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You don’t have to give your name to share concerns about Mission Health’s acquisition and management under HCA Healthcare, according to Justin Wilson, a spokesperson for Gibbons Advisors, the independent monitor charged with validating HCA’s compliance with state-mandated provisions of its deal to acquire Mission last year.
Wilson said they want to have more information rather than less, so those with something to relay can do so via the independent monitor’s online form, filling in a space for “name” with “anonymous.”
The independent monitor is hosting a series of public meetings, starting tonight in Cashiers, where members of the public are welcome to share concerns regarding things they know or worries about potential issues with the merger.
However, some individuals with direct knowledge of problems or concerns may be wary about an impact on their careers if they are seen at a public meeting or if they speak out, so the option to report anonymously online may be a good alternative for these individuals.
Mission Health is a major health provider in Western North Carolina, operating multiple facilities across the region, including hospitals in Buncombe, Transylvania, Macon, McDowell and Mitchell counties.
The N.C. Department of Justice last year approved nonprofit Mission’s acquisition by for-profit HCA, which is based in Nashville, Tennessee. But that approval came with significant stipulations, especially about changes in services at Mission facilities.
Time and place of independent monitor public meetings:
Doors open 30 minutes before each event.
- Cashiers meeting (Highlands-Cashiers Hospital)
Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2020 / 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Cashiers/Glenville Recreation Center
355 Frank Allen Road, Cashiers, NC 28717 - Highlands meeting (Highlands-Cashiers Hospital)
Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020 / 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Highlands Civic Center Meeting Room
600 N. Fourth St., Highlands, NC 28741 - Macon County meeting (Angel Medical Center)
Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020 / 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Robert C. Carpenter Room, Macon County Community Facilities Building
1288 Georgia Road, Franklin, NC 28734 - Buncombe County meeting (Mission Hospital)
Monday, Feb. 10, 2020 / 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Blue Ridge Room, Mountain Area Health Education Center
121 Hendersonville Road, Asheville, NC 28803 - Transylvania County meeting (Transylvania Regional Hospital)
Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2020 / 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Unitarian Universalists of Transylvania County
24 Varsity St., Brevard, NC 28712 - McDowell County meeting (Mission Hospital McDowell)
Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2020 / 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Marion Community Building
191 N. Main St., Marion, NC 28752 - Mitchell County meeting (Blue Ridge Regional Hospital)
Thursday, Feb. 13, 2020 / 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Auditorium, Burnsville Town Center
6 S. Main St., Burnsville, NC 28714
Key documents governing Mission, HCA merger
In January 2019, N.C. Attorney General Josh Stein released a review memo describing stipulations that the N.C. Department of Justice was placing on HCA’s acquisition of Mission and listing those stipulations. Separately, Stein released a grid showing how the proposed deal had been altered to include the additional provisions. Both Mission and HCA promised to abide by these provisions prior to their public release.
Below are copies of Stein’s memo on the stipulations and the grid showing how they altered the deal.
Review memo from Stein:
Mission Letter From DOJ (Text)
Grid showing changes:
Mission HCA Agreement Comparison of Key Terms Before and After Attorney General 1 (Text)
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