County officials plan to sue the current operator of Paramus, N.J.-based Bergen Regional Medical Center for failing to disclose vital financial and operational information, according to NorthJersey.com.
County officials are in the process of transitioning ownership of Bergen Regional to a new hospital operator. However, officials said they won't be able to complete the transition process because Bergen Regional Medical Center LP, the current hospital operator, refused to release important information regarding the facility. The failure to disclose information may cause interested parties to walk away from the deal, according to a lawsuit filed by the county in state superior court in Hackensack, N.J.
According to the lawsuit, managers of the hospital have responded to county requests for financial information with "incomplete information, delays and denials of access to critical information and personnel." The lawsuit requests an injunction to prevent the hospital operator from altering, deleting or destroying information that would aid future management in providing care. It also requests that the court appoint a "special fiscal agent" to oversee the efforts to obtain essential information to appoint a new hospital operator, according to the article.
The current contract is set to expire in March 2017. County taxpayers may be held responsible for potential costs if the transition between operators is delayed, according to the article.
"We vehemently disagree with the claim that the BRMCLP has not fully cooperated with the bidding process requests," said Donnalee Corierri, a spokesperson for Bergen Regional Medical Center LP. "Our primary focus has always been on managing the day-to-day operations of the medical center and ensuring the provision of safe, quality care for our patients and residents."
Among the bidders are Teaneck, N.J.-based HolyNameMedicalCenter, Ridgewood, N.J.-based The Valley Hospital, Hackensack (N.J.) University Health Network, Wyckoff, N.J.-based ChristianHealthCareCenter and Englewood Hospital (N.J.) and MedicalCenter.