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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDocumentation_Regular_Tab 02_11/10/2011 September 27 2011 Editor Palm Beach Post Dear Editor, Responding to the recent articles regarding Scripps and Tenet creating a new hospital in the north county area, I would simply ask, why? While Scripps offers valuable research in medicine, it has certainly not produced the economic impact taz payers were promised. I wish Scripps success but they should be working with existing hospitals such as Jupiter Medical Center, who has extended that offer. Tenet, who already owns three hospitals in this area, now wishes to build another 80 bed facility on the Brigger property next to Scripps. The 3 ezisting Tenet hospitals and Jupiter Medical Center provide North County with more than adequate medical needs. JMC has already announced a 43 bed egpansion which will be well underway before Tenet puts a shovel in the ground. Hello 5 million a year in rent to Scripps. Approzimately 8 hundred million has already been invested in Scripps. Since 1979 JMC has serviced this area with outstanding care and professionalism. It has grown along the way so our local community never lacks in service as well as kept up with medical technology. JMC, a not-for-profit, employs approximately 1500 individuals and countless local vendors that would be placed in harms way, and in this writer's opinion, taz payers would receive the short end of the bargain. I wish Scripps the best, and in saying that, qualify my response. They need to work with JMC and Tenet's ezisting hospitals that will actually enhance the entire north county area. In Brevard County, another biomedical group, Burnam has done just that and is a great success to local medical centers as well as their own operation. We, the taz payers, have done enough and need to protect the institutions that presently serve our needs and help our economy. Jupiter Medical Center has served us well and is the lowest cost provider in the area. Would you place that in jeopardy on a hunch?, not me. I will stay with a proven winner. Jim Humpage 562 N. Dover Rd. Tequesta, Fl 33469 �r�.i _�����}� [ 1-,�� l�'1}-1_)[C�l��I��J�",I�' 1 l;l� Mayor Tom Paterno Village of Tequesta 345 Tequesta Drive Tequesta, FL 33469 October 6, 2011 Dear Mayor Paterno, Vice Mayor Arena, and Council Members Ms. Brennan, Mr. Humpage, and Mr. Turnquest: I have met with almost all of you individually, and would like to thank you for taking the time to meet and for listening to the perspective of Jupiter Medical Center on the proposed Tenet/Scripps Florida proposal. Your input and feedback was invaluable to me as Jupiter Medical Center looks for ways to create a solution that will benefit our region. As a follow up to our conversation, please find a position paper that summarized our objections to the current proposal. We hope that after reviewing the information, you will agree that the Scripps/Tenet proposal, as currently described, is simply a duplication of services that will not yield the benefits as promised by Tenet. If you would like to join our community effort to support Jupiter Medical Center and to urge Scripps Florida to work with the existing medical facilities in our region to conduct biomedical research and clinical trials, I would ask you to consider the following two actions. First, please share the attached information with your cofleagues. You have an influential role in our community, and your effort to inform others with your concerns will certainly help us grow our strong base of support. Second, show your support for Jupiter Medical Center by writing a letter to the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA). For your convenience, we have information that will assist you with the task. If you would like to write a letter, please contact Stacey Brandt, Marketing Manager for Jupiter Medical Center as soon as possible. She can be reached at 561-263-2892 or via email at ., ,: ;� � � �:�!i� �; ����,: ��:,� ��.. Jupiter Medical Center will include your letter with our response to the proposed Certificate of Need application. We must have ali letters in hand by Friday, October 14, 2011. Once again, thank you for your thorough research into this matter. We believe that the more light we shine on this proposal, the more our community will understand the current Scripps/Tenet plan is not in the best interest of the region. Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of further assistance to you, or if i can arrange a tour of the hospital so that you may see first-hand the world-class facility that serves our community. In your good health, John D. Couris, President and CEO Jupiter Medical Center 1210 S. Old Dixie Hwy., Jupiter, FL 33458 • 561-263-2234 • www.jupitermed.com G� JU1'ITER _MEDICAL CENTER Jupiter Medical Center's Position on Proposed Tenet/Scripps CON Application There's no need for an additional 80-bed hospital in North Palm Beach County. The healthcare needs of our community are already being met, and exceeded, by Jupiter Medicai Center and surrounding existing hospitals. Jupiter Medical Center is a major employer in the community, providing over 1,500 direct jobs and thousands of indirect jobs. If a new hospital is built less than 4 miles away, it could significantly impact Jupiter Medical Center as one of the largest employers in northern Palm Beach County. The proposed hospital touts that it will bring 250-300 new permanent jobs; if the proposed hospital negatively impacts Jupiter Medical Center, there could be a net loss ofjobs. Jupiter Medical Center already provides world-class care, including the services such as senior care, digestive diseases, orthopedics and spine, and oncology — services the proposed hospital plans to offer. There would be a duplication of services that are a�ready accessible to the community. Jupiter Medical Center recently broke ground on a three-phased $50 Million expansion project that will add approximately 50-75 permanent new jobs to the community, will increase capacity by 26 percent, and will further develop and enhance services offered to the community. Jupiter Medical Center believes that collaboration, partnerships and innovation with existing hospitals and Scripps Florida is the answer. Jupiter Medical Center and other surrounding hospitals can provide the clinical trials that Scripps Florida needs today — not five years from now. In fact, Jupiter Medical Center currently conducts over 40 clinical research trials, including a recent clinical research trial with Scripps Florida. Other world-class research institutions follow the same, successful model. We urge Scripps Florida to work with the existing resources in the region to maximize benefits without duplicating services. Similarly, there is no need for a new 80-bed hospital to provide training to medical students. Florida Atlantic University and other local universities are already partnering with existing hospitals to provide training to their medical students (as well as healthcare career-oriented students such as nurses and medical assistants). Jupiter Medical Center has been a substantial contributor to our community for over 30 years. The not- for-profit regional Medical Center is consistently ranked among the top medical centers, locally, regionally and nationally, by independent third-party organizations. It was ranked as the top hospital in Palm Beach County by US News and World Report, and a top 50 hospital by HealthGrades. �� JUPT�1-'ER _MlJDICr�LCENTFR Village of Tequesta Resolution Whereas, Jupiter Medical Center first opened its doors in 1979; and Whereas, Jupiter Medical Center is a major employer in the community, providing over 1,000 direct jobs and thousands of indirect jobs; and Whereas, Jupiter Medical Center is a not-for-profit hospital which provides critical health care services to the community; and Whereas, in 2010, Jupiter Medical Center provided $10.2 million in charity care; $1.2 million in uncompensated services; and $400,000 in educational programs including free healthcare screenings, corporate sponsorships and donations; and Whereas, Jupiter Medical Center recently launched a$50 million capital campaign to expand and enhance their facility which will allow for collaboration and innovation with physicians locally, regionally and across the country, as well as an educational venue for our community; and Whereas, Jupiter Medical Center has also undertaken an effort to expand capacity by 26%, adding an additiona143 beds resulting in over 50 new jobs by 2015; and Whereas, Jupiter Medical Center was recognized as one of the Best Regional Hospitals (top ranked in Palm Beach County) by U.S. News & World Report; and Whereas, Jupiter Medical Center received the Laureate Award for Workplace Enhancement two consecutive years - one of only four hospitals nationally ranked as "Best Places To Work" by The Jackson Group; and Whereas, Jupiter Medical Center employs some of America's Top Doctors providing medical care: 59 of Jupiter Medical Center's physicians were listed as "Top Doctors" by Castle Connolly Medical Ltd.; and Whereas, Jupiter Medical Center is top rated for Quality Outcomes: ranked by the Delta Group in the top 10% for Overall Medical Care and the top 25% for Overall Hospital Care and Overall Surgical Care among the Nation's Hospitals; and Whereas, Scripps Florida has entered into a tentative partnership with the Tenet Healthcare Corporation to build a facility less than four miles from Jupiter Medical Center; and Whereas, Jupiter Medical Center and twelve other hospitals currently operating in the area can immediately partner with Scripps Florida to conduct biomedical research in existing facilities; and Whereas, such a collaborative model is working for the other world-class biomedical research facilities around the state and nation; and Whereas Jupiter Medical Center has proven that they have the resources, capability and expertise to partner with Scripps as evidenced by their work in over 40 clinical research trials, including a recently announced partnership with Scripps Florida. Now, therefore let it be resolved that the Village of Tequesta Commission recognizes Jupiter Medical Center as a vital community asset to the heatth, welfare, and charitable work of this community and urges Scripps Florida to collaborate with Jupiter Medical Center in order to bring additional biomedical research, economic activity, and innovation that does not jeopardize this important institution.