PROPOSED: Expansion at UConn Health Center

[mikel]

I'm surprised nobody mentioned this yet.

http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-uconn...-headlines-home

Why Farmington? I thought it was a mistake to put it there in the first place, it should've been built downtown. And now they're going to replace it, in Farmington? So this hospital caters to the upper class in fringe suburbs, while offering discount services for poor residents with student staff? Yet most of the poor people will be filling up Hartford Hosp, and St. Francis, because the UConn hospital is too far away. This makes no sense at all. Our state money shouldn't be spent on this. It should be built in the north end of Hartford, help rivatalize that area.

[ctman987]

Only in CT...geese absolutly amazing. It amazes me that they build a replacement in Farmington...there are a lot of UCONN med students who do work with Hartford Hospital and CCMC doctors...pathetic.

[beerbeer]

Making it part of the Hartford Hospital complex makes the most sense.

[uconn99]

Making it part of the Hartford Hospital complex makes the most sense.

That would create a HUGE hospital, 1500 or so beds?

[mikel]

Only in CT...geese absolutly amazing. It amazes me that they build a replacement in Farmington...there are a lot of UCONN med students who do work with Hartford Hospital and CCMC doctors...pathetic.

Exactly, and I thought we wanted students in downtown Hartford. So why is the state allowing public funds to keep this place out in the 'burbs?

[RogerAnthony]

Exactly, and I thought we wanted students in downtown Hartford. So why is the state allowing public funds to keep this place out in the 'burbs?

What is the point to having 3 hospitals in Hartford. A hospital is not like most other places. They need to be as close as possible to as much of the population as possible. If there's an emergency in Hartford there are already two hospitals where someone can go. Having one in Farmington is critical to the many residents of the area.

[Luca Brasi]

This move will be protested by both St Francis and Hartford Hospital and for good reason. Most suburbanites - who have health insurance - will go to state-run John Dempsey while Hartford's two major hospitals are left to treat much of Hartford's poor at a financial loss. It should be the other way around. Many of Hartford's residents need access to the services and financial advantages John Dempsey offers them.

Anyway, I think the north side of 84 downtown would be a perfect place for a new UConn Hospital. Students would be equidistant between St Francis and Hartford Hospitals which would be convenient for doctors, interns and students.

Edited February 1, 2007 by Luca Brasi

[beerbeer]

The idea would be to build a medical complex with a teaching hospital at it's core like Mass General.

[MadVlad]

Maybe they could transfer ownership of the current hospital to a private company to keep a hospital there and build a new UConn health center somewhere in the city proper. That way both needs (the needs of the Farmington Valley, and the need for the financial and health benefits for the City of Hartford) could be met with one plan....

[drc72]

Only in CT...geese absolutly amazing. It amazes me that they build a replacement in Farmington...there are a lot of UCONN med students who do work with Hartford Hospital and CCMC doctors...pathetic.

I concur putting the hospital in Hartford would be the smart choice. Are they gonna knock down the old hospital in Farmington once the new one is built?

[roblewis819]

Actually, I see this as a positive move... They are expanding the current complex, rather than tearing down the old hospital. They are nearly doubling the size of the total hospital -- they will move nearly all of the patient care facilities to the new building, and then convert the older, larger building to research facilities, which they sorely need if they want to improve their medical/dental/graduate programs -- and research is what drives the reputation of the hospital. So, in the end, they will have a much larger facility than if they just built a new one from scratch in Hartford.

They set up a website with information:

http://replacementhospital.uchc.edu/

The website also addresses a lot of false statements about the project, like the idea that it will be built with mostly public funds...not true.

So, as much as I like urban developments...speaking as a current UConn PhD student, I'm in favor of this project...

[ctman987]

I personally am opposed to this project. And someone earlier mentioned that we need hospitals close to where ALL people live...having a hospital in Farmington is close to where most of the affluent people in Greater Hartford live...the Farmington Valley. If we need hospitals close to people live how come there arent major hospitals like this south of Hartford (Rocky Hill/Cromwell) and east of the river (Glastonbury/Marlborough/Portland)...even though there is an allright hospital in Manchester

[Hartfordfan]

Isn't the uconn med school in farmington? it would make sense why they would build a hospital there.

[mikel]

Isn't the uconn med school in farmington? it would make sense why they would build a hospital there.

Erm... the school IS the hospital. Which is another great reason why this needs to go in Hartford.

[Luca Brasi]

People have complained for years what a bad idea it was to build the state run hospital out in Farmington. Now is the chance to correct a long standing mistake. Although it sounds like the hospital's board has made their mind up, I hope the state and the city aren't sitting on their hands with this one.

Tom Condon has been an outspoken critic of the present location of UConn Med Center as opposed to Hartford. I'm surprised he hasn't written anything about this yet.

[robm324]

Interesting article in today's Courant about the fight between the Hospitals in Hartford and the Dempsey Hospital. You might notice in the article that Feltman suggested that the Farmington Hospital should move to Hartford to better serve the city/region core. In traditional stupid suburb vs. city response the legistlator from Farmington said, "Over Farmington's Dead body".

Courant article about the Hospital Fight

[MadVlad]

Interesting article in today's Courant about the fight between the Hospitals in Hartford and the Dempsey Hospital. You might notice in the article that Feltman suggested that the Farmington Hospital should move to Hartford to better serve the city/region core. In traditional stupid suburb vs. city response the legistlator from Farmington said, "Over Farmington's Dead body".

Courant article about the Hospital Fight

I noticed that and meant to mention it earlier. That legislator better watch out what she wishes for....

[Lowerdeck]

The one currently in Farmington, just how long has that been there? Only in recent years where I do much more cross state travel have I even noticed that. Something's telling me it's not that old.

And um, in Worcester there was St. Vincent's Hospital that was aging and lying towards the southeast side of the city. A few years ago, it got moved downtown into a brand new complex called "Med City". Hartford should consider something like that, if UConn is considering replacing the Farmington behemoth.

[JayHass]

The one currently in Farmington, just how long has that been there? Only in recent years where I do much more cross state travel have I even noticed that. Something's telling me it's not that old.

And um, in Worcester there was St. Vincent's Hospital that was aging and lying towards the southeast side of the city. A few years ago, it got moved downtown into a brand new complex called "Med City". Hartford should consider something like that, if UConn is considering replacing the Farmington behemoth.

The good Dr who chairs the UCONN center is a fat cat from Boston feeding his own appetite. They have a blank check from our state government and this project does not need state congressional approval! Must be nice to just "want" a new house and just do what you want and get it going and have others pay for it with some lousy excuse like "it's for better education".

Hey it's only (our) money right?

Oh and yes, it's faily new and not in need of anything. This is pork barrel politics at it's finest.

[penetcostal_iglesia_faith]

Exactly, and I thought we wanted students in downtown Hartford. So why is the state allowing public funds to keep this place out in the 'burbs?

Because there acting dumb and acting very weak and they need to think big not small don't give me wrong, I'm not trying to judge the people or anything its true if you see the big picture of how this is taking place.

[mikel]

Vote against this proposal on the front page of courant.com poll !!!

[JayHass]

Vote against this proposal on the front page of courant.com poll !!!

Done, thanks for that...

[JimSawhill]

Hmmm:

I think UConn Medical should be in Hartford. However, I believe the UConn School of Medicine should be in Farmington - because Farmington and the Farmington Valley will be the center of bio-technogy. I think Hartford Hospital/CCMC (the teaching hospital for pediatricians) and UConn would cause the property values to raise in the Southern area of Hartford.

JimS

[mikel]

Vote YES (the state SHOULD block this project) on courant.com poll.

[JayHass]

Vote YES (the state SHOULD block this project) on courant.com poll.

LOL I saw that and was like "I wonder how many people are clicking 'no' when they really mean 'yes'". It's worded a bit tricky.