Announced to the public earlier this week, a group of community leaders in Christian County have come together, in order to form “Save Jennie Stuart.”
The group’s goal will be the continued request for Jennie Stuart Health’s Board of Trustees to “pause” and “reconsider” its possible plan to transfer ownership to Deaconess — a medical flagship headquartered in Evansville, Indiana.
Group organizers, per a release, include:
+ Theresa Nichol, who has served on the JSH Board of Trustees and as its Chairman
+ Darrell Gustafson, a former Christian County magistrate who has served on the JSH Board of Trustees
+ Dan Kemp, Hopkinsville’s former mayor, who has also served on the JSH Board of Trustees
+ Helen Cayce, the first nurse practitioner at JSH, and a community healthcare activist
And several others who remain unnamed at this time, but include five former JSH Board chairmen, two mayors, a county judge-executive, a former Chamber of Commerce CEO and other leaders. Combined, the group has given “hundreds of hours” working to make JSH successful.
This ask of “pause and reconsider” also comes with a plea for the board to hear and gather information from the community, before a “consequential decision” is made.
According to this group, there are “serious concerns” about this potential change in ownership, and repeated requests for information “have been asked of trustees, with very little information received.”
It has already been reported that JSH is privately-owned, and its board members have signed non-disclosure agreements.
Also according to this group, primary concerns are that:
+ Deaconess is “not the right fit” for the community, and that one unnamed individual has already stated that local citizens “don’t go north.” Deaconess has several hospitals and clinics in its network, many of them located in Illinois and Indiana. Affiliating with Evansville for core medical needs “does not match long-term growth patterns” for Christian County.
+ Jennie Stuart Health is “solvent” and not in “financial difficulty.” As it continues to make income and hold ample savings, debts can be covered, and the idea of negotiating from a position of strength, which has been stated, brings no urgency to the move.
+ Many questions remain. What value is received in this potential transition? And why the secrecy of the alleged process?
Reportedly, Christian Countians only learned of the relationship forming with Deaconess through employees of Deaconess.
The release closed, noting that “if an acquisition with Deaconess is truly a good deal, there should be a transparent process and opportunity for independent parties to evaluate any potential agreements.”
In a letter dated September 23 and sent from Deaconess CEO Shawn McCoy to Baptist Health Deaconess Madisonville officials, the News Edge confirmed that a Letter of Intent has been signed between Deaconess and Jennie Stuart Health to “explore an affiliation.”
