Tallahassee (Fla.) Memorial HealthCare is pushing back against discussions of a potential sale with digital billboards declaring the hospital is “Not For Sale,” Tallahassee Democrat reported April 3.
The move follows the city of Tallahassee — which owns the health system’s land and assets — adding an agenda item about whether maintaining ownership aligns with the city’s long-term interests. Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare officials said they were caught off guard, as discussions involving Florida State University leaders and city officials occurred without their knowledge.
“When we saw this on the agenda and were not aware of any considerations around a potential or possible sale of the hospital, that, as we’ve stated previously, caught us off guard,” Stephanie Derzypolski, vice president and chief communications officer at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare, told the publication.
The billboards ran in multiple high-traffic locations from March 27 through the weekend. The hospital also posted — and later removed — a video of CEO Mark O’Bryant warning of the risks of an outside buyer.
