Otterblog

I want to get on my soapbox for a few minutes and talk about SB1006, which is making its way through the General Assembly. It’s another example of the slow and steady erosion of North Carolina’s public-records laws. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Tony Rand, of Fayetteville, carves out an exemption in the public-records law for public hospitals when they buy private medical practices.

These purchases have been going on for some time, and are part of the general consolidation in the medical/health care industry, with hospitals having primary care practices. Forsyth/Novant has these arrangements. So does WFUBMC, the other 800 lb gorilla at the opposite end of Hawthorne Road. These are both private, not-for-profit entities, and, the argument goes, that public hospitals need the same sort of privacy if they are going to be able to compete.

It’s a common-sense solution, supporters say. To me, the key word in this debate is public. A hospital that is owned by taxpayers is a different entity. The money, the assets, the reputation, it’s all owned by us. If a private hospital wants to overpay for a clinical practice, that’s OK. But taxpayers ought to know how public officials are spending their money. in addition, this is a slippery slope, as the line between public and private blurs all the time. What public hospitals want one day, city government is going to want the next.

Incidentally, this legislation is a result of a court case won by a newspaper against Wilkes Regional Medical Center. Click here to read the ruling.

Separately, our story today on Cheerwine brought back some fond memories of the Caravan hot ginger ale that Cheerwine’s parent company, Carolina Beverage, used to make. It made you cough, gag and sometimes sneeze, but it was good stuff. The death of regional sodas is one of the great mistakes in this country. Ale-8-One in Kentucky is another good one. Their factory/store is easy to get to off Interstate 64 in Winchester, if you are ever out that way.