(1) The general assembly hereby finds and declares that:
(a) The city and county of Denver department of health and hospitals:
Provides access to quality preventive, acute, and chronic health care for all the citizens of Denver regardless of ability to pay;
Provides high quality emergency medical services to the citizens of Denver and theRocky Mountain region;
Fulfills public health functions as dictated by the Denver charter and the needs ofthe citizens of Denver;
Provides health education for patients and participates in the education of the nextgeneration of health care professionals; and
Engages in research which enhances its ability to meet the health care needs of patients of the Denver health system.
In order to carry out its patient care and community service mission in an era ofhealth care reform, it is necessary that the Denver health system be able to take whatever actions are necessary to enable its continuation as a system which provides the finest possible quality of health care.
It is essential that the Denver health system be able to maximize its economic viability and productivity in order to avoid becoming increasingly dependent on city, state, and other governmental subsidies.
Both the quality and economic viability of the Denver health system will be difficultto maintain in the future under the present constraints imposed by government policy and regulation.
The needs of the citizens of the state of Colorado and of the city and county ofDenver will therefore be best served if the Denver health system is operated by a political subdivision charged with carrying out the mission and programs of the Denver health system.
(2) The general assembly further finds and declares that, after the transfer date, all new employees of the Denver health system shall be employees of the authority.
Source: L. 94: Entire article added, p. 655, § 1, effective April 19.