'Excited for the future'

SANDUSKY — Two local health care leaders on Friday answered some pressing questions regarding a hospital acquisition announced two days prior. Sara Brokaw, president and CEO of The Bellevue Hospital, and Jeremy Normington-Slay, CEO of Firelands Health, appeared on "Between the Lines." Sponsored by Serving Our Seniors, the full 17-minute interview is available for demand viewing at sanduskyregister.com and on the Register's YouTube channel. Both repeatedly underscored how their partnership and acquisition will make both health care organizations stronger. What happened? On Wednesday, The Bellevue Hospital announced a plan for financial restructuring, which, most notably, includes being acquired by Firelands Health. In late 2024, The Bellevue Hospital released a statement hinting at financial troubles, and — in Wednesday's joint statement with Firelands Health — noted its severe monetary problems, which involves going through a Chapter 11 bankruptcy process. Through this process came a restructuring and acquisition with Firelands Health, enabling The Bellevue Hospital "to address financial obligations while continuing to serve the health care needs of the community," the statement read. Executives expect the acquisition to become finalized sometime later this year once the restructuring process ends and regulatory approval by health care industry professionals is granted. "We anticipate it will be approved," Brokaw said. Certain information, including the sale price, was not disclosed. The filing comes as The Bellevue Hospital is encountering "many of the current pressures common to rural and independent U.S. hospitals, such as rising operational costs, access to capital, regulatory complexity and funding constraints," the statement read. Brokaw on Friday expanded upon the latest situation. "Our circumstances were such that we were at risk of not being able to be stable, to provide care for the community, and this situation has allowed us to set up our positioning so that we can have some stability and continue providing care to the community," Brokaw said. Normington-Slay praised Firelands' longstanding partnership with Bellevue — along with Fisher-Titus in Norwalk and Magruder Hospital in Port Clinton, making up the North Coast Healthcare Collaborative — which played a key role in figuring out a solution working for all parties involved. "We felt like there was a natural synergy. Our cultures align very well. We take pride in our facilities and our buildings, and if you have ever been near The Bellevue Hospital, it is a gorgeous facility," Normington-Slay said. "When patients of Bellevue have sought a higher level of care, many of them do come to Firelands already. We share some of those clinical services. We have primary care and behavioral health in that region. We have done a lot together. We felt like it was something worthwhile in taking a look at." How close to closing? If Firelands didn't pursue an acquisition of The Bellevue Hospital, it's possible a troubling scenario for locals could have occurred. When asked if The Bellevue Hospital could have closed without Firelands' intervention, Brokaw said, "It was a real possibility." There are many "hospitals that have closed throughout the U.S. and in Ohio, and those are communities that are losing access to care," Brokaw said. "It is critical, and there are a lot of communities in Ohio that don't have what we do." Normington-Slay stressed how thriving communities need strong hospitals caring for patients. And both Brokaw and Normington-Slay emphasized how the acquisition allows for The Bellevue Hospital to remain open and continue serving patients, primarily from Bellevue, Clyde and Fremont. The plan also calls for keeping "The Bellevue Hospital" name and branding on its properties. Brokaw believes, given the circumstances, this played out as a best-case scenario for her hospital, its staff and patients receiving care there. "Overall a very positive feeling. Yes, (there's) a bit of a sigh of relief because there was concern about what our final disposition would be as an organization," Brokaw said. In the end, when asked if this "is a good thing" for all involved, Brokaw said, "Absolutely." "We are open. We are business as usual. We are here to take care of your health care needs," she said. "We hope that everyone continues to give us the privilege of providing those health care needs to them, and we are committed to that." Normington-Slay promised to provide Bellevue with whatever help Firelands can offer. "We are in a supporting role, and we are going to assist them through this process to make sure The Bellevue Hospital stays open and remains a great employer for its employees and remains there to keep health care close to home for patients with decisions that are made by folks who live and work and play in this region, and that is important to us all," he said. "That is really important to us all. We are excited for the future." Questions addressed Both Brokaw and Normington-Slay addressed some questions posed by community members since this acquisition process became public. This would include: • Why did it happen? Both noted several factors — namely financial, including wage increases in a post-COVID-19 world along with rising overhead costs — greatly contributed toward this acquisition. • Is this a bailout? "This is not a donation," Normington-Slay said. "This is a strategic investment for Firelands and a strategic investment in a company that, we think, has great value. We really think, together, we can make Bellevue strong financially and stable." • Will the workforce be downsized? "We anticipate needing all of the employees that we have," Brokaw said. "It's hard to recruit people into health care. We are always having needs." Right now, The Bellevue Hospital employs about 400 people, and there are more than 2,100 working at Firelands Health. Normington-Slay noted Firelands Health has 200 jobs currently available. • Will both organizations be better off from this? Both believe this acquisition better positions all affected parties over the long term. "Our cultures are very much aligned, and both organizations are dedicated to providing high-quality, accessible care to the people of this region," Normington-Slay said. "We look forward to working with the strong leadership team at The Bellevue Hospital and providers and staff to ensure a continuum of care to our patients." Bio blast The statement provided context on both health care organizations: • The Bellevue Hospital — At 1400 West Main St. in Bellevue, the hospital is a locally owned, nonprofit, 50-bed hospital committed to offering patients the most advanced technology and medical treatment possible while providing the highest level of personal care. The Bellevue Hospital is accredited and has served the Bellevue community since 1917. • Firelands Health — At 1111 Hayes Ave. (Ohio 4) in Sandusky, Firelands Regional Medical Center is overseen by Firelands Health and includes a 287-bed medical center, which is the largest in the region, with medical staff of more than 200 and employs more than 2,000 full- and part-time employees. The full-service medical center provides a comprehensive array of acute services, specialties and subspecialties. Firelands Health serves patients in Erie, Huron, Ottawa, Sandusky and Seneca counties.