A recent lawsuit has brought attention to the higher costs and overcrowding issues faced by patients at Asheville’s Mission Hospital, which is owned by healthcare giant HCA. Buncombe County leaders filed the lawsuit in state court on August 6, claiming that delays in ambulance transport due to an “understaffed” emergency room (ER) are causing the county to incur additional expenses. HCA subsequently moved the case to federal court.
The lawsuit highlights a broader concern regarding rural healthcare in Western North Carolina, where patients transferred from smaller hospitals are often required to be readmitted through Mission’s ER. Previously, decisions regarding patient transfers were made collaboratively by physicians, allowing for direct admission to inpatient beds if necessary. However, under HCA’s current system, patients must first go through a “transfer center” where non-physicians make the admission decisions, leading to increased wait times and an influx of patients in the ER.
Buncombe County’s legal representatives argue that this system not only increases HCA’s profits but also results in exorbitant medical charges and contributes significantly to ER overcrowding. With ambulances stuck waiting to transfer patients to an overburdened ER, rural areas such as Transylvania County, which relies heavily on HCA for hospital services, experience resource strain. The mayor of Brevard, Maureen Copelof, expressed concerns about the impact on emergency response times during medical emergencies.
Patients who require a transfer to Mission are often in critical condition, facing life-threatening situations that smaller facilities cannot manage. In 2022, Brevard filed its own lawsuit against HCA, accusing the company of monopolizing healthcare services across several counties in western North Carolina, which has hindered access to quality care.
HCA, one of the largest hospital systems in the U.S., has faced ongoing criticism from local communities in Western North Carolina since 2019. The recent lawsuit from Buncombe County adds to the growing list of legal challenges against the company from local governments and state officials.
As residents seek alternatives, there is a noted increase in patients turning to hospitals in nearby Northeast Georgia, which are viewed as comparably effective in healthcare provision. The mountainous regions in Macon County, which has two HCA-owned hospitals, showcase the challenges of patient transport and resource management faced by emergency services.
Local officials are wary about diverting ambulances for patient transfers unless absolutely necessary, as this could jeopardize local emergency response capabilities, emphasizing the delicate balance between patient needs and resource availability in rural healthcare.