroHealth because of the quality of care. Many times, people have said to me "I would love for you to be my children's pediatrician, but we have insurance." With a bit of research they have found that my services are on their medical plan.

Why aren't more people with resources choosing to go to Metro for their care? Why are we still perceived, at times, as the hospital for those who have no money, insurance or resources? How can we get the word out to the community that we have high-quality care for all Clevelanders?

We have an image problem and that is one of the reasons we are in financial crisis.

We have so much to offer. Our physicians did not go to schools and residency programs that teach how to deal only with those patients who have no insurance. We have been trained at the same schools and programs as physicians of our more financially fit neighboring hospital systems. Board certification testing in each medical specialty is the same for each doctor at MetroHealth as it is for his or her counterparts at any other hospital in the country. Our diverse patient population teaches us daily about social and medical concerns and their complex relationship in society today.

We are extremely qualified to take care of any medical issues that arise. Our staff comes from the best and brightest in the nation. Our nursing staff has been awarded the MAGNET award, a national award of excellence in nursing. The image of Metro needs to be elevated in this city. As much as we try in our advertising campaigns, we need more people to come forward and support our mission by joining in this richly diverse medical system.

Cleveland is truly a Mecca of medical care. People come from all over the world for the medical care we have to offer.

But there are disparities. Some hospitals have billion-dollar surpluses; others that care for the most vulnerable are struggling to stay afloat. Some people with insurance drive many miles to go to a physician when the solution is in their back yard. Some people are still evaluated and told to go to "the county hospital."

Metro should not have to shoulder the largest percentage burden of giving free and reduced care to the citizens of this community. Our mission is clear, but our financial condition is putting this mission in jeopardy. Without the financial resources, we cannot continue to do our job effectively.

The answer? Work together as a medical community. We cannot profile patients as better suited for one hospital system over another. Each system needs to care for the diversity Cleveland offers. As a community, we must support those in need.

MetroHealth continues to do this.

Now we need your support. Check us out. Use our services. Our doors are open. Our mission is unique.