The Oktibbeha County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to hire the Stroudwater firm to conduct a study on OCH Regional Medical Center after a round of interviews on Monday evening.
Supervisors heard from four firms — the others being BKD CPAs and Advisors, Horne CPAs and Business Advisors and Pitts Management Associates — during a roughly two-hour meeting in the Oktibbeha County Courthouse. The board voted to hire Stroudwater, pending legal review of a contract by board attorney Jack Brown, after reconvening from a brief executive session.
In a proposal submitted to the county, Stroudwater said the study will culminate with a written report to address facility impatient needs; a review of the competitive market for services; a review of the hospital’s strengths relative to competition; and an analysis of the hospital’s options, including service mix and pricing strategies. The report will also analyze which option would be best for the community and how much revenue could be generated if the study concludes the county-owned hospital should be sold or leased.
In the same proposal, Stroudwater said the study could be completed for $45,000 to $50,000.
OCH Administrator/CEO Richard Hilton said after Brown reviews the contract, the study will begin with Stroudwater collecting data from the hospital.
“The next phase is for them to get with me and lay out what their needs are data-wise, and we’ll work through that process of trying to cooperate and provide the data they need in their job,” Hilton said.
Stroudwater Director Jeffrey Sommer said the firm will conduct stakeholder interviews after collecting data.
“What we’re interested in is getting community perspective, community-based provider perspective, management perspective, blending those together and seeing how well those perspective match up with data,” he said. “From there, you really get some of the key findings and recommendations that come out of it.”
Sommer said the study should take 60-90 days once it begins.
Supervisors voted unanimously in June to conduct the hospital analysis. State law requires the analysis before the any decision on selling or leasing the hospital can be made.
District 1 Supervisor John Montgomery said after the meeting he wants to keep the community up-to-date as the study unfolds. During the interviews, he pointedly asked each firm how they intended to do that.
“It’s important that we work with this group to keep the public informed through the process so there’s something that they can see, read and digest as we move forward,” Montgomery said. “Whatever information they do get to us, we want to make available.
“We’re at zero now, but whatever information moving forward, we want to present in a clear, easy to understand way and method so everyone can understand why the decisions are made in whatever direction they advise us to go,” he added.
Alex Holloway was formerly a reporter with The Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 37 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.