City Councilor Ed Flynn is placing the Boston Planning & Development Agency on blast for recommending approval of a for-profit pressing care clinic that may have been situated a block away from the nonprofit South Boston Community Health Center.
A day after town’s Zoning Board of Appeal authorized American Family Care’s request to withdraw its software, Flynn slammed the BPDA for displaying “poor judgment and ruthless disregard” by favoring the challenge.
“I am going to be as polite as I can, but I think everyone knows here and in this city that if you come after my constituents, well then be prepared for battle,” Flynn mentioned on the finish of Wednesday’s City Council assembly.
“We call ourselves the most progressive city in the city,” he continued, “and after all we’ve heard for 15 years about the profit motive in health care, the BPDA was ready to recommend and stick the largest for-profit urgent care company in the country a block away from a nonprofit health center. Incredibly shortsighted. It would have put the public health of the town at risk in the long term.”
In a memo to town’s Zoning Board of Appeal final week, the BPDA really helpful approval of the pressing care clinic as a result of the company thought its proposed location, 457-469A West Broadway, would have been conducive to assembly the group’s wants.
The clinic would have been positioned in a “pre-existing but untenanted first floor space,” the BPDA highlighted.
“This proposed location is particularly well-sited for an urgent care clinic,” the memo acknowledged, “as it is an approximate 2-minute walk from the South Boston Community Health Center and an approximate 10-minute walk from multiple nearby dental establishments, therefore reinforcing this (corridor) as an important destination servicing South Boston residents’ health needs.”
But Flynn disagreed, saying, “This is not a healthcare desert and there is not a community need for this proposal.”
Attorney Dennis A. Quilty, representing American Family Care, mentioned the corporate formally withdrew from the challenge in a letter final Thursday to ZBA Chairwoman Sherry Dong. Quilty didn’t state the specifics behind the corporate backing out.
American Family Care operates greater than 200 amenities throughout 26 states, treating almost 3 million sufferers a 12 months, in response to its firm web site. It appears to be like to have greater than 500 clinics nationwide within the subsequent 5 years.
The firm says it’s completely different from different pressing care clinics as a result of it offers “digital X-rays, state-of-the-art diagnostic procedures, electronic medical record keeping,” amongst different providers.
The BPDA didn’t instantly reply to a Herald request for remark.
City Councilor Erin Murphy and state Sen. Nick Collins, additionally representing Southie, joined Flynn in opposing the proposed clinic as a result of potential damaging monetary impacts it might’ve had on South Boston Community Health Center.
“The SBCHC has been an invaluable partner with the people of South Boston for 50 years and services 70,000 patients annually,” Flynn mentioned Wednesday, “while the largest for-profit urgent care company in the country offers a fraction of the services and can pack up and leave at any time if they’re unhappy with their profit margin. This was not a close call. The BPDA showed poor judgment and ruthless disregard for the welfare of the people of South Boston.”
The City Council final week authorized Flynn’s order to carry a listening to on how for-profit pressing care clinics influence nonprofit well being facilities.
After Flynn’s remarks, Council President Ruthzee Louijeune mentioned she’d wish to carry again bulletins on the finish of council conferences, however discussing bigger points must be reserved for hearings.
“I know that these issues are important,” Louijeune mentioned. “I want to make sure that we are also keeping announcements to announcements – the birthdays, the events. That’s traditionally what’s happened.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com”