LEWISTOWN - A decision regarding the possible merger of Lewistown Hospital will not be part of the agenda for the Oct. 29 board meeting, said Phyllis Mitchell, vice president of marketing and community affairs for the hospital.
"The process is taking longer than we anticipated and we are still trying to gather information," Mitchell said. "Though the merger will be a topic of discussion, as it has been at past meetings, no final vote is scheduled."
A merger decision was originally to be made at the Sept. 12 meeting, but the board was not prepared for a final vote, said Kay Hamilton, hospital president and CEO. The eventual outcome will determine if the hospital should merge and, if so, whom to merge with, she said.
"Though we had every intention of making a final decision at the meeting, the discussion remained a discussion," Hamilton said of the September meeting. "I cannot predict when the board will be ready to move forward and make a choice."
The board of directors is made up of 15 members and any merger decision must be favored by majority vote, Mitchell said. The next board meeting is scheduled for November, but there is no guarantee that any decision will be made then, she added.
A member list of the board of directors can be found online at www.lewistownhospital.org/about-us/about-us/page.aspx?id=1109. To speak with Hamilton directly, contact the Communications Department at 242-7365 to schedule a phone appointment.
