Thank you for some excellent reporting in last week’s Gazette. At the meeting held by the citizens’ group last week, several specific issues were raised:

• The role that Massachusetts General Hospital, the “sole member” of Martha’s Vineyard Hospital Corporation, according to the bylaws, plays in the hospital’s governance in general and the termination of Joe Woodin in particular.

• The continued absence of any statement of vision by the hospital board or Massachusetts General Hospital, and how or why their vision differed from Mr. Woodin’s. What is the MVH board’s vision for MVH?

• The unanimous agreement among those attending the meeting that transparency, accountability and responsiveness to community needs are core elements of a community vision’ and appeared to be embodied in Mr. Woodin’s approach to managing the hospital.

• The fact that our group of concerned residents did not represent all Island interests, and the responsibility of the hospital board to establish a way, such as a series of community meetings, to better understand what Island residents expect from their community hospital in return for support of the hospital.

• The role that MVH and Nantucket Cottage Hospital’s critical access status plays in federal reimbursement rates for the Mass General Hospital system.

We agreed that a smaller number of those in attendance, report the discussion and themes back to a meeting of the MVH board, that included the Mass General sole member of the corporation. It was further agreed that consideration of an advisory committee and other accommodations were premature, pending understanding of potential redundancy with the board and roles of the Mass General Hospital’s sole member. This meeting is currently being set up.

Alan Brigish
West Tisbury