ONTONAGON, Mich. (WZMQ) – The Ontonagon community is reacting to Aspirus’s decision to close the Hospital and Emergency Room at the Ontonagon.
The Ontonagon Village manager was given just an hours notice before aspirus’s decision to close the hospital and emergency room was made public last month. according to him the city was not given a chance to make its case to keep the only emergency room in Ontonagon county open.
“I heard it on the radio like everyone else, and I have the statement now, it is a page and a half, they are talking about investing elsewhere and backtracking big time in my backyard,” commented William Dupont, the Village Manager.
The statement he is referring to is the press release sent by Aspirus on February 20th. It reads that on April 20th Aspirus Ontonagon hospital will transition to a rural health clinic offering only outpatient services.
“From personal experience, we just had to go to Rhinelander for a medical emergency, and then a few times a year we have to go to Houghton to find proper medical care as well,” said Adrianna Rowley, a Ontonagon Resident.
The closure puts the closest hospital over 50 miles away from the village. For a county that’s population has an average age of over 60 years old, the long wait time to receive medical care could have life altering effects.
“Think about a stroke, within 5 minutes you might fully recover, in 50 minutes you might lose the use of your arm,” remarked Dupont.
According to the village manager the closure will result in 16 to 20 full time jobs being cut to part time or eliminated altogether, something the area, which lacks major industry, can not afford.
“We don’t have a lot of jobs here, especially younger families, you have someone in their 30’s or 40’s when you’re trying to raise kids, losing that job is a big deal,” added Dupont.
The village manager says he is currently exploring options to bring another emergency room to Ontonagon.
