For those that had questions re: Berger Commission, here's an update. Apologies for the formatting issues.
Hospitals Near Deal on Sharing
Crouse-University joint council called a breakthrough
Friday, June 15, 2007 By James T. Mulder
Staff Writer
Crouse and University hospitals have tentatively agreed to form a joint advisory council that will coordinate planning between the two institutions and identify programs that can be consolidated.
The affiliation council proposed by the hospitals received the preliminary blessing of state Health Commissioner Dr. Richard F. Daines at a meeting in Albany Thursday, according to Assemblyman William Magnarelli, D-Syracuse, who was at the meeting.
Daines and other Health Department officials at the meeting said the proposal will bring the hospitals into compliance with the state Berger Commission, which calls for the neighboring hospitals to join forces.
"This to me is a breakthrough," Magnarelli said.
Bob Allen, a spokesman for Crouse, confirmed the tentative agreement. "There really still is a lot of work that needs to occur between the two organizations to really define what it is that this council will do," he said.
University officials could not be reached for comment Thursday.
Magnarelli said a final agreement between the hospitals and the state may be reached in a few weeks.
The Berger Commission called for the two hospitals to join forces under a non-SUNY governance structure. That commission's recommendation became law Jan. 1. University Hospital is part of SUNY Upstate Medical University.
University and its unions have vehemently opposed the Berger Commission recommendation, saying it would lead to a privatization of University Hospital and the loss of some of its services. Earlier this year, SUNY Upstate proposed that the state allow it to take over Crouse, an idea rejected by Crouse.
The inability of University and Crouse to come to an agreement prompted the state Health Department to delay approving routine requests by the hospitals to buy equipment, start new programs and make other changes.
Under the tentative agreement, both hospitals will remain independent, University will remain part of SUNY and not go private, according to Magnarelli.
The affiliation council would have 13 members. Crouse and University would each appoint six. The chairperson, the 13th member of the council, would need to be approved by two-thirds of the members.
The council would be advisory in nature and not have the power to make binding decisions, according to Magnarelli. The council, however, would have clout, he said. That's because it's unlikely the Health Department would approve any project requests by either hospital if they did not pass muster first with the council.
The uncertainty created by the Berger Commission has made it harder for both hospitals to recruit and retain staff. That problem will disappear if the agreement is approved, Magnarelli said.
"Employees won't have to worry about what's going to happen down the road," he said.
University and Crouse, physically connected by a tunnel, have talked about merging or consolidating for more than 30 years. Many Upstate medical residents do their training at Crouse, while Crouse sends patients who need heart surgery to Upstate. The last major effort to create what was billed as a "virtual" merger between Crouse and University fell apart in 2002 after Crouse's employee union - Service Employees International Union 1199 - opposed it.
Magnarelli said he does not expect the unions to oppose the latest proposal.
At Thursday's meeting, state Health Department officials indicated Crouse and University will no longer face regulatory delays of pending projects if they finalize the agreement, Magnarelli said.
If the hospitals finalize the deal, they also will be eligible to apply for some of the $550 million in federal money the state is offering hospitals and nursing homes to make it easier to comply with the Berger Commission's mandates to close, downsize and consolidate.
James T. Mulder can be reached at 470-2245 or
[email protected].
