Belmont University Supports Spring Hill Hospital

This was printed today in the Advertiser News

Belmont University Supports HCA in Spring Hill Hospital Plan
By Dan Copp

Belmont University President Dr. Robert Fisher publicly endorsed his support for Hospital Corporation of America's plan to break ground on a $112 million hospital in Spring Hill during a recent town hall meeting at the UAW Local 1853 building.

Fisher said a hospital was a "missing puzzle piece" to Spring Hill's growth and development.

"When you look at building a quality community, Spring Hill is an example," he told about 150 attendees at the HCA-hosted forum on May 9. "But a missing piece of the puzzleis accessible hospital health care."

HCA recently pumped $7.5 million into the construction of a College of Health Sciences building on the eastern edge of the Belmont campus. The project included Belmont's Nursing, Occupational Therapy and Social Work programs. Because of HCA's contributions, Fisher said the Belmont nursing program has grown substantially, swelling from 125 students to nearly 600.

"HCA is a great community partner," the Belmont president added. "And they will make (Spring Hill) a great partner. They will invest and become an important part of the community."

Belmont University will join with HCA in its battle against Maury Regional Hospital and Williamson Medical Center to win permission to construct a 56-bed hospital at the intersection of Kedron Road and Saturn Parkway.

Before any construction commences on a Spring Hill hospital, HCA must apply to the Tennessee Health Services and Development Agency for a certificate of need (CON). the application is currently undergoing a 90 day review by the state.

Tri-Star Health Systems is slated to close on the proposed site for the hospital before June 30, which would predate the state's approval of the project.

Critics of the plan claim a second hospital in Maury County would deliver an economic blow to surrounding health care facilities and that Spring Hill's medical needs are already being met and planned for.

Tri-Star Health Systems President Larry Kloess pointed out that Spring Hill leaders approached HCA to evaluate the need for a hospital to accommodate the city's exploding population, which has been forecast to balloon up more than 40,000 within the next 5 years.

The population of Thompson's Station and Spring Hill is projected to reach 60,000 by 2010 and 116,000 by 2014.

Nashville pediatrician James Hudson was the only dissenting voice of the evening, claiming that HCA's project would increase hospital bills.

"I can't see for the life of me why citizens of Williamson, Giles, and Maury County would welcome a proposed facility that would jeopardize what is already a very adequate and high quality, not-for-profit community hospital in Columbia," the doctor said. "The belief is that it would reduce costs, but that's mistaken. Over the last decade or so reducing health care costs through competition has proven to be a failure. Some ideas should be rejected, and this is one of them."

Spring Hill resident Peter Jenkins countered the pediatrician's criticism.

"Once again we have somebody not from Spring Hill telling us we shouldn't have a hospital," Jenkins said. "We're getting tired of hearing it. Just last night, the two year old grandson of one of the most respected citizens here in Spring Hill has to be rushed to the emergency room over at another hospital that thinks we shouldn't have an emergency room. This child had to be rushed to the hospital at 4 in the morning. If he had to wait for an ambulance, there's no telling how long it would have taken the ambulance to come."

"Spring Hill has been pushed around a lot," Jenkins continued. "Columbia's tried to squash our growth. First they tried not to sell us water. So our former Mayor and Aldermen said, 'We'll just build our own water plant.' Now they're saying we can't have a hospital. So our present mayor and aldermen said, 'We're going to build our own hospital.'"

Kloess said there was a 15-mile rift separating Spring Hill residents from Maury Regional Hospital, and Spring Hill patients must trek 15 miles to Williamson Medical Center. The nearest health care facilities east and west of Spring Hill are in Murfreesboro, Centerville and Lewisburg, which would add 28 to 42 miles on a vehicles odometer.

Ward 2 Spring Hill Alderman Eliot Mitchell said a localized emergency room is an essential component of the city's development.

"The next time you folks are stuck in traffic on I-65, think about what if you were in an ambulance or your wife was in labor with your child? That's why we need a hospital in Spring Hill. On a good day we travel 30 minutes for health care ... on an average day it takes an hour," he said.

TriStar' proposal for Spring Hill includes a 24-hour emergency department with 13 beds, general surgery, an intensive care unit, cardiology, obstetrics and pediatrics, outpatient surgery, cancer care, diagnostic services with an MRI and a medical office building.

A hospital located in Spring Hill would generate 300 full-time jobs at about $1 million in property taxes and impact fees, the TriStar president added.

In addition, Kloess and TriStar facilities care for patients regardless of their financial status by offering a 40 percent discount for uninsured patients.

If the project come into fruition, TriStar will own and operate two ambulances at locations determined by the City of Spring Hill. Individual patient preference will determine the hospital destination for any and all ambulance transports provided by such a service, Spring Hill Mayor Danny Leverette said.

A public hearing and vote is anticipated on July 26. Kloess said the HSDA will base its decision on need, financial feasibility and on the orderly development of health care.

Another public forum concerning the proposed hospital is slated for 5:30 p.m. June 13 at the UAW Local 1853. In the meantime, the TriStar president encouraged the public to champion the Spring Hill Hospital by attending the town hall meetings, signing a petition in favor of the project, writing a letter of support to the state and attending the hearing on July 26 in Nashville.

If HSDA gives TriStar the green light, the Spring Hill hospital is expected to break ground in 2007 and will open its doors in 2010.