PG Hospitals & Healthcare Forum Wednesday

Workers and communitymembers will come together TONIGHT to discuss supporting healthcare and the Prince George's County hospital system. "The system is sinking deeper into debt and is in danger of closing," says 1199/SEIU United Healthcare Workers East Political Coordinator Samuel Epps. "This meeting is an attempt to give a voice to the community and workers on this important issue," Epps says. In related news, Dimensions Healthcare System -- which manages the hospitals -- recently received a month's reprieve from having to file for bankruptcy or close the hospital, after filing for a pension-waiver with the IRS. But Dimensions and Prince George's County officials continue to be at odds over control of the system, reported Judson Berger in last Thursday's Gazette. The County is withholding $14 million that would keep the system open through June 2008 until four members on the Dimension board of directors resign. One of those four members resigned last Wednesday, but the County still plans to withhold funding until the other three members step down, Berger reported. April 2007 rally to save Prince George's hospitals, photo by Chris Garlock