Memorial had no choice. The coffers had nearly run dry and there was little money to maintain and keep paying the bills/debts. The problem is local politics and that a good many who sit on the Hospital Authority Board are also physicians/administrators for St. Joseph's/Candler, and don't necessarily want to see a thriving Memorial. If the city, county, residents, and the Hospital Authority didn't want Memorial getting into bed with a for-profit enterprise, or making a deal with the devil (as you put it), they should have stepped up and insisted that taxpayers contribute with annual subsidies - which every other Level I Trauma Center in the state (and most of the country) receive. Fact is, Memorial did what Memorial had to do to keep its doors open. Without a heavily invested strategic partner or a complete buyout, the hospital would likely have had to file bankruptcy soon and start siphoning off debts/obligations. And frankly, very few healthcare providers or hospital corporations would at this point step into the mess that Memorial has been forced into.. at least not those without very deep pockets. I get it - you're right that the hospital will likely not remain a non-profit 401c3 for long, but they were stuck between a rock and a hard place, and rather than trying to stay in that hard place any longer, they grabbed hold of the biggest rock they could find. I've heard a number of people complain about this deal, but when it mattered, no one in the community (with any money, power, influence) wanted to step up and find real solutions.
Also consider Memorial is one of the largest employers in the region, with some 5,000+ employees. They have an obligation to their employees, not just the community at large. It's just another angle/lens to consider when looking at this situation.
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Also consider Memorial is one of the largest employers in the region, with some 5,000+ employees. They have an obligation to their employees, not just the community at large. It's just another angle/lens to consider when looking at this situation.