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Hundreds Learn More About Plans For Jay Hospital
April 29, 2011
Baptist Healthcare and Naples-based Health Management Associates want to form a new partnership involving Jay Hospital and the Santa Rosa County Medical Center in Milton — and that has the hundreds of people upset in Jay.
About 250 Jay area residents packed a community meeting Thursday night to learn more about the proposal from town and county leaders and members of the Jay Hospital advisory board.
Jay doctor David Smith Said Baptist and HMA want to strike the term “non-profit” from their 99-year lease with Santa Rosa County, perhaps leading to a reduction in services at the 55-bed Jay Hospital — a reduction that could include the elimination of in-patient care and the emergency room.
Smith said that, in the lease, Baptist agreed to keep a “not for profit run general hospital in Jay”, and the spirit of the lease would be broken by reducing services or partnering with the for-profit HMA.
According to Santa Rosa County Commissioner Don Salter (pictured left), Baptist and HMA are attempting to form a new company that will share management of Jay Hospital and Santa Rosa County Medical Center. HMA would own a controlling 68 percent interest, he said.
“They’ve (Baptist and HMA) have got the word that people up here are not happy with what is going on,” Salter said. He said he wants to see Baptist try again to reach an agreement with the Jay Hospital advisory board. If not, Salter said he wants to rebid the entire lease because, even as a non-profit, Baptist has not shown a very good example of caring about the Jay area.
Smith said that if Baptist does seek to offer another party a lease on Jay Hospital, the advisory board wants 90 days to evaluate it and “help select our new managing partner”.
“Jay Hospital has options,” Smith (pictured left) said, adding that since news of possible changes at the hospital became public, he has talked to groups that might be billing to turn the hospital that might turn it into a teaching facility, a medical school hospital and more. “”Whoever we partner with, we want it to be a win-win. We want it to be good for our partner, and we don’t want anybody that don’t want us.”
In the meantime, community leaders are speaking out in favor of Jay Hospital.
“This hospital is vital. It’s an important part of this community,” Qualls said. “We as a town council are going to do whatever it takes to make sure that hospital stays in this town. We will fight as long as there is a fight to be have.”
“Flomaton stands behind what Dr. Smith is trying to do,” Flomaton Mayor Dewey Bondurant said. “You would be surprised if you knew how many people from Flomaton and Century come over here…We are one. We are united. With are with y’all.”
Don Ripley, administrator of Century Care Center, said his nursing facility relies on Jay Hospital to provide quality medical care close by. “We will do anything we can do to help you keep it in Jay where it should be,” he said.
Jay Hospital is the town’s largest employer with 160 employees, a $5 million annual payroll and about $2 million per year in charity care.
Pictured: About 250 people attended a community meeting Thursday night in favor of Jay Hospital. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
9 Responses to “Hundreds Learn More About Plans For Jay Hospital”
I was at the meeting and was so happy to see our community come out to support our Hospital and our Doctors that have given so much of their life to this Community. We have Four of the best Doctors any-where located in Jay. They could have gone any place but they come home to help the people of this area. All four are Jay High Grads. Smart and care about those they treat. Our Community is building and we need our Jay Hospital as it is what ever it takes. I am so disappointed in Baptist Hospital that I feel if they don’t want us there are others that do. To management of Baptist Hospital I say Shame Shame on you to betray a friend like you have. Dr. Smith is great person a find christian man and the best Doctor don’t forget he could be the one to save your life. He is allways puting others needs before his. God Bless DR.David Smith his son DR.Micheal , Dr.Kelly, Dr.Stewart, Dr.Raney they all are healers at Jay Hospital.
Baptist got caught out in the open with their pants down. They were gonna pull a fast one here and and slide this deal under the table. The upper management of Baptist Hospital are the most money hungry folks I,ve ever seen to be a non-profit entity. To add insult to injury they treat their employees like dirt while wanting to espouse a Christian value workplace. You Baptist employees at Jay know who and what i’m talking about. The really sad thing though is that with the abuse of the emergency room at Jay by a certain crowd, the hospitals days are numbered. Folks, no business can continue to pour millions of dollars down a rathole with absolutely no return on investment, whether it be for profit or non profit. Uncle Sam is flat broke, thanks to all the tax sucking bums entitlement programs for the last 37 years have created, and your muslim marxist president has or will cut medicare and medicaid to the bone. It can’t last operating as non-profit.
HEY COME ON YALL WE NEED THIS HOSPITAL,KEEP IT OPEN SO MANY DEPEND ON IT ,,,,
Baptist is only thinking about what is best for them. Trying to dump our hospital shows that. If their intentions were honorable, they wouldve had the physicians involved and informed. I thougt Jay Hospital was suppose to become a teaching hospital many years ago. Thought there was already an established relationship with FSU, but nothing appeared to ever happen.
Baptist made an agreement. They need to keep it! Thanks Dr Smith and all of our Doctors for fighting for us! When Century lost it’s hospital, very few stood up to fight. So having the support of doctors and communty are a major milestone! Let’s keep up the fight.
Dr. Smith stated that we (Jay Hospital and the community, which is made up of many surrounding areas) are David and Baptist Health Care and H.M.A. are Goliath. We’ve got only one stone for our slingshot so we’d better break it in half, so we will have two. I say lets throw as many stones as we can to save our hospital!! Please contact the Santa Rosa County Commissioners and let them know that we want them to vote NO on May 12th at 9:00. We do not want theJay hospital to change in any way. We need to tell them to be the voice of the people and not side with the Goliath. ph. 850-983-1877or e-mail Bocc@santarosa.fl.gov
I was shock when I heard the news about Jay Hospital was Closing. I hope everything goes well Im PRAYING FOR THE Hospital. I was @ one time a patient and they treated me with the Upmost Respect.
So keep up the go work ……………………
I was at the meeting last night — Dr. Smith for president, Jack Floyd for vice president!!! Awesome job guys!
oh yeah, and Dr. Michael for secretary of state!
It was a great showing from the community to get informed and support Jay Hospital and It’s High Quality Employees.
The Issue is clear and the steps we can take as a community working as one to push back against this proposed merger.
Contacting the County Commissioners of Santa Rosa County and Showing Up For May 12th Commissioners Meeting at 9 am in Milton Florida to let our voices be heard and strong
This is so crazy to even try to do this to such a good place for
everyone…I live in Walnut Hill and go to Dr D. Smiths office regular and I
have most of my family that also go there and I know many other that may
travel more than I do this is a shame for this to even think of happening
to such a great place..my dad rest his soul would only go to Jay Hospital when
he was still with us and he was from Pensacola so that goes to show you
that Jay Hospital and the staff are very special for everyone now and in the past.
Hope things go for the best and we can keep our hospital……..