US trustee asks Hutcheson Medical Center bankruptcy be dismissed; says hospital too far in debt

The U.S. Trustee for Georgia's Region 21 is asking that the bankruptcy filed by Hutcheson Medical Center be dismissed, saying the condition of the Fort Oglethorpe medical facility is too far gone to be salvaged. Trustee Guy G. Gebhardt said HMC has picked up over $5 million in new debts since filing for bankruptcy. He said patient care is at risk at the facility. Trustee Gebhardt asked for an expedited hearing and that the case be dismissed. Farrell Hayes, president and CEO of Hutcheson Medical Center, said, "Hutcheson's medical staff and the patients themselves will be the first to tell you that our patient care fully meets the needs of this region and places the safety and comfort of our patients front and center."