In response to an invasion of Central Ohio, UHCAN Ohio has organized opposition to for-profit specialty or "boutique" hospitals. Greater Columbus is about to have a freestanding maternity hospital, HeartOne Heart Hospital, and, possibly, a "fracture" hospital (joining a recently opened ear/nose/throat hospital). Promising better faster, cheaper care, these "boutique" hospitals may also undermine access to health care, especially to vulnerable populations.

UHCAN Ohio organized a news conference at a local food pantry to show that real people will be hurt by this health care profiteering. Representatives of several community organizations and District 1199, SEIU, the health care union, participated and also attended a local zoning board hearing on "Heart-One Hospital. There was extensive local media coverage and this has led local health agencies to plan public forums on the issue.

The money-making strategy of the "boutiques" is simple:
1. attract low-risk, well insured patients;
2. specialize only in the most cash-generating procedures; and
3. get physicians to invest and share in the profits, thus guaranteeing "appropriate" patient referrals.

The nonprofit hospitals in Ohio's major cities already have the capacity and provide the services Ohioans need, and they depend on money-making services such as heart, ENT, and maternity care, to pay for money-losing care, such as trauma, burn units, and neonatal intensive care. Nationally, nonprofit hospitals provide over 90% of these vital services.

Nonprofit hospitals also provide free care for those in need and community services (such as immunization drives) to improve health and prevent illness. With 1.3 million uninsured Ohioans, our communities need these hospitals to expand these community benefit programs. The boutiques threaten to transfer our massive public health resources into private pockets.

Ohio is facing this invasion of health care profiteers because the Legislature phased out the Certificate of Need (CON) process which required proof of need before adding capacity. Companies are flocking to Ohio (and the other 16 states without CON) because there is no regulatory oversight. Until the legislature reinstitutes a process to determine need, the public will be without input, information or protection.