Emergency Services are NOT Guaranteed for Dulles South

This just in from the "route50hospitalnow.org" folks...

"At 5:30pm on Sunday, Feb 1, Supervisor Miller issued a constituent email in which he states: "If the board does not approve BRMC on Tuesday, it is also passing up a guaranteed emergency room on Route 50 at the same time."

Based on the BRMC proffer language, there is NO guarantee of an emergency room. On page 5 of the BRMC Proffer, (A-15 of the Loudoun County Staff Report) it reads:

In an effort to expand healthcare services for residents in the southern portion of the County, the Developer shall use commercially reasonable efforts to establish and open a freestanding emergency department or other healthcare facility on or near the Route 50 corridor (the "Route 50 Facility") no later than twelve (12) months following the date of the issuance of the first occupancy permit for the hospital building to be constructed as part of the Medical Campus pursuant to SPEX 2008-0028. In the event an occupancy permit for the Route 50 Facility has not been issued within the timeframe set forth in this Proffer, then the Applicant shall be required to pay to the County the sum of $250,000.00 to be used for regional transportation improvements along Route 659 between the Dulles Greenway and Route 50. If applicable, such payment shall be made within sixty (60) days of the date on which it becomes due under the terms of this Proffer. Once an occupancy permit for the Route 50 Facility has been issued or, alternatively, the required payment made, the Developer shall have no further obligations under this Proffer.

The option of paying $250,000 seems to make this an unguaranteed commitment. It would be cheaper to pay the lump sum than develop an emergency room & populate it with equipment & staff. Also, there is no mention of a helipad. We don't believe Dulles South should "settle" for a possible emergency facility.

The BRMC application should be denied based on the many problems associated with it as outlined here at our website. The denial is appropriate per the County's Comprehensive Plan. A denial is not the end of the world and will open up the very real possibility that the county will still get a new hospital (with the inherent tax revenue and new jobs) in a much more desirable, underserved, location like Dulles South via one of the following scenarios"...(read more at http://www.rt50hospitalnow.org/ )

We agree - there are no guarantees whatsoever, especially from commercial entities impacted like we all are by worsening economic conditions, making the rapid construction of such facilities not "commercially reasonable" under many circumstances.