FAIRFIELD COUNTY, SC (WIS) - Members of Fairfield County Council have voted to give Fairfield Memorial Hospital $1.2 million as a financial lifeline.
Councilmembers say it's not a bailout, but about protecting a valuable investment in the county.
The money will keep the hospital up and running will come from a county fund balance.
Chairman David Ferguson says it simply wouldn't be right for residents to have to leave the county to receive care.
"I put myself in the place in the back of that ambulance," said Ferguson. "If I can come to Fairfield Memorial in 12 minutes where it's going to take 30 minutes or 40 minutes to get me to a Columbia area hospital, that's no brainer."
Ferguson admits he's also done the math when it comes to closing the hospital. He claims the county would have to purchase four new ambulances and hire 12 additional EMTs as well as 12 paramedics to take patients outside the county for treatment.
"Our bill would go up next to $5 million if this hospital were not here," said Ferguson.
Michael Wlliams, CEO of the hospital, says the money is needed to stay afloat during tough economic times.
"Back in 2010, we collected about $12,300,000 and that's what we need pretty much to break even, so if you drop down to $10 or $11 million, you are going to have short coming and you're not going to be able to pay your vendors," said Williams.
Ferguson doesn't know if this is the last time the hospital will need a financial lifeline, but says the plan going forward is to bring programs into the hospital that will generate money, which includes adding a surgery unit.
"Surgery is actually one of the highest attributing money makers in a hospital," said Williams "It helps you stay afloat. It helps you float some of the non-paying patients that can't afford to pay."
This is the fourth time the hospital has received funds from the county since the 1980s.
Copyright 2012 WIS. All rights reserved.
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2012 WorldNow and WISTV, a Raycom Media Station. 