RECLAIM HEALTHCARE WNC’s effort began in October 2023 when a small group of physicians wrote a letter to the Independent Monitor, the group charged with overseeing HCA’s compliance with the conditions of the purchase agreement (also known as the Asset Purchase Agreement), expressing their concerns about patient care and harm to the medical profession since HCA bought Mission Health in 2019.
RECLAIM HEALTHCARE WNC TEAM
Michael Messino, MD
Dr. Messino founded Messino Cancer Centers as a medical oncology practice in 1990, with a vision to provide quality cancer care with compassion and kindness and in consideration of the whole patient. Dr. Messino expanded his practice to include medical oncologist and advanced practitioners to serve at state-of-the-art locations throughout WNC.
Marvin Rogers
Karen Sanders, MSN, RN, AHN-BC, HWNC-BC
Patrick Taylor
Missy Harris, MDiv
Leadership Team and Project Coordinator
Missy is a native of WNC and serves as co-pastor of Circle of Mercy Congregation in Asheville, NC. She worked as a Chaplain and as a Family Support Liaison with LifeShare of the Carolinas at Mission Hospital for 6 years.
Bruce Kelly, MD
Leadership Team
Dr. Kelly came to Asheville in 1980 for his residency training at MAHEC as a Family Physician, retiring after 42 years in a host of clinical settings. He spent 30 of those years those deeply involved at Mission Health and completed his career at the Charles George VA Medical Center as Assistant Chief of Primary Care.
Julie Mayfield, North Carolina Senator
Leadership Team
Julie represents North Carolina Senate District 49, which includes all of Asheville and much of Buncombe County. First elected in 2020, she serves on multiple committees, including the Health Care Committee. Prior to serving in the Senate, she served on Asheville City Council from 2015-2020.
John Nicolay
Leadership Team
Miriam Schwarz
Leadership Team
Miriam has been a WNC resident for 32 years. She worked at Western Carolina Medical Society Foundation as CEO for 14 years and retired in 2022.
Clay Ballentine, MD
Dr. Ballentine is a physician in Asheville and was a founding member of the Asheville Hospitalists group, helping the group become one of the best in the region. He has been committed to medical education during his career, having served as an Associate Clinical Faculty Member with MAHEC.
Rick Freeman
Rick is President of the Coalition of Asheville Neighborhoods (CAN) and an Officer in Kenilworth Forest Residents Association (KFRA). He is active in county, city and neighborhood resilience, growth and safety, working to accomplish change through leadership, collaboration, fact and effort.
Nansi Greger-Holt
Nansi Greger-Holt has been a RN for over 45 years and a Nurse Practitioner for over 25 years. Retired from Duke and UNC, Nansi currently provides advocacy and geriatric care management. She actively volunteers with AARP to deliver health education in the community and promote access to quality and safe healthcare.
Victoria Loe Hicks
Victoria Hicks is a visual artist, writer, community activist and retired journalist. She is a founding member of the Health Equity Coalition and SEARCH (Sustaining Essential and Rural Community Healthcare), both of which strove to protect local hospital services from the day Mission Health announced its intention to sell to HCA. She lives in Mitchell County.
Scott Joslin, MD
Dr. Joslin is a physician in Asheville and is the former director of the Mission Hospital’s hospitalist group.
Robert Kline, MD
I completed my family practice residency here at MAHEC in 1986. I practiced in the area until retiring in 2017. I was on the Mission hospitals board for 6 1/2 years and served as vice chief of staff for four years before that. I now volunteer at a local free clinic one day a week. I am committed to doing anything I can to help restore the remarkable quality and morale we once had at Mission Hospital.
Allen Lalor, MD
Dr. Lalor worked as an Emergency Medicine Physician at all of the Mission Health Emergency Departments for 27 years before retiring in 2022. He is a graduate of Brevard High School (1982), and his family has lived in WNC for 50 years. Dr. Lalor credits all the Mission Health medical teams, and nurses in particular, with making him a better doctor and a better person. He is horrified by the conditions under which the current staff have to work.