Consultants sought to help with sale of county hospital

Bids being accepted for another week

‘‘It is a very technical field,” said Kenneth Glover, chairman of the authority charged with selling the medical centers in Cheverly, Bowie and Laurel. ‘‘Just like if you were selling your house, you would hire an appraiser to come in.”

The call for consultants marks another step in the state and county agreement to divest the governments of the troubled health care system. The hospital system, currently owned by the county, treats more than 180,000 patients a year but has operated at a loss because nearly 25 percent of the patients were uninsured. Recent studies have indicated it could take more than $200 million to settle debts and upgrade the centers.

Several past attempts by the state and county to bail out the system failed over squabbles about financial commitments.

Under the agreement county and state officials passed this spring, the authority has until January to find a buyer for the hospital system. Both governments agreed earlier this month to pay $75 million each to the new buyer over the first three years of the takeover, and the state has agreed to give an additional $24 million for construction upgrades.

Officials hope the financial assistance will make the hospital system more attractive to buyers.

Glover called the funding deal ‘‘an incredible accomplishment.”

‘‘It shows their commitment to meet this challenge head-on,” said Glover, adding that he is confident that companies will be interested in the system.

The authority is expected to work out the details with a potential buyer by January when the General Assembly would have to approve the sale. The new company could take over the system beginning in July 2010.

E-mail Daniel Valentine at dvalentine@gazette.net.