Registered nurses, doctors, hospital workers and community leaders will rally today (see Calendar) to keep Providence Hospital in Northeast DC open. The recent announcement by Ascension, one of the nation’s biggest hospital chains and the nation’s largest Catholic nonprofit health system, that it plans to close or restructure Providence shocked the community. “Doctors share the dismay of patients that Ascension is trying to close or dramatically downgrade the care provided at Providence Hospital, because members of this community rely on us for their health care needs,” said Lester M. Miles, MD, President of the Medical-Dental Staff of Providence Hospital. Unions affected include National Nurses United and 1199DC NUHHCE/AFSCME.
photo: 2014 rally at Providence over short staffing; photo by Korey Hartwich
photo: 2014 rally at Providence over short staffing; photo by Korey Hartwich