Save Hutcheson Campaign Attracts Interest From Across North Georgia

FORT OGLETHORPE, GA, (WDEF)-Some were born there, others work there, many were treated there, but more than a hundred Hutcheson supporters demanded Erlanger’s board keep their hospital open.

Walker County Commissioner Bebe Heiskell,"Erlanger wants to sell it on the courthouse steps in Catoosa County,  we don’t want that, I don’t want to start talking ugly about somebody so I won’t but I think they are unfair"

Hutcheson’s CEO Farrell Hayes feels Erlanger wants his patients to go to Chattanooga but many are unable to travel and need health care on their own doorstep.

"If I own a hardware store on one side of the street and there’s a hardware store on the other side of the street, my business is going to be helped if I can shut that hardware store down, I can sell more nuts and bolts,the bottom line that’s what this is all about."

Hutcheson Employees and community leaders say the role of this hospital will become more and more important in the coming years due to an aging population in North Georgia and demand for Medicaid.

 Tim Ashburn, ICU MD."Pulmonary, Cardiology surgery, over 87,000 people have been seen in the last year"
        Patricia Conley, Surgical Services Director added,"We are more than acute care we are also long term care, rehab, outpatient clinics and physician offices, its a full access system"

Hutcheson’s CEO Farrell Hayes stressed the importance of attending hearings both this month and next across Catoosa, Walker and Dade counties to drum up more support for their hospital.

Officials told News 12 the hospital currently has a pay roll of 29 million dollars.
    
For more information: http://www.savehutcheson.com/index.php

Erlanger offer an official response:

Erlanger holding town hall meeting in Ringgold Thursday

 

Erlanger has acted in good faith throughout its management agreement and business dealings with Hutcheson.  Hutcheson and Walker and Catoosa county officials were given the opportunity by Erlanger to avoid foreclosure on numerous occasions.  Although Erlanger has continued to take the high road, the Chattanooga health system is simply following the process outlined in legal documents to recover loans to Hutcheson of $20.5 million.  It is important to note that the repayment of the $20.5 million in loans to Erlanger is guaranteed by the Georgia counties.  Erlanger has never received an offer from Hutcheson allowing for full repayment of the loan.  

 

Erlanger has strong ties to North Georgia and has made it extremely clear it remains committed to meeting its longstanding and continued support of the healthcare needs of North Georgia – and has never “sought to close a small community hospital,” as Hutcheson’s current CEO alleges.

 

Close to 800 Erlanger employees live in North Georgia.  This represents well over 3000 North Georgia residents who also patronize its businesses, attend its schools and pay Georgia taxes, but who fully support Erlanger and its efforts to recover the $20.5 million owed to their workplace.  Erlanger’s employees and their families, its medical staff and the community it services would expect nothing less than recovery of this loan.

 

North Georgia residents are encouraged to attend Erlanger’s Town Hall meeting this Thursday, October 16, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Colonnade in Ringgold, Ga. to have their questions addressed.