Lee Health’s Business Structure Evaluation

Lee Health Board of Directors Votes to Move Forward

Lee Health has been assessing the benefits and considerations of converting to a community-focused nonprofit health system to determine if a new governance structure is in the best interest of the residents of Lee County. The case for the transition from a public governmental system has been clearly articulated by and holds unanimous support from the senior leadership of Lee Health. I am pleased to share that on June 13, the Lee Health Board of Directors voted overwhelmingly in support of moving forward with the process to return to a community focused nonprofit health system.

The vote by the Lee Health Board of Directors follows months of thoughtful and deliberate work, first, reviewing the findings of the independent evaluation report, which recommended Lee Health should continue the conversion process and, second, conducting a deep analysis to determine how conversion would affect our ability to deliver on our safety net mission.

Throughout the process, Lee Health has been clear that securing Lee Health’s safety-net mission is of the utmost importance. Today’s vote affirms our commitment to caring for Lee County’s most vulnerable residents now and in the future. By transitioning to a community focused nonprofit, we can better secure the resources needed to uphold our safety-net mission and ensure continued delivery of exceptional healthcare for the residents of Lee County.

Larry Antonucci

Conversion to a community-focused nonprofit will help safeguard a financially strong and resilient Lee Health that supports our vibrant community. As the largest employer in the county, employing nearly 16,000 staff members and providing care through more than 2.6 million patient encounters per year, the opportunities conversion allows will help to strengthen our standing in the community and support our ability to provide the safe, high-quality care Lee County residents have come to expect from its health system for generations to come.

Additionally, this transition will enable us to compete fairly in a dynamic and challenging healthcare economy, allowing us to enhance and diversify programs, services and community access points to meet patients where they need care. Operating as a community-focused nonprofit system will also enhance our flexibility and help ensure that the productive partnership we enjoy with Lee County and its residents continues and flourishes. We look forward to continuing to work together in innovative ways with our community partners to serve the residents of Lee County.

It’s important to know that local control will remain a cornerstone of our governance, with leadership and representation drawn from across the community. To ensure we uphold our commitments, we have proposed the creation of an oversight board dedicated to confirming that Lee Health lives up to the promises made to the residents of Lee County in the legally binding Mission Agreement.

Significant stakeholder outreach and engagement continues to be a top priority and so far, has included 19 public information sessions and public hearings, more than 25 education and feedback meetings with Lee Health physicians and staff. More than a dozen meetings with stakeholders have ranged from the Greater Community Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance to local chambers of commerce, to community homeowner associations, industry action committees, elected officials and many more.

I am deeply grateful for the hard work and dedication that brought us to this phase, and the engagement of our leadership team, team members and community. We look forward to finalizing the Mission Agreement with the Lee County Board of County Commissioners over the next several months to ensure Lee Health continues to be the safety-net provider for Lee County, caring for patients regardless of their ability to pay, and to conducting formal votes by the Lee County Board of Commissioners and the Lee Health Board of Directors to complete the process.

For more details, regular updates and answers to frequently asked questions, please visit www.LeeHealth.org/Looking Ahead. ¦

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