© 2024 Kansas City Public Radio
NPR in Kansas City
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Hospital Sale Cause for Hope, Concern

Bryan Thompson
/
Kansas Public Radio

The pending sale of two Kansas City area hospitals to a California-based corporation comes as a relief to those currently in charge of the hospitals.  However, some people are worried about what could happen. 

The sale of Providence Medical Center and Leavenworth’s St. John Hospital to Prime Healthcare Services needs the blessing of Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt to go forward.  Close to 100 people showed up for a public hearing conducted by the Schmidt last night. 

The chairman of volunteer board of directors for the two hospitals, Roy Robinson, says the choice for the board was clear.

“They would have had to shut the hospitals down, because we were losing a lot of dollars, or they had to go out and find somebody who cared enough about what we were doing to give us an opportunity to grow the business," says Robinson.

Robinson and other hospital officials say that somebody is Prime Healthcare. 

But others, like Kansas City, Kansas, resident Jeremy Hendrickson say Prime may not be the best option.

“A critical safety net hospital like Providence should never be sold to a health system under federal investigation for alleged Medicare fraud, unless there are absolutely no better options,” says Hendrickson.

Hendrickson says there could be other options, but the entire transaction has taken place behind closed doors. 

Anyone who still wants to comment has until the close of business this Friday to contact the Kansas Attorney General’s office.

KCUR serves the Kansas City region with breaking news and award-winning podcasts.
Your donation helps keep nonprofit journalism free and available for everyone.