Closing the Bradley E.R.? Not Anytime Soon, Hospital Officials Say

The Hospital of Central Connecticut’s partnership with Hartford Hospital and changes at Bradley Memorial Campus have caused a stir in the past year, leading to rumors of services being cut including the emergency room, but hospital executives this week assured the town that such rumors couldn’t be further from the truth.

Eric Hobert, associate medical director for the Hospital of Central, and Executive Vice President Steven Hanks said this week that the hospital is actually looking to expand some emergency room services in the next couple years as the need for assistance continues to grow in the community.

“The volume in the emergency department has actually been growing,” Hanks said. “I don’t know if there is the capacity anywhere in system to take on that care. We have higher volume than Hartford, Yale or other institutions.”

“Except for in-patient surgery, which has been on a long-term decline, I don’t see any services closing. We’ve been able to manage through without layoffs and have done that through attrition. We will not compromise on safety or the quality of the care we provide.”

Members of the council brought the two hospital officials in Monday night to discuss the future of the hospital, saying Bradley has provided quality care for decades and detailing the importance of having the local hospital in the community.

Councilwoman Cheryl Lounsbury, a recent patient of the hospital as she dealt with an injury, said she discussed the concerns brought forward by residents and hospital staff while at the hospital and was happy to learn of the long-term plan.

According to Hanks, the hospital has made adjustments and cuts in recent years as part of an effort to consolidate services and improve quality long-term, especially as the hospital prepares to absorb costs associated with the Affordable Care Act, also known as “Obamacare.” Hanks said these changes were essential, but also put the hospital in a strong position to move forward in a responsible manner.

The hospital first opened in 1938 and has remained active in the community ever since.

Bradley and New Britain General Hospital came together in 2006 under a single license as the Hospital of Central Connecticut. Hanks and Hobert said the merger allowed consolidation of services that amounted to $16-$18 million in savings.

One area that has been affected in recent years, however, is in-patient surgery. The need has been on a steady decline in recent years and the hospital is simply not able to offer enough work and training in a cost-effective manner to keep the services, Hanks said.

Furthermore, the hospital has closed the pathology clinic and nursing clinic in New Britain. The hospital is also leaning away from joint care due to a growing number of options throughout the area. Hobert assured council members, however, that there would be no reductions in areas of cardiac or emergency care.

“The future is bright. We are growing here,” Hanks said. “Bradley will soon look different than it does today, just as it is now different than it was 30 years ago.”

For more information of the hospital and services, visit the state Department of Public Health’s listing by clicking the link provided.

Make sure to like Southington Patch on Facebook or follow on Twitter for breaking news, daily updates and more!