State Rep. Juanita Brent calls for improved medical policy amidst University Hospitals staffing shortage

COLUMBUS - Today, State Rep. Juanita Brent (D-Cleveland) emphasized the importance of improving the medical field during critical staffing shortages after University Hospitals made the decision to discontinue some services, including inpatient, surgical, and emergency department services, at their Bedford and Richmond locations due to a lack of patient care staff. They will also be working to transfer traffic from these two centers to their higher capacity facilities, such as Lake West, Beachwood, and Ahuja. 

“The state of Ohio must incentivize people to work in the medical field,” said Rep. Brent. “We need to properly fund public transit and provide equitable funding towards public health. These are just some of the factors that will increase the quality of life and life expectancy for our residents, and encourage people to move to Ohio.”

University Hospitals also plans to invest in new wellness programs to directly improve health outcomes in Bedford, Richmond, and surrounding communities. These services will be provided through wellness centers at the existing UH campuses, and will include programs for pregnancy, grief, education, fitness, nutrition, and workforce development.