The ARGONAUT, March 6, 2003

Group seeks new business plan for Marina hospital

A community group has been formed to create a business plan under which Daniel Freeman Marina Hospital could operate profitably, but not under the ownership of Tenet Healthcare Corp.

Leaders of the group ‹ called Community Action for Healthcare Reform and Excellence (WE CAHRE) ‹ believes the Marina area hospital that was slated for closure by Tenet can be "turned around."

WE CAHRE is working with another community group, Save Our Marina Hospital (SOMH), a coalition of community members, hospital employees and others who are trying to keep the hospital open.

Tenet has been under a court order since August not to close the hospital, which Tenet purchased in December 2001, from an order of Catholic nuns.

The nuns sold the hospital to Tenet because the hospital had lost more than $20 million and was in danger of closure.

WE CAHRE includes healthcare and business professionals, including Liston Witherill, a former Los Angeles County Health Department director.

Other members have expertise in health insurance, nursing, and hospital finance, WE CAHRE leaders say.

The group believes that under its business plan, Daniel Freeman Marina Hospital can maintain its present level of service and add new programs in a second year.

WE CAHRE leaders claim that the projected financial status of the hospital under the WE CAHRE plan shows that the hospital can operate at a cumulative profit of $7.9 million during the first five years of the WE CAHRE business plan.

Information, www.somh.org