On August 24, 1992, the Lowndes County Board of Supervisors voted to advertise for sale or lease of Golden Triangle Regional Medical Center (GTRMC), a 326-bed county-owned public hospital located in Columbus, Mississippi. The board of supervisors failed to utilize a systematic approach and objective criteria to determine whether to sell or lease GTRMC. In addition, the board of supervisors and GTRMC Board of Trustees did not formally evaluate all eleven proposals received for the sale or lease of GTRMC prior to selecting Baptist Memorial Health Care Systems’ proposal for further negotiation.
Local health care supporters organized four corporations to expand community involvement in health care, particularly that provided by GTRMC. However, GTRMC employees influence operation of the corporations heavily, thus compromising the corporations’ original intent.
For a paper copy of this report, contact PEER by telephone at 601-359-1226 or by e-mail at reports@peer.ms.gov.