After a marked absence from a May meeting to address the closure of Shands at AGH, Shands CEO Timothy Goldfarb addressed concerns about the future of community health care at a special Wednesday meeting.
The meeting, which brought together both city and county commissions, showcased plans from Goldfarb for handling patient and employee overflow, as well as the future of the downtown hospital's property.
Goldfarb, who oversaw the closing, said Shands at UF will be equipped to take on extra patients when it opens a new emergency department and Shands Cancer Center on Nov. 1.
Goldfarb said none of programs or employees from Shands' AGH programs or employees would be cut by the closing, adding that only 52 of the 1150 AGH employees have not yet been placed.
Still, Goldfarb was unsure what presence AGH's programs for heart rehabilitation and wound-care would have at Shands at UF, but there would likely be some semblance of the program, he said.
Starting Nov. 1, Shands will offer 92 additional beds, though a tighter obstetrics unit may mean there will be two delivering mothers to a room.
"It will fit. It doesn't mean it will be comfortable," Goldfarb said.
North Florida Regional Medical Center is also prepared for more patients, while the Alachua County Public Health Department plans to extend its hours and services.
Jean Munden, Alachua County Health Department administrator, said increasing the department's operations would depend on whether or not it receives the $750,000 from low-income pool state funding, for which it has qualified and expects to receive next week.
The department expects to admit many of the low-income patients without health care who can no longer depend on AGH.
Shands at UF, Goldfarb said, has also taken steps to provide for patients without health insurance by partnering with Solantic to open an urgent care center in September.
Still, some doubted Shands at UF's ability to treat veterans and those lacking heath care.
"Solantic is not a cheap, affordable option to healthcare," said a Gainesville resident and veteran at the meeting who stressed the need for a plan serving the majority of the community.
Others said the cultural transition would be huge for AGH patients.
"We already know that services to the low-income are very poor," said Commissioner Jack Donovan, who spoke of a "population left behind."
Goldfarb said a bad economy and financial losses made closing AGH the best solution, estimating the shut down would save about $79.2 million over the next seven years.
"As a last resort when we looked at those storm clouds, we said, 'You know, we have to close AGH,'" he said. "The decision obviously was a difficult one."
Vice President of University Relations Jane Adams said after the institution is dismantled, UF plans to convert the property into a tech-transfer development complex, a facility used to bring UF's research to the marketplace.
