BRHS reports four site visits, no proposals, from its 14 suitors | Eastern North Carolina Now

    In four days, Beaufort Regional Health System will know, for sure, which of the 14 institutions that expressed interest in leasing the hospital are actually potential future partners. By the Sept. 4 deadline, the hospital may have received a proposal from each of its 14 suitors, or it may have received zero. Thus far, BRHS hasn’t received any proposals, according to BRHS Authority Board Commissioner Hood Richardson.

    The 14 institutions that were sent Request For Proposal packets on July 21 include: University Health Systems of Eastern Carolina, Community Health Systems, Inc., Health Management Associates, Inc., LifePoint Hospitals, Inc., Capella Healthcare, Universal Health Services, Inc., Sunlink Health Systems, Inc., Ameris Health Systems, Brim Healthcare, LHP Hospital Group, Inc., RegionalCare Hospital Partners, Jackson Hospital Affiliates, Progressive Acute Care, LLC and Nueterra Healthcare.

    Within the past month, four of these institutions have sent representatives to Beaufort County Medical Center to meet with BRHS Chief Executive Officer Susan Gerard, BRHS Chief Financial Officer Chris Riggs, physicians, and others, according to Gerard at today’s BRHS Authority Board of Commissioners meeting. These four are University Health Systems of East Carolina, which sent a team of 12 people; Capella Healthcare; LifePoint Hospitals, Inc.; and Community Health Systems, Inc.

    Tonight, BRHS is holding a state required public hearing at Beaufort County Community College (in Building 10 at 6 p.m.) “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,” according to a BRHS news release. Though the BRHS commissioners will be in attendance, they will be there to listen, not to speak. Gerard advised the commissioners to listen well.

    “Please take copious notes because anything (the public) might say might help us make decisions in the future as to how we want to proceed,” she said.

    After the Sept. 4 deadline, the proposals received will be sent to a company in Florida, hired by the BRHS Authority Board, for review. This company was hired to remove any perception of conflicts of interest and ensure that all proposals are reviewed as judicially as possible, according to Richardson.

    “We hired them, because their strength is in valuing deals like this, and we want to be able to compare ‘apples to apples’,” said Richardson.

    Following an extensive review, the company will recommend which institution BRHS should accept as a partner, and the BRHS Authority Board will present their recommendation to the Beaufort County Board of Commissioners—the entity charged with making the final decision.

    The length of time necessary to complete this process is uncertain, according to Richardson.

    Also at the meeting, the BRHS Authority Board visited the expiring terms of three of its commissioners: Alice Mills Sadler, Jack Piland and Curtis Potter. Commissioner Potter asked not to be reappointed. BRHS Authority Board Commissioner Hood Richardson nominated Suzanne Gray to replace Potter. Gray was a director for the Beaufort County Department of Social Services, and she has a strong background in Medicare and Medicaid. The Authority Board unanimously approved her nomination, which will be reviewed by the Beaufort County Board of Commissioners at their Sept. 7 general meeting. Sadler and Piland were unanimously reappointed to the board.