Kadlec in Richland files appeal in fight for more hospital beds

Kadlec Regional Medical Center is continuing its fight for additional licensed beds.

The Richland hospital has asked the state Court of Appeals to review a Benton County Superior Court judge’s December ruling.

The ruling upheld a state bed award from 2010. Kadlec had requested 114 more licensed beds, but the state granted a little fewer than half.

“Kadlec is appealing because our community needs additional beds. We continue to regularly turn away patients because of a shortage of available beds, requiring patients to leave the Tri-Cities for care,” the hospital said in a statement.

Kadlec also can file a new Certificate of Need application with the state seeking additional beds.

Officials haven’t decided about going that route, Kadlec’s statement said.

A Certificate of Need is required for a hospital to add more licensed beds.

Kadlec filed its original application for the 114 beds back in 2009. The state granted 55 beds the next year.

A lengthy battle ensued, with Kadlec arguing that different calculations should have been used in determining the need for more beds.

The area’s population growth outpaces statewide numbers, and its aging population in particular is increasing, Kadlec argued. The hospital’s occupancy rate also is above the state target for facilities its size, Kadlec argued.

Benton County Superior Court Judge Cameron Mitchell ultimately affirmed the state’s determination.

His role was to decide whether the state’s decision was arbitrary and capricious, and that wasn’t proved, he said.

Kadlec filed its appeal earlier this month.

Trios Health in Kennewick also was party to the matter and is appealing.

It doesn’t agree that Kadlec should get more beds.

Trios officials have argued that granting the full 114-bed request would gobble up the region’s supply of hospital beds for years and stymie Trios’ growth.

But the Kennewick hospital system asked for 25 additional beds around the time of Kadlec’s 114-bed request — it was turned down — and feels its request should be reconsidered if Kadlec’s is.

Trios officials said filing new Certificate of Need applications “seems like the most reasonable route” at this point.

“It has been more than five years since the initial ruling on this matter, and multiple reviews have ended with the same decision,” Trios officials said in a statement.

“The data used to justify the original request is based on stale facts from 2009-10 when the Certificate of Need applications were originally submitted and reviewed. Kennewick simply seeks a fair, equitable process to assess the current needs and conditions of the community.”

This story was originally published February 20, 2016 at 3:59 PM with the headline "Kadlec in Richland files appeal in fight for more hospital beds."