3-bed hospital approved for Poplar Bluff

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A certificate of need was approved Monday for Black River Community Medical Center -- a three-bed hospital being planned by Poplar Bluff Medical Partners.

Despite opposition from Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, the Missouri Health Facilities Review Committee voted 5-2 to certify the need for a short-stay monitoring hospital in an existing building at 217 Physicians Park Drive.

Mike Burcham, president and CEO of Poplar Bluff Medical Partners, and four of its board members, Dr. Donald Piland, Dr. Chris Montgomery, Dr. Mike Caldwell and Dr. Donna Almond, were among 14 Poplar Bluff residents testifying on behalf of the medical center during the nearly four-hour hearing.

"This is a large relief. We have been working two long hard years to get this project through the certificate of need process," Burcham said. "We are excited to be able to look to the next step."

"This is a great day for Poplar Bluff," Montgomery said.

"We appreciate the community support we received," Caldwell said.

About 4,000 people expressed support through letters or signing a petition.

Black River Community Medical Center, a not-for-profit corporation, will renovate and lease 4,650 square feet of the existing medical building owned by Poplar Bluff Medical Partners. Black River Community Medical Center also will lease some equipment and make use of the current laboratory and imaging center.

Medical conditions to be treated include asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, simple pneumonia and dehydration.

Black River Community Medical Center also will have an emergency room and two outpatient observation beds.

A review committee member asked if there was space to expand the medical center.

Saint Francis Medical Center, which is a part owner of Poplar Bluff Medical Partners, owns 21 acres adjacent to the medical complex on Physicians Park Drive, according to Burcham.

"There is a significant need for lower cost, higher quality medical care in Poplar Bluff," said Steven Bjelich, president and CEO of Saint Francis Medical Center.

Piland told the committee about higher profits and lower overhead at PBRMC.

"You can easily understand how skimping on overhead could lead to physician and nurse dissatisfaction, retention issues, increased complaints, recruiting difficulty and bulging corporate profits," Piland said.

Montgomery said he tried to work with PBRMC officials on improving care, but "the efforts were in vain."

Mark Melloy, plant manager at Briggs and Stratton Corp., said he asked PBRMC for help in reducing healthcare costs, but "they were disinterested." He contacted Poplar Bluff Medical Partners who set up a clinic at the plant and allowed the company to contract for other services. Briggs and Stratton, which employs 1,460 workers, has seen a reduction in its healthcare costs.

State Reps. Todd Richardson and Steve Cookson, Butler County Presiding Commissioner Ed Strenfel, Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce President Steve Halter, First Midwest Bank President Joey McLane, Mid Continent Nail President David Libla, Poplar Bluff Schools Superintendent Chris Hon, insurance agent Laura Moffitt and Dr. Dorothy Munch said they supported the three-bed hospital and PBRMC's new 250-bed hospital.

"We need access to higher levels of care," Richardson said. "We lose millions of dollars each year when people go to other communities for healthcare."

The importance of competition between two hospitals also was cited to help reduce healthcare costs, lower deductibles, increase jobs, retain industries and improve retail sales.

David Joiner, executive director of the Ripley County Ambulance District, said 30 percent of those transported go to hospitals farther than Poplar Bluff.

Connie LaRue, representing senior citizens, said they "need a choice."

Testifying against BRCMC were five PBRMC staff members and an architect and attorney representing the hospital.

"This is not a hospital," said PBRMC Chief Executive Officer Greg Carda. "It does not even meet the minimum state regulations."

Lavah Lowe, chief operating officer; Charlene Warren, chief nursing officer; Marie Burdett, chief quality officer; and Mark Johnson, chief financial officer, responded to "the allegations" made by the applicants for BRCMC.

They said PBRMC compares well with other facilities on the quality of care and on costs. Some of the profits are being used to finance a new $170 million hospital in Poplar Bluff.

The review committee chairman questioned Johnson about the hospital's $45 million profit.

"This profit is substantially way beyond other hospitals," the chairman said.

Architect Marc Rowland discussed various requirements for a new hospital and said, "Members of the community have been misled. This is not a hospital."

Lauren Borowsky of the National Healthcare Association questioned the size of the proposed BRCMC service area and asked why residents farther away from Poplar Bluff "would bypass other hospitals" to go to BRCMC.

Another review committee member said "it is a shame" that PB Medical Partners and PBRMC could not agree on a compromise for providing healthcare services.

Attorney Richard Watters of St. Louis, Mo., who represents BRCMC, said the plans will be modified as necessary to meet all state regulations for a three-bed hospital.