Barba J J
Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Albany, NY 12224, USA.
Bull N Y Acad Med. 1997 Winter;74(2):248-55.
Empire is a smaller and more financially stable company that no longer has an externally imposed social mission. The board and management of Empire have decided to convert to a for-profit company, to compete in the marketplace. In light of this decision, they also decided to turn over the company's charitable value to a new foundation. Because Empire's board has chosen not to maintain a social mission, the Panel strongly supports its proposal to turn over the full value of the charitable asset. This will allow the asset to be used for purposes that are in keeping with Empire's original social mission. Exactly how this asset should be valued, what form it should take, when it should be turned over, who should control the assets, and what activities it should support are just a few of the many important issues that must be resolved during the next few months. Empire will not and should not remain stagnant during the next few months. Given the rapidly evolving health-care market, Empire's board and management must continue to pursue a market strategy that strengthens the company. However, given the factors discussed earlier--hospital deregulation, the increasingly competitive managed-care market, and other pressures in the health-care environment--it is clear that the road ahead for Empire will not be a smooth one and that the company's financial resurgence is no guarantee of continued stability. Much hard work remains. I am confident that Empire's board and its management will continue to do its part, that the Panel will continue to do likewise.
帝国公司是一家规模较小但财务状况更为稳定的公司，它不再有外部强加的社会使命。帝国公司的董事会和管理层已决定转变为一家营利性公司，以在市场中竞争。鉴于这一决定，他们还决定将公司的慈善价值移交给一个新的基金会。由于帝国公司董事会选择不再维持社会使命，小组强烈支持其移交慈善资产全部价值的提议。这将使该资产能够用于符合帝国公司原有社会使命的目的。在接下来的几个月里，必须解决许多重要问题，比如究竟应如何评估这项资产、它应采取何种形式、何时移交、谁应控制这些资产以及它应支持哪些活动等。在接下来的几个月里，帝国公司不会也不应停滞不前。鉴于医疗保健市场的快速发展，帝国公司的董事会和管理层必须继续推行加强公司实力的市场战略。然而，鉴于前面讨论的各种因素——医院管制放松、管理式医疗市场竞争日益激烈以及医疗保健环境中的其他压力——很明显，帝国公司未来的道路不会一帆风顺，而且公司的财务复苏并不能保证其持续稳定。仍有许多艰巨的工作要做。我相信帝国公司的董事会及其管理层将继续尽自己的职责，小组也将继续如此。
