Health Care Has Been Bad Business

            A recent study has unveiled that Fulton Medical Center here in the heart of Columbia has been hemorrhaging for the last few years, to the tune of over ten million dollars, and University of Missouri Health Care is looking for answers. As minority shareholders from a partial buyout deal three years ago, this information is leading them to strongly consider selling off it’s shares in the medical facility, which isn’t unexpected. When you head into a venture such as medial care, you expect that care will preside over earnings, but this disparagement is too much to consider.

            Rumors have quickly begun swirling that the potential cause of the continuing shortages are through embezzlement, yet there are no concrete facts to back up the claim. What is known for sure though, is that the 32-bed facility has been reporting lower patients than ever, and a poor revenue stream. This of course has the University quickly looking for an out on what is obviously a sinking ship. The main question that lingers in the back of everyone’s mind though, short of the embezzlement claim, is why? The facility seemed to be doing fine beforehand.

            Of course, the reason why the University originally got involved and became minority purchasers in the first place was to bolster declining interest in the location, and yet with the backing of a reputable medical sector such as that at MU, there still hasn’t been any advances. This doesn’t bode well for the few residents of the city who do rely on the medical center for assistance, as they can soon find themselves looking for a new space. If MU does inevitably decide to pull out of the deal, or sell off shares, the potential future of the medical facility can surely be questioned.

            This isn’t something that anyone in the city wants to hear of, the medical care facilities that we have are trusted locations that we put our faith in when times are at their worst. To know that underhanded issues may be plaguing the location sets a sour taste in the mouth of everyone involved, yet it must be made clear that any allegations are simply that until there is any evidence to back up the claim. Still, the mere thought of it is enough to get people questioning the integrity of the location as a whole.
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            The loss of one of our medical facilities has lingering implications as well, not only are those working there now facing the possibility of losing work, but how many outside medical care companies going to look at the Columbia area as a space to invest in? We hope that the information behind everything comes to light in future research and investigation, and that it was simply waning interest in the area that has been the root of the issues. We certainly wouldn’t want to be left with few options in the city when it comes to our health care.