By RAYMOND L. SMITH

Staff writer

WARREN — Approximately 40 employees of the former Trumbull Regional Medical Center and Hillside Rehabilitation Hospital crowded into the Trumbull County commissioners meeting room Tuesday hoping to hear definitive information about the reopening of the two facilities by Insight CEO Dr. Jawad Shah.

Shah, a soft-spoken neurosurgeon, did not provide the definitive answers many hoped to receive, as Insight still must take several steps, including enticing local medical professionals and possible support staff to return.

Surrounded by mostly supportive local politicians, including Warren Mayor Doug Franklin, Warren Safety-Service Director Eddie Colbert, State Rep. David Thomas, R-Jefferson, Congressman Dave Joyce, R-Bainbridge, and others, Shah outlined efforts by his team’s success in opening hospitals in other communities.

He also reviewed the challenges of keeping the local Trumbull hospitals open, until the hospital was forced to shut down because former owner Steward Health Care was not honoring the transition services agreement (TSA) developed during Steward’s bankruptcy proceedings.The TSA was set up to keep the hospitals’ doors open to patients during what normally would be a planned conversion over multiple months.

Shah, in fact, suggested Insight was doing better than projected. The closure in March was primarily blamed on Steward Health’s management not turning over Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements to Insight.

Many in the audience held signs asking for transparency and greater respect for nurses and other employees of the hospital system. Even before they entered the county’s administration building, former employees held their signs allowing drivers and those walking in Warren’s downtown to see their concerns about the closed facilities.

Luana Andamasaris, a nurse at the former Trumbull Memorial for nearly 50 years, expressed optimism that the hospital will reopen.

“I’m looking forward to returning to the hospital,” she said.

Chris Ronyak, a registered nurse at Trumbull Regional for more than 30 years, hopes to continue her career at the hospital.

“Let’s see if he (Shah) actually comes through with his plans to reopen in the next several weeks,” Ronyak said. “We’ll see.”

Although hopeful Insight will be able to reopen the Trumbull facility, Ronyak said she worked at Trumbull when it was named Valley Care, Forum Health, CHS and then changed to Steward.

“We’ve been through this before,” she said. “We can just watch as they go. We will see how it goes when he gets there.”

“I truly believe they are trying to work with us to get the hospital open in a quicker time,” said Topher Petri, a registered nurse at Trumbull Regional for the past seven years. “That seems like their goal. I do also see there will be a lot of hurdles. Negotiating with the different unions, talking with staffing and being more transparent with us.”

He said transparency previously was an issue.

“When they shut it down, they shut down our access to our Insight emails, which would be a great communication tool for them to provide information for our members,” Petri said.

Petri is hopeful they will have a better experience going forward.

He has not taken another permanent nursing position since Insight closed its doors in March because he wants to work near his home in Niles.

Nurses are highly sought after, and he could find work, but Petri said he wants to remain in the area.

Billie Fike, who worked in registration at Hillside and is the vice president for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 2288, said transparency is needed between hospital leadership and the unions. She worked at Hillside for 43 years.

“Transparency is definitely needed between the unions and Insight,” she said. “As for Hillside, there are a lot of obstacles that must be worked through. There were no definite comments about what they are going to do with Hillside. He spoke about Elm Road (Trumbull Memorial) and he spoke of Austintown. He did not speak about Hillside. I’m not sure.”

Shah, during his presentation, emphasized the change of ownership at Hillside has not happened.

“It is not in our hands,” he said. “We don’t have the specifics.”

Fike said the local had 60 union members at Hillside.

“About half have moved to other jobs,” she said. “I hope that Insight does what it is saying it will do.”

Fike said the loss of Hillside would be a loss to the community.

Thomas Connelly, president of the AFSCME Local 2026 nurses union is guardedly optimistic that Insight will work with the union.

“Things that Insight agrees to do I will have to take back to my union to get it ratified,” Connelly said. “There are a lot of dynamics there.”

Local 2026 represents about 125 people who worked at Trumbull Regional. Connelley expects Insight officials likely will ask for a lot of things that will save it money.

“I don’t know how much will be necessary,” he said. “I need them to talk to me and be open about what they need and what they don’t need. It has been somewhat of a confrontation.”

Connelly said the union needs to know when Insight plans to open the ER, how many people they will need and who they need to call back.

“We can help get people in the right places,” he said. “I don’t know anything. I don’t know about their electronic medical records, their pharmacy capabilities or who the supervisors will be.”

While some Trumbull Regional former employees have left for other jobs and likely will not return, Connelly suggested others may be enticed to return under the right conditions.

“We need our hospital,” he said. “We truly need it.”

Commissioner Tony Bernard said the community needed a positive sign they are willing to reopen the hospital.

“I think we received that sign today,” he said. “We need to make sure they have a good line of communication with the nurses, so we can get them back in there.”

Bernard said the public supports the reopening of the hospital.

“The company needs to have the financial backing to keep the hospital open for several months,” Bernard said.

Commissioner Denny Malloy emphasized the community has worked to make sure the hospital is reopened.

“You (Insight) proved you can come in, run the hospital and make money,” Malloy said. “If you would have been able to collect it, we would not be sitting here today. We care about all of the jobs. We want everybody who wants to work again to get back and have the same quality of work they had before.”