In the management of Sitka Community Hospital, the Assembly is opening the doors for additional offers.
At a special meeting Tuesday night (7-18-17), they directed staff to work with an outside entity to draft a request for proposal – or RFP – seeking “solutions for Sitka Community Hospital.” Their goals are to increase the quality of healthcare in the region, support employment in the health industry, and improve the city’s financial position. In seeking an outside partner, they’d entertain proposals for collaboration, affiliation, a management agreement, an outright sale, a merger, or the creation of a non-profit.
Basically, the Assembly is open to anything. The motion passed 6-1, with Steven Eisenbeisz voting no for the motion’s lack of clarity.
Hospital leadership will likely have input in the draft, which will require Assembly approval before publication. City Attorney Brian Hanson estimated it would ready no earlier than August 22nd.
Meanwhile, the Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium wants to merge. At the meeting, Chief Operating Officer Dan Neumeister encouraged the Assembly to move ahead with RFP process.
