Copper Basin Residents Fear Hospital Closing

According to sources, Copper Basin Medical Center has spent the past year in a financial free fall. There are bills and insurance premiums that haven’t been paid.  To meet a payroll, the center had to borrow money.  Center staff have been given a choice to cut down on hours or be laid-off, even some employees that have been there more than 15 years.  There are questions about whether the CEO has the education and work experience to be in the job.

At stake is the future of Copper Basin Medical Center, its patients and its staff.  The medical center has 24 beds.  Also, Many local residents use the center for blood tests and x-rays.  Approximately 180 people work at Copper Basin Medical Center.

The medical center did have a District Board meeting scheduled for Tuesday, May 17th, but it was called off.  Sources were disappointed that the meeting was cancelled.  “What we want is honesty.  We want to know what the hospital is up to”. they said.  They had hoped that the May 17th meeting would have cleared everything up.

Carina Walker, medical staff coordinator and administrative assistant at the hospital said that the District Board meeting has yet to be rescheduled.  She said these meetings usually fall at the end of the month.  However, there is not a set monthly meeting schedule because times often have to be rearranged due to staff.  The District Board meetings are always open to the public says Ms. Walker.  The Corporate Board meetings are closed, though, because these meetings often deal with patient information.

FetchYourNews contacted Copper Basin Medical Center’s administrative staff several times to ask for comments.  Neither Copper Basin CEO Anna Clark nor any other administrator replied.  FetchYourNews also contacted Doug Collins, Chair of the District Board and Mayor of Ducktown.  Mr. Collins did not reply.