Allen Sansing of Hanceville summed up his opinion of Cullman Regional Medical Center’s purchase of Woodland Medical Center in two words.

“That’s ridiculous,” said Sansing while visiting his mother-in-law at Woodland Monday afternoon. “For people on the South end of the county, that’s ridiculous.”

As of July 15, Woodland will cease operations on its campus and current patients will have to find a new hospital to use. As of now, CRMC does not know what it will do with the Woodland campus.

“My hope is that every patient who has had a positive experience at Woodland will have one at CRMC,” Jim Weidner, CRMC CEO said in a phone interview Monday.

Sansing said he and his family have always used Woodland. He said the distance will make a difference for him.

“In an emergency situation, time is essential, that could be the difference in life and death,” he said.

“The biggest thing will be the distance,” his wife Connie Sansing said.

“If this is no longer here we will have no choice but to go to CRMC,” Sansing said. “Don’t get me wrong, I like CRMC, but it’s really unhandy for people that live on the South end of town.”

Sansing said he and his family have always received excellent care at Woodland and feel that they may not get the same at CRMC.

“I have no use for their (CRMC) emergency room,” he said.

Linda Marlow said when she called to scheduled an appointment Monday, she was told her doctor was no longer there.

“It’s so hard,” she said. “You like to go to someone you know and trust.”

She and her husband currently see doctors in Nashville and Birmingham.

“This is home to us so I don’t want to say anything bad about it, but I have had people tell me about bad experiences there (CRMC),” Marlow said. “I will continue to see my doctor in Nashville.”

Jimmie Grimes of Baileyton said her family always bypasses CRMC for Woodland.

“Personally I really hate that (the purchase) because it takes away any options you have,” she said. “I have always used Woodland and been really happy with it.”

She said she will opt to travel to Huntsville or Decatur to see a doctor.

“We would probably not choose CRMC,” she said. “I thought it (Woodland) was a good hospital. I don’t know what we will do now.”

Romona Swindall said she is worried people will not be able to find good medical care.

“The problem is when there’s no adequate medical care everybody loses,” Swindall said.

Mental health technician Carrie Scott was on her way to a staff meeting Monday afternoon. The Woodland Hills Behavioral Health Center employee said she does not understand how an already financially struggling hospital is able to purchase the competitor.

“I’m flabbergasted,” she said. “I have heard that Cullman (CRMC) is not doing so well so I don’t know how I feel about them buying a hospital.”

She said she will be ready to find a job when July 15 comes around, but she is not so sure about looking to CRMC.

“I would like to work there, but everyone I have asked has had negative feedback on that,” Scott said.

Pat Gilbert, town clerk at Baileyton was disappointed in hearing the news of Woodland’s closing.

“They (Woodland) saved my husband’s life,” she said.

Gilbert said there is never a wait in Woodland’s ER.

“I took my son to Woodland from CRMC because we waited three hours and they (Woodland) took him right in,” Gilbert said.

Another Baileyton resident said people could not beat the wait at Woodland’s ER.

“Woodland had one heck of an emergency room,” Bill McElroy said.

He said he would rather drive to Huntsville or Birmingham rather than go the CRMC.

“I would rather risk my life driving than go to CRMC,” he said.

‰ Tiffany Green can be reached by e-mail at tgreen@cullmantimes.com or by telephone at 734-2131, ext. 221.