HOSPITAL

Davis and fellow commissioners have disagreed with the civilian board of directors that runs Morrow County Hospital about how it should operate, whether it will expand and who will manage it.

That upset Patrick Drouhard, president of the eight-member board that oversees hospital operations and pays Ohiohealth to manage it.

Drouhard and the board say that county commissioners are trying to micromanage the hospital. In May, the hospital board extended its contract for 10 years with Ohiohealth to staff and manage the 25-bed hospital. Ohiohealth said it would replace the 60-year-old facility with a new one should it cease to operate or be sold by the county. Drouhard said he was told the new facility would be “an urgent care without an emergency room.”

The county strongly opposed the idea and sought its own, more ambitious, proposals from several health care operations that are currently being reviewed.

When the hospital board learned of the county’s plans, Drouhard, believing the county wanted to control the hospital, sent a cease and desist letter to the county.

The letter prompted the county to call for Drouhard’s removal, an action now being litigated by attorneys from both sides.

As officials are at a stalemate, residents continue to travel elsewhere for specialty services, while Ohiohealth’s family practices remain busy.

County auditor Pat Davies says access to health care can affect development, meaning the county should have a say. And she thinks someone else might have an “even better deal” on a new facility than Ohiohealth.

Cheryl Herbert, a senior vice president at Ohiohealth, said the company is committed “to provide as much health care locally as is clinically and financially viable.”

County officials say they will continue to explore options.

Davies called the conflict “a collision of two very wellintentioned boards. In their efforts to do good, they’re clashing on what is best for the community.”

dnarciso@dispatch.com @Deannarciso