Eliza Coffee Memorial Chief Executive Officer Joe Roach has apologized for comments regarding another hospital in the Shoals that he made earlier this week as part of his speech at Florence's Rotary Club meeting.

“At a recent civic club gathering, I was asked a very direct question concerning future partnerships with Keller Hospital,” Roach said in a prepared statement. “In response to the question, I made a short, inappropriate, off-the-cuff response to the question, and I apologize for my poor choice of words.”

ECM is owned by RegionalCare Hospital Partners, a private hospital group based in Brentwood, Tenn. RegionalCare acquired Coffee, ECM East and Shoals Hospital as part of the $140 million sale of the public hospital's assets in July.

The company has held discussions with Keller Hospital officials concerning possible ways to work together and possibly forming a partnership.

According to Rotary members who were at Monday's meeting, the question was asked regarding why Helen Keller Hospital in Sheffield has not responded to RegionalCare's offer to buy Keller for approximately $60 million.

In response, Roach reportedly described Keller's board as short-sighted, fearful and stupid.

Roach said he has since sent a formal letter of apology to Keller.

Bill Anderson, Keller's CEO, said he had been contacted via telephone and e-mail about Roach's remarks. Anderson declined to respond to the comments, however.

Efforts to contact Keller board Chairman Larry Collum were unsuccessful Thursday.

In August, RegionalCare made the formal offer to buy Keller, the second time the offer has been made. In July, RegionalCare President and CEO Marty Rash made a presentation to Keller's board, the gist of which was to seek ways the two health care organizations might find ways to work together.

Anderson said he and his board have not discussed the offer, but he didn't rule out the possibility of working together in the future.

“If there truly are areas we can work on, such as the wage index, which is certainly a broad enough topic, I would be open to it,” Anderson said. “We just have to see if there are any common areas we could find.”

Rotary member Bud Ward asked Roach about the stumbling blocks and what the rationale could be behind Keller's choice not to participate. He said Roach didn't purposely try to create animosity between Coffee and Keller.

“(Roach) seems to be a caring man and his response, at least to me, seemed to be him voicing a level of frustration that the area can't work as one for the benefit of all,” Ward said. “He wants this to work for the benefit of the entire community. He doesn't want area residents to continue leaving the area for medical care.”

Among RegionalCare's goals as a health care provider in the Shoals is to construct a $250 million, 300-bed hospital in Lauderdale County to replace the aging ECM facilities. Additionally, the organization has committed to recruiting 70 doctors to the area during the next 10 years and investing $44 million in ECM and Shoals during the next four years.

Michelle Rupe Eubanks can be reached at 256-740-5745 or michelle.eubanks@TimesDaily.com.