Uncertainty about the future of Tallahassee Memorial Hospital brought a large crowd to the Tuesday, April 22nd meeting of NEBA, the Network of Entrepreneurs and Business Advocates at the Capital City Country Club. They were there to hear from the hospital's CEO, Mark O'Bryant.
O'Bryant said one idea is for Florida State University to partner with TMH to create a teaching and research hospital on top of its traditional role as a community healing center.
"It keeps ownership local with FSU in a controlling position but with TMH as a community partner so it keeps it community based. And then it has a local board operating it, similar to what we have now. That would be the ideal situation."
The controversy came last month when it appeared the City of Tallahassee, which owns the hospital's land, building and other assets, discussed selling the facility to an outside owner. City Commissioner Curtis Richardson, who was also at the NEBA meeting, wanted to make sure the hospital stays under local ownership.
"And it takes three - a majority vote - of the city commission to do that and we had never had that conversation."
O'Bryant thinks the matter can be worked out, but it may take several months to come up with a partnership solution that keeps the interests of the community foremost.
