I would like to provide clarification on the recent presentation made before Fairfield County Council by Fairfield Memorial Hospital’s CEO and CFO. It is my understanding that there may have been some difficultly hearing all that was said during the meeting.
Each year Fairfield Memorial Hospital and other County related agencies submit their annual budget requests to the County for approval. The County and the submitting agencies equally understand that the request includes everything we want from the County; however, neither party anticipates the county to fully fund the requests.
The funding request presented to Council on Feb. 26, 2018, in the amount of $4,000,801 is not the funding request the Hospital anticipates is needed to keep the Fairfield Memorial Hospital operational until Providence Health Fairfield Freestanding Emergency Room opens.
On Feb. 5, the hospital submitted a request to County Administrator Jason Taylor for $2.7 million. This is our anticipated cash shortfall until the end of 2018. If the new Emergency Room opens sooner, the anticipated loss will decline.
It is our goal to preserve much needed emergency room services in Fairfield County. The Hospital Board continues to monitor and direct to be implemented, all additional expense reductions possible. This facility saw over 3,500 patients during the last 6 months. We also provided services to people who had no other option but to seek care in our emergency room.
Thank you for listening to my concerns.
Catherine Fantry, Chair
Fairfield Memorial Hospital Board