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July 29, 2010

Decision on Murray Medical Center expected soon

Charles Oliver charlesoliver@daltoncitizen.com

The fate of Murray Medical Center (MMC) may be decided by the end of the week.

Officials from the Hospital Authority of Murray County met with their counterparts from Murray Medical Center Inc. on Monday to find out exactly what changes they are looking for at the hospital.

“We listened to what they had to say Monday night, and then we met (Tuesday) night to put together our options to get back to them,” said Hospital Authority Chairman Richard Bagley.

Bagley said they would present a written proposal to MMC this afternoon. MMC Chairman Gary Middleton said his board was scheduled to meet tonight to discuss the Hospital Authority’s proposals.

Earlier this month, Hamilton Health Care System, which runs MMC through Murray Medical Center Inc. and leases the Chatsworth facility from the Hospital Authority of Murray County, said it can no longer continue to loan money to MMC “without causing serious damage to the mission and purpose” of Hamilton Health Care System.

Hamilton said in a press release it had asked the board of Murray Medical Center Inc. to try to renegotiate its lease “to transform health care services at MMC in a financially viable manner.”

Hamilton officials said they have loaned MMC nearly $7 million to fund operations since 2006.

“They gave us a July 31 deadline (to reach an agreement), and I haven’t heard anything to indicate that they have moved that deadline,” Bagley said.

Middleton said he did not know if that deadline would be pushed back.

“If negotiations are still going on, I’m sure we could push it back. But that is a drop-dead date right now,” Middleton said.

He said he did not know what would happen on Aug. 1 if the two sides haven’t reached an agreement and the deadline is not moved back.

“That is something else that has not been decided,” he said. “Anything else I could say would be speculation at this point. But let’s assume something will be worked out. I think something will be.”

Both Bagley and Middleton declined to discuss what issues the two are discussing and how far apart or close they are on those issues.

“I expect we will have more meetings before the week is over. Right now, everybody is talking and negotiating, so that’s a good sign,” Middleton said.

Bagley said Hospital Authority board members are determined to do all they can to keep the 42-bed hospital open.

Hamilton officials say MMC has an average of about eight patients a day in the hospital.

 

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