TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — A community town hall will take place on Tuesday, November 18th, for neighbors looking for more information about the TMH-FSU deal.
- Organizers said they wanted to give community members a chance to ask questions.
- Key topics they want to be discussed include Board representation, access to indigent care, and defining community representation.
- Watch the video below to see what you can expect from the meeting and how to get involved.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Further discussion is set to take place about the FSU-TMH partnership over new ownership of the hospital, that's at an upcoming community town hall.
The TMH-FSU deal remains a key topic in community conversation, with community stakeholders now holding an upcoming town hall meeting to share thoughts and break down the agreement for neighbors who might still be unsure.
"We all want a better health care system here in Tallahassee," said Marlon Williams-Clark, President of the NAACP Tallahassee branch. "We just want to make sure that we are getting the maximum benefits out of, you know, the deal with FSU and TMH."
Williams-Clark said he would like to see some changes to the current MOU, including protections for FAMU's health programs, ensuring FAMU's seat on the Board with a binding contract, and for the City to allocate funds from the deal to neighborhood community health centers like Bond and Lincoln.
"So that we know that even if something changes down the road, that we are investing in those local community clinics that already serve indigent care patients and to make sure that they are very well funded to continue to serve the community," said Williams-Clark.
According to the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities, 16.9% of people are insured or underinsured in Leon County.
Mayor John Dailey, who has vocalized his support of the deal, has previously told ABC 27 that indigent care will remain.
"All the legal documents will be drawn up that it remains a public hospital," said Dailey. "They will accept everybody that walks through the doors. Indigent care, Medicaid, Medicare, everybody that wants to come to the public hospital will be accepted. Nothing will change."
Williams-Clark said he would also like TMH's board to have one candidate from each area of the community.
"So someone from the South Side, the Frenchtown, the Northeast, all of those communities have to be represented on the Board," said Williams-Clark.
Dr. Bruce Strouble, Chairperson of Tallahassee Alert, is also hosting the event. Strouble said the town hall is a chance for neighbors to ask questions and get clarity.
"I have people on both sides, people who are vehemently against this idea, and I have some people who are supporting it with certain conditions," said Strouble. "So we want to try to work and find a consensus among community members if such a thing is possible, but we want to have that discussion."
The meeting will take place at Watson Temple Church in Frenchtown on Tuesday, November 16th, and will begin at 6:00 p.m.
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