Yadkin County commissioners heard nothing but support earlier this week for a plan to sell Hoots Memorial Hospital.
Hospital employees and patients spoke positively Monday morning about the sale of the hospital in general and about the possible purchase of the hospital by the company managing it.
HMC/CAH Consolidated Inc., based in Kansas City, took over management of Hoots on April 1 after Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center let its management contract expire. Baptist had managed Hoots for 14 years.
HMC/CAH has said it will submit a bid for Hoots and will consider building a $15 million replacement hospital. The company owns one other hospital in North Carolina, Washington County Hospital in Plymouth.
HMC/CAH bought Washington County Hospital for $3.1 million in 2007.
During the hearing, the commissioners stressed the small hospital's importance in rural Yadkin County.
"When you don't feel good … it is nice to be able to go somewhere local," said Chad Wagoner, the chairman of the board of commissioners.
William Fulp, a former patient in the pulmonary rehabilitation clinic, said that the hospital's location meant that he didn't have to drive to Winston-Salem.
Fulp, 70, has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The disease affects the lungs and often makes it hard to breathe. When Fulp went to the clinic for treatment earlier this year, he had difficulty walking.
"I could hardly get the paper," he said, "and now I'm walking a mile, bowling, fishing."
Fulp said yesterday that his Winston-Salem doctor suggested that he go to the Hoots clinic, which is closer to his home in the Forbush community.
Hoots is a critical-access hospital, a federal designation for small, rural hospitals that allows for higher government reimbursements.
That designation limits the hospital to 25 beds. HMC/CAH specializes in such hospitals.
"I have not heard one negative comment from what has been going on since April," Commissioner Brady Wooten said.
"I do feel that selling the hospital is a step forward. I think it's our responsibility to make that happen."
The county will accept bids for the hospital through Jan. 6 and hopes to complete the sale sometime next year. Another public hearing will be held to consider bids, Wagoner said.
In October, the county identified 16 health-care groups that could be potential buyers.
The county is not obligated to sell the hospital if it doesn't like any of the offers.
At the same time, however, officials aren't sure what a fair price might be.
"It's not like you can go out and pull comps like you would on a house," Wagoner said.
He added that if the commissioners consider the bids too low, the county will pursue more outside help. They have already hired a lawyer, John Crill, to help with the sale.
Lgiovanelli@wsjournal.com
727-7302
Hoots Memorial Hospital
Opened: 1952
Beds: 22
Employees: 150
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