Your Opinion: Choose well for the health of our community

Anne Lock

Jefferson City

Dear Editor:

I am the former director of the Center for Local Public Health with the Department of Health and Senior Services as well as a 17-year employee of Memorial Hospital/Capital Region Medical Center. I served on the Capital Region Board of Directors for 10 years and as the board president for two years. The CRMC/MU Health Care affiliation agreement and working relationship occurred during my tenure. It has been a true partnership with a community focus that has been extremely beneficial and collaborative. I have been surprised by the highly organized and costly campaign being implemented to prevent MU Health Care’s proposed acquisition of St Mary’s Health Center. Jefferson City Medical Group seems to be leading the effort, which I find ironic. Because from my perspective many of SSM’s financial issues were triggered by bad decisions but chiefly from the shift of profitable outpatient services and surgeries away from SSM to JCMG facilities/business ventures for their profit.

When SSM announced they were going to leave Mid-Missouri, MU stepped forward to fill the potential loss. I don’t think we could ask for a better solution. I feel very strongly that MU has many positive attributes to further enhance health care in our community and am very hopeful MU will be successful in their efforts.