RMC recently hired Aristo ER to manage and staff its emergency rooms at hospitals in Anniston and Jacksonville, Ala..
Alabama’s open records law allows healthcare authorities to withhold public records if disclosing the material would be detrimental to the best interest of the public, according to the article.
By disclosing the contract, hospital officials worry it will deter other healthcare service providers from pursing contracts with RMC due to confidentiality concerns.
However, the Alabama Supreme Court has not upheld such assertions in the past, an Alabama Press Association attorney told The Star.
RMC has denied public record requests in the past. In 2013, the health system refused to disclose how much it spent to purchase Jacksonville (Ala.) Hospital. The Securities and Exchange Commission later revealed RMC spent $6 million to acquire the facility.
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