LETTERS: HOSPITAL MERGER GOOD FOR COMMUNITY

To the editor:

Cape Girardeau's two hospitals, Southeast Missouri Hospital and St. Francis Medical Center, have proposed to merge their resources into a single health-care organization with two campuses. This new health system would provide a complete array of services and programs for our community.

There is concern that combining the two hospitals into a single organization will eliminate competition and lead to higher costs. On the contrary, consolidation of the resources of the two fine, financially strong hospital organizations in Cape Girardeau will reduce expense. That's because health care is not a commodity. Health care is not a product. Health care in Cape Girardeau is a value-based, patient-focused community service. The hospitals here have missions and values based on community accountability, quality of service and a not-for-profit ethic. Under these circumstances and given their shared missions of service, merging our hospitals makes a great deal of sense.

Much good will come from merger of the hospitals. Duplication of clinical services at these two institutions causes waste of capital and human resources. Comprehensive studies and everyday experience show that maintenance of common clinical programs by two institutions spreads the resources of each more thinly, contributing to expense and, in some instances, affecting quality. Where Cape Girardeau hospitals have combined services, savings are achieved. Utilization increases dramatically, waste disappears and quality is enhanced. Duplicated services waste community resources and prevent development of centers of clinical excellence.

Hospital mergers in other communities have shown significant savings, improved technologies and health-care quality. Consolidation of our hospital resources will:* Dramatically reduce health-care costs throughout the community.* Spread those savings to all patients and their families.* Allow the region to benefit from new medical technologies at the same time as major metropolitan areas.* Attract more well-qualified professionals and caregivers to our community.* Foster health maintenance by allowing the new system to expend savings in wellness programs, disease prevention, inoculation services, patient education and promotion of healthy lifestyles.* Maintain and strengthen Cape Girardeau's position as the region's health-care leader.

Finally, we should reflect on what is likely to occur if the merger does not take place. Under that scenario, the two hospitals will be compelled to continue the competitive mode. This approach only guarantees continued duplication of facilities, professional skills and capital. Ultimately, that will lead to two weakened hospitals rather than a single strong integrated health-care network. It will bring about diminished leadership in health care for Cape Girardeau as patients and their families are compelled to seek levels of care they require in urban medical centers.

The hospitals in Cape Girardeau are poised to make a genuine, lasting contribution to quality of life in this region and community. By supporting the hard work of our hospitals' executive leaders, governing boards, professional staffs, employees and volunteers, we can assure the quality of health care here for generations to come.

STEPHEN M. BLAES, President

North American Health AllianceCape Girardeau

EDITOR'S NOTE: Mr. Blaes served from 1969 to 1995 as general counsel and then chairman and chief executive officer of CSJ Health System in Wichita, Kan.