Morthland College Health Services President Dr. Tim Morthland has proposed his group enter into a management agreement with Franklin County Hospital, and eventually build a new facility on Benton’s west side.
“It (the hospital) is in a real tough spot,” Morthland said. “We will bring in this cohort of physicians and services to the county hospital and begin to transition us into a revenue generator, rather than a hospital that operates on deficit.”
Morthland, whose contract as the facility’s hospitalist was recently not renewed, projected the hospital’s debt between $10 and $12 million.
“It is hemorrhaging, three-quarter to a million plus every single year over the last 12 to 15 years. It has to stop.”
Morthland, who returned to West Frankfort around 2001, said he is a “local boy” who has done well in the health field.
“I’m not going anywhere and I wouldn’t be throwing my reputation out just for fun.”
As phase two of the proposed plan, Morthland recommended a privatization plan for the hospital where the hospital would be sold to Morthland College Health Services and the debt burden on the hospital would be relieved annually through existing tax dollars of about $750,000 annually.
“The medicine in the county is highly fragmented. We have people going north to Good Sam, to Herrin and to Marion and Carbondale. These are all good systems, but I saw a county where it’s highly fragmented. For a county that is struggling financially that is an awful big hit to the community. We’re losing between $40 to $60 million annually to the exodus of healthcare to other communities.”
He added, “The current system is not adequate to care for the healthcare needs of the county’s citizens. We offer outpatient services and E.R. services and minimal inpatient services at our county hospital. It is the very basics. I would like to see a hospital that provides a wide spectrum of inpatient services.”
Morthland said 15 plus physicians are currently on staff at Morthland College Health Services and 15 midlevel professionals and provide hospital care at four hospitals.
“We’re continuing to grow and we would like to bring that cohort of physicians to a facility that has the ability to house them and have the equipment to provide services to its citizens.”
Morthland College Health Services has been working with city officials to designate a site off Interstate 57 near the Benton airport for the proposed 10-acre campus. The hospital project has a 3-4 year timeline and a projected $30 to $40 million construction budget. Upon completion, it will create an estimated 250 full-time jobs in Franklin County, college officialsstate.
The hospital would include an emergency room, surgical suites, outpatient and inpatient labs, 25 rooms with swing beds and inpatient services, Morthland said.
“I believe it is a win for the county, its citizens and the healthcare of the community. I believe it’s very achievable.”
County Chairman Randall Crocker called the project “interesting and complicated,” although he emphasized the project doesn’t need approval from the County Board – that responsibility lies with the hospital board. The County Board does appoint and re-appoint members on an as-needed basis.
