Public Hearing: Beaufort County Medical Center | Eastern North Carolina Now

    The Beaufort County Regional Health System will hold a public hearing to have the wishes of the public as to the management of the Beaufort County medical Center. The public hearing will be held at the Beaufort County Community College in Building 10 at 6:00 pm. Public Hearings such as this one is a state requirement to initiate the dispensation of publicly owned property.

    It has become apparent to the county commissioners of Beaufort County that we have a serious cash flow problem inherent within the management of the local hospital. We become aware of this problem once County Commissioner Hood Richardson was appointed as the county's representative in October, 2009. Until Commissioner Richardson began as our representative, we, commissioners as a group, had no knowledge of the funding disparity.

    Since that time of our initial knowledge of their dire financial condition, a majority of the commissioners have worked to move into a position where we will have some measure of control over the final decision as to what path the Beaufort County Medical Center takes. It is the opinion of a majority of the county commissioners that the Medical Center spare no effort to move toward economic solveny as they consider, along with the Beaufort County Commissioners, all suitable bids to lease the physical plant. It is known as the dual track approach, and, if managed properly, would lead to the financial rescue of this vast public resource.

    There is also another collective group of thought that is conversely know as the single tract approach. Its core philisophical approach to this fiscal calamity is to abandon all intention of best management practices to the exclusion of saving the medical facility in favor of the county divesting itself of all control of the medical center. It is believed within this group-think perspective that the management of the Beaufort County Medical Center is well beyond the abilities of their ongoing management team, and that this fiscally challenged hospital must be hurriedly merged with another more fiscally responsible entity.

    On Tuesday night at this public hearing, we may have the opportunity as a community to witness these two divergent philosophies clash like two rambling freight trains: one lost on the dark train tracks of fate, and the other steaming forward with a irrespressible purpose. It could get very interesting.


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 26, 2010

Beaufort Regional Health System to Hold Public Hearing

(Washington, NC) - Beaufort Regional Health System Authority Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing Tuesday, August 31, 2010 at 6:00 p.m. in Building 10 at Beaufort County Community College, located at 5337 Highway 264, Washington, North Carolina. The purpose of the public hearing is to hear comments related to the System's adoption of a resolution on July 13th of intent to lease, sell, or otherwise convey the System's hospital facilities.

The Health System's Board of Commissioners will be present to listen to the comments of those wishing to speak. The Beaufort County Board of Commissioners has been invited to attend as well. All interested persons are invited to be heard and written comments will be accepted and added to the minutes of the hearing. The System requests that groups representing multiple persons holding the same or similar view designate a spokesperson to speak on behalf of such group.

Anyone interested in speaking at this hearing, please call 252-975-4211 by Monday, August 30, 2010 if possible to be added to the list of speakers. However, you do not have to call prior to the hearing, people may sign up to speak the evening of the hearing.

North Carolina General Statutes which govern the Hospital Authority require the Authority to conduct two Public Hearings when soliciting proposals to transfer operation of healthcare facilitates. In the event that proposals to lease or purchase the hospital are received, a 2nd public hearing will be held no sooner than 30 days after the August 31st public hearing.

Pam Shadle
Director of Marketing and Public Relations
Beaufort Regional Health System
252-975-4134 (office)
252-945-3806 (cell)
pshadle@brhealthsystem.org