Lakewood and Fairview hospitals to start sharing services soon
By Kate Spirgen, Sun News
April 08, 2010, 10:15AM

LAKEWOOD - Lakewood and Fairview hospitals, under unified management since the beginning of the year, will begin coordinating care and sharing services soon. Major changes include the end of trauma and inpatient pediatric care at Lakewood Hospital and the implementation of a plan to make the hospital the site of acute rehabilitation for Cleveland’s West Side.

“We have to figure out a way to maximize our effectiveness and make access for patients better and we believe that this plan will continue to do that,” said Lakewood and Fairview Hospital President Jan Murphy at a community forum on March 31.

Lakewood Hospital, now a Level II trauma center, will not seek accreditation in the future, opting instead to send those patients, which accounted for less than 1 percent of all Lakewood Hospital emergency room visits last year, to Fairview Hospital. Lakewood’s emergency room will continue to offer full services to patients, but paramedics will take victims of serious or violent injuries to the Cleveland hospital, less than 4 miles away.

“We will stabilize any trauma patients who come in to Lakewood Hospital and then get them to the most appropriate trauma center for their injuries, which could be Fairview Hospital or MetroHealth,” Murphy said.

Trauma service will remain in place at Lakewood Hospital until the city reviews the proposal which Murphy expects to be completed by mid-June. Lakewood rents the hospital to the Cleveland Clinic through an agreement that requires the hospital to provide certain services.

Lakewood Hospital will also now be the acute rehabilitation center for patients on Cleveland’s West Side, providing physical and occupational therapy to get patients back to their daily lives after an injury or illness.
Administrators plan to expand Lakewood Hospital’s acute rehabilitation services department and relocate service from Fairview Hospital by the end of 2010, according to Murphy.

The space now used for inpatient pediatric care at Lakewood Hospital will be renovated to house a new geriatric psychiatry unit. The former geriatric psychiatry unit will then become the site of the expanded acute rehabilitation center, which will serve as the Center for Acute Rehabilitation on the west side.

These moves are a part of the hospital’s multi-million dollar Vision for Tomorrow strategic plan, components of which include all private patient rooms, preventative medicine and wellness programs and other renovations. One of the most prominent changes is a focus on “centers of excellence,” or specialized care units in several areas.

“We want to make sure that we’re here for many more decades to serve our community,” Murphy said at a LakewoodAlive community forum presentation. “We’re getting our care in a different way than we did five years ago or 10 years ago and we want to meet that patient need.”

The Lakewood Hospital Association Board of Trustees will maintain its oversight of inpatient pediatrics and trauma services even though they will be located at Fairview Hospital, said Fred DeGrandis, president and CEO of Cleveland Clinic regional hospitals.

“These changes will assure that center of excellence development is fully coordinated between Lakewood and Fairview hospitals,” he said, providing the example that by offering diabetes education support in family health centers, further patient services will be directed to Lakewood’s Diabetes Center and then to hospital services as needed, providing streamlined care to patients.

Dear Fellow Lincolnite,

This note comes to you from Chris Karel and Julie Warren; many of you know us as the current PTA Co-Presidents of Lincoln PTA. We have had a great year at Lincoln full of laughs and heartwarming moments. We write today for a more serious reason: to urge you to vote FOR the Lakewood City Schools operating levy (Issue 6) on May 4.

The two of us have lived in Lakewood for more than a decade, so we know our property taxes are high. But it was precisely for that reason that the Board and administration of the Lakewood Schools have made stretching our tax dollars the highest priority, and have achieved the incredible feat of going eight years without an operating levy, five years longer than originally promised. ( Ohio ’s school funding formula normally forces districts to add levies every two-three years.) Meanwhile the Lakewood Schools have consistently scored well against increasingly difficult state standards ( Lakewood ’s current rating is “Excellent”), while facing the challenges presented by an especially varied demographic mix of students and parents.

Business Week magazine recently gave Lakewood the top spot in Ohio in its 2010 “Best Places to Raise Your Kids”; “great schools” was a major reason. For years Lakewood has produced a disproportionally high number of National Merit Finalist and Semifinalists, Advanced Placement Scholars, and students eligible to take college coursework before even leaving high school! Simultaneously, the Lakewood Schools offer a wide range of high-caliber music and athletic programs that we parents know are so critical in developing the kinds of future neighbors we want in our city.

But while trying to stretch dollars, the recession hit, and now the Lakewood City Schools are in a desperate situation. The 6.9 mil operating levy is not enough to prevent significant staffing cuts already in progress. But if this levy fails our community will be catastrophically changed forever. Class sizes will swell, programming and staffing cuts will be huge, and the Lakewood Schools will be set back for many, many years. Even children who are newborns today would pay a huge price in lost educational opportunity and quality.

This levy is not just about the Lakewood Schools, but about the quality of life for all of us who live here in Lakewood . The health of our schools directly determines who chooses to live here and who chooses to leave. It affects our sense of community and perceptions about basic safety. The health of our schools directly affects our property values! The fact that Mayor Ed Fitzgerald and Councilman Mike Summers are co-chairing the levy campaign underscores that this levy is about life in Lakewood , not just its schools.

We also encourage you to go to www.lakewoodschildren.org to view a short video presentation. If you have further questions, please reply to lincolnptaeweek@gmail.com Regardless of your decision, we both thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
Chris Karel and Julie Warren

From the Cleveland Clinic Office of Government Relations:

THE NEW HEALTHCARE REFORM LAW
Frequently Asked Questions about Coverage

April 9, 2010


UNIVERSITY TEES HEADQUARTERS AND PRODUCTION COMES TO LAKEWOOD
COMPANY RECEIVES $50,000 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUND LOAN

University Tees, a growing business owned by Lakewood residents, is moving its headquarters to Lakewood this summer. The company sells apparel products to college campuses across the nation.

The growing business already opened a production facility in Lakewood in September of 2009 as part of its newly created company, 717 Ink. The company decided to stop outsourcing their printing processes and 717 Ink is the exclusive screen-printer for University Tees. 717 Ink recently entered into a long term lease at Lakewood’s Templar Office Complex (formerly the Lake Erie Screw Building), 13000 Athens Avenue.

“I have called Lakewood home for over five years, and I’m excited to call Lakewood the home for University Tees,” said Joe Haddad, Vice-President of University Tees. “A majority of our team lives here, and this move will mean a lot to everyone.”

To help grow their business, 717 Ink and University Tees applied for and received a $50,000 loan from Lakewood’s economic development fund to finance the purchase of capital equipment the companies needed to facilitate their growth. The loan will be repaid in just few years.

“Small business is big business in Lakewood. That’s why the city established our economic development fund to grow small, growing, businesses” said Nathan Kelly, Lakewood’s Director of Planning and Development. “We’re glad to be part of their growth and proud that they are calling Lakewood home.”

University Tees will move their office headquarters to Lakewood in the summer of 2010. Together, this growing business will bring a dozen new jobs and almost $500,000 in new payroll to Lakewood. Their conservative growth projections place their 2011 payroll over $500,000. They expect to double their size in five years.

# # #


For further information, contact Nathan Kelly, Director of Planning and Development, at (216) 529-6630 or Joe Haddad, Vice President of University Tees, at (800) 460-8337 x201.

Click on the link below to read the April 6, 2010 letter from Lakewood Hospital leadership to Mayor FitzGerald describing the rationale behind proposed services changes at the institution and plans to strengthen its Vision for Tomorrow:


Notice to City of Lakewood 04-06-2010 FINAL AND SIGNED

BOARD OF BUILDING STANDARDS/
ARCHITECTURAL BOARD OF REVIEW/SIGN REVIEW BOARD
April 8th, 2010
5:30 PM - Lakewood City Hall
Auditorium

1. Roll Call
2. Approve the Minutes of the March 11th, 2010 meeting
3. Opening remarks

OLD BUSINESS
4. Docket 02-03-10 C 12400 Detroit Avenue
FLEMCO LLC
( ) Approve Suleiman Hassan
( ) Deny FLEMCO LLC.
( ) Defer P.O. Box 03043
Cleveland, Ohio 44103
Applicant requests review and approval of alterations affecting the exterior of the building. Deferred
from March 11th meeting. (Page 4)

5. Docket 03-08-10 C 14018 Detroit Avenue
Winking Lizard Tavern Co.
( ) Approve James Callum
( ) Deny Winking Lizard Tavern Co.
( ) Defer 14018 Detroit Avenue
Lakewood, Ohio 44107
Applicant requests review and approval of proposed roofed patio on the front of the building. Deferred
from March 11th meeting. (Page 10)

6. Docket 03-12-10 C 13303 Madison Avenue
The Mountain of the Lord Church
( ) Approve Napoleon Karr
( ) Deny 2226 Wyandotte Avenue
( ) Defer Lakewood, Ohio 44107
Applicant requests review and approval of a non-illuminated wall sign. Deferred from March 11th
meeting. (Page 15)

NEW BUSINESS
ARCHITECTURAL BOARD OF REVIEW

7. Docket 04-13-10 R 2070 Dowd Avenue
Page 2 of 3
( ) Approve Nate Zaremba and Joe Del Re
( ) Deny Zaremba Home Again
( ) Defer 14600 Detroit Avenue
Lakewood, Ohio 44107
The applicant requests the review and approval of a new construction single family home with enhanced
accessibility features. (Page 20)

8. Docket 04-14-10 C 17525-35 Madison Avenue
Attache Apartments
( ) Approve Tim Isoniemi
( ) Deny AIY Properties
( ) Defer 12215 Clifton Boulevard
Lakewood, Ohio 44107
Applicant requests review and approval of modifications to the roof of two apartment buildings. (Page
24)

9. Docket 04-15-10 C 16900 Detroit Avenue
Edwards Town Properties LLC
( ) Approve Angelo Coutris
( ) Deny Edwards Town Properties LLC
( ) Defer 16926 Detroit Avenue
Lakewood, Ohio 44107
Applicant requests review and approval of repairs to the façade of the building. (Page 30)

SIGN REVIEW
10. Docket 04-16-10 Lakewood Earth and Food (LEAF)
Community Gardens
( ) Approve Glenn Campbell
( ) Deny 15305 Lanning Avenue
( ) Defer Lakewood, Ohio 44107
Applicant requests review and approval of installation of four signs for identification of LEAF
community gardens in Webb, Madison, Kauffman and Cove parks. (Page 43)

11. Docket 04-17-10 C 14201 Madison Avenue
C-Town Pizza
( ) Approve Scott Rouse
( ) Deny C-Town Pizza
( ) Defer 14201 Madison Avenue
Lakewood, Ohio 44107
Applicant requests review and approval of wall sign. (Page 53)
Page 3 of 3

12. Docket 04-18-10 C 16512 Detroit Avenue
Cozumel Mexican Restaurant
( ) Approve Robert Landgraf
( ) Deny Graphic Expressions Signs & More
( ) Defer 8540 State Route 14, Suite D
Streetsboro, Ohio 44241
Applicant requests review and approval of signage for Cozumel Restaurant. (Page 59)

13. Adjourn.

There will be a Health and Human Services Committee Meeting, Monday, April 5, 2010, at 6:00 PM in the Jury Room of Lakewood City Hall, 12650 Detroit Avenue, Lakewood, Ohio. The following will be discussed:

1) Update on Keep Lakewood Beautiful phone number (Referred 2-16-10)

2) Human Services Annual Departmental Review (Referred 3-15-10)

3) Vital Statistics Departmental Review (Finance) (Referred 3-15-10)

3) Communication from Councilmember Antonio regarding Circulator Bus Update (Shopper Shuttle) (Referred 2-16-10)

4) Communication from Councilmembers Antonio/Madigan regarding Reducing Excessive Vehicle Idling (Referred 7-6-09) PROP. ORD. 56-09 Reduce Excessive Vehicle Idling (1st Read 7/6/09, 2nd 7/20/09, Referred from Rules & Ordinances 3/15/10)



Nickie J. Antonio, Chair

Brian Powers, Kevin Butler; Members

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE