Sam Hazen, CEO of Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare, joined an Aug. 28 meeting to discuss how challenges at the system’s Asheville, N.C.-based Mission Hospital are being addressed.
The Western North Carolina Health Policy Initiative’s meeting also included Mission Hospital President and CEO Greg Lowe, according to a news release from the initiative.
It comes after Mission Hospital was placed in immediate jeopardy four times since 2019, most recently in January. CMS found the hospital to be operating in “substantial compliance” with Medicare conditions of participation Aug. 3 following a July 9 validation and complaint survey.
“I will be the first to acknowledge that we haven’t achieved at all times the performance that our patients, the community and we expect of ourselves,” Mr. Hazen said during the meeting. “But we own that, we’re committed to fixing that.”
HCA also announced a more than $32 million investment across Mission Health facilities, according to a Sept. 14 health system news release. The total includes nearly $15 million for imaging and diagnostic technology and more than $13 million for surgical, cardiovascular and procedural care. Mission Hospital — the system’s level 1 trauma center — received more than $30 million of that total.
During the meeting, Mr. Hazen outlined a strategy centered around strengthening governance and accountability, tackling workforce challenges and improving patient flow to sustain performance at a high level.
“Now that we’ve resolved the CMS situation … Our goals are 100% aligned with the community’s when it comes to Mission Hospital,” he said. “We want our patients to get great care. We want the hospital to be a wonderful place for our employees and physicians to work. And we truly desire the confidence of the community.”
Editor’s note: This story was updated at 1:17 p.m. Central time on Sept. 14 to include information about HCA’s investments in Mission Health.
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