Adkinson: hospitals in trouble

Retired Brewton Physician Jimmy Adkinson appeared before the Escambia County (Ala.) Commission Monday asking "What's your thinking on our hospitals" while asking the commission what it was going to do to save the county's two hospitals.

He learned that the county commission has no authority over the Escambia County Healthcare

Authority and its only role is to appoint members to that board.

Commission Chairman Raymond Wiggins said the commission had asked for an attorney general's opinion as to whether or not the commission had the authority to place an additional 4 mill tax on the ballot for the hospitals. The voters in Escambia County approved a 4 mill tax in 1947 but there were questions as to whether another 4 mills could be placed on the ballot without approval of the Alabama Legislature. The current 4 mill property tax generates about $1.8 million a year for the hospital authority that oversees D.W. McMillan Memorial Hospital in Brewton and the Atmore Community Hospital.

"It's a serious situation," Dr. Adkinson told the commission noting that the employee retirement system had been suspended and Atmore Community Hospital Administrator Brad Lowery had resigned. "It needs attention right away."

He added that Brewton only has two two primary care physicians and that Dr. Elizabeth Low is retiring at the end of the year.

He then asked if the commission knew what the healthcare authority was doing to recruit new doctors.

Dr. Adkinson also asked the commission if it could appoint a physicians advisory board to help solve the problem.

County Attorney Dave Jordan said the commission has no authority over the hospitals or the

healthcare authority, saying the commission's only role is to appoint members to the healthcare authority and that the healthcare authority operates under its own bylaws.

"Any way ya'll can intervene?" Dr. Adkinson asked.

"If it's not in the statute, the county commission has no authority," Jordan answered.

"If they (hospitals) close, who will be liable?" Adkinson asked noting that the Thomasville Hospital closed last week.

Commissioner Larry White said the healthcare authority closed Abernathy Hospital in Flomaton some 30 years ago and recently the ambulance service has been taken out of Flomaton. White added that he didn't want to see any hospitals close and will support the hospitals.

"We have no managerial authority over the healthcare authority," White said. "They don't report directly to us. We only appoint the board.”

White again said he didn't want to see any hospitals closed but did note that Thomasville was a privately-owned hospital.

“Rural hospitals are in a crisis across this state and nation," White said.

White, who represents Escambia County at the National Association of Counties, has said that

rural healthcare is the number one item of concern on the agenda.

White added that the commission is waiting on the attorney general's opinion as to to whether or not the commission can place a 4 mill tax on the ballot but added that if the commission gets that authority it would ask for a financial plan to make sure a 4 mill tax would solve the problem.

"That's like feeding an elephant with an eye dropper," Dr. Adkinson said. "He'll like it but he can't survive."

"We'll demand a plan," White said.

"They'll be gone by then," Dr. Adkinson responded.

"What are your suggestions?" White asked Adkinson.

"We have an unsustainable environment in healthcare in this county," Dr. Adkinson said.

Dr. Adkinson added that dollars won't solve the entire problem if the dollar bucket is leaking at the bottom.

Dr. Adkinson asked the commissioners if D.W. McMillan closed and someone in the room had a

heart attack, what would they do without a hospital right up the road.

"You can talk about that hospital up the street, but we don't have a hospital or ambulance in District 3," White said noting if an ambulance is available it takes 25 minutes to respond to the Flomaton area.

"Your concerns are being expressed to the wrong entity," White told Dr. Adkinson.

Dr. Adkinson said the healthcare authority doesn't know what's going on in the hospitals.

"I'm not blaming Stacy Hines (D.W. McMillan Memorial Hospital Administrator)," Dr. Adkinson said. "She was given a runaway train when they put her there and she hasn't found the brakes yet. I'm not blaming her."

Adkinson said there has to be some governing body that can intervene to save the hospitals.

"I appreciate your professionalism and compassion," White said. "I share your compassion. There are things being looked into. I am certainly in favor of doing what we can do to save these two rural hospitals."

Adkinson said the problem could be solved and Escambia County could have outstanding healthcare in the county but "First we have to find out what the problem is".

"You can't run a hospital with two physicians," Dr. Adkinson added.