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Calling Key West home is a privilege, but not for the obvious reasons some might assume. Sure the weather's great, and the food's amazing, but it's our community that makes Key West special. A perfect example of our charitable and generous community spirit is our SPCA.  We've donated millions to build a world-class animal shelter, and yet many of us have to, or choose to, export ourselves to the mainland for acute Hospital care.

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The relationship between Key West Citizens and our Publicly Owned Hospital is complicated, and has been contentious for many years. Complicating matters further is the existing Hospital Operator / Lessee of our Public Hospital, Community Health Systems (CHS), has divested (sold) 65% of its Hospitals in the last 10 years, and has frequently self-disclosed significant financial risks to its operations.  While CHS's lease with our Publicly owned Hospital ends on April 30th, 2029, CHS is already seeking an extension of their lease.

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Our Hospital Key West (OHkw) was founded to advocate for a Best-In-Class Hospital Operator / Lessee, inclusive of a Hospital Group which is financially-stable, well-managed, well-rated, and has the most comprehensive level of care possible for our Key West Community at our Publicly Owned Hospital. Assessing what defines "Best-In-Class" Hospital Operator / Lessee requires a quantitative analysis and objective comparison from other Hospital Operators to achieve this goal.

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Our core principle is that existing Hospital Lessee (CHS) should not be the "presumptive" next Operator / Lessee" when their lease ends on April 30, 2029. OHkw intends to explore these options and publish the findings for all stakeholders for their consideration.

 

Only through an objective comparison of numerous Hospital Operator / Lessees' inclusive of all aspects for considerations, can any of us be certain which Hospital Operator / Lessee is truly in our community's best interest .

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Equally important for our community to understand, and as anyone who lives in Key West can attest, we're a loving, tight-knit community. Between now and the end of our current Hospital Operators lease we must support our local Hospital and our friends and family who work in our local healthcare system, including Lower Keys Medical Center. OHkw's advocacy for a Best-In-Class Hospital Operator / Lessee has nothing to do with the professionalism of our local friends and family healthcare workers, our advocacy is for the best possible "Operator / Lessee". 

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UPDATE January 10th, 2025

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January 10th, 2025 STATUS: - During the January 7th, 2025 District meeting, the Board of Commissioners "Community Fact Finding Committee Members" who were previously appointed by the District Commissioners were in attendance, along with the Public.

 

These District appointed community members asked many questions, including the matter of Kennedy Drive, private entity owner of the dePoo building on Kennedy Drive owned by Roberto Sanchez, which has also leased its building along with our Stock Island Public Hospital to the current Hospital Operator Lessee. Commissioner Erica Sterling voiced her concerns over how it appears that Kennedy Drive, Ltd ultimately may have influence over the District's own authority to select a subsequent Hospital Operator Lessee given the lease agreement terms the District executed nearly 30 years ago .

 

The Board's Fact Finding Members perhaps realized, as confirmed by the Hospital District attorney Lew Fishman, private entity "Kennedy Drive", and its owner Roberto Sanchez ultimately has veto power over the District Commissioners authority over who the District can choose as our Public Hospital. Kennedy Drive, who as one Member described is the 800lb Gorilla in the room. Lew Fishman, counsel for the District stated his belief is that Kennedy Drive wishes to deal with the current Hospital Operator Lessee, CHS, leaving the Pubic wondering why hadn't Lew Fishman disclosed this knowledge in advance, and how long has he known this? One Committee Member asked the District "what the hell are we doing here" until the issue of how a private entity ended up having control over the District's authority over our Public Hospital Operators is resolved.

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OHkw is in agreement with Commissioner Sterling's concerns, until the resolution of Kennedy Drive is resolved there is no clear path forward on the District's own authority as to who our next Hospital Operator may be. Perhaps even more importantly, is whether the District can itself determine which Hospital Lessee is in the Public's interest given it appears Kennedy Drive, Ltd. not only has a say with it's own building (which they certainly should), it appears they can force our Public Stock Island facility into "Health Systems", an entity which Kennedy Drive, Ltd. would have co-control over, which, would seem to mean our Hospital District Board may have already lost authority and control over our Public Hospital.

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OHkw believes a consulting firm and outside counsel capable of navigating these complex challenges is in order for the Commissioners to contemplate how it will get its own authority back of our Public Hospital, which for the time being, it seems to have lost. Shameful.

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The Board of Commissioners under its new Chairperson, Commissioner Kathryn Ovide also announced restrictions on future public comment protocols at the January 7th, 2025 meeting. In yet another question from one of the District's own Committee Members, asked of the District Board "What is the board's intention with regards to other candidates", Commissioner Ovide answered, "Other Candidates for what"? "For other Hospitals", he replied.

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OHkw IS URGING THE PUBLIC TO ATTEND EACH MONTHLY MEETING and participate in the future of our Public Hospital.  http://www.lfkhdb.com/meeting-schedule

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Get the Financial Condition truth about Community Health Systems (CHS), Operator / Lessee of our Public Hospital Lower Keys Medical Center directly from CHS. https://www.chs.net/investor-relations/sec-filings/

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To become one of our Citizen Advocates, please let us know here!