With the fate of Troy Regional Medical Center hanging in the balance, residents in Pike County can only watch and hope that the doctor owners, investors and Troy city leaders can reach an agreement that keeps the facility vital and growing.

With news this week that the Troy Regional Medical Center Board of Trustees seated new officers, the hospital’s fate continues to permeate conversations and remain at the top of residents’ minds.

A group of doctors and investor Gil McKenzie are still seeking financing to purchase the hospital. And with new contingencies outlined by proposed financing groups – including a guarantee from the city that it would pay $15 million for the facility in five years, if the doctors’ group isn’t successful – the stakes are increasing.

City officials haven’t said if they’ll back this new proposal, but the mayor has said repeatedly that the city is committed to keeping a hospital. But we don’t know at what cost that commitment will come.

As we’ve said before, the doctors and investors need to come to a consensus about the future of the hospital – whether that be ceding control to an objective entity – if only for the short-term – or securing the necessary funding.

And as a community, we need to support the hospital, through its transition and into the future. Assuming the doctors and city leaders are willing to commit to the hospital’s future, we as taxpayers and users of the service need to do the same by supporting the hospital and its staff.