Concerns over further expansion by the Central Peninsula Hospital were superseded by fears that Soldotna will soon have a shortage of OBGYN doctors.
On Tuesday, the Kenai Peninsula Borough assembly approved the allocation of $741,500 from the CPGH, Inc. Plant Replacement and Expansion Fund to purchase a OBGYN clinic.
Dr. Jo Lynn Hawthorne asked if the hospital was interested in purchasing her clinic since she was leaving the area permanently at the end of July.
Hospital CEO Rick Davis said the hospital does not have adequate space for the temporary OBGYN physician to practice.
Dr. Nels Anderson, another OBGYN, is leaving the state in January 2016, and Davis said this was a good option.
Only Assembly Member Stan Welles voted against the ordinance.
Asmb. Welles: “Shouldn’t we be asking ourselves, why should the borough remain in the hospital business? By allowing our hospitals to buy up the competition, are we not building a monopoly that only guarantees higher medical expenses to ourselves?”
Other assembly members such as Wayne Ogle said the need for doctors simply outweighs concerns.
Asmb. Ogle: “I have concerns about the Central Peninsula Hospital having an ever expanding type of presence, however I think the OBGYN need is much more critical and acute, so my concerns get pretty much put in the back burner as far as that’s concerned.”
The hospital’s current expansion will host a spine, GI, and cancer center; that is set to open in February of 2016.