Is St. Francis Hospital next on the chopping block?
Statement from Alderman Bob Donovan - April 10, 2018
It has been brought to my attention that Ascension Wisconsin is looking to significantly downsize services at St. Francis Hospital, a mainstay on Milwaukee’s south side near S. 16th and W. Dakota Streets.
This is a shock as we just heard Ascension Wisconsin’s recent announcement that it will reduce the footprint of the St. Joseph Hospital campus from its current 1 million square feet to a mere 300,000 – along with cuts in needed medical/surgical services. The downsizing will truly hurt the neighborhood surrounding St. Joseph and the neighbors who have relied on the hospital for decades.
The same can be said of any downsizing that may come for St. Francis Hospital – the effects will be catastrophic for the area and for the people who truly need the services there.
This downsizing possibility concerns me immensely!
I understand the challenges of operating hospitals and certainly the bottom line is important, but they are also not-for-profit institutions that pay no taxes. They are critical frontline care institutions in our neighborhoods and losing them or seeing them diminished is devastating to the area where they’re located and bad for the city in general.
It would be great if Ascension opens up and engages the community and city leaders if it is indeed looking next at cuts at St. Francis. Will that happen? I’m not holding my breath.
Is the entire Ascension system losing money? I doubt it.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.
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