Health

Schneider CEO: Hospital Struggling Financially, Owes Close To $18 Million To Creditors

Dr. Bernard A. Wheatley, CEO of St. Thomas' Roy Lester Schneider Regional Medical Center (SRMC), Tuesday, in testimony before the Committee on Health, Hospitals & Human Services, chaired by Sen. Kurt Vialet, detailed the financial woes of the medical center and revealed that the hospital has an outstanding accounts payable debt of close to $18 million. Dr. Wheatley told senators that the current level of funding makes it difficult for the facility to render the full scope of services expected by the community. He said appropriations are insufficient to meet the mandate of operating the only acute care hospital in the St. Thomas-St. John District, the cancer institute, and a 24-hour urgent care clinic on St. John. SRMC is facing serious financial difficulty, Dr. Wheatley admitted, especially with the facility's outstanding debt of $17,738, 667 to its creditors. The CEO said there are four major challenges threatening the financial health of SRMC, including: competition from fr...