Jennie Stuart Board responds to lawsuit filing

The Jennie Stuart Health Board of Trustees has responded to a lawsuit filed by the Save Jennie Stuart group asking for an injunction on the possible merger between Jennie Stuart and Deaconess Hospital.

The group filed the suit in Christian Circuit Court on Friday, and Saturday, the Jennie Stuart Health Board of Trustees issued a statement taking the group to task for the filing. In it, officials reiterate their stance that Deaconess would improve the quality of local health care and strengthen the health system’s ability to continue serving patients as a long-term pillar of the Hopkinsville community.

They go on to call the lawsuit both wasteful and merit-less, saying it’s “incredibly disappointing” that the group has decided to pursue it.

You can view the statement in full below:

Jennie Stuart Health’s proposed transaction with Deaconess Health will improve the quality of local health care and strengthen our health system’s ability to continue serving our patients as a long-term pillar of the Hopkinsville community. The JSH Board conducted a comprehensive process, thoroughly evaluated a range of potential options for Jennie Stuart’s future with leading financial and legal advisors and has frequently engaged with community members throughout this process. We are focused every day on putting our patients, caregivers and our community first as we work to support a stronger and better Jennie Stuart. It’s incredibly disappointing that this group has decided to pursue a wasteful and meritless lawsuit, which potentially puts the benefits Jennie Stuart patients would receive at risk, instead of working with us to give our community the health system we all deserve.”

And you can read about the request for an injunction from Save Jennie Stuart here.