Eric Boley, past chairman of the Wyoming Hospital Association, told his Washington legislators at a recent community meeting that he was opposed to a bill allowing surgery centers the ability to provide up to three days of convalescent care, reported the Powell Tribune.
Mr. Boley said that his former organization is against the bill because it tips the scales of fairness to the benefit of surgery centers by "cherry-picking" — taking the most profitable surgical procedures away from hospitals without the need of offering emergency room services.
Pat McConnell, CFO for West Park Hospital, said that the bill would hurt his West Park Hospital.
"Right now, that's the majority of surgeries we do, those categories," Mr. McConnell said. "There is a strong financial incentive for those surgeons to move to centers they have part ownership in. I would have to advise my board that we would have to curtail certain services we provide at a loss."
For more news on surgery centers:
Physicians Realty Trust acquires West Tennessee Bone & Joint
Hospital for Special Surgery to open $12.6M outpatient center
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