Commission expresses full support for hospital

By By Clif Knight, Hartselle Enquirer
Morgan County Commissioners gave Decatur General Hospital a public vote of confidence after hearing Dr. Jeff McCollum express concern about on-going hospital issues and making a change on the hospital board.
McCollum, a hospital staff physician for the past five years, said Decatur General’s recent financial problems were the result of some poor management decisions and the nation’s economic downturn. He also expressed concern about the loss of patients to other hospitals in the area.
In recent months, Decatur General has closed or limited some services and reported large financial loses. Despite the problems, commissioners said they felt the hospital played an important role in the county.
DGH spokesperson Trudy Grisham thanked commissioners for their vote of confidence and assured them the hospital staff supports the continuation of a strong line of communication between the hospital and the public.
In a separate matter, the commission accepted the resignation of DGH board member Dr. Ronald Workman and appointed Dr. Charles Prickett as his replacement.
The commission acted on other matters as follows: