House Bill 711
In April 2012, Governor Rick Scott signed House Bill 711, an amendment to Florida Statute 155.40. The Sale Lease Bill, as it is commonly called, requires every county, district or municipal hospital, to have commenced by December 31, 2012, an evaluation of continued ownership of such a hospital. The evaluation is to occur regardless of whether the governing board intends to sell or lease the hospital.
Broward Health’s evaluation is complete. On December 19, the report was presented to the North Broward Hospital District for review and discussion at a public meeting. Broward Health joins Lee Memorial, Halifax Health and Memorial Healthcare System in completing the mandated evaluation. Approximately two dozen other public hospitals or systems have begun or will begin the process the end of the year.
On December 19, 2012, the North Broward Hospital District Board of Commissioners (“Board”) conducted a public hearing, in accordance with Section155.40, F.S., to determine whether the North Broward Hospital District should continue to own and operate its hospitals or whether any of the individual hospitals, or the system, should be operated by a for-profit or not-for-profit entity. Based upon the totality of the information considered by the Board, including the valuation report prepared by Deloitte, LLP, the comparisons of the operating costs and measurable quality outcomes between the hospitals operated by the North Broward Hospital District and other similarly situated not-for-profit and for-profit hospitals with similar service mixes, comments from the public, comments from the Board, and input from professional staff, the North Broward Hospital District Board of Commissioners took the following action:
1) The report prepared by Deloitte, LLP, pursuant to Section 155.40, F.S., was formally accepted by the Board and made a part of the public records of the North Broward Hospital District; and
2) In light of the specific observations and conclusions detailed in the Deloitte report regarding industry trends and the severe impacts of the Affordable Care Act, the Board directed the initiation of a long-term planning and review process to ascertain the best manner and structure in which to fulfill its mission in the future.
Broward Health’s vision has always been to provide world class healthcare to all we serve. Despite the economic hardships being faced by South Florida and the nation, Broward Health has been able to excel in that mission, expanding services throughout the northern two thirds of Broward County and meeting the needs of our residents. Broward Health has:
- Two trauma centers and four emergency rooms that provide care for more than 275,000 patients a year
- Three hospitals with an A rating by The Leapfrog Group, a non-profit hospital safety advocacy group. Broward Health Imperial Point, Broward Health North and Broward Health Coral Springs received the highest letter rating for how well the hospitals protect patients from infections, medical and medication errors, accidents and injuries in a ranking of more than 2,700 hospitals
- The only hospital in the Southeast U.S., and one of only 14 in the nation, selected by the NFL Player Alliance to perform joint replacements on retired pro football players
- The only Joint Commission certified Alzheimer’s program in the nation
- The first liver transplant program in Broward County
Few hospital systems reach as many uninsured and underinsured individuals as Broward Health. Through grants, the Broward Health Foundation and community partnerships, Broward Health’s Community Health Services is capable of serving uninsured and underinsured patients. Here are just a few ways Broward Health is able to serve the community:
Community Partnerships: Broward Health has partnered with a variety of community organizations that enable us to serve those who do not have the financial means to pay for their own care. Relationships with organizations such as the Lisa Boccard Breast Cancer Fund, NFL Player Care Foundation and Ranse Jones Stroke Awareness Fund not only raise awareness, but also provide funding for those unable to pay for treatment. More…
Grants: In 2012, Broward Health was awarded 35 grants for a total of $12,267,428. These grants allow Broward Health to provide charity care to the community and create unique programming. From music therapy to Kinship Cares programming, grants enhance Broward Health offerings. More…
School Health Centers: Broward Health Community Health Services serves thousands of patients through its 11 health centers. In addition, Community Health Services offers care at three health centers located within area schools. The school health centers are uniquely positioned to offer vaccines, family planning, counseling and health screenings. Most importantly, the school health centers create a starting point for primary healthcare. More…
Healthcare for the Homeless: The homeless require healthcare, too. To expand and enhance existing services, Broward Health broke ground on the new Bernard P. Alicki Health Center in April 2012. The new center will be twice as large as the current facility. It will provide greater efficiency and more exam rooms. More…
Broward Health Foundation: Each year, the Foundation raises millions of dollars for the hospital system and solicits donations for items such as wheelchairs and gaming systems for pediatric patients. The Foundation’s role in large renovations is also welcomed through galas and financial challenges. In 2013, Broward Health Medical Center will unveil its new Infusion Center, which was only made possible through the efforts of the Foundation. More…
The following Q&A outlines the process.
> What is required?
> What is the status of Broward Health’s mandated evaluation?
> What are the next steps?
> Will the report be available to the public?
> What is Broward Health?
> What are Broward Health’s community programs?
What is required?
Florida Statute 155.40
(5d) Consider an objective operating comparison between (itself) and similarly situated hospitals, both not-for-profit and for-profit, which have a similar service mix in order to determine whether there is a difference in the cost of operation using publicly available data provided by Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) and quality metrics identified by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Core Measures. The comparison must determine whether it is more beneficial to taxpayers and the affected community for the hospital to be operated by a governmental entity, or whether the hospital can be operated by a not-for-profit or for-profit entity with similar or better cost-efficiencies or measurable outcomes ... The comparison must also determine whether there is a net benefit to the community to operate the hospital as a not-for-profit or for-profit entity ...
What is the status of Broward Health’s mandated evaluation?
Broward Health hired Deloitte as an outside consultant to conduct a financial evaluation and quality benchmarking assessment in accordance with the requirements of the statute.
(5c) Contract with a certified public accounting firm or other firm that has substantial expertise in the valuation of hospitals to render an independent evaluation of the hospital’s fair market value.
What are the next steps?
Deloitte shared the results of the report with the North Broward Hospital District Board of Commissioners and interested community members at a public hearing scheduled on Wednesday, December 19. The meeting was held at the Westin Cypress Creek Hotel, 400 Corporate Drive, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
(5a) Conduct a public hearing to provide interested persons the opportunity to be heard on the matter.
The final report reflected the summary valuation findings and a high-level assessment using similar hospitals to compare key operational and quality metrics. The method reflects a standard industry approach weighting income, market and cost analyses. The benchmarking analysis used AHCA data for expenses and CMS Core Measures for key quality metrics per statute requirements.
Will the report be available to the public?
In accordance with the statute, the documents will be made public and the Board’s findings will be published in local newspapers and is available on the Broward Health website. Download a copy here.
(5e) Make publicly available all documents considered by the board in the course of such evaluation.
What is Broward Health?
Broward Health is a public, non-profit hospital system which includes Broward Health Medical Center, Broward Health North, Broward Health Imperial Point, Broward Health Coral Springs, and Chris Evert Children’s Hospital. Today it’s one of the largest public health systems in the country. Broward Health offers a host of medical services, such as liver and kidney transplant, trauma and neonatal intensive care, as well as numerous other programs aimed at improving the health of the community. In addition to its hospitals, its facilities include: Gold Coast Home Health and Hospice, Broward Health Weston, Broward Health Community Health Services, urgent care centers and more than 60 physician practices located throughout our community. Broward Health is governed by the North Broward Hospital District Board of Commissioners, a seven-member board appointed by the governor. It is tax-assisted through property taxes that are solely used to provide healthcare services to residents of Northern Broward County who are uninsured.
What are Broward Health's community programs?
Broward Health’s commitment to the community is evident in the many programs designed to serve children and families. Some of these community services include:
- Community-based health services at Annie L. Weaver Health Center, Clinica de las Americas, Pompano Pediatric and Prenatal Care Centers and Seventh Avenue Family Health Center
- Healthcare for the Homeless program
- School-based health centers open to the community
- HIV/AIDS programs
- Community programs to address cancer disparities
- Community outreach including free education and community screenings
- Children’s Diagnostic & Treatment Center for children with chronic illnesses and disabilities
