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City says health care priority No. 1
By Justin Jones: justin_jones@terrelltribune.com
Seemingly as fast as Medical Center at Terrell workers were shockingly told late Monday afternoon that their employer was closing in 60 days, the Terrell City Council, was equally as quick to issue a press release stating “it directed staff to immediately begin a search for a possible new operator.”
If one is found, it would be another in a long list of owners for the troubled hospital.
“I just feel for the people who use the hospital and really, for the residents of Terrell, it's something we need,” said Mayor Frances Anderson, who said she was informed of the closing by letter Tuesday. “We are going to do everything we can as a Council to sustain a health facility. Our No. 1 priority is the residents of Terrell and health care for them. I know there is a need, not only for Terrell but for surrounding areas. Right now it's a low feeling for me but this is something we are working toward immediately. You have to stay positive.”
After hearing the news of the closing, City Manager Gordon Pierce said the first thing he did was contact the Dallas/Fort Worth Hospital Council, an umbrella association for hospitals in the area.
According to Pierce, the hospital council was very helpful when Resurgence, a Georgia-based company, took over Medical Center at Terrell, providing names of hospital groups that might have been looking to expand at the time.
From that list, Pierce said he sent out more than 100 requests for proposals to operate the hospital, which has 130 licensed beds.
To ensure those beds will continue to be used, Anderson said something has to be done.
“We have to have something here for the people who are going to need a hospital,” she said. “Just as they [the hospital's ownership] say they will be here as long as they can, we also have to be ready to have something in place because the priority is the citizens of Terrell and their health care. It is just something that needs to be done.”
In an effort to quickly fill the void that will be left when Medical Center at Terrell closes, Pierce has also made contact with two area hospital groups, which he won't name at this time, to discuss the possible utilization of the facility.
“The top priority is a full-service hospital,” Pierce said. “If we are unable to obtain a service provider then we will have to look in other directions.”
According to Pierce, to speed up the search, the city is seeing if it can negotiate with providers versus taking proposals - a method that he said would cut down on the time it takes to contract with someone.
The city is also looking at creative methods to entice more service providers and increase the interest level in the property.
“We [the city] only own the physical building and anything attached to the building,” Pierce said, clearing up a misconception that the city is responsible for what goes on at Medical Center at Terrell. “People think we operate the hospital but we have never been the operator. It's a tenant-landlord situation and that concept may have to change.”
Meanwhile, Pierce said having a full-service hospital for emergency care is important and “is the one thing Terrell has to have,” eluding to the fact that the city has a lot of industry businesses.
“If you are mowing your yard and cut your foot, you need a quick place to go,” said Pierce, giving an example of why a hospital is needed. “Also, there are some doctors who refer their patients to the hospital, so, [without it], folks would not have any care for minor hospital procedures.”
Having a hospital is also important, Pierce said, because it is the first thing people (developers, manufacturers, etc.) ask the Terrell Economic Development Corporation when considering locating in Terrell.
“They always have a question about hospital facilities,” he said. “If you are a manufacturer, you need to know how close it is for emergency care. If you are trying to bring people to the community, you want to know how close it is for medical care. I think with the potential we now have for extreme growth, that also will make the hospital more viable. But Resurgence just couldn't put any more into it.”
If one is found, it would be another in a long list of owners for the troubled hospital.
“I just feel for the people who use the hospital and really, for the residents of Terrell, it's something we need,” said Mayor Frances Anderson, who said she was informed of the closing by letter Tuesday. “We are going to do everything we can as a Council to sustain a health facility. Our No. 1 priority is the residents of Terrell and health care for them. I know there is a need, not only for Terrell but for surrounding areas. Right now it's a low feeling for me but this is something we are working toward immediately. You have to stay positive.”
After hearing the news of the closing, City Manager Gordon Pierce said the first thing he did was contact the Dallas/Fort Worth Hospital Council, an umbrella association for hospitals in the area.
According to Pierce, the hospital council was very helpful when Resurgence, a Georgia-based company, took over Medical Center at Terrell, providing names of hospital groups that might have been looking to expand at the time.
From that list, Pierce said he sent out more than 100 requests for proposals to operate the hospital, which has 130 licensed beds.
To ensure those beds will continue to be used, Anderson said something has to be done.
“We have to have something here for the people who are going to need a hospital,” she said. “Just as they [the hospital's ownership] say they will be here as long as they can, we also have to be ready to have something in place because the priority is the citizens of Terrell and their health care. It is just something that needs to be done.”
In an effort to quickly fill the void that will be left when Medical Center at Terrell closes, Pierce has also made contact with two area hospital groups, which he won't name at this time, to discuss the possible utilization of the facility.
“The top priority is a full-service hospital,” Pierce said. “If we are unable to obtain a service provider then we will have to look in other directions.”
According to Pierce, to speed up the search, the city is seeing if it can negotiate with providers versus taking proposals - a method that he said would cut down on the time it takes to contract with someone.
The city is also looking at creative methods to entice more service providers and increase the interest level in the property.
“We [the city] only own the physical building and anything attached to the building,” Pierce said, clearing up a misconception that the city is responsible for what goes on at Medical Center at Terrell. “People think we operate the hospital but we have never been the operator. It's a tenant-landlord situation and that concept may have to change.”
Meanwhile, Pierce said having a full-service hospital for emergency care is important and “is the one thing Terrell has to have,” eluding to the fact that the city has a lot of industry businesses.
“If you are mowing your yard and cut your foot, you need a quick place to go,” said Pierce, giving an example of why a hospital is needed. “Also, there are some doctors who refer their patients to the hospital, so, [without it], folks would not have any care for minor hospital procedures.”
Having a hospital is also important, Pierce said, because it is the first thing people (developers, manufacturers, etc.) ask the Terrell Economic Development Corporation when considering locating in Terrell.
“They always have a question about hospital facilities,” he said. “If you are a manufacturer, you need to know how close it is for emergency care. If you are trying to bring people to the community, you want to know how close it is for medical care. I think with the potential we now have for extreme growth, that also will make the hospital more viable. But Resurgence just couldn't put any more into it.”
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