Discussions continue at Jackson Hospital in Montgomery as administrators search for a way to keep the troubled medical facility from closing its doors.
After a federal bankruptcy judge declined to force changes to the hospital's agreement with insurance provider Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama, pressure to find a solution is mounting; the hospital's CEO John Quinlivan said earlier this month that the hospital will announce plans to close on June 25 if it can't reach a deal with BCBS that allows the hospital to stay open.
Montgomery City Councilman Andrew Szymanski represents District 7, which includes Jackson Hospital:
In an exclusive conversation with WVAS, Szymanski said the impact on Montgomery would be "immediate" and "seismic" if the hospital is forced to close.
"We know that the previous administration at the hospital left that place in a tough position, with tens of millions of dollars in debt. We're trying to figure out a way to clear all of that up in a way that allows the hospital to be solvent and stable going forward, but the impact (of a potential closure) will be immediate. Even though we have fabulous health care institutions like Baptist that would be able to continue their care level, we might just get to a critical point where you're really talking about diverting patients in need away from Montgomery to other hospital systems."
Szymanski noted the large role that the hospital plays in providing health care for people in communities all over Central Alabama.
"Right now, about 40-42% of patients that go to Jackson Hospital aren't from Montgomery or Montgomery County, they're coming from other rural parts of our state that have also experienced hospital closures. It's not just Montgomery that would be affected by this... this impact will be seismic."
