The public hearing on the proposed surgical center drew a large crowd for what appeared to be a well-choreographed showing of opposition to the facility.
Cliff Corbett, president and CEO of Morris Hospital, was quoted as saying "the proposed surgical center poses a serious threat to the services that Morris Hospital provides, which includes maintaining the hospital's staff levels." Opponents claim that the surgical center would take away about 60 percent of the hospital's outpatient surgery. (Doesn't the Hospital provide other services besides outpatient surgery? How does Morris Hospital manage to survive the surgical center already operating in Morris?)
Mr. Corbett is also quoted in the Herald as saying that "notions of fair competition between the hospital and the proposed center are like comparing apples to oranges.“Real competition only takes place on a level playing field ...” Corbett said. “That is clearly not the case here.”
I agree with Mr. Corbett on that point. It is not a level playing field. The Hospital, a not for profit entity, has a huge advantage over the surgical center in that it does not pay income taxes and property taxes. In contrast, the proposed surgical center, a for-profit entity, will be paying income taxes and generating property tax revenue for Channahon.
Oh, and won't the surgical center produce new jobs?
But what really caught my attention is one other quote from Mr. Corbett, "the hospital would work with Channahon, but not Pliura." Why not? What is really playing out behind the scenes? Is there any truth to the rumors that power struggles and personality clashes are the driving force behind the hospital's opposition to the surgical center?
