HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution No. 1977-42RESOLUTION NO. 77 -42
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY of CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA, CONTESTING
PROPOSED CHANGE IN CAPE CANAVERAL HOSPITAL
SERVICES; PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, CH. 59 -1121 Laws of Florida, approved by
referendum, as supplemented by Ch 61 -1903, established
the Cape Canaveral Hospital Special Tax District, with:
(a) the specific powers to operate, manage, maintain and
conduct a hospital, and to adopt rules and regulations
for its proper operation, including treatment of transients
and resident charity, and other patients; and (b) with all
the applicable powers and authorities granted by general
I law to special tax districts, and
WHEREAS, by law, the governing body of the Hospital
District consists of 12 residents of the District appointed
by the Governor, and under this provision the district city
citizens are represented in the selection of services and
manner of operation of the Hospital, and
WHEREAS, as authorized by law, and consistent with area
needs, the governing body of the Cape Canaveral Hospital
operates a "general hospital ", defined by the Advisory
Commission on Intergovernmental Relations as : "primarily
for the short -term care of acute illnesses and injuries,
and for obstetrics ", and
WHEREAS, this general hospital renders emergency services,
including obstetrics, to charity patients residing in the
District, and residents and transients within its primary
service area of the North and North - Central Beaches, and part
of adjacent Merritt Island, with a permanent population (1970)
of about 40,000 persons, and
WHEREAS, there are about 2,000 motel rooms within the
Hospital District, or 40% of the county total, (vs. 9E in
the Cocoa - Rockledge area) with a district potential
occupancy of about 6,000 different transient persons for
each of the typical one -day stays, and
WHEREAS, the cities of Cocoa Beach and Cape Canaveral
within the District, pursuant to Art. VIII 2(b) of the Con-
stitution and F.S. 166.021 are responsible for the health,
safety and welfare of both residents and transients within
their areas of jurisdiction, and
WHEREAS, the Hospital District millage of 1.514 mills
for 1977 is 19.16 of the combined District and Cocoa Bench
total millage and 38.78 of the same for Cape Canaveral, for
which general hospital services, including obstetrics, is
expected by taxpayers of the respective cities, and from
the proceeds of which, Federal law requires that $84,615 per
year be available for charity patients, and
WHEREAS, the National Commission on Community Health
Services reported "a sophisticated consumer point of view,
expressed by a group of women deeply concerned with the
health of their families ". This group expected the hospital
to serve as the focus for all medical care services. The
hospital could provide the security for the consumer of
being able to reach medical help quickly, with a wide
range of hospital -based services . . , and
. .
.. - MICROFILMED 4-10-80
WHEREAS, the statement of Cape Canaveral Hospital Administrator
Sheahan, which is appended to this resolution, outlines severe
problems of loss of community medical services and loss of hospital
income related to loss of obstetrics facilities mandated by an
outside agency against the best judgment of the Hospital Adminis-
tration, and
WHEREAS, the advent of the Space Shuttle operation by NASA is
expected to cause even greater demands on all types of services
in the District service area, including health care,
[1NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA: (1) That the City' s obligation to pro-
tect the public health of both transients and residents, which has
heretofore been satisfactorily discharged on its behalf by the gen-
eral hospital services including obstetrics, rendered by the Cape
Canaveral Hospital, and by resident obstetrician-gynecologists,
would be seriously impaired by the forced removal of the obstet-
rical hospital services and the consequent departure of the physicians,
such that it is the lawful duty of the City to contest such an action;
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(2) That the same obligation of the City would act to cause the
City to contest the withdrawal of Medicare funding from the Hospital;
(3) That the public welfare obligation of the City, exercised on
behalf of indigent residents would similarly cause it to contest
such an action;
•
. (4) That the public welfare obligation of the City would be
impaired by the deminuation .of Hospital services aVailable for .
the same tax revenues and similarly cause the City to contest
such an action. 4
ADOPTED at a Regular Meeting of the City Council of the City
of Cape Canaveral, Florida on this 6 day of December , 1977.
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RESOLUTION NO. 77-42
PAGE 2 OF 2 PAGES AND
ATTACHED LETTER
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On December 15, 1977, there will be a public hearing at the Flcrriti Island
Agency ofcFasttCentralhFlorida. Plan
These Systpois
nation of the Obstetrical and pediatric services at Cape Canaveral Huspit.il,
and transfer that responsibility to Wuesthoff Memorial Hospital in Rocl:ledgO.
Some of the ramifications of these guidelines are listed below:
(1) Sanctions against Hospitals which do not comply with Health
Systems Agency (HSA) directives --
At a meeting held at Jess Parrish Memorial Hospital on
November 14, 1977, fir. John W. Beaton, Executive Director
Of the Health Systems Agency of East Central Florida, stated
that at the present time the Health Systems Agency only has
the authority to withhold Certificates of Need from non-
complying Hospitals. in the future, however, he expects
the HSA to have the authority to withhold Medicare Funds
from any Hospital that fails to comply with any directives
of the Health Agency.
(Z) Effect on Medical Services for the community --
With the elimination of obstetrical service at Cape Canaveral
Hospital, other medical specialists will discontinue practicing
at the hospital. The pediatricians depend on referrals from the
obstetrical service for a significant portion of their patients.
In addition, the obstetricians have informed me that it is im-
practical to practice gynecology at a hospital where there is
no obstetrical service. Several of these physicians have indi-
catcd tO me that, faced with the obstetrical unit's closing, Ley
Will close their practices in the Cocoa Beach -Cape Canaveral tired
.and locate elsewhere. Thus, the community will lose these rmcn-
needed physicians.
(3) Effect on hospital charges --
Radiology, laboratory, pharmacy and other ancillary services will
suffer a decrease in utilization due to the reduction in patita;tc
resulting from the loss of physicians. This will probably
necessitate higher charges for the use of these services because
the cast of operating these departments will be paid by fewer
patients.
William 1.1. Sheahan
Administrator
Cape Canaveral Hospital