Closing Bobbie Sterne Health Center was a recommendation. Nothing's been decided | Opinion

On behalf of the Cincinnati Health Department, I would like to respond to the June 23 article, “Health care in peril, Over-the-Rhine residents fear their clinic will close,” written by Betsy Kim. The article states that, "Cincinnati health officials are considering relocation and consolidation plans," and that, "Every plan, other than one … involves closing the Bobbie Sterne Health Center."

The reality is that the Cincinnati Health Department has not made any decisions regarding the Bobbie Sterne Health Center. The reporter bases her article on recommendations made by a consultant hired in 2023. The Cincinnati Health Department hired Jensen Partners for a study of all our facilities to determine the most cost-effective way to provide quality care to our patients.

We explained to Ms. Kim that what we received from Jensen Partners were solely recommendations based on their analysis, recommendations that we are now reviewing. As we emphasized to Ms. Kim, no decisions have been made about the future of any of the Cincinnati Health Department’s health centers, including Bobbie Sterne.

Periodic reexamination of our ability to deliver the quality services required by our patients is a normal part of operating a health system. Ms. Kim quotes several patients who received excellent service at Bobbie Sterne during previous visits. We take great pride in the high-quality services our health centers have provided and continue to provide.

However, Ms. Kim also points out the long wait times for service at many of our health centers, which result in many cases from physical limitations imposed by our current structures. We would be remiss not to at least consider options that may allow us to better serve those who use our services.

As we move forward in our review and planning, we will engage the community, including those who could be impacted by any potential changes. We will look at all available options and communicate transparently.

We will continue to work toward our mission of improving the health and wellness of Cincinnati citizens and assuring access to public health services.

Grant Mussman is the Cincinnati Health Department commissioner.