
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, January 4, 1994                   TAG: 9401130011
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV3   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: New River Valley bureau
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

AGENCY TO HEAR CANCER-CENTER PRESENTATIONS

The Southwest Virginia Health Systems Agency will hear presentations Feb. 2 from Radford Community Hospital and Pulaski Community Hospital on whether one of them should be approved for a cancer treatment center.

The HSA hearing originally had been scheduled for last September. It had been delayed to give both hospitals time to negotiate the possibility of getting together on a proposal for one radiation therapy center to be located in the New River Valley. But the two hospitals could not reach an agreement for one center, said Ken Cook, the HSA's executive director.

The next HSA board meeting is Wednesday at the Airport Holiday Inn in Roanoke. But representatives of both hospitals wanted an extra month to submit updated material on their applications.

Pulaski Community Hospital is seeking a certificate to build a $3.9 million treatment center as part of its hospital in Pulaski. Radford Community Hospital is also seeking a certificate, for a $3.3 million unit separate from its hospital near Interstate 81 and Virginia 177.

The HSA will make a recommendation to the state on which hospital, if either, should have its application approved. The final decision will come from the office of the state health director.

by CNB