Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger said so far the community is responding well to the county’s effort to transition Erlanger Health System from a governmental authority to a nonprofit organization, which he believes is important for the system to remain competitive and stable for the long term.
“The comments I’m hearing from the general public and in respected positions have all been positive. I’m sure if you look far enough there’s people who aren’t pleased, but that’s generally the case with any decision,” Coppinger said. “Only time will tell where the criticism may come, but so far it’s been extremely positive.”
The process of restructuring Erlanger began this week when Coppinger asked commissioners to allocate funds for a lawyer with expertise in similar transitions. Commissioners will vote Wednesday to bring on Richard Cowart, chair of Nashville-based Baker Donelson’s Government Relations & Public Policy Department, to assist with the process.
Coppinger said it will take a long time to work out details, such as whether the county would continue giving $1.5 million to Erlanger to provide inmate care each year if the hospital is no longer public.
That’s all the money Hamilton County puts toward the hospital. The county owns all of Erlanger’s assets, while the Erlanger Health System board of trustees governs the hospital.