The board of trustees of Toledo, Ohio-based ProMedica authorized the signing of a patient transfer agreement Monday to keep the city's last surgical abortion clinic operational, according to The Blade.
In a statement to The Blade, a ProMedica spokesperson said the patient transfer agreement with Capital Care Network of Toledo, the city's last abortion clinic, "formally puts into writing an existing practice to provide emergency medical care to all who need it in our community."
"Entering into this agreement aligns with ProMedica's mission and values, including our focus on being a health system dedicated to the well-being of northwest Ohio and our belief that no one is beyond the reach of life-saving healthcare. Furthermore, we believe that all individuals should have access to the best care in their neighborhoods," the statement continued.
Capital Care Network of Toledo had previously formed an agreement with a Ann Arbor-based Michigan Medicine hospital to continue providing surgical abortions. However, Ohio lawmakers called for the clinic's closing unless it entered into an agreement with a local hospital. Regulators ruled the clinic's agreement with the Michigan Medicine hospital was not permissible because the Michigan Medicine facility did not constitute a local hospital.
The Ohio Supreme Court ruled last week to uphold the state's order. However, the clinic's agreement with ProMedica satisfied the mandate the clinic enter into an agreement with a local hospital.
To access The Blade's report, click here.