If you live in NOVA (or know someone who does) you should read this post
LOUDOUN COUNTY, VIRGINIA - On May 9, the Virginia Department of Health granted the Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) a “significant change extension” on its “Certificate of Public Need,” originally granted on May 13, 2005, despite the expiration of a regulatory three-year deadline for construction. This extension will allow HCA to continue pursuing its plans to locate a new hospital in the Broadlands community in Loudoun County, Virginia. A coalition of individuals and organizations decried the decision to approve this extension, which was officially granted by State Health Commissioner Karen Remley.
Among the most passionate critics of Commissioner Remley’s decision were residents of the Broadlands community, whose lives would be directly impacted by HCA’s current building plans.
“We are tired of HCA trying to bully its way into our community,” said Bruce Biggs, a member of Concerned Citizens of Broadlands. “We thought this was over in 2005 when the Board of Supervisors rejected HCA’s zoning application for the Broadlands site. But HCA has used every available tactic to push forward with their plan. They even waited for new supervisors to be elected in 2007 so that they could get a second bite of the apple. We are beyond frustrated by this situation. It is time for HCA to leave our community alone.”
“HCA’s relentless pursuit for the Broadlands Regional Medical Center simply proves HCA believes in ‘profit first, communities second,’” Biggs continued. “One has to wonder whether HCA will treat their patients the same way they have treated Broadlands - putting profit over quality care.”
Immediately prior to Commissioner Remley’s decision, the Health Systems Agency of Northern Virginia (HSANV) - which, by regulation, is charged with providing a recommendation to the Department of Health on the matter - informed Remley that HSANV’s “evaluation of the facts and circumstances applicable to the project … argue against authorizing an additional extension.” HSANV noted in its letter to Remley that HCA had not demonstrated that the lack of progress over the past three years was “beyond [their] control,” as required under the regulations in order to receive a significant change extension. If fact, HSANV explained how HCA, acting through its subsidiary Northern Virginia Community Hospital (NVCH), explicitly ignored an opportunity to move forward at another site:
“The argument that events beyond the control of NVCH have prevented progress is tendentious at best. NVCH has had available throughout the last three years the alternative of locating Broadlands Regional Medical Center at a nearby site in the South Riding area of Loudoun County where hospital development is encouraged and zoning approval is readily available. Hospital Corporation of America, NVCH’s parent corporation, is intimately aware of this opportunity and has purchased land in South Riding as a potential hospital site. There is not now, and has not been during the last three years, an obstacle to locating Broadlands Regional Medical Center in the locally authorized site. Rather than take advantage of this opportunity, NVCH chose to initiate legal action against Loudoun County. The ensuing delay has been fully within the control of NVCH.”
The decision by Commissioner Remley was greeted by strong criticism from the National Nurses Organizing Committee (NNOC), a national union and professional organization for Registered Nurses throughout the country. Earlier, on May 9, NNOC and Concerned Citizens for Broadlands had filed an objection to HCA’s request for the extension. NNOC has had to confront HCA on numerous occasions, primarily in situations where HCA has used hard-line bargaining tactics to try to diminish working conditions and patient care standards in their hospitals.
“Given our experiences with HCA, we know that they are willing to steamroll any group that tries to stand between them and their profits,” said Kathy McGregor, an RN and an organizer for NNOC in Northern Virginia. “This is just one more example. They know that the residents of Broadlands do not want a hospital in their community, but they are fighting tooth and nail to build one there against the will of the community. It is shameful that the Department of Health has granted this extension counter to regulatory guidelines so that HCA can continue its drive to force its way into the Broadlands community.”
“We are also shocked that the Department of Health issued its decision on May 9, the very day recommendations about and objections to the extension were due,” added McGregor. “Did the Department of Health really take the time to consider HSANV’s recommendation or was this decision determined at the outset? This is certainly something to consider, given the fact that Virginia Secretary of Health and Human Services Marilyn Tavenner, who oversees the Department of Health, is a former HCA executive.”
“We are proud to stand with the residents of Broadlands,” continued McGregor, “and we will continue to do so as HCA takes the next step in its misguided quest - another zoning application before the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors.”
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I've been working with nurses who work with this hospital chain for the last year, and you do not want them as your neighbor. The chain has been involved with Medicare Medicaid fraud, cutting pensions in favor of crappy 401Ks run by a firm which owns a large part of the chain, unsafe assignements, and horrible treatment of staff. Here's another case of profits before people.
Among the most passionate critics of Commissioner Remley’s decision were residents of the Broadlands community, whose lives would be directly impacted by HCA’s current building plans.
“We are tired of HCA trying to bully its way into our community,” said Bruce Biggs, a member of Concerned Citizens of Broadlands. “We thought this was over in 2005 when the Board of Supervisors rejected HCA’s zoning application for the Broadlands site. But HCA has used every available tactic to push forward with their plan. They even waited for new supervisors to be elected in 2007 so that they could get a second bite of the apple. We are beyond frustrated by this situation. It is time for HCA to leave our community alone.”
“HCA’s relentless pursuit for the Broadlands Regional Medical Center simply proves HCA believes in ‘profit first, communities second,’” Biggs continued. “One has to wonder whether HCA will treat their patients the same way they have treated Broadlands - putting profit over quality care.”
Immediately prior to Commissioner Remley’s decision, the Health Systems Agency of Northern Virginia (HSANV) - which, by regulation, is charged with providing a recommendation to the Department of Health on the matter - informed Remley that HSANV’s “evaluation of the facts and circumstances applicable to the project … argue against authorizing an additional extension.” HSANV noted in its letter to Remley that HCA had not demonstrated that the lack of progress over the past three years was “beyond [their] control,” as required under the regulations in order to receive a significant change extension. If fact, HSANV explained how HCA, acting through its subsidiary Northern Virginia Community Hospital (NVCH), explicitly ignored an opportunity to move forward at another site:
“The argument that events beyond the control of NVCH have prevented progress is tendentious at best. NVCH has had available throughout the last three years the alternative of locating Broadlands Regional Medical Center at a nearby site in the South Riding area of Loudoun County where hospital development is encouraged and zoning approval is readily available. Hospital Corporation of America, NVCH’s parent corporation, is intimately aware of this opportunity and has purchased land in South Riding as a potential hospital site. There is not now, and has not been during the last three years, an obstacle to locating Broadlands Regional Medical Center in the locally authorized site. Rather than take advantage of this opportunity, NVCH chose to initiate legal action against Loudoun County. The ensuing delay has been fully within the control of NVCH.”
The decision by Commissioner Remley was greeted by strong criticism from the National Nurses Organizing Committee (NNOC), a national union and professional organization for Registered Nurses throughout the country. Earlier, on May 9, NNOC and Concerned Citizens for Broadlands had filed an objection to HCA’s request for the extension. NNOC has had to confront HCA on numerous occasions, primarily in situations where HCA has used hard-line bargaining tactics to try to diminish working conditions and patient care standards in their hospitals.
“Given our experiences with HCA, we know that they are willing to steamroll any group that tries to stand between them and their profits,” said Kathy McGregor, an RN and an organizer for NNOC in Northern Virginia. “This is just one more example. They know that the residents of Broadlands do not want a hospital in their community, but they are fighting tooth and nail to build one there against the will of the community. It is shameful that the Department of Health has granted this extension counter to regulatory guidelines so that HCA can continue its drive to force its way into the Broadlands community.”
“We are also shocked that the Department of Health issued its decision on May 9, the very day recommendations about and objections to the extension were due,” added McGregor. “Did the Department of Health really take the time to consider HSANV’s recommendation or was this decision determined at the outset? This is certainly something to consider, given the fact that Virginia Secretary of Health and Human Services Marilyn Tavenner, who oversees the Department of Health, is a former HCA executive.”
“We are proud to stand with the residents of Broadlands,” continued McGregor, “and we will continue to do so as HCA takes the next step in its misguided quest - another zoning application before the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors.”
_*_*_
I've been working with nurses who work with this hospital chain for the last year, and you do not want them as your neighbor. The chain has been involved with Medicare Medicaid fraud, cutting pensions in favor of crappy 401Ks run by a firm which owns a large part of the chain, unsafe assignements, and horrible treatment of staff. Here's another case of profits before people.