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AUGUST 18, 2007
David Shafer's Senate Update
Reprinted
from www.insideradvantagegeorgia.com
Proposed Bill By Sen. David Shafer Would Require
Management Change At Grady Hospital
By Dick Pettys
InsiderAdvantage Georgia
(8/16/07) Legislation being circulated by Sen. David Shafer, R-Duluth, would
require financially-troubled Grady Hospital to turn its day-to-day operations
over to a nonprofit hospital management board, and it appears to have legs.
The proposed legislation drew immediate praise from Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, who
said he'd like to see the hospital take that step voluntarily but added, "We
stand ready and willing to move in that direction should the governance shift
not happen."
"Changing the form of governance is a necessary first step and not a 'bargaining
chip' for state aid, said Shafer, whose bill does not deal with funding.
Shafer argues that other county hospital authorities have formed nonprofit
corporations for management because federal law gives nonprofit groups greater
flexibility. He also argues that the nonprofit model is widely recognized as a
more efficient way to operate urban public hospitals.
Shafer's bill establishes a nonprofit management corporation appointed by the
local authority and state officials. It also includes strong
conflict-of-interest provisions.
He has dubbed the bill The Public Hospital Accountability Act of 2008 and has
created a website to promote it. The website is located at
www.reforminggrady.org.
Grady currently is run by a board appointed by the Fulton and DeKalb County
commissions. Fulton County commissioners threw their support Wednesday behind
the nonprofit model.
Shafer's bill comes on the heels of a demand by Cagle for Fulton and DeKalb
Counties to voluntarily restructure the daily operations of Grady Hospital.
In a letter to Fulton County Commission Chairman John Eaves and DeKalb County
CEO Vernon Jones, Cagle warned that the Senate would take up legislation forcing
the change if no action was taken on the demand.
Cagle said Thursday: "I commend Senator Shafer for his work in moving forward
and producing a bill to help resolve some of the issues Grady is facing. As I
have stated before, it is absolutely imperative that Grady take the first
necessary step by reforming its governance model and it is our hope that this
will occur without the state's interference. However, we stand ready and willing
to move in that direction should the governance shift not happen."
Reprinted with permission from
www.insideradvantagegeorgia.com
Visit David's official website at:
http://www.legis.ga.gov/legis/2007_08/senate/shaferbio.php
Visit David's legislative blog:
http://www.davidshafer.org/
Vist David's new site concerning Grady Hospital:
http://www.reforminggrady.org/ |
