THE PETITION

We urge Mayor Muriel Bowser and the DC City Council to build a world-class hospital in Ward 8 that includes a level-1 trauma center, high-risk maternal and neo-natal care, and unionized caregivers. We further urge our elected representatives to find a reputable, law-abiding partner that will commit to providing the best possible care to the residents of Southeast DC.  


THE CONTEXT

District residents deserve high-quality, accessible healthcare in every zip code. Yet, the predominantly Black and low-income residents of Southeast DC live in a healthcare desert because the city has not adequately funded or planned for full-service East of the River healthcare.

With rises in gun violence and the maternal health crisis in DC, residents of Wards 7 & 8 need a world-class hospital with a level-1 trauma center, high-risk maternal and neo-natal care, and unionized caregivers.

But Mayor Muriel Bowser’s deal for the new Ward 8 hospital with profit-first Universal Health Services, Inc. (UHS) does not include these needs. UHS has been investigated and sued for union-busting, committing federal fraud, mismanaging hospital funds, and under-staffing hospitals. We cannot trust a corporation that puts profits over patients to run the new Ward 8 hospital. This deal has been troubled from the start, and there have not been opportunities for affected communities to provide input or to ask questions about the deal. As a result, the hospital does not have what our communities need.

It’s time we build a world-class hospital in Southeast DC.


QUESTIONS/COMMENTS

info@dchealthjustice.com