While most hospitals see the military restructuring in Maryland as a challenge, one facilitysees it as a savior. Laurel Regional Hospital?s parent company, Dimensions Healthcare Systems, has been in financial trouble for years and its facilities on the verge of closure, which would present a major health care problem near Fort Meade.
“If Laurel closed down, someone would have to open another hospital,” said Thomas Burguieres, chairman of the hospital?s emergency department. The area hospitals cannot absorb our [40,000] emergency room patients. And I think that message got through to state and county officials.”
The hospital is one of four medical centers in Prince George?s that could either close, downsize or be taken over by another company as officials look for a way to save Dimensions, which has needed an annual bailout from state and Prince George?s lawmakers. Earlier this year, a deal brokered by Gov. Martin O?Malley and Prince George?s County Executive Jack Johnson was turned down by the County Council amid budgetary concerns.
There still remains no long-term solution to keep Dimensions afloat.
The Base Realignment and Closure process “is one part of a larger issue there,” said Rex Cowdry, executive director of the Maryland Healthcare Commission.
“In a sense, BRAC is superimposed over an existing, long-standing challenge.”
Though Baltimore Washington Medical Center in Glen Burnie is the closest hospital to the fort, unrelated growth in Howard, Prince George?s and Anne Arundel counties will depend on the hospital.
“Our patient numbers have risen from 24,000 to 40,000 in the past 10 years,” Burguieres said. “I have more concerns about what we, as an emergency room, can do for the community and the BRAC needs at Fort Meade.”
But officials remain confident that a deal will be made and Laurel Regional?s future will be less shaky.
“The O?Malley-Brown administration is committed to bringing a world-class health system … and will be out there on the front lines to bring people back to the table,” said Mike Raia, spokesman for Brown, who led the state?s subcommittee on BRAC.
