Lease/Purchase of Bay Medical Center

Commissioner George Gainer, BC Commissioners, et al,

As a taxpayer and citizen of Bay County, I will make this demand of you, since you hopefully “have my best interests at heart” as well as the citizens of this county.

Frankly, I doubt that.  Not when it comes to BMC remaining a public, non-profit hospital.

Prior to it becoming a district hospital, it was a Hill-Burton Act hospital.  Under Hill-Burton, it was never to be sold.  We now find that the possibility exists with Sacred Heart’s unheard of long-term lease (without a cancellation clause), that it will or can be sold in 3-5 years.  We already have a private, for-profit hospital.

By this lease/sale, you are breaking the promise to the people of Bay County to have the best healthcare for everyone, no matter if they are insured or not.  Need encompasses every economic strata of our community.

I am deeply troubled that when Sacred Heart takes over, the tenets of the Roman Catholic faith will be forced on everyone.  No one in this community should have to face a moral decision that is made by a church and not the patient because we have had  choice over our bodies and our treatment until now.  And no one without insurance should ever be turned away because it was to be a non-profit in perpetuity.

The non-profit status of BMC comes into play here as I demand an audit by a neutral, outside auditing firm.  There was a time when BMC kept three sets of books – one to satisfy the County, one to satisfy Tallahassee and one to satisfy the federal government for reimbursement.  I happened to be in the hospital the day that was exposed.

The CEO, Steve Johnson, formerly of Sacred Heart, may have been a Trojan Horse.  He had to approve the new wing, even when the economy was tanking.  This was an over-the-top, wasteful, unnecessary decision with indicators pointing to economic failure.  Why hasn’t the Board fired him?  Didn’t need those private rooms (the Certificate of Need has not issued an order for new rooms in years), or the gourmet dining room.  Close those rooms, utilize the restaurant space differently or make it smaller but adequate, lay off or fire the excess staff, or make those rooms wards.

In that audit, a question – why is there a carpenter shop?  Wood and other flammable material isn’t allowed in a hospital!  Show us the need and reduce the carpenters or close the department.

We have a serious problem with residents who have no insurance.  Where do we go when the option is removed?

We need BMC to be managed properly.  I’m sure that with your resources of internet and headhunters you can find someone who will outdo Mr. Johnson and who understands how to run a district non-profit hospital.  Lots of people are out of work.  That should be easy.

And of course, there is this troublesome little thing about profits when it’s a district non-profit.  A district non-profit isn’t supposed to make a profit.  If a profit is made, it goes right back into the hospital.

BMC has worked for years to get where it is.  It has a great reputation.  It is performing as it should.  Management is either inept or corrupt.
Don’t let it be lost to Sacred Heart whose intention is to make a profit and eventually sell it for a profit.

The lease should be shortened and must have a boilerplate cancellation clause and the lease reviewed every few years.

If BMC should change hands, then prior to the handover, an inventory/audit should be done and every person in this community who pays taxes of any kind, should be entitled to their fair share.

Rosalie Schaeffer did an outstanding, in-depth expose’ of this grand mistake of yours (even the consideration of a sale/lease with Sacred Heart is a mistake)  for the County Press.  In case  you have not read it, I have asked Editor Roger Smith to send me the article in its entirety to send to you, Patronis and Coley.  It went far deeper than News Herald reportage.  You will receive it again in two emails, today.

I thank George Gainer for his resistance to the pressure of Sacred Heart and the other Commissioners who are clamoring for Sacred Heart.  He wants the best for us, and we will remember this every one of you and how you voted on this issue for it is the most important decision of your time in office.  Somehow, someday, if you push for a vote in favor of Sacred Heart, it will come back to bite you.  It will be painful for you and painful for the community.

Protect our healthcare.  Steve Johnson has proven himself to be irresponsible.  Change that, but leave BMC alone!

May Lattanzio
Youngstown, FL

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