To the Editor:
The management or ownership of the Morrow County Hospital has been a contentious subject involving years of dispute.
Currently, our hospital is managed by OhioHealth and the land and building are owned by Morrow County. OhioHealth has managed our hospital since 1984. They have led us through a pandemic with no debt and cash in the bank. Our community has benefited greatly by having a large healthcare partner.
The Morrow County commissioners have systematically removed Morrow County Hospital Board members who do not agree with their desire to sell the hospital, or the long-term lease of the hospital with a partner who will not reveal their true financial status. All but one member of the hospital board is new and there are no members with a healthcare background. This new Hospital Board has created an RFP (Request for Proposals) committee to sell, lease or manage our hospital although this has already been done in 2019 utilizing a respected healthcare management consulting firm over an 18-month period. The former hospital board concluded that having OhioHealth continue managing our hospital was what was best. This current management agreement expires in December of this year.
I strongly believe that NO hospital can take over OUR hospital by the end of the year and KEEP the quality services and proper functioning of the hospital intact.
The prudent thing to do, is to extend the current management agreement with OhioHealth for two years with a 6-month “out” clause, just like we have now. I know that this RFP is being performed. I recommend doing so without the pressure of a deadline. We as a community need to know that the physicians, billing and other operations like biomed are functioning on January 1, 2023. A contract extension with OhioHealth achieves these necessary goals.
Thank you,
Donna Carver
Mount Gilead
