BREVARD, N.C. (WLOS) — The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners is one of multiple government agencies calling for more accountability from HCA Healthcare, the company that owns Mission Hospital.
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“It’s sincere when I say this is life and death for residents here in our region,” said Drew Ball, a Buncombe County Commissioner.
Buncombe County Commissioners passed a resolution on Tuesday, May 5, calling on HCA Healthcare CEO Sam Hazen to visit western North Carolina and meet with elected officials, healthcare advocates, and other community leaders.
“It’s pretty clear that Mission Health has lost a lot of trust in the community, and to rebuild that trust, they need to come and speak with us, build on our partnership and answer questions and be accountable to the people we all serve,” Ball said.
MAY 7, 2026 – Buncombe County Commissioners passed on Tuesday, May 5, calling on HCA Healthcare CEO Sam Hazen to visit western North Carolina and meet with elected officials, healthcare advocates, and other community leaders. (Photo: WLOS Staff)
He said HCA Healthcare needs to be accountable for the four findings of “Immediate Jeopardy” since it purchased Mission Hospital seven years ago, as well as for concerns employees have raised about patient care and staffing.
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Nancy Lindell, a spokesperson for Mission Health, said Sam Hazen has visited the region on multiple occasions, including as recently as this past fall.
She shared a statement that says, in part, “We are committed to ongoing dialogue with our community while remaining focused on delivering high-quality care.”
“I’ve never received an invitation to meet with Sam Hazen,” Ball said. “I know of no other local elected official that has received an invitation or met with him.”
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Mission Health’s Statement also says, in part, “Mission Health’s local leadership team, led by CEO Greg Lowe, is actively engaged across Western North Carolina, meeting regularly with physicians, community organizations, and local leaders to address community needs.”
MAY 7, 2026 – Brevard Mayor Maureen Copelof talks about a resolution her city passed regarding HCA Healthcare in the wake of care concerns. (Photo: WLOS Staff)
Buncombe County isn’t the only area concerned by Mission Health’s performance. Multiple municipalities in western North Carolina passed resolutions similar to Buncombe County’s, including the city of Brevard.
“I am absolutely thrilled that Buncombe County passed that resolution. Here in Brevard, we passed a very, very similar resolution in April, and Land of Sky Council of Government passed a very, very similar resolution in March,” Brevard Mayor Maureen Copelof said.
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Similar resolutions have also been passed in Asheville, Weaverville, Biltmore Forest, Flat Rock, Fletcher and Woodfin.
“The same problem happened a third time, and now the same problem has happened a fourth time, which tells me that there are major systemic problems that can’t be addressed in the same fashion with a plan of action,” Copelof said.