Hospital’s plan can work with county’s help

Editorials

Discussion

September 8, 2012

Hospital’s plan can work with county’s help

Anonymous The Union-Recorder The Union-Recorder Sat Sep 08, 2012, 08:00 AM EDT

MILLEDGEVILLE — The county’s decision on whether to come to the aid of Oconee Regional Medical Center by providing collateral on the hospital’s debt is still to be determined.

Following a second meeting of the county commissioners last week, more information was given on the hospital’s request that the county provide a 2-mil yearly tax increase to reduce the interest payments on the hospital’s bond debt. Our commissioners noted the value of the hospital to the community, and they expressed concern about the potentially detrimental impact of losing one of the county’s largest employers. However, no decision has been reached on whether the county will step in to help the hospital. This indecision may impact the entire community, not just the hospital and the county commission.

Access to a system of quality health care is one of the issues prospective businesses and industries look to as a selling point for launching new development in a community. It is also a factor many potential new residents will consider before relocating to a new community.

An economic impact study indicated the ORMC contributed $168 million into the local economy last year. Beyond the measure of dollars and cents, there is also a human factor — having a regional hospital in this community is a quality of life issue for everyone, not just in Baldwin County but in the surrounding counties as well.

The hospital currently has a $24.7 million bond debt. This debt has occurred, according to hospital CEO Jean Aycock, because of a 108 percent rise in uncompensated care. The rising costs of indigent care, coupled with the severe blows of the economic crisis, landed the hospital with operational losses of nearly $6 million last year. The hospital has made reductions through staffing cuts and new pay policies of nearly $2.5 million, and it has saved almost $900,000 in contract re-negotiations and service charges. In addition, another $170,000 in general cuts and $1.9 million in care coordination changes will be realized in the next full fiscal year, according to hospital officials. While this year has seen loss projections cut in half to around $3 million, the debt strain may soon become more evident in the level of care the hospital can provide — unless, that is, a debt resolution is met.

As the hospital officials provide county officials with complete plans to assure that the hospital can make payments on its debt, we must remember that this request by the hospital for the county to step in and help is not a new concept — it is merely new to our community. In the wake of the recent economic challenges, many hospitals have made similar requests to their counties, and plans have been enacted in other communities to support their hospitals. These plans have been effective and have been a saving grace to other hospitals. It can work in Baldwin County as well, but the county must be willing to help.

Text Only

Editorials

EDITORIAL: Seizure of AP phone records insult to independent press
Distrust of government secrecy has been elevated to an exceptional level with the disclosure the Justice Department covertly examined two months of Associated Press phone records to determine who leaked details to the AP about a foiled terrorist plot.

May 18, 2013
EDITORIAL: Community forum a chance to weigh in on litter issue
Ever passed by unsightly litter along the roadways and thought, someone should do something about it?

May 15, 2013
Public trust hinges on how city responds complaint
A little more than a year ago, Milledgeville City Council selected members for a committee to be charged to uphold the city’s newly established code of ethics for elected officials and personnel.

May 11, 2013
Offer suggestions, take heed of traffic concerns
Last year, Georgia saw its first increase in traffic-related fatalities since 2005.

May 6, 2013
EDITORIAL: Read first, then formulate questions, opinions
Members of Milledgeville City Council and the Baldwin County Board of Commissioners got a first look at a charter for city-county unification Tuesday evening.

May 1, 2013
Community vigilance key to combating domestic violence
Two lives were lost Christmas Eve morning 2012 — a local couple lost at the hands of domestic violence.

April 23, 2013
Trash task force must be consistent in its efforts
The Baldwin County Commission took steps Tuesday evening toward formulating a trash task force comprised of concerned local citizens.

April 21, 2013
Joint meeting should not be isolated event
City and county government officials will break bread later today during a joint meeting held downtown in the Allen's Market building.

April 10, 2013
Informed, engaged public vital to process
The Baldwin County Commission conducted its second work session Thursday evening, a move the board made in an effort to stay abreast of operations and meeting agenda items and to further the level of transparency in county government.

March 4, 2013
EDITORIAL: Residents should brush up on new ad valorem tax changes
A new law takes effect in Georgia next week that may impact how some locals and residents statewide pay ad valorem taxes.

February 25, 2013
More Editorials Headlines

Editorials

Search Results

Discussion

Hospital’s plan can work with county’s help

Site Map

Contact Us