Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, September 30, 1995 TAG: 9510020016
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE:
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Medium
The agency's role is to review certificate of public need applications, which are required for new hospital construction in Virginia, assure that there is citizen input on the proposals, and, then suggest which will serve the community best.
An agency staff report favors the proposal from Radford Community Hospital and its parent, Carilion Health System of Roanoke. It is for a $61.7 million, 97-bed hospital and medical complex to be built in Montgomery County near the Interstate 81 exit at Virginia 177. The counterproposal, from Montgomery Regional and Pulaski Community hospitals, owned by Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corp. of Nashville, is for a $26 million, 50-bed hospital to be built in Radford.
Beginning at 7 p.m. Wednesday, both applicants will have 20 minutes each to speak and show visuals on their project and then answer board members' questions. Richard Roark, the agency's executive director, will next present his reasons for supporting the Carilion proposal, with the condition that it not include a proposed child-care center.
The board then votes, and whatever proposal gets a majority vote becomes the recommendation to the state Health Department.
However, there is no guarantee, Roark said, that one or the other of the proposals will be selected. Both could be given the go-ahead or both could be denied. Or, the board could tell the competing systems to figure out a way to work together.
Once the state gets the board's decision, it has until Dec. 8 to make its recommendation, which will come from the health commissioner.
Even that is not binding. There is a second level of appeal to the state and, finally, the issue could land in court.
The Roanoke meeting is open to the public, but the public cannot have time on the program, Roark said. A public hearing on the proposals was held several weeks ago.
The health systems agency is a private, nonprofit corporation created by the National Health Planning and Resources Act of 1974. Federal funding stopped in 1986. The state now provides money to the agency, but is not its total support, Roark said.
The agency's 30-member board is made up of consumer members and representatives from the planning districts and the health care industry.
by CNB