Emma Darnell Will Vote "No" for Grady Lease Agreement

PRESS RELEASE REGARDING THE GRADY LEASE AGREEMENT
FROM:Commissioner Emma Darnell Fulton County Board of Commissioners

If the subject draft Lease Agreement is presented to the Board of Commissioners on Wednesday, February 20, I will vote no.

My accountability to the residents of Fulton County is not limited to medical schools and their sponsors. Fulton County has invested millions in the support of quality health care services for indigent and charity residents of Fulton County. In 2007, expenditures for Grady Hospital including debt service and malpractice insurance exceeded $103 million dollars.

We are legally and morally required to provide oversight to the standard of care and the cost of health services at Grady. We cannot delegate to a private group no matter how well—intentioned the authority and responsibility to decide who lives and who dies at Grady.

We need state and federal support for Grady. We need a change in the ITCF (DSH) formula. We need state funding for trauma care. We need state legislation to establish a regional system of funding for Grady Hospital to include all counties whose residents receive primary care services at Grady.

We need a better understanding of the story of the “Good Samaritan.” The point is to “rescue” the man by the side of the road —not rob him again.