Perry County Memorial forum follows familiar themes

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Monday night's Perry County Memorial Hospital forum followed a similar pattern to other forums on the future of the Perryville hospital, with contentious questioning and familiar themes.

The forum was the third on the hospital's potential partnership with either Southeast- HEALTH or Mercy but was the first in which hospital officials held the floor. Previous forums featured presentations from each of the potential partners. Monday night, the head of a consulting group hired by the hospital -- Joe Lupica of Newpoint Healthcare Advisors -- spelled out the hospital's process in seeking a partner, while other hospital officials, including chief executive officer Chris Wibbenmeyer and several doctors affiliated with the hospital addressed particular aspects of a potential partnership.

The hospital's presentation lasted about an hour, and then for two additional hours, attendees made statements and asked questions. Those speaking mostly fell into several groups -- those interested in specific details about what services the hospital might offer with a partner, hospital board members (who had not spoken at or attended previous forums on the potential partnership) and those challenging the hospital's "process."

Criticism of the process has been at the root of intense interest in the hospital's future, which started with a news conference hosted by a number of Perry County, Missouri, business leaders, including Frank Robinson, chief executive officer of Robinson Construction.

At a previous forum, Robinson announced his plan to seek a state audit of the hospital. At Monday's meeting, he circulated a document contending hospital officials have kept area residents "in the dark" about the potential partnership.

"'No publicity' seems to be the order of the day for this hospital administration and the governing board that acts in our name," the document states. "These folks are used to operating in secret, with little or no accountability and no transparency at all. This has been the case for many years. Ask any fair question, and more than likely you'll be told it can't be answered due to a confidentiality agreement."

The document questions hospital spending and whether the hospital's boards abide by the state's open meetings law. During the forum, he asked Wibbenmeyer for minutes from the meetings and other information. Wibbenmeyer said he would provide the documents.

Board members speak

Two five-member boards govern Perry County Memorial. Hospital officials appoint members of the board of directors, and that group's role more directly impacts day-to-day operation of the hospital. In any potential partnership, this board would have the role of recommending a partner. A publicly elected board of trustees has the authority to approve any potential partnership, and that partnership would also go to county commissioners for their approval.

Kay Taylor, treasurer of the board of directors, said members of that board -- Keith Moeckel, Darrell Niswonger, Beth Guth and Linda Buerck -- felt "pressure" from Cape Girardeau health care organizations and "felt an obligation" to find a third potential partner.

"We sensed a comfortable culture with Mercy," she said.

Buerck said some people arrived at the discussion with preconceived ideas about which partner to support. She contended board members were looking out for the interests of patients and hospital staff.

Guth said board members were focusing on maintaining the hospital's identity.

"What is going to keep our hospital our hospital?" she asked.

Members of the hospital's publicly elected board are Steve Rozier, Greg Unger, Guth, Niswonger and Patrick Naeger.

SoutheastHEALTH comments

Ken Bateman, chief executive officer of SoutheastHEALTH, attended the forum and spoke for several minutes. He said Perry County Memorial officials were correct to seek a partner before their situation deteriorates. He encouraged hospital officials to negotiate seats on the system board of whatever partner they choose to retain local control, and he spoke to another issue a number of speakers addressed.

"We are committed to a school of nursing," he said, adding a timeframe of within a year of a potential partnership to locate a nursing school in Perryville.

Wibbenmeyer replied that Perry County Memorial is "very supportive of a nursing school in this community."

With regard to several comments of Mercy's resources, Bateman contended SoutheastHEALTH's total revenue has not been accurately reflected, pointing to pharmacy sales and the system's physical fitness operation as two of several revenue-generators to also consider.

Clarification

Tuesday's story regarding the forum incorrectly stated the amount Perry County Memorial is paying Newpoint Healthcare Advisors. The group's five-member team receives $42,000 per month for its consulting work.