On the surface, everything appears fairly calm in the long-simmering medical civil war involving Kansas University Hospital, KU Medical Center, St. Luke’s Hospital, a handful of Kansas City business leaders, KU Chancellor Robert Hemenway, KUMC Executive Vice Chancellor Barbara Atkinson and Gov. Kathleen Sebelius.

For more than a year, all those listed above, with the exception of KU Hospital, have been scheming to weaken the hospital and KUMC and strengthen St. Luke’s Hospital. It’s a giveaway plan that was hatched in secrecy and was to have been finalized by this past January.

However, as more Kansas legislators, various Kansas medical groups and the public learned about the one-sided deal, along with the phony threats made by Kansas City business leaders if KU Hospital did not approve the plan, the more puzzled and suspicious they became. Puzzlement turned into anger and strong opposition, and legislators such as House Speaker Melvin Neufeld, demanded to know what was going on.

As noted above, everything, at this time, appears fairly calm, but below the surface a lot is happening.

Perhaps the most important current issue is the membership of the KU Hospital board. Under the leadership of former KU Hospital President and CEO Irene Cumming, the board held firm in its opposition to many of the giveaways called for to benefit St. Luke’s.

Eventually, Cumming decided it was best for her to step aside. She has been replaced by Bob Page, who shares her same concerns and beliefs.

Sebelius has made an attempt to pack the hospital board with those who favor the giveaway to St. Luke’s. It took an opinion from the Kansas attorney general to remove KU Provost Richard Lariviere from the board, and the status or legitimacy of two other board members is yet to be determined.

In the meantime, the governor had made it known she wants to play a larger role in the selection of board members. The majority of current board members, however, are strong in their desire to protect and strengthen the hospital rather than see it weakened by acceding to the wishes of those advocating the St. Luke’s plan.

KU Hospital Board membership is a critical issue, and it is important to resolve this matter and not allow this body to be weakened or watered down by the appointment of directors who are in the hip pocket of Sebelius, Hemenway, Atkinson and a few high profile Kansas City businessmen.

Under Cumming’s leadership, and now with the vision and leadership of Page, there is every reason to believe KU Hospital can and will continue to grow in excellence and the breadth of services it provides. Page has said his goal is to have KU Hospital be the best hospital in the country.

It is Kansas City’s No. 1 hospital and, along with KUMC, plays a significant role in the level of health care provided for Kansas residents. Nothing should be allowed to weaken or stunt the excellence of these two operations, which is why it is so puzzling that Hemenway, Atkinson and Sebelius would support a plan that would handicap these two institutions.

Hospital board members, Kansas legislators, various Kansas medical groups and the public must stand firm in opposing the effort to handicap KU Hospital merely to benefit St. Luke’s and to play into the hands of those on a personal power grab.