Saturday, November 14, 2009

A Florida Keys delegation is lobbying the University of Miami Hospital system to take over Fishermen's Hospital, a move one county commissioner said could save the county from taxing residents to subsidize the private facility.

The large nonprofit could absorb the cost of equipping the hospital more easily than a small corporation, in the likely event the current owner would take its equipment if the hospital board did not renew its contract when it expires in 2011, officials say.

Monroe County Commissioner Mario Di Gennaro, Fishermen's Hospital board member Bruce Schmitt and University of Miami doctors Bruce Boros and Richard Burger met on Tuesday to discuss the institution taking over management of the Marathon hospital. Boros said he and Burger, both cardiologists, have had separate conversations about it with University of Miami administrators.

Boros, who has worked in the Florida Keys since 1982, and Burger, who is stationed in Miami, will meet with them again early next week, Boros said, adding he expects a response by Wednesday.

Boros argues the move would be good for the Keys, as the university focuses heavily on "patient care."

"They have a vision. They take care of patients as human beings," Boros said. "Having the hospital under the (University of Miami) umbrella would help the hospital get back on its feet. It would be good for patients and it would be good for doctors."

Di Gennaro, who has taken the lead on the proposal, recently underwent heart procedures at a University of Miami facility and lauded its work.

"This is about getting a good hospital in Marathon," Di Gennaro said.

"We need a good nonprofit to take this over. This would be the best thing to happen to this hospital in years."

Hospital Board President Marv Schindler said Boros and Burger are overstepping their boundaries.

"They are in no position to make any kind of decision," he said, adding that the hospital board is trying to cultivate a relationship with two South Florida universities, but only to set up a teaching hospital at Fishermen's.

"[The universities] are not prepared to do any of those things," Schindler said of managing the hospital.

The hospital board has made no secret of its desire to replace Health Management Associates (HMA), which also manages Lower Keys Medical Center in Key West.

Baptist Health South Florida earlier this year pulled out of negotiations to do so, citing the economy and potential cost of replacing HMA's equipment.

That prompted the hospital board to ask the County Commission to create a special taxing district for five years, in which Middle Keys property owners from the Seven Mile Bridge to Long Key would pay about $68 for every $100,000 in valuation to help fund the costs. The commission is expected to discuss the proposal at Wednesday's meeting at the Murray Nelson Government Center in Key Largo.

The special taxing district also would require approval from the Florida Legislature and Keys voters.

"The taxing issue is something the community may or may not accept," hospital board member David Rice said. "We are committed to having as many options as we possibly can."

Marathon City Councilman Dick Ramsay said the decision ultimately would be the public's.

"Anytime people are subjected to more taxation, I'm very concerned," he said.

University of Miami Hospital officials did not return The Citizen's calls seeking comment Friday. HMA officials have not returned them all week.

tohara@keysnews.com

rbusweiler@keysnews.com