Independent Monitor

The Independent Monitor is a highly qualified firm that helps monitor HCA’s compliance with the promises it made when it acquired the assets of Mission Health System. Among those promises are: 

• Keeping Angel Medical Center, Blue Ridge Regional Hospital, Highlands-Cashiers Hospital, McDowell Hospital and Transylvania Community Hospital operating for 10 years, and continuing all existing services for five years
• Completing the new tower on Mission’s Asheville campus (complete)
• Building a 120-bed inpatient behavioral health hospital in Asheville
• Constructing a new facility for Angel Medical Center
• Implementing an agreed-upon policy of uninsured and charity care at all hospitals
• Investing $232 million in general capital expenditure within five years
• Spending $750,000 per year for 10 years in Community Contributions
• Providing $25 million over 5 years in an innovation/investment fund to invest in businesses located in western North Carolina that provide innovations in the delivery of health care
• Continuing the graduate medical education program
• Continuing long-term acute care services at the St. Joseph campus of Mission Hospital for two years 
• Continuing Mission’s community activities, services and programs for at least 12 months (complete)

Affiliated Monitors, Inc. serves as the Independent Monitor.

Several organizations work with the Independent Monitor to ensure HCA honors its obligations:

• Dogwood Health Trust
• An Asheville Advisory Board that focuses on Mission’s Asheville campus and CarePartners
• Five local advisory boards that focus on Angel Medical Center, Blue Ridge Regional Hospital, Highlands-Cashiers Hospital, Mission McDowell Hospital, and Transylvania Regional Hospital. 
• The North Carolina Attorney General

The Independent Monitor visits all hospitals to become familiar with their operations and reviews regular reports from HCA. HCA also shares these reports will all of the organizations listed above. In addition, the Independent Monitor offers an avenue for WNC residents to share any concerns or feedback related to compliance issues.

Mission Health’s Office of Patient Experience

For reporting concerns directly to Mission Health
Phone: 828-213-1210  

NC Division of Health Service Regulation

By Phone: 1-800-624-3004 (within NC) or 919-855-4500 (Hotline Hours: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. weekdays, except holidays)

By Fax:  919-715-7724

By Mail: Complaint Intake Unit, 2711 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-2711

The Joint Commission

The Joint Commission reviews concerns about patient safety.
Phone: 800-994-6610    Email: [email protected]

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

For complaints about HIPPA (patient privacy)

Phone: 1-800-MEDICARE

If the Independent Monitor, the applicable advisory board and HCA cannot come to an agreement about a change in HCA’s obligations, then Dogwood Health Trust will attempt to resolve any dispute.  If the dispute cannot be resolved, Dogwood Health Trust may choose to pursue the matter through the courts. 

Dogwood Health Trust currently pays for the Independent Monitor’s services.