Another one bites the dust -- way to kill business and job opportunities for the county -- and -- force people to leave in order to find other healthcare options -- Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, you have outdone yourselves yet again...

Posted by Yocomclan (anonymous) on February 3, 2009 at 2:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)

It's a sad day for the county," said Mark Foust, spokesperson for HCA. "There's something fundamentally wrong that the occurrence of special interests and politics trumped the best interest of Loudoun County residents." Wake up people, don't follow the cookie trail!

Posted by Funnyguyva (anonymous) on February 3, 2009 at 2:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Loudoun's CEO got it wrong. Today was not a win for the citizens of Loudoun County - it was a big loss. The only one who "won" is INOVA!! We won't be seeing a second hospital in Loudoun County any time soon, if at all.

Posted by gmab (anonymous) on February 3, 2009 at 3:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Delgaudio's vote is not so much of a surprise - he is always against everything, despite the lack of expenditure, value to the community, etc.

Kurtz, however, has become more of an enigma. Not really sure what her values are, or what she supports. Perhaps she has joined Delgaudio in simply being negative at every opportunity.

Buckley and Waters are simply typical of conservatives that have lost their way and are more interested in supporting their cronies at their previous employers, etc. There was a lot of high hope that Waters would serve well when first elected, but hope in her is fading. She is simply personifying anger, just as McCain did in his losing effort at being elected.

I'd suspect this will play out in the courts or with Federal intervention. Assigning monopoly status to Inova is outside the scope of the Loudoun BOS authority.

Posted by pptcmember (anonymous) on February 3, 2009 at 3:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)

pptc, I would urge you and anyone else interested to watch the webcast.

There will be no federal intervention; that is one cookie crumb. An individual Board member apparently contacted the FTC, who would offer advice, not investigate, and the idea apparently came up in discussion with HCA's attorneys.

I'm sure some would like it to look like a federal investigation, but that is only continued political maneuvering.

There was a great deal of attention to disclosure today, and Ms. Buckley was on point with her remark about glass houses.

It may play out in the courts; HCA set aside their suit, they didn't drop it entirely.

The idea of "granting monopoly status" won't hold water, given the proposed BRMC location within the overlapping service areas of two existing hospitals, one of which is HCA Reston.

Inova is on record that it will sell their appropriately zoned land to HCA at market price if HCA were turned down.

If they "take their COPN and go home", it pretty much gives the lie to all the (expensive) warm fuzzy advertisements about wanting to come and take care of us.

If they go back to court, or if manufactured "investigation" is prompted behind the scenes (with help from Post pieces long on opinion, muc like the abortive FBI stories that have yet to produce any meat), it will tell us how serious HCA is about care.

Meanwhile, if their COPN lapses (while they sue again, if they do), Inova can prove themselves by applying for one on the land they already bought and abtained land use for.

Watch the webcast.

Posted by BarbaraMunsey (anonymous) on February 3, 2009 at 3:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)

The location in the Broadlands was not the location for this hospital, pure and simple. Lets put this to bed and move on people!!!
Paul Thibodeau

Posted by Paulandrutht (anonymous) on February 3, 2009 at 4:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I agree with Paulandrutht. What's so wrong with the planned location on route 50? Why does HCA have to plant themselves in the heart of Inova's market in Ashburn? Route 50 makes so much more sense.

Posted by dacunni1 (anonymous) on February 3, 2009 at 4:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)

How about this. No chance for an additional hospital in Loudoun for a long time. Inova won't get the hospital because of the FTC. Just look what happended at the Prince William deal. I bet the rest of the DC area is laughing at Loudoun once again.

Posted by cougars83 (anonymous) on February 3, 2009 at 4:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Also agree with Paulanddrutht. We didn't get behind this thing because it was yet another example of poor planning and ego getting way out in front of simple consideration for where this hospital would do the most good in this county and what's might be currently missing from our current health services community. There has been so much FUD going around regarding current access to medical care yet so little communicated as to the logic of these statistics and a real accounting for those who might feel underserviced and why. We all need to continue scrutinizing decisions such as these and demanding the best solutions for ourselves, rather than the typical "more everything" approach that does more to cannibalize than compliment. We don't need thirty shopping centers with twenty grocery stores within a half mile radius, we aren't required to have all our electricity transported over lines stationed 60 feet in the air, we can demand thorough codes that we don't have vinyl covered homes, and our high schools aren't limited to being built in just one spot.

Communities that retain a high demand and living standard do these things knowing, as we should, that they offer access to a competitive tax base. Even with the challenges of our current economic state Loudoun County is one of the most coveted places to live and invest in the country and that affords us the ability to guide logical, reasoned decisions which in turn impact our power influence future decisions. Cede this power now and we'll likely not get it back.

Posted by ColeSQ (anonymous) on February 3, 2009 at 4:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I have to agree that the location in Broadlands was completely the wrong location for another hospital in Loudoun County. I have to say the location in Route 50 makes a lot more more sense.

Posted by fjmirand (anonymous) on February 3, 2009 at 5:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)

HCA Virginia seems to model its behaviour on N.Korea 'leaders'. If they don't get their way they stomp around, making noise and threats until they get a little attention...

Posted by meadmkr (anonymous) on February 3, 2009 at 5:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Possible third option:

Someone spoke at public input last night (have to watch the webcast, because I didn't catch their name) introducing a third provider.

While there is no "FTC investigation" (but there will be people who say it a lot to get the idea planted), it is certainly possible that HCA's sour grapes may get them to intervene when Inova does file for a COPN.

Nothing would surprise me after everything that has gone on with this in the last 7 years.

That would be fascinating if Inova were blocked on 50, HCA didn't move their COPN to that land, and someone unrelated swooped in.

I imagine if Inova was willing to state for the record (and they did) that they would sell their land to HCA, they might be equally willing to sell to another hospital entity.

Posted by BarbaraMunsey (anonymous) on February 3, 2009 at 5:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)

INOVA stomped around made all kinds of threats....if you approve BRMC we'll have to shut down Cornwall, we'l have to cut back on services, we'll have to lay off staff, we won't be able to expand. Empty threats! They would never shut anything down - just look at Access of Reston - it was built as a stopgap measure to have emergency room services in Western Fairfax County until a full service hospital was built in that area. Well guess there is a hospital blocks away from Access and has been for over 20 years and yet Access is still open!! Why? Because the hospital is not part of the Inova kingdom!

Posted by gmab (anonymous) on February 3, 2009 at 5:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)

For those of you that are crying about the decision by the board, none of you get it. Loudoun does need another hospital but not 5 miles away from another one. Putting two hospitals that close together, that offer virtually the same services, is not going to keep people from leaving the county. Two hospitals that close together will have a negative impact on each other. There isnt enough population density to support both. The correct location is Southern Loudoun County.

Posted by chrisdecre (anonymous) on February 3, 2009 at 6:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)

This Board should not approve ANY expansion of the Lansdowne campus until Inova secures a COPN and builds a hospital, not office building, on Rte 50.
It's time for Inova to put their money where their mouth is.
No Women/Children's facility. No Rte 7 road proffer until their RTE 50 hospital OPENS for business.
If Inova gets their expansion at Lansdowne, it will help ensure no hospital comes to Rte 50.

Posted by shevco (anonymous) on February 3, 2009 at 6:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)

The INOVA system has a monopoly and they intend to keep it. Its all about money. The people of Loudoun County would be better off with a choice, and the new hospital was going to offer some services not already offered by Loudoun Hospital. The big lobby and the power of money won out over the needs of the citizens. Of course the new hospital would have also created some jobs, but I guess the supervisors were more interested in protecting their friends.

Posted by foxlucy (anonymous) on February 3, 2009 at 7:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)

In this economy, after inviting the applicant to drop its lawsuit, why would the Board turn down the hospital which will provide "shovel ready" jobs and permanent jobs as well as a competitive alternative? Further, as Loudoun tries to become a premier county in the nation, in addition to the quality schools it already has, quality health care will be a test for any prospective national employer. The no votes on the Board have set back the County’s national pre-eminence for years to come and cost it jobs and tax income at the same time. What a shame.

Posted by DIDC (anonymous) on February 3, 2009 at 7:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)

DIDC-
great point. Perhaps you should pose that question to the chair of the economic development committee, Lori Waters, who voted down this application.

Posted by fuzzyturtle35 (anonymous) on February 3, 2009 at 8:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Other than voting "No", what has Ms. Waters done lately?

Posted by pptcmember (anonymous) on February 3, 2009 at 8:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)

This isn't terribly surprising. Lori Waters was clear about her position on it, as were others on the board. Inova's dominant presence in Virginia gives them substantial clout in the region and the politics that go with it. So what are we going to build there now?

discuss
http://www.clickashburn.com/phpbb

Posted by clickashburn (anonymous) on February 3, 2009 at 8:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)

This is sad news for Loudoun County. All the jobs lost, what a shame. I hope that they reconsider this option again in the near future. Both Inova and HCA agreed that 1 out of 2 residents go out of the county for hospital care, why not keep that money for Loudoun County? We are the losers today not the winners...:(

Posted by mpalaci1 (anonymous) on February 3, 2009 at 9:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I didn't know that Lori Waters was the chair of the economic development committee -- not a good thing at all.

Posted by Yocomclan (anonymous) on February 3, 2009 at 9:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Loudoun County's Board of Supervisors voted no to more jobs, more tax revenue, and more customers for struggling area businesses. At least INOVA and a few NIMBY folks are happy, right? Does anyone really believe that offices are a productive use for that land anytime in the foreseeable future? Last time I checked, there is plenty of vacant office space in the area...

Posted by Koolio96 (anonymous) on February 3, 2009 at 10:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Loudoun County’s Board of Supervisors did the right thing today and I applaud them for it! All these people whining on here about the BOS not securing jobs for the county can’t see through the forest because of the all the trees! Bringing two hospitals together in such close proximity may do good in the beginning but once the playing field levels out, neither wins.
The BOS is not saying “no” to a second hospital in Loudoun, they are saying “no” to a hospital 5 miles away from an already existing and competent one. I’m not sure what Inova has done to all these people on here to make them so “sore”. I’ve been utilizing Inova’s Lansdowne campus for years now and I have no complaints.
Route 50 is the perfect location and the residents of southern Loudoun are in great need of a hospital down there. South Riding has thousands of children living in it and as we all know children have accidents. Those parents need a hospital close by to offer the immediate care that is needed! They shouldn’t have to drive 30 minutes to the Broadlands for help just because HCA wants to chip away at Inova’s business. Those complaining about the “no” vote, I ask what’s in it for you? I’d love to hear your reasons for putting it just a few miles from an existing one versus close to areas of South Riding, Stone Bridge, Brambleton, and Aldie.
By the way people, if you all forgot, HCA is a FOR-PROFIT organization! It is very obvious the reason HCA wants the hospital in the Ashburn area is because that’s where the majority of Loudoun’s wealth is! The greater the wealth in the area, the greater the profits! Heaven forbid we have a non-profit hospital charging reasonable prices for their services when we have so much money in the area! One thing is for sure, HCA is not doing it because it’s the right place for the residents of Loudoun. If that were the case, the hospital on the Route 50 corridor would already have been completed by now serving the fine residents and families of southern Loudoun. The only “sad day” I see is for those greedy investors who were hoping to get their share of the pie.
I have lived in both Ashburn and Lansdowne for many years before settling out here in Purcellville. I am not partial to any hospital so long they take care of my family and me when needed. Building the BRMC has no impact on me since either of the two would take about the same time to travel to. I have been against the BRMC since the beginning because it’s just not a logical location for Loudoun’s second hospital. People, the vote is done, the answer is “no”, now let’s get moving and build a hospital on Route 50 so we can bring in those 600+ jobs and the $4 million everyone is concerned about. Those who voted “yes”, you did the right thing! Those who voted “no”, including my representative, James Burton, I hope the people of your districts won’t reconsider the next time it’s their time to vote! I know I will!

Posted by rbeckwith72 (anonymous) on February 4, 2009 at 12:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Loudoun could use another hospital, but not just 5 miles away from an established one.

Right idea, but really wrong location.

If HCA really was interested in building one to serve our underserviced areas, they would have built theirs in the Rt. 50 corridor, and it would have passed with flying colors.

Wake up, people. If HCA was about helping Loudoun, it would have placed it's hospital in an underserved yet growing area that Loudouners need one, not in an area that they think more people may use it (for their financial gain) just 5 miles away. Again, if they really are about Loudoun, now that the HCA Hospital for Broadlands has been rejected yet again, why not try to build one in the Rt. 50 corridor?

If it's all about Loudoun, what are they waiting for?

Posted by hugenut (anonymous) on February 4, 2009 at 1:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)

It is ridiculous in this economic climate to deny business. Loudoun County has the second highest Class A Office vacancy rate in this area, second only to the Alexandria/Huntington area. It stands at 25% and you have AOL laying off another 10% of their workforce. There is an obvious need for jobs. As for medical care, the wait to get into Loudoun Hospital for a non-emergency procedure is a 1 month wait.

Posted by livingloco (anonymous) on February 4, 2009 at 7:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)

rbeckwith72- last time I checked, INOVA paid for as many ads as HCA. Shouldn't that money have been "reinvested in the community" as they always preach?

Posted by mwb2218 (anonymous) on February 4, 2009 at 7:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)

rbeckwith72, hugenut, well said.
Regarding all the ads, mailers, etc, each business used advertising budgets to do this. Why is it OK for one and not the other? HCA could have used that money for altruistic purposes, as well. If you look at INOVA without assuming ill intent on their part, the money spent on their ads and mailers WAS $$ being reinvested in the community to explain the impacts of the BRMC on existing healthcare.

Those who say Loudoun is now 10-20 years away from it's next hospital are engaging in the same scare tactics INOVA was accused of. We have seen an abundance of hypocrisy throughout this process. Everyone needs to cool off and start looking for a reasonable solution.

Posted by momof2 (anonymous) on February 4, 2009 at 8:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)

A new hospital that is only 5 miles from the existing hospital DOES make sense if the existing hospital is unable or unwilling to provide adequate service to the community. Not enough beds and too many seriously ill patients sent to Reston and Fairfax tells the real story. The loss of new jobs, tax revenue, construction, supporting businesses and so on will keep Loudoun County as a bedroom community. Forced to commute 45 minutes each way everyday in order to find good jobs. If you were the CFO or owner of a growing business, would you attempt to open a new office in Loudoun knowing that the BOS is anti-business? The repercussions of this decision will be with us for many years to come. Thanks for nothing BOS,(again).

Posted by salm624 (anonymous) on February 4, 2009 at 8:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)

salm, Lansdowne hasn't been on reroute for some time. Over a year.

People ARE transferred to Fairfax, because we have no trauma center and would be unlikely to get one with three hospitals competing in the same service area.

Nor could we get to one with no helipad from BRMC.

I saw a comment yesterday from someone in the Ashburn area who supported BRMC, complaining that no one from their area would be able to get to a hospital on route 50 easily because the surface roads were so bad.

Funny that they still didn't see the point.

I guess they'll have to continue to choose between Lansdowne and Reston.

Momof2 is right. This is over (no matter how many times people say "FTC"--kind of like "FBI", who I guess are busy still hunting down the last Board).

Unless HCA reactivates their lawsuit.

Posted by BarbaraMunsey (anonymous) on February 4, 2009 at 8:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Folks, for a change I stand proud of the board of supervisors for the denial of the petition for HCA to build within five miles of an exsiting hospital. Which by the way has served this community well for decades.

Lets face it folks, the ONLY reason HCA wanted to build in the ASHBURN Broadlands area was to directly compete with the Loudoun Inova Hospital a NON-PROFIT institution.

The BOS did a good job in turning down the HCA. There is no logical justification for two hospitals within five miles of each other, none. Only those with special interests at risk could continue to rant about an idiotcy that this represented.

The Route 50 location would serve the citizens of Loudoun County far better than bulding one within a residential area that is already strapped for traffic control.

As for HCA as a hospital manager, I can tell you for absolute certain that this old fellow and his family have had it with that company and their profit making ventures. I was sentenced to spend time at the Reston hospital for spinal surgery. I spent six hours in the recovery room laying on a gurney because they were not sufficiently staffed to have a room available for me. When finally in a room I was subjected to technicians and nurses whose grasp of the English language was rudimentary at best. That evening, I turned on the overhead light to discover the floor was FILTHY with used dressings from a lack of cleaning crews. The Nursing crew was so understaffed that they allowed a bag of anti-biotics hang empty for over two hours. I asked where they had been for the past two hours, BUSY was the reply.
Interestingly enough, the last medicine bag took just enough time to allow them to charge another day's room cost. I have informed my family that they are never to put me back into that hospital again.

Let HCA build a medical center in the Route 50 area. There are significant population densities there for their services.

Good show BOS, my only complaint is that there were four of you who voted against the best interests of the county and its residents.

Now, let us put this stupidity behind us, and get on with building a hospital where it is actually needed, in the Route 50 corridor.

Anyone with a scintilla of cogent reasoning would be able to understand that.

Posted by hhodges (anonymous) on February 4, 2009 at 8:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)

A difficult, but the right decision by the BOS.

Posted by LoudounModerate (anonymous) on February 4, 2009 at 8:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)

An absolute correct decision - the next significant buildout of public services, of any kind, should be targeted in the area of largest need, rapid growth, and strategic importance - that is the Southern Loudoun area.

Posted by Elise (anonymous) on February 4, 2009 at 9:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)

LOL, hhodges ... Great write-up

Posted by OhTheHumanity (anonymous) on February 4, 2009 at 9:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I'm not proud of this board at all. No one feels good about this decision except the contingent of people who think Inova Loudoun is a good place to get medical treatment, the "not in my backyard" Broadlands homeowners, and Inova itself. Everyone else is shocked and disgusted that a minority of people controlled the outcome of this decision. It's politics as usual in Loudoun. As much as we might like it to be, this county is no longer a rural county -- it is a rapidly growing county whose citizens should be allowed to have healthcare options. Allowing Inova to have a monopoly on hospitals is a negative for the public -- it gives Inova no incentive to raise the bar on its quality of service. There are plenty of other similarly sized counties and towns across the country that have hospitals closely situated. It's about choice -- not to mention -- can the county really afford to thumb its nose at a business that would have contributed so much in terms of jobs and community benefits? I wouldn't be surprised if other businesses stayed as far away as possible from Loudoun -- because this sort of self serving, politically based behavior is a way of life for people serving in leadership positions in the county. It's an embarrassment for our county, and leaves me with a deep concern about how the county is being managed. Is anyone looking out for the best interests of *all* the citizens? No.

Posted by Yocomclan (anonymous) on February 4, 2009 at 9:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)

It's no surprise that a county where you can buy any house you want as long as it looks like your neighbor's is willing to continue a trend of more of the same with Inova's lack of innovation.

Posted by rnorwood01 (anonymous) on February 4, 2009 at 9:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)

This is indeed a sad day for Loudoun. I have found it interesting how much of a hospital siting expert so many people have become. Inova was very effective at letting their version of the truth seep into the public consciousness. What a pity that our electeds couldn't see through it. I really must question how closely they looked at this issue. Voting it down implies to me they only looked at the most superficial arguments coming from Inova and didn't bother to look any further. Much like some people keep saying "check a box -- move it to 50." Anyone that looks into that process knows full well that "checking a box" is only the first step in what would be a long re-evaluation of the entire application. Its that sort of disingenuous half-truth and purposeful mischaracterizations that have led us to this point. No second hospital, probably not for many many years. Think about it, how many hospitals have you ever seen built at all? These aren't like shopping centers. They come along once in a while. So no hospital for us. And what a horrible message to send to other companies that might have considered coming here. I am deeply ashamed.

Posted by GR8PMPKN (anonymous) on February 4, 2009 at 10:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Do not loose sight of the facts – the Planning Commission and the county planning department staff BOTH supported approval of the HCA hospital

Posted by DIDC (anonymous) on February 4, 2009 at 11:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I guess the Redskins Hall of Fame is more important

Posted by janetleslie (anonymous) on February 4, 2009 at 12:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Lori Waters is leading the way in cementing Loudoun as the laughing stock of the DC/Nova region. If I would have known what a sham the leaders of this county were promoting, I never would have moved here.

Posted by dpwoom (anonymous) on February 4, 2009 at 12:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)

My husband had excellent care at the HCA run hospital in Reston. I'm sure HCA would have had an excellent facility in Loudon.

I am really upset over the means INOVA used to keep HCA out of Loudon. They better build a new hospital facility soon in Loudon or more shame on them.

Posted by FCPSretiree (anonymous) on February 4, 2009 at 1:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Gee, I live south of Rte. 50 and I don't see what the big deal was with building the hospital at Broadlands. Also, this nonsense about 5 miles apart is just that, nonsense. I moved here from from a place that had three major hospitals within seven miles of each other, with a county population of 287,000. They all worked just fine.

This was about a competitor keeping a competitor out. Politics as usual. Whoever paid off the most, won. Right Miss Waters?

Posted by MikeL4 (anonymous) on February 4, 2009 at 2:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)

We may not get a new hospital but we're gonna get a Redskins Hall of Fame!!

Posted by koolkat_1960 (anonymous) on February 4, 2009 at 2:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I have found it interesting how much of a hospital siting expert so many people have become.

gr8pmkn - yea, it's kind of like how many experts we have in school siting, right? Here's how I see it, expert or not, we can give our opinions. The people who are charged with weighing the merits of all the fact and opinion are the BoS. That is what they are elected to do and that is what they have done. As always, we will see how the process continues to play out. Who makes good on what promises. Who really has the best interest of the county residents in mind. And who sues whom.

Posted by momof2 (anonymous) on February 4, 2009 at 2:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)

This latest decision on the part of Lori Waters is just one more reason I don't support her presence on the BOS - I hope the board has term limits.

Posted by Yocomclan (anonymous) on February 4, 2009 at 2:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Inova certainly does not have the best interests of Loudoun County residents in mind. They are only concerned with keeping their monopoly, making TONS of tax-free money that they don't pay a SINGLE bit of taxes on and they will make whatever threats and erroneous statements they need to make to make sure that happens.

Posted by gmab (anonymous) on February 4, 2009 at 3:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Let me get this straight. We're in a deep recession and someone wants to invest $200 million in your community bringing with it jobs and tax revenues and you say no?? Unbelievable.

Posted by joshaffer (anonymous) on February 4, 2009 at 3:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I am ashamed of the LCBOS. Who at Inova is paying off whom in Loudoun County? I have personally had two instances this year when Inova Loudoun could not provide the necessary care for my family. The most recent one my daughter's gallbladder almost burst. Staying in the ER for 24 hours being told from at noon that she would be operated on that evening was good news, but know at 9 pm. we learned her surgery was canceled to the next day. We were then told she would be taken no later than 5 pm; at 9 pm they came and got her to take her down. While waiting for her surgery, we were told that she almost got bumped again to 2 am. When the surgeon came out after 11:30 p.m. and finally told us surgery took longer because her gallbladder was rotten and ready to burst. I was furious. When a surgeon (FYI, he was not the on call doctor either) has to operate all day long and then into the wee hours of the morning to take care of all the cases because they have 2 operating rooms that routinely run practically around the clock, how can Inova, its physicians, administration and staff say that they can provide adequate care. Don't get me wrong, the staff was very nice. But I believe Inova has brainwashed their employees into all kinds of scenerios concerning another hosptial.

I also had a case of severely complicated pneumonia with a fungus that has taken me 7 months to recover from. On several occasions both when being admitted and not having enough room to admit me, every ER bed, every holding room and the hallways were full. I saw how traumatic it was for many patients of all ethenicities having to lie in the hallway. Having done this once myself was very nerve wracking. On two ER occasions, I was not admitted because the physician had to choose between 18 patients that needed admission and only two available rooms. I just don't get it.

How can the Inova giant continue to claim that they are non-profit. This is a farce. I worked for HCA in Richmond for almost 10 years and never saw a patient in need turned away.

The Loudoun County BOS cannot afford to loose the jobs nor the tax revenue from approving the Broadlands HCA Hospital. I hope they continue to fight the county. I also agree with the statement someone made on this blog, how many more shopping centers, grocery stores do we need. They are all empty now when you go in. A hospital is not going to create noise.

-Anonymous

Posted by awandie (anonymous) on February 4, 2009 at 3:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I certianly don't have a problem with a Route 50 site for a hospital, but is INOVA ready to build it, the way HCA was ready to start BRMC ASAP? Of course not. This was just like when INOVA kept a (competing) hospital from being built in Springfield, and then built an urgent care/medical office center there instead.

If I were HCA I would call INOVA's bluff and put down an offer on that land on Route 50. Sure Route 50 is a terrible road, with not nearly the throughput and widespread accessibility as the Broadlands site next to the Greenway, but a hospital is a hospital.

Posted by foreoki12 (anonymous) on February 4, 2009 at 3:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Good. The last thing we need is more money spent to make illegals more comfortable.

Kick them out and there will be plenty of hospital resources again....

If not, too bad. Deal with whats left. I am tired of supporting deadbeats.

Posted by indep2 (anonymous) on February 4, 2009 at 5:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)