Tod Children's to close, merge with St. E's, Akron

YOUNGSTOWN — Forum Health Tod Children’s Hospital is slated to close this spring and become part of a pediatric hospital operated by Akron Children’s Hospital at Humility of Mary Health Partners’ new hospital in Boardman as early as this fall.

The joint venture involving the three hospital systems was announced this morning during a press conference at St. Elizabeth Health Center.

The heads of the hospitals, Dr. Keith Ghezzi, interim president and chief executive officer at Forum; Robert Shroder, president and CEO of HMHP, and William Considine, president and CEO of Akron Children’s, said the joint venture will improve access to pediatric care in the Mahoning Valley and avoid duplication of services.

The closing of Tod Children’s will affect about 100 Forum employees, who will have the opportunity to “bump” other employees, fill vacancies in the Forum system, or apply to Akron Children’s for jobs in the new hospital here,   Dr. Ghezzi said.

Forum’s Board of Trustees Tuesday approved the joint venture, which Dr. Ghezzi said will be in operation as soon as a definitive agreement is worked out, hopefully by early spring.

Initially, the Tod Children’s will be moved to St. Elizabeth. Then, in late fall, it will be moved to HMHP’s new hospital in Boardman, officials said. Dr. Ghezzi said he hopes the new hospital will keep the Tod name, but at this point said that has not been decided.