My name is Lynne Fagnani, Vice President of the National Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems. NAPH is here today to describe the situation of safety net hospitals such as D.C. General. These specialty services are high cost, tertiary services, not easily duplicated by or shifted to other providers in their communities. Safety net hospitals frequently train our nation's doctors, nurses, and other health professionals. Safety net hospitals are meeting these challenges by re-orienting their delivery systems, reorganizing their relationships with local and state governments, and revitalizing their physical plants.
Models exist for the District around the country.
Unfortunately, DC General has been hindered from meeting these challenges. They are one of the highest providers of uncompensated care in the country. Their level of support for uncompensated care from the District and its Medicaid program is one of the lowest in the country. No one could meet these responsibilities with the level of support that the District has been willing to provide. A solution for the District's health care safety net requires adequate financing, elimination of political interference, reorganization to limit the constraints of public governance.