MGHS responds to Nurses Union Statement
Marquette General Health Systems announced an agreement Tuesday with Duke Lifepoint, the potential future owners of MGHS. Company officials met with the media Wednesday. They talked about the potential of the facility and why the investment in MSHS is good for all parties involved.
The union representing the approximately 415 Registered Nurses says there has been little or no conversation or communication on the potential acquisition.
Marquette General Health System responded today to a press statement by the Michigan Nurses Association. The following is from MGHS:
The Marquette General Board of Trustees, which represents a broad cross-section of people from across our community, carefully reviewed affiliation options with organizations from across the country before selecting Duke LifePoint as the best choice for Marquette General, our employees, volunteers, medical staff and the communities we serve. The memorandum of understanding signed with Duke LifePoint this week is the first step toward securing a strong future for Marquette General Health System and enhancing the care we provide throughout the U.P. We are very pleased to take the next steps in creating this exciting affiliation. The next two to four months will allow us to further investigate the proposed acquisition and negotiate a final agreement. As we all learn more about this affiliation, we are confident that our entire community will share our enthusiasm for the benefits that Duke LifePoint can bring to Marquette, including broadened clinical services and the continued advancement of our exemplary dedication to clinical quality and patient safety.
The Michigan Nurses Association statement released Wednesday follows:
In a release Wednesday, John Karebian, Michigan Nurses Association Executive Director, said, “Our No. 1 concern is whether our professional nurses at Marquette General will be able to maintain their high standards of patient care and safety if the hospital is taken over by a for-profit company. The community counts on Marquette General, many times as their only source of health care. Yet without any warning or conversation with the community, an unknown outsider has shown up whose priority is making money for their shareholders.
“Losing a community hospital that focuses on patients to a corporation
that focuses on profits is a drastic change that cannot be undone and
carries great risks. On behalf of the patients they serve day in and day
out, our Marquette General nurses strongly encourage the community to carefully examine whether giving control of the hometown hospital to
CEOs who put shareholder profits before patient care is the right thing
to do.”
According to the press release, the Michigan Nurses Association is the ‘largest, most effective union for RNs in Michigan. As the voice of all registered nurses in Michigan, MNA advocates for nurses and their patients at the State Capitol, in the community, and at the bargaining table. MNA is a constituent member of National Nurses United and an affiliate of the AFL-CIO.’