Salvaging troubled hospital returns as a top priority for Prince George’s

Johnson pledges up to $14M for Dimensions as parties craft bailout package ahead of special session

Del. Barbara A. Frush (D-Dist. 21) of Beltsville, chairwoman of the county’s House delegation, said even if the special session does not offer enough time to hammer out a hospital plan, one will be reintroduced once the regular session begins in January.

‘‘The state’s plan [for the hospital] is to pretty much get back to where we were,” said Frush, who was elected to the Dimensions board last month.

Del. Doyle L. Niemann (D-Dist. 47) of Mount Rainier, who introduced the bill that became the framework for hospital negotiations early this year, has already floated another version of the bill. The draft bill would have an independent board transfer the hospital’s assets to another health care manager and commit millions from the county and state over the next seven to 10 years. Frush said county and state officials are still working out the details of the next state-sponsored hospital plan.

Meanwhile, Johnson (D) is expected to send up to $14 million to Dimensions by early November. He pledged to release the money last week after touring Prince George’s Hospital Center in Cheverly. The money is part of a commitment made by the county in April, which Johnson began withholding after the board rejected his demands that four board members step down. Dimensions filed suit in July to free up the money, but William Williams dropped the suit last month after being elected as the new board chairman. That decision began to thaw tensions between Johnson and Dimensions.

‘‘Now it’s just a matter of working with the County Council and [Dimensions],” said Johnson spokesman John Erzen.

Erzen said the parties would determine whether to give the $14 million in a lump sum or in installments.

‘‘Before, we had a lot of different groups saying ‘We’ve got the solution,’” Erzen said. ‘‘[Now] all the people will be at the table to come up with a solution we can all get behind.”

The fact that the money has been promised at all marks a turning point to the county’s hospital crisis.

Financial problems at the three Dimensions hospitals — Prince George’s Hospital Center, Laurel Regional Hospital and Bowie Health Campus — have put the system on the verge of shutting down for years.

‘‘Either the county comes up with a plan or the state comes up with a plan, but we do need some kind of permanent solution for the hospital, because every year it’s just harder and harder for us to survive,” Dimensions spokeswoman Suzanne Almalel said.

‘‘The Prince George’s County Council is pleased for an opportunity to work with other elected officials toward a long-term, comprehensive plan for the hospital system, deemed a necessary and achievable goal,” a statement from the County Council said. ‘‘What’s important is that everyone is back at the table, in a commitment to work together toward a long-term plan.” Observers said there are signs of hope for the first time in months, although they remain cautious.

‘‘We’re clearly appreciative of the county executive working with the current leadership [at Dimensions],” said Samuel Epps, political director for the SEIU 1199 union, which represents 900 nurses and hundreds of other employees at the medical centers.

Still, Epps said, the county has promised funding for the hospital before, only to withdraw it at the last moment.

‘‘We’re very hopeful,” he said. ‘‘We’re waiting to see that action happen.”