The Homer G. Phillips Memorial Hospital opened last week and has served over three dozen people since that time. Here's the hospital's COO Karen Johnson. COO Karen Johnson touts the services the newly opened hospital offers.
"We are able to provide care and stabilize [patients] and transfer patients to a higher level of care if needed," Johnson said adding "we've seen chest pain, behavioral health patients, shortness of breath, we've had a variety of patients."
The hospital is small, offering 15 emergency room beds and three more inpatient beds. St. Louis City Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson says this hospital is a great asset for the department.
"It's another viable area we can drop patients should we need to with the other hospitals becoming busy."
Jones says they have seen 42 patients as of Midnight Tuesday evening.
However the new hospital doesn't come without controversy. The hospital is still entangled in a lawsuit with the Homer G. Phillips alumni group over the right to the name. When asked how they plan to honor Homer G Phillip's legacy, Johnson referenced the care they provide.
"We are providing acute healthcare that this community has not seen in a long time and I think that is an honor."
However the Homer G. Phillips Nurses Alumni Group, who has the name trademarked, believes the legacy and name should stay in the Ville neighborhood, where the original Homer G. Phillips Hospital stood.
"The legacy of his name needs to remain in the Ville." Said Alumni President Yvonne B. Jones. "They can pick another name for that hospital.
The lawsuit was moved from federal court to state court after being delayed numerous times. Jones says they aren't going away even with the hospital open.
"We're gonna fight this all the way to the end," said Jones, adding "we are not against the facility, we just want the name removed and keep it in the Ville."