ECMC important to city, suburbs

In the article "Hospitals, healthcare face uncertain future" (Jan. 24 and 25, Community Outlook), Keaton T. DePriest fails to mention the severe impact a merger of the Erie County Medical Center Corporation and Buffalo General Hospital would have on this area.

The ECMC provides services to residents of Buffalo's suburbs every day. It has the region's only level-one trauma center, an excellent burn treatment unit and top-notch cardiac care and transplantation units.

A helipad for the MercyFlight air ambulance exists on the hospital's rooftop. The ECMC staff members also provide care to the men and women living at the Erie County Home and Infirmary in Alden.

Public hospitals and nursing homes such as ECMC and the Erie County Home are an important safety net in any community - urban and suburban. Public facilities are of last resort for our elderly and indigent, regardless of their town of residence. The potential loss of these facilities would jeopardize access to health care, not improve it.

In addition to harming care, the Berger Commission report does little to address the thousands of jobs, both public and private, that would be lost. Complaints about the Buffalo area economy are frequent. It's no secret that high-paying jobs are scarce in Western New York. We cannot afford to drop such a bomb on the local workforce.

Although it automatically became law when state legislators failed to act, many realize the report leaves unanswered questions. In fact, a judge downstate has issued an injunction to halt the closure of a Bronx hospital targeted in the report.

Buffalo and its suburbs need ECMC. We must work together to protect this valuable community asset.

Thomas Finger

Cheektowaga