Presbyterian, Piedmont appeal DHEC decision on Fort Mill hospital

FORT MILL — State health officials confirmed Monday morning that both Piedmont Medical Center and Presbyterian Hospital have appealed D-HEC’s decision awarding the rights to a new hospital in Fort Mill to Carolinas HealthCare System.

Earlier this month, DHEC award the certificate of need to CHS, setting the deadline for the two losing candidates to appeal by this past Friday. DHEC officials are set to decide next month whether or not to consider the appeals, and if an appeal is granted, it would take place before the D-HEC board in November.

Full Statement from Piedmont Medical Center President and CEO Charlie Miller:

After careful review and consideration of S.C. DHEC’s selection of another proposal for a hospital in Fort Mill, we have filed an appeal to the S.C. DHEC Board. We continue to firmly believe our proposal best addresses our community’s growing health care and economic needs. We are so thankful to our thousands of supporters throughout thisprocess. It is our honor to have served the people of York County for nearly 30 years, and we remain fully committed to continue serving our community’s health care needs at Piedmont Medical Center.

Presbyterian Hospital released the following statement:

Presbyterian Healthcare has decided to request that the Board of the DHEC review the staff decision because the CON staff’s recommended decision to award the CON to the applicant with the largest current market share was well-intended, but does not comply with the CON Act, regulations or the Administrative Law Court’s Order on remand to the Department.  By determining that the applicant with the largest market share in northern York County would be awarded the CON, DHEC again used a standard that meant only one applicant could win and denied Presbyterian the ability to freely compete for the CON.  There are many other flaws in the decisions that violate the CON Act and regulations which will be addressed in our request to the Board.