The closure will mean changes for some 1,600 employees, who will move to other Premier campuses in the Miami Valley.
>> Your guide to Good Samaritan Hospital closing
But those at the rally were concerned about what the hospital’s closure means for residents on the west side of Dayton.
At times the rally, hosted by a team of pastors, sounded more like a church service than a protest. People sang, they joined hands in prayer.
“I think we have a case to make about health care in our community,” the Rev Daryl Ward of Omega Baptist Church said. “And if the answer is not Good Samaritan staying open … what is an answer?”
>> Community prays over DPS, Good Samaritan Hospital closings
PremierHealth said the closure is necessary. The hospital has twice as many beds as it needs in a city with declining population.
But others maintain closing the hospital is not the answer, including Ohio gubernatorial candidate Dennis Kucinich, who attended Saturday night's event.
“I’ve seen conditions change where people said it’s all over,” he said. “Maybe in Premier’s minds this is over, but it is not over.”
>> Good Samaritian Hospital closing: Community angry, devastated, concerned
Shereda Lipscomb lives on the west side of Dayton and said she worries what will happen if the hospital closes.
“We’re losing everything over here. They want to shut us down, and I want a force to come together so that we can stand strong and they understand that we are strong and mighty,” she said.
>> Good Sam closing was not ‘slam dunk:’ 3 things to know about public forum
This rally was not the first gathering over the future of Good Sam this weekend.
On Saturday in Dayton, four leaders with Premier Health met with the public to talk about its decision.
The public is invited to weigh in on what the future of the site should be at two forums scheduled at:
- 1 p.m. March 22 at Fairview United Methodist Church, 828 W. Fairview Ave.
- 6 p.m. March 22 at Fairview preK-6 School, 2314 Elsmere Ave.
Premier also is planning to gather input through meetings with community leaders, surveys, community events, workshops and its website daytonphoenixproject.org.
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