text: Michael Dukes, the talk show host on KBYR, hammered the CON issue for years when he was on KFAR in Fairbanks.  If you follow what was said on his show and related media reports, you can set up a "hospital" anytime and anywhere you wish so long as it meets the definition of a "doctors' group".  I eschew big corporate health care as much as I can get away with, so it's not so much of concern to me personally.  I do remember Mike Beirne and his battles over trying to start a third general hospital in Anchorage.  I also fail to comprehend why Eagle River still doesn't have a hospital.