Lutheran president thanks vocal supporters of right-level care

In the wake of the Wheat Ridge City Council’s 7-1 vote to lift the city-wide moratorium on freestanding ERs, Lutheran Hospital president Andrea Burch sent the below message to everyone who addressed the council and showed up to support Lutheran, our community and our residents’ quick access to the precise level of care they need.

Good morning Team Lutheran, 

I would like to thank each of you for taking time to engage directly with our city leaders and compel them to do the right thing for our community. 

We went into the session understanding that the request to repeal the moratorium on FSEDs would likely pass but felt that the right thing to do was to speak up on behalf of the patients whom we are here to serve and protect. In fact, we were the major opposition on this matter. From a community perspective, there was significantly more opposition than support that was sent directly to the city council members in advance of last night's session from residents, other healthcare providers and even municipal leaders from other cities who have and regret the FSEDs that are embedded in their city. 

Unfortunately, we failed to change their minds. It was especially hard to witness as we intimately understand that negative impact this will have on the residents of Wheat Ridge and the teams here at Lutheran who will be called on to care for those who chose poorly when they entered the FSED seeking emergency care.

I am so proud to serve alongside such an incredible group of dedicated professionals, and we will keep on delivering the same great care that we always have to those lucky enough to come through our doors. In the meantime, the community saw a side of Lutheran that we rarely show externally and that will serve us well now and going forward. 

Thank you for being an essential part of what makes this place so special. I appreciate each of you!

All the best,

Andrea