There could be hope for the reopening of Williamston, N.C.-based Martin General Hospital as a rural emergency hospital after the facility closed last August and filed for bankruptcy.
Ascendient, a healthcare consulting services company, has been working with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Division of Health Service Regulation and CMS to develop a sustainable healthcare plan for Martin County (N.C.) residents following the hospital's closure, according to a Martin County update on the hospital.
Over the last few months, more than 12 potential partners have expressed interest in running healthcare services in the county, with many interested in operating Martin General as a rural emergency hospital, according to the update.
Both the county and Ascendient plan to hold a request for proposal and state-required public bid process, during which the potential partners can submit proposals for providing healthcare access in the county.
While the existing interested parties are under NDAs, they must answer three questions regarding their plans for the hospital, including: how the Martin General can be reopened as an REH under state and federal regulations; what needs to be done to the hospital prior to reopening; and what kind of capital the hospital would require to reopen and what the funding options are.
"As previously noted, Ascendient and the County believe an REH is one viable model that could ensure access to healthcare services in Martin County," the county update said. "The rural emergency hospital model is brand new, and no other hospital in North Carolina has converted to an REH yet—certainly not one that has previously closed. Therefore, the state and federal governments are still figuring out how this can and should be done."
The county and Ascendient hope to provide an RFP to the interested parties and others who would like to submit a healthcare access proposal for Martin County once the three questions have been answered. There is no existing timeline for when the process will begin or when the questions will be answered, the update said.
"Reopening Martin General Hospital as a rural emergency hospital is important to the health and well-being of the residents of Williamston and the broader community," a spokesperson for NCDHHS said in a May 28 statement shared with Becker's. "NCDHHS is participating in a preliminary walk-through of the hospital to determine if any repairs or renovations might be needed to reopen this facility."