By Dan Hust
HARRIS — In a move apparently planned for years, the board of Catskill Regional Medical Center (CRMC) has effectively transferred most of its duties to the board of the Greater Hudson Valley Health System (GHVHS).
CRMC’s board vote this month mirrored one taken by Orange Regional Medical Center’s (ORMC’s) board to do the same thing.
The two hospitals and their various campuses comprise GHVHS, headquartered in Middletown.
CRMC spokesman J.P. McGuirk said the change is intended to strengthen GHVHS as a whole and eliminate duplication, especially with committees that all three boards shared.
The migration of board duties means that both CRMC and ORMC’s boards will only meet once a year, while GHVHS’ board will continue to meet monthly.
Up till now, the GHVHS board featured only four CRMC representatives, in­cluding CRMC Board Chairman Darrell Supak and CRMC CEO Fred Kuriger.
Now, confirmed McGuirk, the entire CRMC board will become members of the GHVHS board.
McGuirk said this represents the next step in the ongoing partnership be­tween the two hospitals, which now share corporate and fiscal teams.
“The whole idea is to reduce overhead and open up monies to increase services,” said McGuirk. “Hopefully, they will thrive together.”