Know the Facts about Mission Health
Mission Health physicians and colleagues are some of the best in the nation, and the system continues to be recognized as a leading healthcare provider by independent ratings organizations that evaluate hospital quality and patient safety. In addition, since 2019 HCA Healthcare has invested more than more than $630 million to upgrade and expand medical services, while adding new members to its medical staff, including key specialists like oncology. Yet, vocal critics have minimized or ignored our positive impact and achievements.
The information below has been compiled to help you learn the truth about Mission Health and HCA Healthcare, our caregivers and the impact we are having as we serve the people of Western North Carolina.
- Mission Health Myths vs. Facts
- Responses to the Office of the Attorney General
- Mission Health’s Positive Impact
- Our Track Record of High-Quality Care
- Mission Health as an Anchor in the Community
Myths vs. Facts
Myths
Facts
Myth: HCA Healthcare is not meeting its obligations in the Mission Health Asset Purchase Agreement.
Fact: HCA Healthcare is meeting, and in many cases exceeding, all obligations in the purchase agreement. This has been validated each year by the Independent Monitor and Dogwood Health Trust. Information has also been provided to the Office of the Attorney General.
"After consultation with the Independent Monitor and the North Carolina Attorney General, Dogwood sent HCA notification that it found no potential issues of noncompliance for this reporting period.”
– Dogwood Health Trust Statement on HCA Compliance for Year 3 Reporting Period (May 2022)
- Released October 2022: Dogwood Health Trust Statement on HCA Compliance for Year 3 Reporting Period
- Released May 2022: Dogwood Health Trust Statement on HCA Compliance for Year 2 Reporting Period
- Issued May 2023: Independent Monitor Amended and Revised HCA Annual Report and Cap Ex Report for Year 4 (2022)
- Issued April 2022: Independent Monitor HCA Annual Report and Cap Ex Report for Year 3 (2021)
- Issued April 2021: Independent Monitor HCA Annual Report and Cap Ex Report for Year 2 (2020)
- Issued July 2020: Independent Monitor Amended and Restated Cap Ex Report for Year 1 (2019)
Myth: Mission Health is not offering oncology services and no longer has oncology providers.
Fact: The oncology services at Mission Health are robust and there are actually more providers on medical staff treating cancer patients now than were in 2019. We’ve invested in new technology at our cancer centers and our cancer team continues to support patients from diagnosis through treatment to survivorship.
(Additional information about Mission Health’s oncology services can be found below in Responses to the Office of the Attorney General section)
Myth: Mission Health is not addressing growing ER wait times.
Fact: Mission Hospital continues to pursue options that would expand our capacity to care for the growing number of ER patients and those needing our advanced care. We applied for 67 additional acute care beds that would ease the burden on the ER, therefore helping wait times. Attorney General Stein undertook a concerted campaign to prevent Mission from obtaining these much needed inpatient beds. Further, Mission Hospital was approved for two additional ERs to ease congestion in the main ER, both of which are currently stalled in the State’s appeal process.
"I don’t care which of the other two hospitals that applied get it, I just want more competition for healthcare in Western North Carolina.”– North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein told WLOS in July 2022
Myth: Quality of care and services at Mission have declined.
Fact: The quality of care at Mission Hospital is among the best in the nation. We are proud to be recognized by Healthgrades as one of America’s 50 Best Hospitals and we just received our 5th consecutive Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade “A”. Excellent physicians continue to choose to be a part of Mission’s medical staff and we are grateful to have 600 more colleagues than a year ago caring for patients. With the support of HCA Healthcare, we are also bringing new services to this region. Mission now has the new Sweeten Creek Mental Health and Wellness Center, a dedicated Pediatric ER and a Burn & Wound Center.
Myth: The CMS Immediate Jeopardy means Mission can no longer care for patients on Medicare or Medicaid.
Fact: We continue to provide care to all patients including those with Medicare and Medicaid. Mission Hospital has submitted a plan of correction to address the issues raised by CMS in accordance with their deadline.
Myths vs. Facts
Myth
HCA Healthcare is not meeting its obligations in the Mission Health Asset Purchase Agreement.
Fact
HCA Healthcare is meeting, and in many cases exceeding, all obligations in the purchase agreement. This has been validated each year by the Independent Monitor and Dogwood Health Trust. Information has also been provided to the Office of the Attorney General.
"After consultation with the Independent Monitor and the North Carolina Attorney General, Dogwood sent HCA notification that it found no potential issues of noncompliance for this reporting period.”
– Dogwood Health Trust Statement on HCA Compliance for Year 3 Reporting Period (May 2022)
- Released October 2022: Dogwood Health Trust Statement on HCA Compliance for Year 3 Reporting Period
- Released May 2022: Dogwood Health Trust Statement on HCA Compliance for Year 2 Reporting Period
- Issued May 2023: Independent Monitor Amended and Revised HCA Annual Report and Cap Ex Report for Year 4 (2022)
- Issued April 2022: Independent Monitor HCA Annual Report and Cap Ex Report for Year 3 (2021)
- Issued April 2021: Independent Monitor HCA Annual Report and Cap Ex Report for Year 2 (2020)
- Issued July 2020: Independent Monitor Amended and Restated Cap Ex Report for Year 1 (2019)
Myth
Mission Health is not offering oncology services and no longer has oncology providers.
Fact
The oncology services at Mission Health are robust and there are actually more providers on medical staff treating cancer patients now then were in 2019. We’ve invested in new technology at our cancer centers and our cancer team continues to support patients from diagnosis through treatment to survivorship.
(Additional information about Mission Health’s oncology services can be found below in Responses to the Office of the Attorney General section)
Myth
Mission Health is not addressing growing ER wait times.
Fact
Mission Hospital continues to pursue options that would expand our capacity to care for the growing number of ER patients and those needing our advanced care. We applied for 67 additional acute care beds that would ease the burden on the ER, therefore helping wait times. Attorney General Stein undertook a concerted campaign to prevent Mission from obtaining these much needed inpatient beds. Further, Mission Hospital was approved for two additional ERs to ease congestion in the main ER, both of which are currently stalled in the State’s appeal process.
"I don’t care which of the other two hospitals that applied get it, I just want more competition for healthcare in Western North Carolina.”– North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein told WLOS in July 2022
Myth
Quality of care and services at Mission have declined.
Fact
The quality of care at Mission Hospital is among the best in the nation. We are proud to be recognized by Healthgrades as one of America’s 50 Best Hospitals and we just received our 5th consecutive Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade “A”. Excellent physicians continue to choose to be a part of Mission’s medical staff and we are grateful to have 600 more colleagues than a year ago caring for patients. With the support of HCA Healthcare, we are also bringing new services to this region. Mission now has the new Sweeten Creek Mental Health and Wellness Center, a dedicated Pediatric ER and a Burn & Wound Center.
Responses to the Office of the Attorney General
While we responded to all of the Office of Attorney General’s questions directly with details and background information per protocol, we now believe that the public should have access to key information in our responses.
To help set the record straight, we have included letters previously shared with the Office of the Attorney General in 2023 in their entirety.
- November 7, 2023 letter in response to NCAG October 27, 2023 Civil Investigative Demand letter.
- October 27, 2023 letter in response to NCAG September 29 letter and providing information about Mission Health’s oncology services, HCA Healthcare’s investment in and plans to improve and expand those services, and responses to questions about Messino Cancer Center.
- October 4, 2023 letter in response to NCAG June 20 letter and providing requested data about oncology referrals, appointment cancellations, etc.
- August 21, 2023 letter in response to NCAG June 20 letter and providing requested data showing the number of new Mission Medical Oncology Practice patients.
- July 19, 2023 letter in response to NCAG June 20 letter and providing requested data showing the number of credentialed oncology providers on staff at Mission. Mission’s Medical Staff includes providers who are employed by Mission or its affiliates, and others who practice independently or through practices that are not affiliated with Mission. It is common for hospital medical staffs to be comprised of a combination of directly or indirectly employed practitioners and independent practitioners.
- May 22, 2023 letter in response to NCAG May 11 letter and providing information about Mission Hospital’s $12.4 million investment in capital improvements at its Cancer Center, details about its cancer care services, and efforts to recruit and retain oncologists for the Mission Medical Oncology practice.
- March 6, 2023 letter in response to NCAG February 20 letter regarding retail pharmacy service at the Mission Health Cancer Center.
Mission Health’s Positive Impact
Mission Health hospitals and care facilities are essential components of the communities we serve, and we recognize that we have a sacred responsibility to be there for people whenever they need us. We take this responsibility seriously, and we show up every day for our patients, our communities and each other.
Mission Health has expanded services and grown to meet the healthcare needs of Western North Carolina by:
- Investing more than $630 million in capital in Mission Health hospitals since 2019
- Built the 120-bed Sweeten Creek Mental Health & Wellness Center this year bringing an additional 38 behavioral health beds to the region
- Increasing inpatient capacity at Mission Hospital McDowell by one-third with its $20 million new tower
- Opened region’s only Pediatric ER, offering board-certified pediatric emergency physicians and certified nurses and dedicated family waiting area
- Renovating the Women’s Tower including the remodel of L&D and Postpartum rooms, new OB triage with private rooms and a dedicated entrance for expecting mothers
- Launching the Mission Hospital Burn and Wound Center providing outpatient care for the WNC region and beyond so families don’t have to drive extensive distances for ongoing treatments
- Making a $20 million annual investment in Mission Health colleagues by giving additional pay increases for key roles which support patient care
- Expanding access to quality nursing education to help address the nation’s nursing workforce needs through funding clinical faculty at local nursing schools and opening a new Galen College of Nursing campus in Asheville
Community Impact Report
Learn more below about the various ways we’re committed to care and are continuously working to improve the patient care experience in Mission Health’s annual Community Impact Report.
Our Track Record of High-Quality Care
By leveraging HCA Healthcare’s national network of care and best practices, Mission Health’s patient safety and quality efforts have been recognized by independent quality and patient safety ratings organizations.
Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade A
Mission Hospital received the nation’s top patient safety award, an “A” Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade for the 5th time since 2019. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is an elite designation from The Leapfrog Group, a national, independent watchdog that sets the highest standards for patient safety in the United States. Mission Hospital was also recognized as one of Leapfrog’s Top Teaching Hospitals for 2022.
Healthgrades 50 Best Hospitals
Mission Hospital was again named a Healthgrades’ 50 Best Hospital, among the top 1% in the nation for providing the highest clinical quality. Healthgrades evaluates hospital performance using objective quality measures including clinical outcomes and patient safety, as well as patient experience.
3 Stars Society of Thoracic Surgery
Mission Hospital’s Cardiovascular Surgery Program received a 3-star recognition rating - the highest rating from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Only 5-6% of the programs across the country receive 3-stars.
More than 80 providers currently serving patients within the Mission Health clinical community provided the Independent Monitor with a letter highlighting Mission Health’s track record of outstanding quality and patient safety and underscoring their commitment to providing excellent care to patients.
“ At the end of the day, we come back to our mission statement, ‘Above all else, we are committed to the care and improvement of human life.’ We, as physicians and practitioners, are here for our patients and the western North Carolina community. We want the best care to be available and know that the way to make that happen is through positive relationships with other physicians and with HCA Healthcare.”– Letter from Mission Health providers to Independent Monitor (October 31, 2023)
Read full letter from Mission Health providers to the Independent Monitor
An Anchor in the Western North Carolina Community
Mission Health takes its role as an anchor institution very seriously — as a large employer, as a provider of critical services, and as a partner in contributing to the greater good of a healthy and thriving community. In 2022, Mission Health provided:
$60 million+
in state taxes incurred (includes income, property, provider, sales and unemployment taxes)
$300 million+
in financial assistance
$880 million+
in payroll and benefits
$750K+
in cash and in-kind donations to charitable organizations
Data in this section includes 2022 data only. Read more in Mission Health’s Annual Impact Report.
