Marvin Levin, like much of Allegheny County, learned that Jefferson Regional Medical Center was affiliating with insurer Highmark when he read about it in the newspaper.
But as president of the Jefferson Regional Community Health Council, Mr. Levin had a keener interest than most. The council, a group of 19 South Hills residents, is both supporter and monitor of all health care matters in their community, and Jefferson Regional is the leading hospital in their coverage area.
It was council members, he said, who pushed to get a traffic light installed at the busy Clairton Boulevard intersection so people could more safely get to the hospital. And when someone mentioned they'd had an exceptionally long wait in Jefferson's emergency room one time, the council went directly to hospital officials to voice their concern.
Long waits in the Jefferson Regional emergency room should not be an issue at future council meetings.
Pending approval from the state attorney general and Allegheny County Orphans' Court, Highmark has committed $75 million to the Jefferson Regional Medical Center Foundation, with plans to expand the emergency department, add clinical services such as neurosurgery, as well as fund expansion at the Bethel Park campus.
So, after emceeing Jefferson Regional's annual community recognition dinner Wednesday, Mr. Levin of Castle Shannon said he's hearing nothing but favorable comments from fellow South Hills residents about the Highmark-Jefferson affiliation, which will turn control of the hospital board to Highmark but infuse the Jefferson Hills hospital with the money to expand and improve.
"They will have the influx of money to do what they want to do," he said.
Jefferson may be turning over board control to Highmark, but Mr. Levin and others see the transaction as way for their community hospital to keep its identity. "I think what we've done is preserve health care for all of us in this room and the people in this community," Jefferson Regional president and CEO John Dempster told the audience Wednesday night.
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