Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Health Care Ky. Catholic merger would have ended sterilizations, etc.
Posted by Leslie Newell Peacock on Wed, Sep 5, 2012 at 9:58 AM
A piece that ran in the New York Times earlier this year addressed head-on the threats to women's reproductive health that secular mergers with Catholic hospitals bring.
In Louisville, the debate focused on contraceptive services, like elective sterilizations, that had been provided by the University of Louisville Hospital, one member of a planned three-party merger that would have created a large statewide system. There was considerable uncertainty over whether University Hospital would be required to follow Catholic policies, according to a report by the Kentucky attorney general. Officials initially said the hospital would follow Catholic directives but then focused on certain procedures.“While this evolving explanation may represent an accurate description of the proposed legal structure of the consolidation, it has cast a cloud of vagueness and skepticism over the issue in the public eye,” the report concluded.
Asking women to go across town to another hospital for services is not a solution, said Dr. Peter Hasselbacher, a retired university official who follows health policy in Kentucky. And while women in Louisville generally have a choice of hospitals, women in rural communities may not, he said, adding that many of Catholic Health Initiative’s Kentucky hospitals are the only hospital available.
Catholic Health says there was never a possibility that University Hospital would be allowed to perform services like elective sterilizations. [Times' emphasis]“Our position around the ethical and religious directives never changed. How we communicated that evolved and changed over time,” said Paul Edgett, a senior vice president at the system.
Here's an analysis of the Kentucky attorney general's opinion on the merger, blocked by the governor of that state.
So how is it possible for St. Vincent Health and UAMS to run a hospital together — the "clinically integrated network" referred to in the Letter of Intent that UAMS and St. Vincent Health signed — when one refuses to perform abortions, sterilizations and prescribe contraceptives and the other is legally obligated to?
And since merging infrastructure is part of the Deloitte consulting contract between the two hospitals, then perhaps someone on the Board of Trustees for the University System meeting tomorrow at UALR should ask UAMS Chancellor Rahn if the new $87 million clinical records computer system trustees approved last May will be used by St. Vincent as well — at state expense? Or if not, is the hospital installing a system that won't merge with St. Vincent's records system?
We're trying to find out when Attorney General Dustin McDaniel will issue a legal analysis on the deal. I've also solicited a comment from local competitor Baptist Health on the local government's idea to partner with a private hospital. UPDATE: Though UAMS Chancellor Dan Rahn has "advised" the a.g.'s office of its idea, it has not requested a formal opinion. You think anybody might be willing to do that? Or will the only legal analysis be from the UA System homers?
UPDATE II: A Baptist spokesman said the hospital generally doesn't comment on the business arrangements of others. He observed that the specifics of the UAMS-St. Vincent combine remain unclear, the same observation made yesterday by a member of the UA Board of Trustees.
Speaking of...
-
UAMS' poses alternative to St. Vincent collaboration
June 13, 2013The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences has reworked its proposal for an affiliation with St. Vincent Infirmary that would create a new entity for shared services but drop the single management structure. /more/
-
Arkansas Supreme Court dismisses lottery trademark suit
May 30, 2013The Arkansas Supreme Court today issued a couple of rulings of note: * ARKANSAS LOTTERY: The Supreme Court ruled that the Arkansas Lottery Commission was entitled to soverign immunity from a lawsuit by Alpha Marketing, owned by Ed Dozier, that the state had infringed its trademark for the words Arkansas Lottery, Lottery Arkansas and Arkansas Lotto. /more/
-
Catholic hospitals limit women's health services
May 27, 2013The New York Times wrote about this earlier and now Daily Kos has expanded on the theme. /more/
-
Stormy morning: Shoffner, hospitals, abortion
May 21, 2013A morning report as Arkansas watches the stormy skies: * THE STATE TREASURER WATCH: Can Martha Shoffner really return to work today as state treasurer, overseeing billions in state investments, after admitting to FBI agents that she wrongfully accepted a pie stuffed with a cash kickback from a securities salesman she inordinately favored with state business? /more/
-
UAMS art show reception today
May 15, 2013Works to hang at the Psychiatric Research Unit. /more/
-
Catholic Diocese aims to strengthen religious identity of hospitals
May 14, 2013A friend notes a news article in the Arkansas Catholic and the coincidence of timing with discussions about a merger of clinical operations of the public University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and St. Vincent Infirmary. /more/
-
Morning report: Prescription drug watch
May 13, 2013The morning again begins slowly. But among others: * MONITORING DOCTORS' PRESCRIPTION PRACTICES: Pro Publica has published with the Washington Post a deep look at doctors' prescription practices under Medicare. /more/
-
Huge differences in hospital charges, CMS finds: UPDATE 2
May 10, 2013How is it possible that major and small bowel procedures at National Park Medical Center in Hot Springs cost $333,470, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, but only $19,740 at St. Bernard’s Medical Center in Jonesboro? /more/
-
Former UAMS CFO reportedly out at new job
May 9, 2013Melony Goodhand, who left as chief financial officer and vice chancellor after nine years at UAMS, is apparently no longer chief operating officer at Bristol (Tenn.) Regional Medical Center, a job she took in early March. /more/
-
Behind the scenes of UAMS-St. Vincent merger talks
May 9, 2013The unearthing of background discussions between UAMS and St. Vincent Health on combination of their operations in Little Rock continues through Freedom of Information Act requests. /more/
- More »
Comments (9)
Showing 1-9 of 9
More by Leslie Newell Peacock
-
Student art, McLeod piece for TAF
"Southern Women Artists" show continues at Greg Thompson Fine Art.
- Apr 19, 2013
-
Canceled: Art of Architecture lecture
American Airlines glitch means lecturer won't get to town.
- Apr 16, 2013
- More »
Event Calendar
-
Re: The open line — spanking wives for Jesus
I usually start blogging in the morning but mag displeased me at 9:20 am and…
- on June 20, 2013
-
Re: The open line — spanking wives for Jesus
Exodus International to Shut Down
JUNE 19, 2013 BY EXODUS INTERNATIONAL
Exodus International to Shut…- on June 20, 2013
-
Re: The open line — spanking wives for Jesus
NVR, in the link, poses the question, where were you when the Patriot Act was…
- on June 20, 2013
Top Commenters
Blogroll
Site Index
News
Cover Story / Arkansas Reporter / The Week That Was / Smart Talk / The Insider / The Observer / Editorial / Max Brantley / Ernest Dumas / Gene Lyons / Bob Lancaster / Words / Guest Writer / Letters
Entertainment
A&E Feature / To-Do List / In Brief / Movie Reviews / Music Reviews / Theater Reviews / A&E News / Art Notes / Graham Gordy / Books / Media / Dining Reviews / Dining Guide / What's Cookin' / Calendar / The Televisionist / Movie Listings / Gallery Listings
This Week's Cover
Quick Links
Special Publications
RSS
Facebook
Twitter
