Bon Secours Hampton Roads Health System will appeal a state decision to reject its plan to build two new hospitals in Virginia Beach and Suffolk and replace its DePaul Medical Center with a much smaller new facility, officials said Saturday.
"The decision is inconsistent with the law and the facts," said Matt Jenkins, the attorney representing Bon Secours.
On Thursday, deputy state health commissioner Dr. James Burns rejected the three Bon Secours applications that would reorganize the Catholic health system's local facilities. At the same time, Burns approved two Sentara Healthcare applications: for a new hospital in the Princess Anne section of Virginia Beach and a 30-bed expansion for Sentara Obici Hospital in Suffolk.
Jenkins left open the possibility of appealing all five of the commissioner's decisions, including those related to Sentara.
Taken as a whole, the commissioner's group of decisions were "the most anticompetitive possible," Jenkins said.
Bon Secours' reorganization plan calls for the redistribution of DePaul's 238 beds among new facilities in southern Virginia Beach and northern Suffolk and a much smaller new building at DePaul's location on Granby Street in Norfolk. DePaul's current building is 64 years old.
Bon Secours officials have repeatedly said in the past that the plan represents the outdated and financially ailing DePaul's best hope of surviving and that it will be shut down if a solution isn't found.
Jenkins said the health system will file its notice of appeal with the state health department within 30 days. The petition of appeal will be filed within 60 days and will be decided by a circuit court.
According to state law, major health care projects must be approved by the state health commissioner before they can go forward.
Burns ruled on these Bon Secours and Sentara decisions instead of Dr. Karen Remley, state health commissioner since January. She recused herself from this batch of decisions because she had previously worked for Sentara. In introducing the decisions, Burns wrote that he had not discussed the cases with Remley, nor was "otherwise influenced by any superior to act in any particular manner in relation to any one of the applications."
Nancy Young, (757) 446-2947, nancy.young@pilotonline.com
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Bon Secours Ran DePaul Into the Ground
I have lived here long enough to remember when DePaul Hospital was THE HOSPITAL to go to in Norfolk. Norfolk General was a mess. They competed and look where they are today - Norfolk General is a major medical center and DePaul has been run into the ground. So now Bon Secours wants 3 new hospitals - so they can run them into the ground too?
My concern is not Sentara - they are doing fine - good for them. My concern is that Bon Secours can't seem to run a hospital otherwise DePaul wouldn't be in the mess it is today. Now they are crying unfair. The only thing unfair is that they have squandered one of the best hospitals in Norfolk.
Bon Secours set to appeal denial of plan for Beach, Suffolk hosp
Although it was Dr. Burns who ruled on these Bon Secours and Sentara decisions instead of Dr. Karen Remley, state health commissioner, one will find it hard to believe that Dr. Remley has had no undue influence on such decisions. It is true it was reported that she recused herself from this batch of decisions because she had previously worked for Sentara, like Pontious Pilate her hands cannot be completely cleansed from these decisions altogether.
I didn't know the hospitals were state owned!
Wouldn't the decision to add to or build new or shut-down or relocate a privately owned business be up to the business owners? The state government is not capable of running the services they are required to why are they telling the health care business how to run their business. State run failures that come to mind are SPSA, VDOT, SCHOOLS, HRT and the endless list goes on. Sentara and BonSecurs seem to be perfectly capable of making their own business decisions without the state stepping in and inserting their ignorance.
Bon Secours
It appears that Sentara has the inside track with the commissioner on this issue with expanding Bon Secours. Some sort of comprimise should be forthcoming to assist both organizations.
Bon Secours Appeal
Apparently Bon Secours do not understand a tight and choking monopoly. This has all the earmarks of something "SHADY" as Bon Secours should have their piece of the pie. That's what competition is all about. I'd like a choice but the "approving board" won't allow beacuse it may effect their take-home pay. Give Bon Secours the &^$%#*& hospital and tell Sentara to "go fish."