Public Hospitals on the Decline

When public hopsitals close, the services provided to the poor uninsured disappear.  I mean, when MLK Harbor closed, the first thing that came into my mind was that people in that community will either 1) not get any medical attention when needed due to the inconvience of traveling to another hopsital or 2) these people will travel to another hospitals ER creating overcrowding and longer wait times, more frustrated patients, overworked nurses, and an extremely tense hospital environment.  This can cause people to lose more trust and patience with the healthcare system, it might even be a create a new tension in certain communities.  I feel like most people that use public hospital ERs as a primary care location feel somewhat more less important to the healthcare system.  Some may feel like they are not looked down upon by society because of their SES or education, closing the hospitals may further this sentiment and they may feel left behind--as if their health does not matter.  They ulitmately will feel more vulnerable and helpless. In terms of the healthcare system, I think closing public hospitals worsens the already depressing situation.  It would probably increase medical costs in that community.