Letter to the Editor: Time to Approve Hospital And Call Inova's Bluff

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Let me see if I understand this. Hugely profitable nonprofit Inova has done everything in its power to keep Broadlands Regional Medical Center from being built in Ashburn. It's threatened to cut services, spent millions on advertising and legal fees, and claimed BRMC would practically put Inova Loudoun Hospital out of business.

Inova's war cry for BRMC has been "move it to Route 50," even though Ashburn is easier to reach for the vast majority of Loudoun residents.

Now Inova wants to build a women's and children's center at its campus in Lansdowne, and eventually a tertiary hospital like Inova Fairfax — but of course it will proceed with these plans only if Loudoun County supervisors vote BRMC down (otherwise the return on investment wouldn't be there, according to Inova Loudoun chief executive Randy Kelley).

If BRMC is denied, it seems very clear that Inova will put its dollars in Lansdowne and probably the Cornwall campus in Leesburg, too — not Route 50. Let's face it, we're being duped by Inova. For Inova, it's all about investment return, not what's good for the community.

Our supervisors need to call the bluff and approve BRMC in Ashburn. Competition is the only thing that's going to keep Inova honest.

Glenn W. Maravetz, Ashburn

Tagged: Broadlands, hospital, Inova Loudoun Hospital, Letter to the Editor, opinions

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