The city of Osceola wants to take control of South Mississippi County Regional Center in Osceola from Mississippi County, said Mississippi County Judge Steve McGuire.
McGuire said the Quorum Court is taking Osceola's request under advisement along with other proposals on the fate of the county's two hospitals.
"Of course, it's precipitating a fight up here in the county," said Charles Moore, who was the chairman of the county's hospital board's strategic hospital committee.
If the city of Osceola gets the hospital, the county's hospital system most likely will be disbanded, he said.
The city of Osceola states it can run the hospital profitably, Moore said.
The 25-bed hospital lost $1.3 million on patient revenue of $29.1 million in 2008. In 2007, it lost $1.4 million on patient revenue of $28.3 million.
The county also is considering the recommendation of its hospital board to build two new smaller hospitals to replace SMC Regional Center and Great River Medical Center in Blytheville.
Great River has about 150 beds and not all that space is needed, Moore said.
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