When Healers Harm – Alabama Hospital Wars: Huntsville Hospital v Crestwood Medical Center

Why, why, WHY!?!

There’s nothing better to do with precious financial resources – especially in tough economic times?

Pay lawyers instead of using that same money to care for and treat patients, improve outcomes, and increase patient & staff satisfaction?

And what does that say about your concern for patients? Yeah… that’s right – you love wasting money on a court fight rather than using that money to heal people.

This problem exists precisely because of a Certificate of Need law in Alabama that specifically prohibits anyone from thinking about building, expanding or creating a healthcare treatment facility without first going to court.

I will say this, however – even with the CON law & board in place, there is no requirement for hospitals to sue each other over the matter. And yet, they do.

It’s time to eliminate the CON law and CON Board in Alabama.

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Crestwood Hospital wins legal fight with Huntsville Hospital

Submitted by Lonnie Crawford, Community Web Producer
Wednesday, March 7th, 2012, 7:23pm

http://westhuntsville.waff.com/news/health/69709-crestwood-hospital-wins-legal-fight-huntsville-hospital

Crestwood Hospital has won a legal fight with Huntsville Hospital.
The two hospitals clashed over a cardiac program.
Crestwood wanted to continue offering elective angioplasty.
Huntsville Hospital opposed it.
A special judge heard three days of testimony in January. That judge has now ruled Crestwood can continue to seek a certificate of need for the program.

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Judge to decide outcome of hospital debate

http://www.waff.com/Global/story.asp?S=16517806
Posted: Jan 13, 2012 4:48 PM CST Updated: Feb 10, 2012 5:38 PM CST
By Shumuriel Ratliff – email

A battle between two Huntsville hospitals is now in the hands of a judge. Huntsville hospital and Crestwood Medical Center are at odds over a cardiac program.

Officials with Crestwood said if they can continue their angioplasty procedures, it would give patients more options. Officials with Huntsville are asking the state to review their position before they make a decision.
Crestwood Medical Center is looking to continue their cardiac angioplasty program for non-emergency patients, but state approval is needed before they can proceed.

“We want to try to prove to the judge that we deserve to be able to continue this life saving procedure on a permanent basis,” said Crestwood CEO Pam Hudson. “It is supported by independent physicians in our community and many, many patients would like to choose where they go to have care. This hearing has been very favorable from a quality standpoint, and we are optimistic.”

David Spillers, CEO of Huntsville Hospital, wants the judge to deny Crestwood’s request.
“The American College of Cardiology recently came out with some guidelines on when you should do it, how you should do it, and also when it’s not appropriate,” Spillers said. “Our position is we are asking that the state look at the recommendations before they make a final decision for Crestwood or any other hospital that chooses to get this kind of service.”

Administrative law judge, Al Agricola, heard testimony over three days from both hospitals. Once Agricola makes his ruling, it will go to the certificate of need board for review. The decision could take six weeks to two months.