If everyone just considers what this blog calls “what-ifs” in regards to themselves and adjust accordingly, then we can have our new hospital. The opposition just needs to overcome their baseless objections and consider what-if Pascack Valley Hospital had never closed.

Being a resident of Westwood for 20 years and recognizing that your administration probably put us in a good financial place to meet the challenges of this new economy, I wondered why you would need to bring a legal action. Are the current governing members so short sighted that they can’t see your arguments makes sense, even more so with the college stepping out of the picture?

The hospital is a necessary cornerstone in our community. Every possible loose end or loop hole should be secured and closed. If Hackensack is serious about the hospital then they should be supporting a change to the ordinance to assert its future place in the community. I just wanted you to know I support and appreciate your effort.

Our children play rough contact sports on public fields. If one of them, or a child on the opposing team, should sustain a serious head or spinal injury what would their options be?

Is triage in a satellite ER and a 1/2 hour trip to another facility the best that we can do – the best we have any right to expect?

Suppose its a Friday night and the ambulance has to buck road traffic, commuter and freight train service to get to Englewood? That can be a 45 minute ride according to ambulance personel.

Where do you think those in opposition to our hospital would stand if it were their child or grandchild bouncing around in the back of the “bus”?

The State’s report was purposed to investigate why so many hospitals are struggling financially, who should get financial assistance and how the NJ hospital system could be adjusted so it meets everyone’s needs. Those needs were that of hospitals and nonhospital medical services to meet the public health requirements of affordable quality care. Download it and read it. The blog’s right, it doesn’t address access by way of people, it addresses it by way of dollars.

To suggest that 6 miles is nothing by ambulance is self-centered by a person with nobody they love at risk. As a mother of two active young children who has already visited the ERs of Pascack Valley Hospital, Hackensack and Valley over the last twelve years, 6 miles is no different then 20 miles to a parent filled with fear and anxiety in an emergency. Those feelings don’t dissipate when the child has to be admitted. A parent in an emergency room doesn’t want to be loaded into an ambulance and transported to another hospital. They want their child moved up to a room and receive care sooner then later.

My friend’s father had a stroke in Tenafly, was transported to Englewood, was hooked up to an IV and saw a doctor two hours later. He’s all right but if my father had had that stoke, how much time would have been added to that needed care?

Right after Pascack closed last winter a neighbor had a heart attack was prepped by volunteer EMS to be transported to Valley on a Friday night. When I found her, she was in Holy Name. The ambulance was diverted to Hackensack and while rushing there was diverted again to Holy Name. The EMS had told me they were here headed to Valley.

The people living in and around Westwood do need the hospital reopened. Smaller is fine but not at all isn’t acceptable. Those opposed should revisit their heart and step into the shoes of those with loved ones at risk!

I’m going where I get the best and fastest care. I read a letter to the editor in the local paper about Valley Hospital this evening and I’m not going where I might have to wait while the help mills around.