To be a public hospital, the Riverland Medical Center Board of Directors could certainly do a better job at keeping the public fully informed of its plans for the future.

The hospital has been considering its options for the future since August 2014 when the hospital’s leadership was approached by two of the hospital’s physicians seeking to know the best options for the more than 50-year-old structure.

The hospital’s leadership was unhappy with the first feasibility study — which admittedly seemed flawed based on what was disclosed publicly.

More than a year after it was begun, the public still doesn’t know much about the plan.

Earlier this month, hospital board member Al Ater told the crowd on hand at Ferriday’s state of the town address that the hospital was going to stay in Ferriday.

A day later the hospital’s administrator Billy Rucker said Ater’s comments were premature and that a final decision has not been made.

Earlier this week, the hospital’s board suggested it needed two more weeks — presumably to get past the upcoming municipal elections on March 5 — before a final decision could be disclosed.

In addition, the board formed two different committees to look at the matter. It was unclear who was on the committees or what, exactly, they were doing.

Regardless of the outcome of the committees’ work, we hope the hospital board will fully disclose all of the options on the table so the people can help weigh in on the decision about the hospital’s future.