1. It’s not a question of “Transfer of patients” because, if there were an emergency at the surgery center, 911 would be called and the patient would go to the hospital. Surely the hospital would not refuse the patient.
2. It is about limiting choice to the community. Patients who have Veteran, Medicare, Medicaid will not be able to have service anywhere locally but the hospital, even when their physician practices at both places and the cost would be less.
3. The hospital is community owned, and is dedicated to giving the best service to the community (see the mission statement for the hospital). If the patient were better served by going somewhere other than the hospital, then the hospital should support the community in that decision, or change to provide that same service.
4. As to the hospital being hurt by the competition from a surgery center, just look to Anchorage: Providence and Alaska Regional are for-profit hospitals, and there is a surgery center in Anchorage; they are not “going broke” because of it.
5. I don’t think the hospital board should be afraid of the surgery center, but use this to review how well they are providing for the community and maybe even (heaven forbid) work with the surgery center for the betterment of the community.
6. There is no need to be arguing about where patients should be getting their services, our community is growing and there are plenty of patients to go around. I would like to work together to improve the health care services for our community.