Williamson Health

Williamson County Commissioners voted Wednesday to move forward with a letter of intent to sell independent hospital Williamson Health to Ascension.

Members passed the resolution 19-5. 

The meeting opened with a number of medical professionals, including Williamson Health employees and leadership, expressing support for moving forward with the deal.

Many of them had worked for both organizations and cited parallels in culture. A minority of the testimonies expressed concern about rushing the process and how the proceeds will be used from what is destined to be the largest transaction in Williamson County Commission history. 

The public now has more information about a grave medication error that took place at Ascension Saint Thomas in Nashville on Aug. 14. The day after commissioners raised concerns at the Aug. 27 property committee meeting, the state released a report detailing the malpractice that left three patients with “significant lower extremity impairment,” including paralysis and another on life support.  

In addition, Ascension Saint Thomas Midtown has received a termination notice from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Nashville Business Journal reported. The hospital has until Sept. 18 to rectify three conditions where it is not compliant. If the Medicare contract is terminated, the state insurance would stop paying for new patients. The hospital submitted three corrective plans during the Tennessee Health Facilities Commission visit, and all three were rejected during that same visit. 

Several commissioners expressed concern about a high volume of emails that they received from constituents who were concerned the sale had been rushed, and cast doubt on the hospital system after the errors.  

“Overwhelmingly, some of my constituents are asking me and this board to defer this vote tonight,” said District 4 County Commissioner Gregg Lawrence. “There are quite a few things that have changed since July 6 when the board brought the proposal for resolution to sell the hospital, and it's undeniable that Ascension is under a cloud right now.” 

An effort to defer the decision on the letter of intent to a future meeting was ultimately shot down with a vote of 16-8. 

Under the letter of intent, the commission and Ascension have 120 days with the option of two 30-day extensions to finalize the deal. If it’s not resolved by the end of the period, the commission can exit the process, explained Jesse Neil, a partner at legal firm Foley & Lardner representing the Williamson County Commission. It’s non-binding, but it is exclusive — they will engage only with Ascension. 

“Today is not a decision about moving forward with the transaction,” Neil said. “Today, on a non-binding LOI, the choice is moving forward with a process that is specifically to enhance, improve, widen, deepen the exchange of information between two parties that have been discussing a proposal for some time.”

So far, Ascension has not agreed to pay the fees for Neil’s services, but at the commission’s request, Neil said Wednesday that he would request again. He also mentioned firming up matters of oversight, EMS management, and capital funds for hospital improvements for the $950 million deal during the LOI process. He added that Ascension has not put up any resistance to collaboration or local oversight. 

Wednesday was also the first official business for nine county commission members. New District 1 Commissioner Andrew Mitchell showed the audience a packet of information about the Ascension sale that he received in July. 

“I've had time to ask the questions that I needed to ask, get the answers that I needed to get answered from every stakeholder on this side of the fence,” he said. “I really would like to get to Ascension now and ask the tough questions that some of you have brought here tonight and want us to get answered.”