Wednesday, April 15, 2015
Last year's plan called for Samaritan Medical Center to assume the role of "active parent" to Carthage Area Hospital and included an umbrella board that would oversee both facilities.
But now the Carthage hospital is seeking out other partners as well.
Its board president tells us the hospital is rethinking the idea of an exclusive arrangement with Samaritan.
Instead, Carthage may form multiple partnerships with other hospitals, although it's not saying which ones.
What's driving this?
Well, millions of dollars in potential state funding may be changing the Carthage hospital's financial picture.
This includes Medicaid redesign funds aimed at making hospitals more efficient, and $400 million in new funding under the new state budget, aimed mostly at rural hospitals.
As for Samaritan, while it says nothing has been formalized yet, it's still willing to assist CAH in any way it's requesting.
Part of the affiliation plan was for the Carthage hospital to apply as a critical access hospital.
That part has happened, getting the hospital higher reimbursements that have already improved its financial picture
wwnytv.com
