The interim CEO of Lakeside Health System says he's still puzzled that the state's department of health says their application for funding was incomplete.
A spokesperson from the state health department, Jeff Hammond, issued a statement saying: "Lakeside Memorial Hospital recently submitted a Vital Access Provider (VAP) application for restructuring. That application has not yet been approved pending additional information required from the hospital regarding restructuring plans. Additionally, the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has not approved funding through the VAP program; therefore DOH does not have access to VAP funding at this time."
Jim Cummings, the interim Lakeside chief, says he was unaware information was lacking on the application. Cummings says he was solely under the belief that the state didn't have the funds available to aid in the hospital's transition new outpatient business model.
"I would assume that if we submitted an application, as we did on March 8th, that there was plenty of time to tell Lakeside that the application was incomplete or that it was missing information," says Cummings. "I would strongly state that wasn't the case. We were never advised of anything."
Cummings says administration had been working with the state department of health since early February. And he says he was shocked when he was notified on Monday that the funding was not approved for Lakeside's transition.
The finalization of 200 employees being laid off will happen by the end of the week, Cummings says.
Remaining inpatients will be transferred to area hospitals Saturday, April 27th. No new patients will be seen in the Emergency Department after 2 p.m. on Friday, April 26th.
The facility’s final day of operation is on April 30th.