As a Lee County citizen, retiree, taxpayer, former president of Florida Gulf Coast University and a long-time satisfied patient of Lee Health, I stand firmly in favor of the conversion of Lee Health to a community-focused nonprofit health system. From my extensive experience and observations across a number of communities, it is clear to me that conversion is a crucial step to adapt to the current marketplace and secure the longevity and quality of Lee Health’s services in our community and as a safety-net provider for those without the ability to pay for their health care.
I have personally witnessed similar transitions in cities like Philadelphia, Chicago, New Orleans and my hometown of Crosby-Ironton, Minnesota. Each of these communities faced the decision to transform their health care systems to preserve the ability to care for its citizens, and the decision Lee Health faces now is no different. In Crosby-Ironton specifically, a town of 3,000, the primary hospital went bankrupt. In response, the surrounding communities organized a private nonprofit called Cuyuna Medical Center, which has since become one of the best health care providers in Northern Minnesota. This change allowed for the expansion of services from a small population to 80,000 people, ensuring that residents, including my parents, would not have to travel long distances for high-quality care. This transformation was not only beneficial for the community, it was essential. Similarly, Lee Health must adapt to continue providing high-quality care to our community.
Lee Health’s current system structure, while historically effective, is already under significant pressure due to changes in competition, costs, reimbursement and public policy. It is more difficult than ever to provide high-quality care, and these pressures will only continue to grow in the future.
By converting, Lee Health would have the opportunity to compete on a level playing field in a challenging health care economy and expand its services to meet patients where they are. Institutions like the Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic have proven that growth and expansion are necessary to be as effective as possible. Lee Health currently faces geographic constraints that limit its potential, and conversion would allow the opportunity to overcome these limitations and provide care to even more patients.
Finally, conversion ensures that Lee Health can maintain and strengthen its mission, ensuring that it remains our community’s safety-net provider, caring for patients regardless of their ability to pay. Under the current model, the economic pressure will prove to be too great, and a safety net full of holes is no safety net at all.
The reality of contemporary health care economics is clear and undeniable. Providers need a large enough insured patient base to cover the costs of serving the under or uninsured. Additionally, the patient base must also be substantial enough to achieve the cost-controlling economies of size to cover the high costs of facilities, technology and specialized care. Without this, the alternative is a substantial and likely increasing taxpayer subsidy, which Lee Health will not do. While perhaps seen as unfortunate to some it is nonetheless unambiguously true. Lee Health must move to fully adapt to this truth. Therefore, I support the conversion of Lee Health for the betterment of both the health system and the community it serves.
Mike Martin is former president of Florida Gulf Coast University.
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