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The people of Martins Ferry and Belmont County deserve answers -- or at least a public acknowledgment of what went wrong -- from Dr. John Johnson.
The founder and CEO of Access Ohio, one of the state's largest independent behavioral health centers, was visible and active with the local community in 2020 and 2021 when he was acquiring and working to reopen East Ohio Regional Hospital.
It had been shuttered by previous owner Alecto Healthcare Services in 2019.
Fast forward to early this year when signs of trouble foreshadowed the hospital's second closure in six years.
Outside of a few emails to employees, Johnson has been quiet.
When employees lost their health insurance because the hospital had not paid premiums, neither Johnson nor his administrative staff would comment.
When the hospital's long-term and skilled care facility closed down, there was no comment. When the planned closure of the pharmacy was announced, there was no comment. And when the hospital failed to pay employees the wages they had earned … again, no comment.
When Johnson took on the task of reviving East Ohio Regional Hospital, the entire community embraced him and that effort. The city of Martins Ferry set up a tax incentive plan. The state of Ohio provided millions of dollars to help get it up and running again.
From area residents to Martins Ferry Mayor John Davies and even Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, everyone welcomed Johnson and the reopened facility. They respected Johnson for his attempt to expand healthcare options in the region and readily offered support.
Now, Johnson owes the public that same respect. He should come forward with information about what led to the facility's closure. He should reassure employees that they will be paid. And he should share any prospects he has about the facility's future.