Hospital's critical condition is no hype

A Spectrum, by Deborah Prator

I am writing in response to Al Strawn's opinion of the new hospital proposal. I am a Valley Hospital Association and Operating Board member and am dismayed by his comments and assumptions. The operating board has spent the last several months diligently studying Triad and Triad's proposal. We are conducting our due diligence in regards to the Triad offer, keeping in mind what is best for our hospital and for the health of our community members.

It is no hype that we are in a very serious situation, and timing is of the essence. As a board, we have been most interested in accomplishing our goals as a stand-alone entity. Since we published our Strategic Plan in 2000, we've looked inside and outside the box for funds to assist us in building a new, larger hospital in a more central location. We created a foundation to raise funds from the community ($211,000 to date). We met with our federal and state elected officials to seek government grants and loans. We completed a financial pro forma to determine if the bond market was a feasible alternative. Since the last five years have been difficult financially for VHA, we do not think that VHA could take on more debt and succeed.

I am on this board to help build a healthy community and to heal the hurting part of our population. As board members, each of us critically examined the Triad proposal to determine that a partnership with Triad was best for our community. We know whom we are accountable to! After hundreds of hours spent checking out nine different capital partner proposals from not-for-profit and for-profit hospital systems throughout Alaska and the Lower 48, it became obvious to each of us that it was a great opportunity to begin negotiations with Triad.

Several board members have personally gone to Triad hospital sites to find out what the hospital staff has to say about Triad. We received excellent reports. Many of the hospital employees have taken the time and effort to make phone calls to Triad hospitals and talk to their respective departments. All have come back with glowing reports. I am scheduled to visit Triad hospitals in Arkansas and Oklahoma. The president of the operating board, Kathy Kelly, will be going along with me. Be assured that we will use our magnifying glass to obtain the whole truth. Before any contract is signed, we will continue to perform due diligence on Triad hospitals. We want to know that 50 years from now our children's children will have a hospital they are proud of -- one that serves all of their needs and that we are a privileged part of.

We seriously consider all opinions and viewpoints. At our last board meeting we spent the majority of our four-hour meeting discussing the importance of public forums -- forums that present opposition to the proposal. Even though we had already held four public forums, we were informed that some community members felt they needed more time to present their opposing views. We therefore scheduled four public forums to fairly present all views again!

The upcoming vote will only give us permission to negotiate with Triad. It does not mean that we cannot stop at any point in time if we feel something is wrong or inadequate with this capital partnership. Even after the vote, our job as a board is far from over. We have much work to do and we plan to see to it that we do what is the very best for our community. Once again, we have done our due diligence and plan to continue to do so.

What does Mr. Strawn expect from us in terms of communications on this complex proposal? We are working hard to educate the community about what we feel is our best option -- a great opportunity for Valley Hospital and for our community. We know this opportunity exists only for a time and we want to take advantage of it because it will provide a state-of-the-art hospital for our borough. I am proud of the way we have been successful in getting out the good word to our community. I certainly do not apologize for the "campaign."

Mr. Strawn questions our local control of this community resource through the proposal. Triad has been successful growing hospitals because its leaders understand the importance of local input and control. While this unique business structure may be foreign to the banking industry, it is in fact a sound business principle in the health care industry. If a hospital does not meet its local community's health care needs, then it is not successful. If we have a prevalence of diabetes in our community, we need local control to ensure that we are addressing this issue through programs and services. Success is tied directly to this principle.

Within this capital partnership, VHA will continue to exist and our members will continue to elect the association board. This board will appoint five members to the joint venture board with Triad. Triad will appoint five members. This joint venture board will appoint a local Board of Trustees, 50 percent of whom are from the active medical staff and 50 percent form community leaders. Twelve months after the opening of the new hospital, VHA may purchase an additional ownership interest.

When I talk with fellow Mat-Su Valley residents, they want what I want: a debt-free, modern facility with access to services not heretofore available -- services like oncology and cardiology! Because VHA will share in the profits, we will be able to do good works with these profits for our community. The possibilities are endless -- from setting up care for the indigent to providing nursing scholarships to investing in our healthy communities program.

Yes, I fully support the Triad proposal and so did 100 percent of the operating board and the association board of the hospital.

Deborah Prator is xxx.