HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) – Lawrence Medical Center held a public meeting in its cafeteria on Monday to address its “financial obstacles”.
The hospital posted a notice on social media shortly before its 5 p.m. meeting. It said the hospital is struggling with low patient-volume, decreased insurance reimbursements, high supply costs and other unforeseen expenses.
More than a dozen rural hospitals in Alabama were at immediate risk of closing at the start of 2024, according to an annual study from the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment and Reform.
Despite these obstacles and hard times across the state, hospital leaders in the meeting encouraged the concerned citizens to come together instead of jump ship.
Interim CEO Kim Roberson was one of many on Monday who assured their attendees that the hospital board is not considering closing its doors for good.
Hospital Chief of Staff and longtime surgeon Dr. Rex Tuckier was another leader present at Monday’s meeting. He says the staff’s job is to address the local citizens’ interest when they have questions they want answered.
“I think tonight was a good starting point so we can get that communication going back and forth between the members of the community and the medical staff and the board,” Tuckier said.
He also says Alabama’s small-town hospitals are hurting, and this meeting was an outcry from a local community that wants to preserve its healthcare in Lawrence County.
One of these community members is more familiar than most with this hospital.
Tina Schwab has been to Lawrence Medical Center four times. Life-threatening conditions like cancer, congestive heart failure and flash pulmonary edema have plagued her life, but Schwab has fought through it all.
“I almost died right here, so I’m thankful for this hospital,” Scwab said. “It doesn’t need to go anywhere because there’s people besides me that need this hospital.”
The hospital is having a second meeting on Tuesday regarding its struggles.
Roberson says the meeting will be closed to the public and media. It will be between the hospital board and Lawrence County Commissioners.
Roberson and multiple commissioners declined to comment any further on the details. One commissioner will have an update after the meeting on Tuesday.
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