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Authorizing the Committee on Commerce and Economic Development to hold hearings to investigate the proposed closure of the Medical College of Pennsylvania (MCP) by Tenet Healthcare Corporation (Tenet) and the devastating impact that such a closure would have on the patients and employees of MCP, the East Falls community, and the City of Philadelphia; and further authorizing the Committee in furtherance of such investigation to issue subpoenas as may be necessary to compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of documents to the full extent authorized under Section 2-401 of the Home Rule Charter.
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WHEREAS, The Medical College of Pennsylvania (MCP) is a 153-year old hospital located within the East Falls community and is the eighth-largest general hospital in the City with 365-staffed beds and provides general and psychiatric services and is used by Drexel University to teach medical students; and
WHEREAS, MCP has approximately 1,000 employees and slightly more than 500 active physicians; and
WHEREAS, In 1998, MCP was acquired by Tenet Healthcare Corporation (Tenet), a for-profit company, in an effort to rescue the failed and bankrupt Allegheny Health System; and
WHEREAS, The City and State provided Tenet with various tax breaks and financial incentives to help with the purchase of MCP and other bankrupt hospitals within the Allegheny Health System; and
WHEREAS, As part of the purchase of these health care institutions, Tenet signed agreements regarding the provision of health care and community investments; and
WHEREAS, One of the fundamental principles contained within the Hippocratic Oath is "As to diseases, make a habit of two things -- to help, or at least do no harm"; and
WHEREAS, Tenet has violated this fundamental commitment and has hypocritically turned its back on providing essential health care services to the citizens of this City; and
WHEREAS, The Committee on Commerce and Economic Development must investigate the decision by Tenet to close MCP, analyze the managerial operations of Tenet, and evaluate the financial soundness of MCP along with the economic and employment impact of this devastating decision on the City of Philadelphia; now therefore
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That the Committee on Commerce and Economic Development is authorized to hold hearings to investigate the proposed closure of the Medical College of Pennsylvania (MCP) by Tenet Healthcare Corporation and the devastating impact that such a closure would have on the patients and employees of MCP, the East Falls community, and the City of Philadelphia.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Committee on Commerce and Economic Development is authorized to issue subpoenas as may be necessary to compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of documents to the full extent authorized under Section 2-401 of the Home Rule Charter.
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