Hospital trek on the way to governance

The large Greenville Hospital System that now counts Oconee Memorial as one of its health care providers is looking to grow beyond state borders by making governance changes.  GHS sees it as a way that, by getting bigger, its chances to survive in a rocky health care picture are enhanced with the capability to get bigger.  But some members of Greenville County’s state legislative delegation are hesitant about the potential losing authority and public assets to private entities.  Are those concerns shared by Oconee’s state lawmakers?  State Representative Bill Sandifer counts himself as among those concerned.  Back in the day Sandifer chaired the OMH board when it was covered by an association of members of the public.  “Its fine if we want to be a part of a larger group, in other words GHS, but if we start to look at something larger than that, we start losing our identity,” Sandifer told 101.7/WGOG NEWS.”