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li&A&j.fjgg^ m\ wmmmmm Views and reviews . tang lines of viewers and mixed reoc- tfom fiom reviewer* greeted the pre- mJe»<rf v ThetostTemptQt»oflofChffcr | despfte —or some ^be<*ouse of — protests oooinst the fBm. 8&ge 5. Seeking God's face ta ftts new booK on cootemptotJve & Shannon t 1 '.'-.-I Si'M : -H *4iH •'•?•• •t p H^ H--~ 1\ H^ •f hursday. August 18. 1988 16 Pages Bonnie Ti»felet/Courier-Journal FEAST OF THE ASSUMPTION - Bishop Matthew H. Clark holds the chalice aloft as concelebrant Father Dennis Sewar looks on' during the August 15 diocesan cere- rrrany^umdMding ^teStomptf. JT^M^The special Mass took place at the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church in Fairport. merge with Arnot-Ogden By Richard A. Riley In a move that could set a national prece- dent, the boards of St. Joseph's and Arnot- Ogden Memorial hospitals last week approved the Elmira Hospital Committee's unanimous recommendation to consolidate. Officials of the two hospitals agreed to the proposed merger after meeting Separately last Wednesday afternoon, August 10. N. Jackson Learned* St. Joseph's Hospital board chair- man, made the announcement at a news con- ference at St. Joseph's Thursday night, August 11, on behalf of himself and Edward B. Hoff- man, Arnot-Ogden board chairman and hospi- tal attorney. The proposal calls for consolidation of the two hospitals into a 500-bed facility in the two existing buildings. Although-officials say each hospital will retain its own identity, the insti- tutions will be governed by one board, one management, one financial agency and one medical staff. ! \•'\Tins is definitely an historic thing. Nation- ally, we know of no such arrangement between a Catholic hospital and a non-sectarian hospi- tal!' said Deacon Stanley Douglas, communi- ty relations director at St. Joseph's Hospital. \Our Catholic identity was not negotiable. That's how strong the Sisters of St. Joseph of Rochester feel about this!' Douglas said 'that such religious and philosophical issues as abortion and steriliza- tion procedures were never a problem for hospital officials. As a Catholic institution, St. Joseph's Hospital does not perform abortions, and Arnot-Ogden has not done them in near- W9&S0I& is{WlBt/Couftar**JounMl II St. Joseph's Ho^ to form a consoBdated 500-bed II- - f«^^ «^ Anwt-Ooxton MernorW rtespttal. ' '\'' r - ly two years. Arnot-Ogden does,, however, per- form sterilizations. \We can not impose on them our values, principles and morals,\ Douglas said, adding that many of the principles adhered to by Arnot-Ogden officials \are similar to ours.\ Further emphasizing the point that the hospital will not compromise its \Catholici- ty!' Douglas said that the hospitals will estab- lish a board — with reserve powers — especially concerned with issues related to ca- nonical law. \That board will be accountable to the bishop of Rochester!' Douglas said. . The agreement between the two hospitals came after 20 months of study and negotia- tions. Officials of both hospitals were acting upon a strong recommendation to consolidate, by the Elmira Hospitals Committee, which is composed of hospital administrators, board members and physicians in the Elmira area. Dr. James J. Norton, chairman of the com- mittee^ said that decisions were based on the issue of quality patient care, and predicted that the consolidation of the two hospitals will pro- vide a broader scope of patient care and hospi- tal services to both the local population and people of neighboring communities. \On one hand, we were faced with con- solidating two institutions in order to preserve the high quality of care that has been tradi- tional in Elmira, while increasing efficiency, controlling costs and avoiding unnecessary duplication of services!' said Norton, a well- known Schuyler County surgeon and general practitioner who retired in January of 1987. \.On the other hand, and at the same time, we had the stimulating opportunity to launch a new era of health care in the area and create a solid hospital system capable of,responding to the medical needs of the larger community, seen and unforeseen!' As part of the merger of the two hospitals, Arnot-Ogden President Anthony J. Cooper has announced a $16 million project to enhance the maternity ward at Amot-Ogden. The Arnot-Ogden unit has been the only materni- ty ward in Elmira since St. Joseph's closed its maternity ward in March. Hospital officials must first present the con- solidation plan to the Finger Lakes Health Sys- tems Agency, and then will seek approval from New York State Department of Health officials for review by the Project Review Committee of the State Hospital Review and Planning Council. A decision at the state level could take from six to 12 months or more, Douglas said. If ap- proved, the actual consolidation process is ex- pected to require a period of three to five years to complete. Douglas said the merger would end more than 75 years of competition between the two institutions. He added that old loyalties to one hospital or the other can now be \more ful- filled by the merger\ because physicians will be able to offer a higher quality of patient care. Although some services will be shifted or consolidated within the buildings to eliminate duplication, each hospital will maintain its own name but will be linked under a single identi- ty yet to be decided upon. Douglas said that St. Joseph's Hospital bad accumulated a $34.5 million debt through its Around, the Diocese... Page 2 Calendar Page 8 Classifieds Page 11 Columnists Pages 12-13 Editorial & Opinion... Page 14 Features Pages 7, 9, 16 Obituaries Page 11 Sports Page 10 World & Nation Pages 3-6 0 H B 74470173013 Wl2 3i 41 31 41 3 -a I
