A Side-by-Side Comparison of the Sacred Heart/Ascension and Alliant proposals to the Franklin County, FL Commissioners which clearly and objectively makes it obvious that there is no other choice but to ACCEPT Sacred Heart's proposal. The Sacred Heart/Ascension approach is the ONLY WAY that the Franklin County community will be GUARANTEED to have comprehensive quality healthcare for the future. The Alliant proposal will ensure that the status quo is maintained, costs will continue to rise until it's necessary to raise taxes to cover them. With ever escalating costs and federal government regulations, conditions will become unsustainable and Weems will ultimately have to be shut down. It isn't a question of "if", but rather, "when" it will be closed just like 1 in 5 rural hospitals currently are.

1. SIDE-BY-SIDE ANALYSIS OF THE OPTIONS FOR THE FUTURE OF HEALTHCARE IN FRANKLIN COUNTY
NOTE: The information in the Sacred Heart/Ascension and Alliant columns came directly from their proposals to
Franklin County and the articles published in the Apalachicola Times.
SACRED HEART/ASCENSION PROPOSAL ALLIANT PROPOSAL
 GUARANTEES that they will lease for 20-years and absorb
costs and risks associated with a new Emergency
Department built by the taxpayers.
 NO GUARANTEES AND TAKES ON NO COSTS OR RISKS to a
new building nor the operations of a new hospital. ALL THE
COSTS AND RISKS ARE BORNE BY THE TAXPAYERS.
 GUARANTEES TO WRITE CHECKS to recruit doctors, train
hospital staff, invest in what is necessary to keep current
with federally mandated improved hospital standards, and
provide doctors at the Carrabelle and Weems Clinics.
 The TAXPAYERS WILL WRITE CHECKS for Alliant’s
Consulting Services…
TOTAL PAID TO ALLIANT BY TAXPAYERS OVER 5 YEARS: $1.8
MILLION
- NO PHYSICIANS, TRAINING, ETC. ARE PROVIDED
- COST OF ALLIANT AGREEMENT IS UNDERSTATED =
IT’S CONTRACT COST PLUS: RECRUITING,
RELOCATING, SALARY AND BENEFITS FOR THE CEO
THEY PLACE HERE ARE NOT SPECIFIED.
 GUARANTEES TO WRITE CHECKS for $2.7 million and
more to stay current with state-of-the-art equipment and
technology for a new Emergency Department
- Ascension/Sacred Heart is the ONLY provider in the
State of Florida allowed to do this
. GUARANTEES TO SAVE TAXPAYERS MONEY
 WILL NOT PROVIDE ANY FUNDS NOR STATE-OF THE-ART
EQUIPMENT. The County will move the same antiquated
equipment it currently has into the new hospital. Any
upgrades for new equipment will be paid for by the
TAXPAYERS and will be dated equipment, NOT state-of-
the-art.
- GUARANTEES TO PROVIDE SEVERAL PHYSICIANS for
the new Emergency Department, Carrabelle and
Apalachicola Clinics and Specialty Care Areas such as:
Cardiology; Orthopedics; General surgery: Future:
Other Specialties to be determined
 WILL NOT PROVIDE PHYSICIANS AT ALL. Will only help
recruit physicians. TAXPAYERS WILL PAY for the physicians
and costs associated with recruiting and relocating them.
After many, many years and millions upon millions of
dollars SPENT BY TAXPAYERS our hospital and healthcare
are no better for it.
 GUARANTEES TO PROVIDE ALL FURNITURE AND
EQUIPMENT FOR NEW EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT
- Equipment will include diagnostic capabilities such as
CT Scan, X-Ray, Ultrasound & Lab
 WILL NOT PROVIDE ANYTHING OTHER THAN CONSULTING
SERVICES at a COST TO TAXPAYERS OF $337,200 IN THE
FIRST YEAR. THE COSTS CONTINUE TO INCREASE IN YEAR
2, 3, 4 AND 5 FOR A TOTAL OF ~$1.8 MILLION
 The full support and resources of Sacred Heart/Ascension
are available to support and help grow the hospital and
healthcare services in Franklin County.
 Tallahassee Memorial Hospital (TMH) affiliation is not
defined. NO MEASUREABLE, TANGIBLE DELIVERABLES
FROM TMH PROVIDED. The county has had an affiliation
with TMH for years and the hospital has fallen further and
further behind from a clinical quality standpoint, and the
financials place Weems on the brink.
 Has already completed a feasibility study AT THEIR OWN
COST to know what Franklin County needs & can begin
implementation quickly
 WILL REQUIRE UNTIL JANUARY, 2021 TO DO A FEASIBILITY
STUDY BEFORE DETERMINES WHAT TO BUILD and
TAXPAYERS WILL PAY FOR IT….AGAIN!!!
 PREVENTS TAXES FROM GOING UP DUE TO MAKING
SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS IN FRANKLIN COUNTY. Will
implement a Healthcare System that is economically
sustainable for the long-term.
 MORE OF THE SAME as what other providers, like Da See
and others have provided with no significant positive
improvements or change…THE TAXPAYERS STILL PAY FOR
EVERYTHING AND CARRY ALL OF THE RISKS. IT’S NOT A
QUESTION OF “IF” BUT “WHEN” TAXES WILL GO UP TO
FUND ESCALATING COSTS AND FEDERALLY MANDATED
REQUIREMENTS. Ultimately, it will become unsustainable
and THE HOSPITAL WILL HAVE TO BE SHUT DOWN.
 GUARANTEES THAT FRANKLIN COUNTY WILL HAVE
QUALITY COMPREHENSIVE HEALTHCARE SERVICES IN THE
FUTURE
 A RECOMMENDATION FOR ALLIANT PUTS CITIZENS AND
VISITORS IN HARM’S WAY. IT IS A RECOMMENDATION TO
ULTIMATELY CLOSE THE HOSPITAL SOMETIME IN THE
FUTURE.