WDAM - Channel 7 - Serving Hattiesburg, Laurel and the Pine BeltLongtime hospital foes say they want to be heard
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Associated Press - December 8, 2009 9:44 AM ET
OLIVE BRANCH, Miss. (AP) - Two longtime opponents of Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare's efforts to get a hospital in Olive Branch have asked for a hearing on the proposal.
Baptist Memorial Healthcare Corp. of Memphis, Tenn., and Alliance Healthcare System of Holly Springs filed the request Monday with the state Department of Health this past week.
Mississippi health officials must approve the project, called a Certificate of Need or CON. No hearing date has been set.
Ayoka Pond, spokesman for Baptist, tells The Commercial Appeal the request was merely an attempt "to have a seat at the table."
Baptist's hospital in Southaven is licensed to operate more than 300 beds. Methodist hopes to construct a 100-bed hospital.
Alliance Healthcare System also only requested a public hearing, but has previously outlined its objections.
Information from: The Commercial Appeal, http://www.commercialappeal.com
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