ATLANTA — Protesters gathered outside the Atlanta Medical Center on Tuesday evening, demanding answers from Wellstar about the closure.
But for workers, they’re resigned to the fact that two months from now, they will have to find work somewhere else.
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“I’ve already been displaced once, coming from AMC on Cleveland Avenue. Now I’m going to be displaced again,” said Rodney Jenkins, who is a floor tech at the Atlanta Medical Center.
Jenkins watched alongside other AMC employees as a group of protesters chanted outside the hospital. AMC is set to close its doors November 1, after reporting losses of more than $100 million.
This is taking place as Mayor Andre Dickens and Gov. Brian Kemp met with Dekalb and Fulton officials, their focus now on how to best meet the needs of the community after AMC’s closure.
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The Atlanta Journal Constitution reports that help will come in the form of hundreds of millions of dollars in funding for Grady Healthcare.
A Grady spokeswoman confirmed, “We are in discussions with the state and other elected officials about the funds necessary to support Grady’s infrastructure needs and operations.”
Emory public health professor Dabney Evans says to maintain Atlanta’s safety net hospital system, we need to approach healthcare differently.
“We need to think about making sure our system is functional all the time and not stretched to capacity,” said Evans.
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With the doors closing at AMC in just seven weeks, many have concerns if the city will be ready.
“Where are those people going to go,” said retired nurse Tom Arnold.
We are expecting to hear more about that possible funding for Grady Healthcare over the next two days.
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