Big Changes Coming To Prague Community Hospital

PRAGUE – Some big changes could come this week for the struggling Prague Community Hospital.

The city's attorney says the community is awaiting a judge's decision to officially begin this new chapter.

The hospital has been struggling for months.

Under Florida based ownership company Empower, hospital employees have reported missed paychecks, low supplies, and fear of closure.

“It got really critical the last 120 days,” Prague Mayor Cliff Bryant said Friday,

Bryant has been fighting to keep the hospital afloat for some time now.

In January, the city took Empower to court to sue for ownership of the hospital.

According to the city’s attorney, Joe Vorndran, Prague has gained almost complete control of the facility, but is still waiting for Empower to hand over the federal provider number.

“If the federal judge were to grant a receivership which would move control of that provider number,’ Vorndran said.

Vorndran says the judge could do that any time, but a hearing is scheduled for Tuesday.

The federal number would give the city full control of their hospital, and Shawnee-based Cohesive Healthcare will manage day to day operations.

Cohesive Owner Godwin Feh says he can't wait to return this Prague facility to its former glory.

“Our plan is when we come into play we need to assess the salaries and make sure that employees get paid. You know, at least some to get them motivated,” Feh said,

Meanwhile, Bryant is hopeful that the judge will rule in the city's favor this week, so he can start a new chapter for his community's healthcare.

“We're ready and we're just waiting for a couple more dominoes to fall and it will happen very quickly,” Bryant said.

A few hospital employees also filed a lawsuit against Empower for their missing paychecks.

That case has a hearing Tuesday as well, in Lincoln County Court.