I am amazed at the bias shown by the Washington Post in the options we had to vote on-- the Post is clearly anti-INOVA, as evidenced by not only this poll, but articles in the Metro section in the past month as well. INOVA Loudoun Hospital is an asset to this community and provides excellent care.

Posted by cazpost (anonymous) on February 18, 2009 at 6:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I agree with cazpost on this one. I found the choices on the survey were very limited which is why you see 40% voting for "I don't care. The whole issue is way too political." The case from the very beginning was over-politicized and either outcome seemed destined to produce a lawsuit.

Posted by quietobserver (anonymous) on February 19, 2009 at 9:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Loudoun County has grown so much that we definitely need another hospital. However, the Broadlands location was a bad idea (too close to the existing LHC and too far from where it is really needed [South Riding to Middleburg area]), and HCA was the wrong company for the area (ethics issues). I'm glad that their bid for a hospital was denied and that they are giving up. We need another company to build a new hospital in a more sensible location.

Posted by themuzicman (anonymous) on February 19, 2009 at 9:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)

There will be no new hospital for Loudoun for at least five, possible ten years. That's what the Louduon County Board of Supervisors thought was best for the county, that's what the county is stuck with. It has certainly been strange watching the county's leadership actually celebrate chasing a good company like HCA away. Really odd, to say the least, and certainly not in the best interests of the people of Loudoun County.

Posted by Yocomclan (anonymous) on February 19, 2009 at 2:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)

There will be no new hospital for Loudoun for at least five, possible ten years

How can you say this with such certainty?

Posted by momof2 (anonymous) on February 19, 2009 at 3:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)

1. Inova must go through the process of filing for a COPN. That is a lengthy process. Whether the state health comm. even considers Inova's request at all depends on how it decides to respond to HCA's resquest to use its COPN to expand Reston. If the state agrees to allow HCA to keep its COPN, the odds of it also approving Inova's request are about very small. 2. But let's say through a miracle the state agrees to give Inova a COPN -- the process to obtain such takes about two years. Then there is the question of whether Inova, will, in fact, decide to proceed. This will be a function of how well it's Fair Oaks hospital is doing, which often is not anywhere near capacity. Then there is the building process, which does not instantly happen. It would still have to go through all the same procedures every other new construction has to go through. Five years is about the minimum amount of time, and that is, if Inova does not get sanctioned by the FTC for being a monopoly in both Loudoun and Northern VA.

Posted by Yocomclan (anonymous) on February 19, 2009 at 5:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)

3. There is always the chance that another nearby hospital might object to Inova increasing its market share. Inova is not the only one who can complain about a competitor invading its "territory." This would also delay building time.

Posted by Yocomclan (anonymous) on February 19, 2009 at 5:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Momof2, the only miracle will be if 1.HCA gets it COPN extended AGAIN, and 2.If they are allowed to move it to Fairfax with that extension, when the argument of the BRMC-only group has been that attempting to move it within Loudoun would have jeopardized the entire process.

That argument has changed now, of course.

We'll see what happens.

Posted by BarbaraMunsey (anonymous) on February 21, 2009 at 3:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)

yocom, as for the "building process", Inova already has a site that has its land use approval--unanimously approved by this Board last year.

Something HCA probably should have done before filing for their COPN, as one of the provisions necessary for extension was having LAND USE APPROVALS.

Posted by BarbaraMunsey (anonymous) on February 21, 2009 at 3:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Barbara, no matter how you look at it, there will be no hospital on Route 50 for a minimum of five years, most probably longer. It doesn't matter that Inova has a site that's already approved. You should also not so quickly discount that the FTC isn't going tohave something to say about Inova's monopolization of healthcare services in Northern VA -- including Loudoun County.

Posted by Yocomclan (anonymous) on February 22, 2009 at 10:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)

yocom, look up "monopoly".

There are other providers present in NoVA.

They have the largest market share, but they are not the sole provider in the region.

Yes, it does matter that they have a site with the land use already approved.

That's what BRMC kept losing on, remember?

As for several years, that wouyld be true at any location. With BRMC, it could have gone on that long with lawsuits.

Posted by BarbaraMunsey (anonymous) on February 22, 2009 at 6:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Barbara, based on your post "As for several years, that would be true at any location." you do admit it will be a long time before we see another hospital in Loudoun. Most people who even remotely followed this drama, realize that it will be 5-10 years at the EARLIEST before we DO see that 2nd hospital. Inova has even stated that the numbers on Rt 50 cannot support a hospital. And with the recent housing boom ;-) how long do you think it will be before Rt 50 CAN meet the numbers?

Posted by t8erman (anonymous) on February 23, 2009 at 11:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)

t8, with the prospect of lawsuits, it would have been years at BRMC too (even if they won), and with the planned doubling of Reston, it would never have progressed to tertiary service.

t8, wasn't the hospital supposed to be for the whole county, and aren't they planned exclusive of jurisdictional lines, other than the state planning area boundaries?

Route 50 is not on another planet; it is not an island.

A route 50 location will serve more people than the adjoining residents.

The Broadlands community already has a choice of providers and locations. It will not be getting its OWN hospital.

Route 50 will serve people who do not currently have the same access afforded those already in possession of choice and convenience.

Posted by BarbaraMunsey (anonymous) on February 24, 2009 at 10:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)