Rep. Sykes Calls On HATCo To Provide Clear Assurances To OH-13 Community Prior To Summa Sale
AKRON, OH— Today, U.S. Representative Emilia Sykes (OH-13) sent a letter to Dr. Marc Harrison, Chief Executive Officer of the Health Assurance Transformation Corporation (HATCo), in regards to HATCo’s proposed acquisition of Summa Health. In the letter, Rep. Sykes urged HATCo leadership to answer several questions to address ongoing concerns about how the proposed sale of Summa will impact access to high-quality health care for residents in Ohio’s 13th Congressional District.
Rep. Sykes wrote, in part:
“Summa is the largest employer in Summit County, therefore it is essential to the local economy that Summa Health remain in good-standing financially and that patients continue to experience the same level of care that they have come to rely upon for thirty-five years.”
“The idea that our local non-profit hospital and community mainstay may be acquired by a private for- profit company has caused many to pause, myself included. We have seen systems and hospitals like Steward Health Care in Massachusetts and Lifepoint’s Wilson Medical Center in North Carolina, who have been acquired by private equity companies, suffer while property is ravaged, ownership is distributed, and communities are left to pick up the pieces. I, and too many others, care too much about this hospital system and community to allow this to happen. As such, I am looking for opportunities to work towards our common goal: to keep Summa as a community hospital that provides the high-quality health care that we know can be delivered while maintaining financial sustainability, and spurring innovation.”
View the full letter here.