By Briana Vannozzi
Correspondent
Call it a power grab. Call it integrated emergency services. These South Jersey hospital CEOs just want it called off.
“This bill represents the worst in the legislative process itself,” said Lourdes Health System President and CEO Alexander Hatala.
Democratic lawmakers from Camden are fast tracking a bill that will transfer the control of the city’s paramedic services, which have been provided by Virtua Health for nearly 40 years, to rival Cooper University Hospital.
“I couldn’t get this legislation through in two weeks, so somebody has to be able to push the legislation and get the votes,” said Virtua President and CEO Richard Miller.
That somebody is George Norcross, South Jersey power broker and also chairman of Cooper’s board. The hospital is requesting $5 million from the state budget — to be voted on tomorrow — to start a fleet for an ambulance system.
“The EMS system in Camden is being subsidized by Virtua to the tune of $1.5 million per year and that subsidy would have to be borne now by taxpayers going forward,” Hatala said.
“This legislation bypasses the existing regulatory process and takes 16 percent of Virtua’s business away and gives it to a competitor for no reason,” Miller said.
They said it undermines the “certificate of need.” That’s where the Department of Health determines how to best provide paramedic services on a regional basis — and it’s typically a long and public procedure. But not if the bill goes through.
“What this bill would do is eliminate patients’ choice because now you have the self-interest of an organization like Cooper that’s also controlling the entire EMS system. And so are they going to make the right decision on behalf of the patient or are they going to make the decision that benefits their organization?” asked Hatala .
Paramedic services in Central Jersey could also be affected because the measure would give special consideration to hospitals at the highest level of trauma centers, called Level 1.
“In Mercer County it opens the door to a hospital that does not currently operate ALS services to have expedited consideration to provide services in their municipality only, because their parent hospital is a level 1 trauma center,” said Capital Health System President and CEO Al Maghazehe.
Cooper representatives have said publicly the health care provider can operate a more efficient EMS system because of their role as the city’s largest hospital and largest ER department. Only senator Joe Vitale voted against the legislation on the Democratic side saying, “It’s not a good bill.”
Neither Cooper Health nor the office for George Norcross would return our calls today. These hospital CEOs are hoping to get the backing of other legislators in the Sixth District, which represents many of the workers here and their support in voting “no.”