Posted on: Saturday, September 1, 2001

Queen's dental clinic to close June 30

By Yasmin Anwar
Advertiser Staff Writer

The Queen's Medical Center dental clinic may not survive after all.

Despite a $400,000 commitment from the state to keep the money-losing program alive, Queen's officials yesterday reported that the clinic is scheduled to shut down next June 30.

After hearing of the clinic's potential demise last year, first lady Vicky Cayetano helped find $400,000 to rescue the state's only hospital-based dental facility, which serves the poor and seriously ill.

However, hospital representatives say that money will last only until next June

"That money will expire by June and no additional monies have been found," said Lynne Kenton, Queen's communications coordinator. "We worked with the state and tried to find funding sources but were unsuccessful."

In a statement yesterday, Dan Jessop, Queen's executive vice president and chief operating officer, said operating losses amount to around $200,000 a year despite efforts to reduce costs. The five clinic staff members who do not find other jobs at Queen's will receive severance packages, the statement said.

The clinic's closure is part of a broader cost-cutting plan at Queen's to "address its operating losses," according to Jessop. The hospital has been struggling with the loss of federal Medicare and Medicaid patient reimbursements.

The clinic, which offers services to the poor, disabled and seriously ill patients, has been handling about 4,000 patients a year.

The Queen's Medical Center is a nonprofit, acute care medical facility.