It is hard to believe that it’s been more than two years since HCA took ownership of Mission Health System and of our local hospital, Blue Ridge Regional, and a year since the Independent Monitor (IM) came to Burnsville to hear comments and concerns from our communities about the hospital. Early last year they had similar meetings all over the region served by Mission Health, and the transcripts of those meetings are available on their website as well as the information on the work they do.
The good news is that the IM is having an informational online meeting open to all communities in Western North Carolina on April 7th, 2021 at 5:30pm. Register for that meeting here. When you register you can submit a question to be addressed at the meeting, and you will also be able to submit questions during the meeting.
The issue that has been most forefront in our minds in this last year has been the coronavirus pandemic, which has highlighted issues with healthcare in America in general, and concerns that our local hospital remain the vital asset in our community that is has long been.
Anyone can raise concerns about whether Mission is adhering to the Asset Purchase Agreement at any time. The form for logging concerns is on the home page of the IM’s website. If the IM determines that the issue is not within their purview, they will re-direct it to the appropriate organization.
Recently Asheville’s television station WLOS did a series of news segments on concerns about the hospital system. Note, much of what was reported had to do with the Asheville-based campuses of the hospital system. In case you missed it, below are links to those video segments.
Please plan to join us on this virtual meeting, and make sure your voice is heard. We need to make sure that HCA and Mission Health understand how important our local hospital and the services it provides are to our communities' health and future.