Jul 01, 2022

Geary Community Hospital will become Stormont Vail - Flint Hills Campus

Posted Jul 01, 2022 5:29 PM

By Dewey Terrill

JC Post

Stormont Vail will assume control of Geary Community Hospital operations on January 1st. Contracts pertaining to that arrangement were signed Friday by the Geary County Commission.

The new name for the hospital will be Stormont Vail - Flint Hills Campus.

Attorney Peter Rombold explained that there is an agreement for Stormont Vail to sublease the hospital from the County and Geary Community Hospital Trustees, subject to Public Building Commission approval. "They will take over the operation of Geary Community Hospital as of Jan. 1. " From July 1 until Dec. 31 Stormont Vail has agreed to offer management services and employees to GCH and commence installation of an epic software system. "Epic is the state of the art in software. It's what you need to play ball these days with the big boys in healthcare." That software system will involve an investment of at least $3 million and will take six months to build.

Commissioners approved the sublease, a master agreement, and included in that master's agreement management services, employee lease and asset purchase agreements. If all conditions have been met the asset purchase and sublease would close on Dec. 31.

Geary Community Hospital has been trying to cope with extreme financial challenges. Commissioner Trish Giordano said a lot of people worked hard on this effort. "There definitely was sweat and tears shed over this. " She added, "I can honestly say that this was the best situation for healthcare in Geary County. "

Giordano confirmed that the County's Finance Officer, Tami Robison, put together a solid plan to pay for this effort. "There is light at the end of the tunnel. It's a little long but we know that we need to get out of the healthcare business.  Putting this plan in is our first step while still keeping quality healthcare. " Giordano added that Stormont Vail is a powerhouse in healthcare operation in the region.

Giordano thanked the employees at Geary Community Hospital for their support during this process while not knowing if they would have a job, and during COVID-19. "I truly want to  thank each and every one of them for hanging tight with us."

Employees at GCH will be able to fill out a job application with Stormont Vail. "With the condition of finding healthcare workers they assured us they will try to keep everyone if possible. " On the possibility of retaining the current doctors Giordano said, "I believe they've all been offered a contract based on whether we sign this contract today." Stormont Vail will also be bringing in some doctors.

Commissioner Keith Ascher called Friday a historic day for Geary County citizens and for those in surrounding areas. "I think the future looks bright, it really does. We worked at this a long, long time but we finally came to something that works."

Commission Chair Alex Tyson noted that it had been important to address the healthcare challenge that had faced the community. "I don't think that any one of us wanted to sell out our community to move backwards in healthcare. "

Tyson said it's time for others to step up. "We need the help of everybody." We need everybody, all hands on deck to get us to the end of this, to see this through."

Hospital officials have been trying to raise $6 million to get Geary Community through to the end of the year due to current financial shortfalls. They have approached the City of Junction City and Geary Community Healthcare Foundation  for help but final action has not occurred there.

Giordano explained that that the County has a plan to cover back end debt. "The existing bonds, any debt the hospital has, the revenue bond that the hospital has. She added that no hospital would take over the building unless the infrastructure is fixed where there is a lot of deferred maintenance that needs to be done. When asked how much money the County would have to come up with Giordano stated, "Approximately $20 million." The payment of those funds would be spread out over a long term using current tax revenue levels. 

Giordano made it clear that there will not be any tax increase!