Outer Mission Residents Association Speaks Out for St. Luke's

RESOLUTION
Keep All St. Luke’s Hospital Open!

Whereas, St. Luke’s Hospital is the oldest continuously run
hospital in San Francisco, built in San Francisco at its present
location in 1871; and

Whereas, St. Luke’s Hospital’s mission is critical in serving communities in the southern and southeastern neighborhoods
of San Francisco and should continue to serve these communities; and

Whereas, St. Luke’s mission is critical in serving its
constituents and patients who are unable to afford medical insurance and constitutes the largest hospital in San Francisco,besides San Francisco General Hospital, in treating “Charity Care Cases” when needed; therefore be it

Resolved that the Coalition for San Francisco Neighborhoods
urges CPMC and Sutter Health keep all aspects, including the Acute Care Facilities, the Emergency Room, and the Ninth and Tenth Floor open and staffed to its fullest capacity to continue its critical and most needed of services to the most
destitute and those in need in the southern and southeastern neighborhoods in San Francisco.

On behalf of the Outer Mission Residents Association(OMRA) and its Executive Board, and as its president, I want to express our concerns with the possible closure of certain departments at St. Luke’s Hospital. To give you a little history, I was a Board member of the St. Luke’s Foundation for seven years.

OMRA represents the Crocker Amazon, Excelsior, and Outer Mission Districts in San Francisco, and we oppose any and all closures of the acute care facilities, neo-natal care facilities, any portion of the emergency room, and any portion of the ninth and tenth floor of the hospital.The CPMC Board of Directors President’s disregard for the low income, the disenfranchised, and the immigrant community is an insult to this community and to those who serve this community.

As I know from being part of St. Luke’s and the Sutter Group for many years, St. Luke’s Hospital cares for more of these people in their “charity care program” than any other hospital in the Bay Area except for S.F. General Hospital. It is also insulting to many members of OMRA that were either born at St Luke’s,been treated there, or use this hospital for many emergency services, neo-natal services, cardiovascular services, and therapy services.The Board’s arrogance in this matter is quite demeaning to this community and it slaps the other cheek of those very people that need these services.

We and OMRA urge you to join Supervisor Michela Aliota-Pier in addressing persons to join the “Blue Ribbon Panel”to look at ways to keep all aspects of St. Luke’s Hospital,the oldest hospital in San Francisco, open to the southernmost area of the City. As a former Foundation Board Member, I urge you to reject closure of any kind to any aspect at St. Luke’s Hospital.The CPMC Board president has not taken the initiative or responded to the invitation to speak to the neighbors or St. Luke’s constituents or patients. We urge the Board,CPMC,
and Sutter do the right thing!

…Steven R. Currier (OMRA)President of the OMRA Board and former member of the St. Luke's Foundation Board