Letter to the Editor: The end of the story

Dear Editor,
JUST A FEW COMMENTS ABOUT OUR HOSPITAL BOARD
1. Public sentiment regarding PCMH has changed and the last two elected board members were not in favor of the letter of intent.
2. If another board member was to be elected today, the hospital letter of intent would probably not take place.
3. Once the merger takes place, the entire board will simply disappear and Perry County will be subject to decisions with no accountable people left on the elected board.
The board should resign now and allow community input.
IN REGARDS TO THE ASSETS OF OUR HOSPITAL
I believe at one time the hospital had as much as 60 million in cash, untold real estate and a fully functioning hospital with no debt. With advice of management and two boards, PCMH will probably soon become insolvent. If you want to know why insolvent, look no further than the overpaid hospital management salaries, million-dollar doctors, irresponsible real estate purchases, irresponsible bonuses, overpaid $100,000 employees, failure to retain favored specialist and key employees. I highly suspect CMS and Stark violation penalties and of course legal expenses associated with the past CEO along with untold legal expenses associated in avoiding disclosing the real reasons for the merger.
A FEW COMMENTS REGARDING THE MERGER WITH MERCY
1. With what little cash assets remaining at PCMH, why is management buying new signs and refurbishing the lighted computerized sign on highway 61 advertising Independent Doctors and a defunct hospital when it will soon be given to Mercy.

2. Why is the hospital still remodeling offices.
3. Why are certain employees being promoted and given raises.
4. Why would the hospital hire a compliance officer when ownership is being transferred.
5. Personally, the remaining cash assets should be protected as the hospital has unrevealed indeterminate liabilities: the Cerner program for $6,000,000; payments due to a past CEO; PTO time for current employees and untold other unpaid bills.
6. Mercy is asking PCMH to sign a noncompete clause and a refund clause for out-of­pocket capital improvements if Mercy terminates their contract. If Mercy joins St. Francois Hospital on the Burger King adjacent real estate Perry County might be required to pay Mercy millions and not be allowed to operate the old PCMH. This sounds a little far fetched but it is possible?
In summary, this merger does not seem to be very well thought out. At this point in time a merger is seemingly necessary because of its unnecessary dire financial situation inflicted upon PCMH by bad choices.
In 2020 the government passed the Fair Market Price Act. This sealed the fate of our community hospital. PCMH could probably survived the new law and remain PCMH if only we had good management.
Now we know: PCMH seemingly squandered its resources and changing laws sealed its fate.
Joe D Hutchison D.D.S
Perryville, MO