Halifax Health in Daytona Beach, Fla., has confirmed it has paid nearly $125,000 in legal fees to fund a lawsuit against New Smyrna Beach, Fla.-based Bert Fish Medical Center's merger with Adventist's Florida Hospital in Orlando, according to a News-Journal report.
The Bert Fish Foundation, which donated the medical center to the Southeast Volusia Hospital District in 1996, sued Bert Fish and Florida Hospital alleging their merger violated the state's Sunshine Law, which establishes a basic right of access to most meetings of boards and other governing bodies of state and local governmental agencies. Bert Fish and Florida Hospital originally merged this summer.
Public Halifax Health bid to acquire Bert Fish but was beat out by Adventist's Orlando facility, even after it pledged to meet Adventist's $71 million bid. A representative for Halifax said the system did not officially join the suit because of the costs associated.
Following the filing of the Sunshine suit, Bert Fish announced it would rehold merger meetings. Bert Fish reselected Florida Hospital following these discussions.
A Circuit Court judge is scheduled in February to determine whether or not the reholding of meetings remedied the Sunshine Law violation.
Read the News-Journal report on Bert Fish Medical Center.
Read more coverage on Bert Fish Medical Center:
- Judge to Hear Lawsuit Involving Merger of Florida's Bert Fish Medical Center in February
- Judge Rules Bert Fish Merger Violated Florida Sunshine Law
- Florida's Bert Fish Board Votes Again to Merge With Adventist
The Bert Fish Foundation, which donated the medical center to the Southeast Volusia Hospital District in 1996, sued Bert Fish and Florida Hospital alleging their merger violated the state's Sunshine Law, which establishes a basic right of access to most meetings of boards and other governing bodies of state and local governmental agencies. Bert Fish and Florida Hospital originally merged this summer.
Public Halifax Health bid to acquire Bert Fish but was beat out by Adventist's Orlando facility, even after it pledged to meet Adventist's $71 million bid. A representative for Halifax said the system did not officially join the suit because of the costs associated.
Following the filing of the Sunshine suit, Bert Fish announced it would rehold merger meetings. Bert Fish reselected Florida Hospital following these discussions.
A Circuit Court judge is scheduled in February to determine whether or not the reholding of meetings remedied the Sunshine Law violation.
Read the News-Journal report on Bert Fish Medical Center.
Read more coverage on Bert Fish Medical Center:
- Judge to Hear Lawsuit Involving Merger of Florida's Bert Fish Medical Center in February
- Judge Rules Bert Fish Merger Violated Florida Sunshine Law
- Florida's Bert Fish Board Votes Again to Merge With Adventist