- Conversations between City of Tallahassee, Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare, and their academic partners will continue over what the future of the hospital looks like.
- That's after community members packed the City Commission Chambers at Wednesday's meeting advocating for the ownership of TMH to stay local.
- Watch the video to find out what the next steps over the lease of the hospital would look like.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
The Tallahassee community making their voices heard Wednesday night at the City Commission meeting, all in favor of keeping Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare’s ownership local. This agenda item filling the City Commission Chambers with neighbors raising concerns over the city reviewing their lease with TMH.
We’re breaking down the outcome of this meeting and what next steps look like between the City and TMH for the future of the hospital.
20 people voiced their opinions at Wednesday’s City Commission meeting over the City of Tallahassee reviewing their lease with Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare, all unanimously against any decision to move ownership of the hospital outside of local hands.
Concern has been the most voiced emotion when I’ve been speaking to community members about this agenda item.
“I was really shocked and surprised at the news, and also on a really personal level devastated at the thought of them being bought out,” said former TMH patient, Kelly Phillips, adding her biggest concern being the potential sale of the TMH building is healthcare becoming less accessible.
“We need a hospital that will take indigent care, people without insurance. If TMH bought it, I think it would be okay but for any other organization to come and buy it, I don’t think so," said Phillips.
For others, like Mike Goldstein, he said why change what’s been working. “I feel like they’ve been doing a good job for the last 75 years so why change it now,” said Goldstein.
Andrea Friall, VP Chief Medical Officer of TMH, said while TMH wants to change their governance structure so they can expand their partnerships, they want the hospital’s future development to continue to be guided by the community.
“We want to make sure the community understands that we are not trying to sell, we don’t want to be sold to a larger body or anybody that does not care about this community locally,” said Friall.
The City Commission quelled concerns at the meeting Wednesday. After Mayor Pro Temp Dianne Williams-Cox said she received calls and emails from constituents all through the night. The Commission says top priority for all? Ensuring patient care remains high.
City Manager Reese Goad, who’s office is behind the proposal, said this is just the beginning and many conversations are to be had what role the City plays in TMH’s request for that new governance structure.
“There’s a lot of work to do, there’s a lot of questions, it’s a big change from their current structure so we’ll work pretty quickly on that,” said Goad.
The City Manager suggested this item be re-added to the City Commission agenda on April 16. The City Manager said they will bring ideas about what the future of the hospital and the lease looks like and will have conversations with TMH and their academic partners.
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