Hospital downplays proxy issue

Mat-Su -- Valley Hospital Association (VHA) members should soon receive a new mailing from the hospital that includes an independent proxy that can be used to vote against the hospital's plan to enter into a joint venture with Texas-based Triad Hospitals Inc. in order to build a hospital to replace Valley Hospital in Palmer.

The new mailing comes on the heels of a controversy that stirred up after a VHA election mailing was sent that included a proxy form for members who wanted to vote 'yes' and no corresponding form for members who wanted to vote 'no.'

Hospital officials -- who had said for months that ballots would be mailed to members -- said they were disappointed by the situation and wanted to mail a ballot with a "yes" or "no" choice. They also said the legal advice they received at the time told them to facilitate only 'yes' proxy votes in order to avoid a conflict-of-interest argument after the election.

But the flap about the proxies doesn't seem to have affected the hospital's "vote yes" campaign, at least not according to some volunteers who have been calling VHA members to solicit votes in favor of the joint venture.

"[VHA members] ask about a number of things," said Cathy Smith, an employee who volunteered her time after work to call VHA members and talk up the joint venture. "The most often things they are asking about are location, local control and staff reaction. And then the last on the list is an explanation of the proxy ballot," Smith said.

Smith is the volunteer services manager at Valley Hospital. She coordinates volunteers from the community who volunteer their time at the hospital. Those volunteers may work in the hospital gift shop or greet visitors or assist patients with tasks such as letter writing. Smith said the volunteer phone campaign is run primarily with hospital employees.

"That's what the phone bank is about. We are regular Valley Hospital employees. We are hard-working paycheck-to-paycheck people and members of the community," Smith said.

When members aren't home, Smith leaves a message and invites them to call her at a hospital number. When they ask about a location for the new hospital, Smith explains that it's not chosen yet but that it should be along the Parks Highway and as close to the Glenn and Parks highway intersection as possible.

That's a bit less vague than what hospital officials let onto in August, when they said the concerns about real estate prices prevented them from being too specific. Hospital spokesperson Elizabeth Ripley said this week that VHA has looked into real estate along the Parks Highway between Seward Meridian and the intersection of the Parks and Glenn. The hospital has not committed to any location yet, Ripley said.