Gerry Depken asks hospital board chairman Corky Jewel about a "plan of action" for Hutcheson Medical Center during a community forum Tuesday at the Catoosa County Civic Center.Public meetingsA series of public meetings will be held in North Georgia for residents to voice their opinions about foreclosure proceedings:• Walker County:Nov. 13 from 7 to 8:00 p.m. at the Walker County Civic Center Auditorium, 10052 Hwy 27 North, Rock Spring.• Dade County: Nov. 18 from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Dade County Administrative Building at 71 Case Ave., Trenton.Previous story• Judge postpones Hutcheson Medical Center sale
Hutcheson Medical Center in Fort Oglethorpe, Ga.At the first of three court-mandated public forums for the Hutcheson Medical Center, what started as people sharing heartfelt stories turned into accusations against the hospital board members for not having a plan to save the hospital going forward.
The hospital is in trouble, partly because of owing about $20 million to Erlanger Health System.
Farrell Hayes, Hutcheson Medical Center president and CEO, fielded questions from hospital staff and concerned citizens at the meeting at Catoosa County Civic Center on Tuesday night.
Gary Randall took the floor first, and he dove into a story about how Hutcheson saved his life when he had a heart attack.
"If I went to Erlanger or something like that," he said, "I never would've made it. I just want to thank Hutcheson for doing what they did ... to make sure that I made it through the night."
Audience members, many in Hutcheson T-shirts or with "Save Hutcheson" signs, listened as more came forward with stories, including Stephanie Butcher and her young daughter, Presley Butcher, who nearly died from an allergic reaction after being bitten by a fire ant.
"I thought it was a butterfly, and I guess I was wrong because I don't think butterflies bite people," Presley Butcher said, drawing laughs from the audience. "I had to go to the ER, and I thought I was gonna die. And Nurse Patty took care of me."
But after the stories, about halfway through the meeting, residents with different questions took the mic.
One resident, Ann James, said she had lost several relatives at Hutcheson and claimed they received bad care and were treated with indifference.
"If you would make sure that your staff ... would be more compassionate, would be more professional, you might get enough patients in there," she said.
Gerry Depken, of Heritage Preservation in Fort Ogelthorpe, said the board was doing nothing to propose a new plan of action.
"Where was the board the whole time the hospital was going down the tube?" Depken asked the board members. "You have to come up with something other than, 'We've got great people.' ... This kind of meeting is not going to change anybody's mind if the finances aren't there. I don't hear a plan."
The audience applauded her statement.
Corky Jewell, the chairman of the hospital board, took many of the negative questions.
"We are developing a strategic plan," he said. "We don't need to give away our marketing strategy to anyone else, but I guarantee you we are looking forward."
Jewell also said the audit reports from 2008 to now have not yet been returned to the board.
The next public forum is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Thursday at the Walker County Civic Center.
Contact staff writer Hannah Smith at hsmith@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6731.