Morrow urges State to approve cancer center at new hospital

by Steve Wiggins
1 comment

FLORENCE  – Alabama State Representative Johnny Mack Morrow, along with with a cadre’ of city and county elected officials and others met to encourage the State of Alabama to approved the promised cancer center at Regional Care medical Center. The cancer center has been highly anticipated as part of the new state-of-the-art medical center in Florence. The center was supposed to be opened once the new hospital is finished in late 2018. However, Morrow noticed that a cancer treatment facility associated with Huntsville Hospital is attempting to stop the Florence facility from getting its approval by the State.

Morrow was joined at the media conference by Florence Mayor, Steve Holt and Chairman, Danny Pettus along with Pastor Trevor Crenshaw.

Here is the video of the media conference:

Here is what Rep. Johnny Mack Morrow of the House of Representatives had to say in a letter to Editor Cancer Center:

LETTER TO EDITOR CANCER CENTER

“I represent approximately 45,000 citizens who live in Franklin, Colbert and Lauderdale counties. They are hard working. They pay taxes. Yet, tnany have economic challenges evew day as they deal with life’s daily challenges. Receiving health care that is both affordable and accessible is one of the challenges faced daily by these fanlilies. Traveling to Huntsville för health care is like a major trip that Inany simply cannot afTord, rl’hey don’t even have a vehicle that they feel comf01table with driving that distance. Life is a constant challenge for them!

It was very disappointing to me to learn that yet again one health care entity was trying to stop the progress of another. Alliance Imaging is trying to stop Eliza Coffee Hospital, an Affiliate of the UAB Health System since 20 12, from building a cancer center at the new hospital in Florence. The new hospital is expected to open in late 201 8 and it was hopef’ul that the new cancer center would follow. ‘l’he cancer center would be a joint venture between ECM Hospital and the UAB Health System and would be staffed by ()AB doctors. The Shoals area can have a new state of the art cancer center in our area easily accessible to all ofour citizens!

UAB , who treats cancer patients from all over the State, including hundreds from Northwest Alabama is willing to invest its tilne, Inoney and clinical expenise in the Shoals area. This will give patients who are leaving the Shoals area a choice of being treated by UAB in the Shoals area instead of traveling to

Birmingham or other places. It also gives patients who stay in the Shoals area a choice of’ being treated by Alliance or UAB.

Regional Care has invested in the Shoals area via building a new hospital and nov,/ along with UAB desires to further invest by building a new cancer center at the new hospital. Why shouldn’t patients have this choice?

Denying health care to people who don’t have the economic means to pay for their health care is extremely troubling to me. Especially when these people have been or currently are productive and contributing members of our society. Health care can be denied if it cost too much and it can be denied if it is not easily accessible. Forcing my constituents to drive to Huntsville or Birmingham to receive cancer treatments, sometimes on a daily basis, is without question denying them health care. As State Representative I am requesting that we allow the collaborative arrangement that UAB and ECM are proposing to move forward with speed! Future cancer patients in Northwest Alabama are depending on all of us to do the right thing! We cannot and we must not let them down!”

 

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1 comment

Rosedale Gardens December 18, 2017 - 8:31 am

Most states have gone away from the certificate of need process. RC bought 2 hospitals in AZ after buying ECM and promised to replace them with a new hospital. That hospital opened about 2 yrs ago.

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