Debate Over Memorial Hospital Heats Up
A Colorado Springs city councilman’s comments about Memorial Hospital in his weekly email newsletter drew a stern response Monday from the city-owned hospital’s chairman of the board.
Councilman Tim Leigh, in his Weekend Market Report, suggested that Memorial’s top management be placed on administrative leave, and called for an investigation into the hospital’s business practices.
Leigh said during the past year, he has heard from some of his constituents — including several Memorial physicians — that there are questions and concerns about policies and procedures at the hospital. The city currently is negotiating a lease agreement for the hospital with University of Colorado Health.
“The problem has been that I have a very broad-based constituent group who says you can’t get those answers,” said Leigh. “Other people have tried. I’ve tried and have been unable to do so. My primary concern is to be an advocate for the citizens and do the job that I was hired to do; to oversee the city’s enterprises.”
Among the concerns, said Leigh, are that the hospital has found no one to lease a new surgery center on Briargate Parkway. Leigh said the center cost $3 million and requires annual lease payments of $750,000 until a tenant is found.
“What that does is lead me to question what’s going on in that situation,” said Leigh. “And to dig deeper, where I found more questions. All I want are answers.”
On Monday, James Moore, Memorial’s chairman of the board, responded to Leigh in a blog titled “The Future of Health Care in the Pikes Peak Region.”
Moore wrote, “The Board of Trustees is disappointed that Mr. Leigh has chosen to air anonymous rumors and innuendo in such a public way, without any attempt to substantiate the claims or understand the matters in context.
“The facts tell a different story, and we will be addressing Mr. Leigh?s email with City Council directly, and in the honest manner to which we have always committed.
“In his email, Mr. Leigh suggests that Memorial has not been honest with Council, questions our decision-making, and calls for ousting our CEO Larry McEvoy and CSO Carm Moceri. He has not discussed these matters with us.”
In Leigh’s newsletter, he also raised questions about several real estate deals made by the hospital, the profitability of its emergency room and the amount of cash on-hand. He also expressed concern about how the hospital responds to criticism, and about the possibility that top management may receive bonuses or severance packages if the lease agreement with UCH is finalized.
Leigh said he’ll raise the issue with his fellow council members at next week’s meeting. He said he also has discussed the matter with Mayor Steve Bach, who has decided to take no action yet.
