Posted by architect (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 5:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)

If the CEO is "open to any solution," here's one.... Stop refusing ambulances. It has become common practice for the ER staff at Natchez Regional to refuse to accept ambulance patients. Typically, emergency departments go on what is called "diversion" when there are no beds available in the hospital. A "diversion" status is simply a request for ambulances to take patients who will likely need to be admitted to another hospital that still has beds available. However, it is only a request. It is illegal to actually refuse ambulances, but Natchez Regional continues to do so even when they still have rooms available in the hospital. They do not refuse ambulances all the time, but they do it on a regular basis. They have even refused ambulances carrying their own employees before. Natchez Regional has a large building but does not use all it's rooms. They have empty hospital rooms and are cutting staff hours while they continue to refuse ambulance patients. It doesn't make sense.

Posted by destiny (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 6:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Of course it's not going to close. It's just going to keep on singing it's never ending, boring song, adding more structures and complaining about the insurance companies that won't pay their unreasonable high prices. If the actual basic, hard-core truth was known and investigated it would probably be found to be a massive tax write off for some of the rich and powerful while they still poor-mouth it to the public. It's the only hospital I hear off that stays in the red, while still staying under permanent construction. How stupid do they think the public is?

Posted by snatchez (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 6:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)

destiny, what is the hospital building or built in the past 20 years? I am confused or are you confusing the doctors office building next door that is owned by the doctors.

Posted by topper (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 6:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)

all of the above is true? they are currently renovating the ob department. i hope those guys read the paper and know there may not be a paycheck for them. Ambulance refusal, just call the local ambulance guys and ask them if its true. i want to know. i am a tax payer and i am calling to ask.

Posted by Rhino (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 7:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Architect: You are confusing NRMC with Natchez Community. As an employee of NRMC I can truly say we never go on diversion unless we are full or our ER is full from Community going on diversion and sending us all the ambulance calls. Community goes on diversion way more than Regional I assure you. Please do call AMR and ask that question.

I would like to congragulate both boards on voting Quorum out. The employees have wanted this for years. I just hope they don't sell us out. Our state retirement program{PERS} is the one thing we have that keeps empolyees working at NRMC. PERS is also the only thing we can use to recruit new employees since we can't offer higher pay.If they sell that will be gone. I'm sure HMA will make an offer like always. I just hope they turn them down again.

Posted by southernbelle (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 7:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I believe we need a government funded charity hospital. We pay enough in taxes for it .

Posted by literate (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 7:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)

As I see it, if patients started paying their bills for the health care they received in good faith the hospital would be more than solvent. If you read this article you will see that 46% of billing went unpaid in 2007. These are folks without insurance, those also unable to pay for medical care they have received. This is a county hospital that cannot refuse treatment to anyone but has to "write off" all the uncompensated care (unpaid bills). The hospital does not get reimbursed for most of these "write-offs". Let's do the math, 46% of $113M is almost $52M in uncompensated care and the hospital was in the red by $8M last year... hmmm, looks as if that just might be the problem. I'm not saying that there isn't any blame with management of the hospital but folks need to realize that this hospital is THE hospital that helps ALL citizens, regardless of ability to pay and only gets paid for just over half of what they do. If a retail store only got paid for half of the merchandise that walked out their door, they would also be in the red.

Posted by frogprincenessntz (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 7:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Our state retirement program(PERS) is one of the problems listed above...high pension payout. Why state employees could not be treated like ordinary folk and have to depend on social security and possibly 401s has long made me curious as to how much money has been knocked down by the ones who put that package together.

Posted by NatchezEnema (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 8:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)

This hopspital is a hasbeen from a different era. Read the fine print in the article, you will see names that pop up from downtown. This hospital faces the same problems the cvb faces. Like destiny said always under contruction and Broke! This hospital did not change to the ever changing market. How can you be building, adding new high tech high cost equiptment that takes new doctors and techs to read the results and operate when the population has dropped greatly in numbers over the years, just like tourists to the cvb. Wasn't Mr Brown in on helping get the convention center built? MANAGEMENT, MANAGEMENT,MANAGEMENT, THAT IS WHAT IS WRONG HERE LIKE EVERYWHERE ELSE IN NATCHEZ GOVERMENT. Lets all sing togeather " la la la builllld iiiiit and theeeeey willll come, speeend millllionnns loook at whaat weee have done, ohh it hasn't wooorked lettts blamme someone, lets don't chaaange there is plennnty where that came from, our townnn dies oh how much fun, la, la, la

Posted by frogprincenessntz (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 8:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)

An emergency room should be for emergencies, and a hospital should be for the truly sick. That is not the situation at NRMC. Go to the emergency room and you will find it full of kids to be seen for colds and such that you would usually see at clinics. Because the hospital cannot turn them away, they are abusing the system. Unless we, the people, change some of the laws, we are not going to be able to afford to continue to give away free health care.

When my children were small, I could not take them to the ER, BECAUSE we had insurance and they would not pay for it! All I am saying is.....run free care like a business and put common sense "no-no's" into place.

Posted by literate (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 8:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I agree whole-heartedly with frogprincenessntz. Even with a great new management system in place NRMC won't make money until there's a change in "uncompensated care"

Posted by architect (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 8:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I am not confusing NRMC with Natchez Community. Natchez Community is busting at the seams. It is a small building that gets filled quickly and usually stays filled. That is why it continues to make money. NRMC has a large building with some rooms that are not even used from what I've heard from several NRMC employees. Emergency rooms are always busy and usually are full. That's why they have waiting rooms for nonurgent patients. That is not a reason to refuse ambulance patients. Diversion is not supposed to be for busy ERs. If the ER at Natchez Regional is so busy that it has to turn away patients while in extreme debt, maybe they should send some of the staff in danger of being layed off down to the ER to help out.

According to this article, NRMC needs an increase in revenue or patients. It just seemed strange to me to hear that a hospital that needs more patients to survive is continuing to turn them away.

Posted by literate (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 8:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)

What NRMC is an increase in paying patients

Posted by literate (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 8:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Oops, not so literate I guess, Let's try that again. What NRMC needs is an increase in paying patients.

Posted by sodar (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 8:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I haven't seen one person that likes to gripe, you see the same people on every post griping about something, mention the board only gets paid $40 per month. You have to really be devoted to do anything for $40 per month. And then these same people griping have the gall to state "Read the fine print in the article, you will see names that pop up from downtown."

Perhaps these are the only people who actually care enough to get out and do something instead of sitting around typing blogs!

I was born in Natchez, grew up in Natchez and have family buried in Natchez; and I am sad to say that I do not live here anymore.

I would love for my children to grow up in the same city I did, but I can not in good conscious bring them to such a disfunctional city as this.

Instead of complaining about everything, the people of Natchez need to come together and unite to make this the great city it once was and can be again.

Stop being part of the problem and become part of the solution!

Posted by SayItRight (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 8:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Yesterday there were several posts concerning the poor quality of service received at NRMC. Undoubtedly they will be looking at the payscale of employees and how they can cut expenses.

I hope they have some system/survey put into place where the employees who actually try to give good service make more money than those who ignore and give slow service to patients. There should be a way to say something positive about those who try, as well as a way to complain about those who don't.

After I had an epidural and gave birth to my first child a newer staff member never thought to give me a bedpan when I had to go the restroom. My legs were still somewhat numb so I couldn't feel them very well...........She watched my husband get me up out of the bed and carry me into the restroom.

Later, when I had my second child and had to have a C-section, nothing made me feel any better than to surprising look up to a masked face with eyes I knew, crinkled at the corners with a smile, telling me everything would be okay. She put me at ease while they brought my baby into the world.

But, when the surgery was over, I remained without the pain machine they give you afterwards because they couldn't find one for me. So I laid in a little hallway, on my stretcher, waiting.........without pain medication because they were waiting for the machine and thought they'd have it soon..........

There's good and bad to be said and taken into account. I just hope the good employees don't have to suffer for it. Their industry is one of the best paying fields left in the area.

Posted by mike8427 (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 8:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)

NatchezEnema - Walter Brown has worked on more projects that you will ever know. His has worked for nearly every city administration for the past 20 years. He has been the hospital attorney for a while now also. But to answer your question, he is not part of management, he is an attorney that has been hired by various management leaders over the years.

Posted by justoneopinion (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 8:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)

It is nice to see that several NCH employees and AMR employees are blogging about NRMC and actually know NOTHING about what goes on at NRMC. Construction and renovation are two different things. There has been no new construction at NRMC since 1998. The physician offices that were built next door to the hopsital are funded by the physicians not NRMC. Yes, there has been renovation: painting walls and hanging new curtains. Thats whats going on in the OB dept. Thats not construction! NRMC goes on ambulance diversion when the ICU unit beds and ER beds are full! There has been more people in this community try to hurt NRMC rather than support it!

Posted by mike8427 (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 8:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Arch - If NRMC is turning away these patients where are they taking them? You said community hospital was too small, so where do they go?

Posted by NatchezEnema (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 8:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I don't like to gripe either, you think 40 dollars is all these people get? I guess you think everything your told you take at face value. PERKS? ever head of that? Maybe if it was true the supervisors or aldermen should be paid the same. I have lived here all my life and I want change, and love my city. I read you don't live here anymore, why? Easy for someone who jumped ship to another city to live to throw in tidbits. come back bring your children back and send them to alcatraz, oh sorry, Natchez High Scool. Make sure you have a spare tire you are bound to have a blowout in one of the potholes. Don't pee down my back and tell me its raining is all I'm saying, and that has been going on too long in Natchez to it's citizens

Posted by muleman (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 9:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Every hospital has to give care that they are not compensated for. Expenses (salaries, supplies, etc.) have to be controled in order for the hospital to remain financially stable. Every hospital has an espoused mission which is good patient care but, that mission cannot become an enacted mission without money. Apparently NRMC failed to remember this important rule therefore endangering what should be their true mission. As I have stated in an earlier post. Healthcare is too complicated to be run by a county government. Mismanagement and patronage will put any organization in the same boat as NRMC.

Posted by JunkyardDawg (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 9:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Seems to me that if the ER at NRMC is turning away ambulances because they are too full, rather than turning away ambulances, they should send the colds and minor illnesses to the after hours clinic next door. I recall a time when the ER also ran a clinic for minor illnesses...could be that the locals don't realize they stopped having that clinic.

Once when my mom was taken to the ER by ambulance, she requested Community, but was taken to NRMC instead, because Community deferred.

Sodar the folks posting comments on every article, aren't always from Natchez. Some are, some aren't. Some commentors are on here just to pitch their republikkklan rant.

Posted by NatchezEnema (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 9:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Mike, I KNOW WHO HE IS, and you would be surprised what I know, and I didn't say he was in management. think he makes 40$ a month, get a life. He is a good person, just a product of the enviroment around here.

Posted by mike8427 (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 9:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)

What on Earth are you talking about, we are all products of this environment if you grew up here, did you?

Posted by RM (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 9:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Junkyard dawg,
People with colds in the ER are usually uninsured or medicaid, so they cannot go to after hours because they would have to pay, and we all know that 60% of natchez citizens are not WELL OFF, so they go to the ER. Bottom line is Hospitals are hard to run, and to make money in healthcare is extremely tricky. Unfortunately, morons like Dan Bland and the board of supervisors don't have the know how nor will they ever to make a hospital profitable in 2008. Until NRMC is sold to a company or entity with modern day medicare, billing, and insurance reimbursement experience, it will NEVER SUCCEED!

Posted by texasranger (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 9:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)

A lot of the kids that come to the ER are not even sick. They just hang out there. Some are left while others go get food, they run around jumping and making disturances with a band on their arm. i think sometimes it,s just a place to hang out waiting for a friend to come out of the ER. Some won,t buy Tylenol and give to their child to bring down the fever, they don,t work anyway so they bring them and let the doctor give them Tylenol. They want the doctor to write them a tylenol prescription.Medicare or medicaid doesn,t pay for that. They even complain about the $2.00 fee for each visit. Our system is worked to death sometimes so people will have a place to go and yak with their friends, even though that seems strange.None of it matters anyway because it,s all free. when i go to the ER i,m not running around playing, my head is hanging and i can,t hardly move because i,m sick. This is not the case in the NRMC ER, just go and sit and see for yourself.

Posted by mike8427 (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 9:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)

RM
What you say is partially correct, but Dan Bland nor the board have been managing the hospital. Quorum has been doing this, and from what we are seeing now, not managing very well. The board does alot of things wrong, but here its sounds like they are trying to correct the problem, lets see what they propose to fix this mess before we smear them.

Posted by maple (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 9:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Natchez is way to small to support so many hospitals.. years ago Natchez Regional had a chance to buy Community(Humana).. the Supervisors blew it!! it came at a cost of $7,000,000 I believe.. correct me if I am wrong.. this would have solved all the problems we have today.. competition in medicine.. one hospital has to buy a million dollar machine the other has to buy one.. this runs the cost of medicine up.. so now we have two hospitals in Natchez and soon to be two across the river.. this town is always divided.. someone has to pay for this.. Doctors on the staff at two different hospitals usually doesnt happen in other cities but in Natchez it does.. what a strange town we live in..Supervisors make the decision on our health needs and they know nothing about this business..the supervisors should have made the decision to purchase the other hospital or let them purchase Natchez Regional.. competition is good for other businesses but not in the health business.. give us good medical care at a reasonable cost without having to use billboards to get us to use your facilities

Posted by texasranger (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 9:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)

They let children go unattended at times in the ER and go who knows where. they are unsupervised and run around
pestering the real sick people????besides all the noise they make, which is really loud at times, but nothing is said. I guess everyone in our society is always afraid of lawsuits.
I saw a nurse give one child liquid tylenol in the waiting room and they went home because they were so busy. some of these kids just need minimal care but the same ones are brought over and over on a regular basis because the tylenol is free and all the other meds and care. That,s a tremendous waste of money.

Posted by snatchez (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 9:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)

RM, i know Bland and you would not ever want to play a brain game with him. He works his rear off for that hospital and he is not a paid employee. He will stand up to the supervisors and also you. You are lucky to have him.

Posted by lharris (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 9:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)

i want to know what's up with the er.i used to work at nrmc and now live out of town.i came to the er and was prepared to pay cash for my sick grandchild i brought with me to town to visit.i never even seen a person to tell what i needed.thank god it wasn't life or death.instructions greeted me to sign a paper saying what i wanted and leave it in a box.after 30 min and no one even came to read the papers in the box,i left went next door and was seen within 15 min.don't complain about people going to other facilities for care,people who do plan to pay,your system of recieveng paying patients suck!

Posted by roberth33 (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 10 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Who among you is willing to work for no pay??

Why should the hospital??

Posted by literate (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 10:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Thanks Roberth33. I certainly have to pay every time I get medical care.

Posted by gemccull (Gary McCullars) on February 27, 2008 at 10:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Help me with the numbers, those than can pay, are charged about twice what the services are worth. Talk about a consumption tax.

Posted by roberth33 (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 10:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)

gemcull that is pretty much it because those who can't pay are not forced to pay something.

Heck I want to go to The Pig and get groceries for free, go get gas for free, get free coffee and a donut. Just because I can't pay doesn't mean i shouldn't have them. Just pass my bill on to the next guy in line.

That has become the mentality in this country.

Posted by roberth33 (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 10:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)

It is time to tell the Society Leaches that they don't get something for nothing.

Posted by cynthiafleming (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 10:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I too know Dan Bland and have worked for him and know him to be a brilliant businessman with a heart the size of Texas. One of his most endearing qualities is that he tells it like it is. He doesn't candy-coat anything, a "pull no punches" kind of guy. I do know that if anyone can find a way to get NRMC back on track, Dan Bland is the man. I hope that "the powers that be" keep an open mind and listen. I know that Natchez needs NRMC. NRMC is a major employer there and without jobs, there is no growth. "New blood" in the form of new management is an excellent place to begin. NRMC has a long history and I am confident that a solution can be reached and NRMC will show a profit.

Posted by Mucasplug (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 11:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I say hire the Pakastan guys that run the motels around town to run the hospital. They will turn a profit and keep the place clean to boot! (Just Kidding) Serioulsy, Dan Bland is a smart man, and if left alone will come up with a good plan. The board of supervisors are clueless.

Posted by barnabas (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 11:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)

It seems every post thus far has focused on someone or something to blame: Quorum or the Board of Trustees or the city attorney or the Board of Supervisors or the lackluster performance of employees or........do you see where I'm going with this? As a former employee at NRMC, let me speak not to WHAT NRMC is but to WHO NRMC is. NRMC is a dedicated group of employees who are good people, people who, for the most part, show up every day to provide the best patient care they can, whether that entails the admissions process, transporting a patient, providing medical care on the floor, accepting payment on bills, filling prescriptions, maintaining medical records, coordinating employee benefits, greeting family members in the Gift Shop with a gracious smile and a kind word...I could go on and on.

Every post seems to be leaving out the most important element - the people who, just like you and me, have children in school and mortgages to pay and groceries to buy and church to attend and parents to care for and life to live. So, please do more than make this discussion a sterile analysis of the "business" debacle, though it certainly is one. Please remember the employees who, even now, are doing their jobs in the midst of this turmoil of uncertainty. Wish the best not only for Natchez, but wish the best for these people who are not sure of their vocational futures. Think of them when you debate what the best course of action might be.

Are there employees whose performance is not up to standard? Yes. Is the management provided by Quorum part of the problem? Yes. Does the Board of Trustees have culpability in the problems at hand? Yes. The fact of the matter is that the truth is likely a combination of all our opinions as to how NRMC has arrived at this point.

My wish is for all involved to do the thing that not many seem to want to do in today's society: step up to the plate, own your part in the problem, work as a team and be kind in this difficult process. Difficult decisions and days lie ahead. Easy answers are not available. But one thing is certain.....the great people who are NRMC will always get my vote of support for being my friends.

Posted by tsaint (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 12:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)

NRMC and the community it serves are obviously facing a serious problem; and it is a problem that many hospitals around the US are facing. In Jackson, the University Medical Center deals with caring for the indigent and uninsured perhaps more than any hospital in the state, as it must care for the citizens of Jackson as well as patients from all over the state who are transferred there. Perhaps the Board of Supervisors and Board of Trustees should seek some guidance from the University's administrators to learn how to keep NRMC afloat and solvent.

Posted by tsaint (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 12:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)

One of the recurring themes in many posts is the inability of the uninsured or Medicaid recipients to receive timely primary care in the Natchez area. Again, a problem faced by many communities in the nation. One "thinking outside the box" idea that has worked very well in Jackson has been Nurse-Practitioner-run primary care clinics. The clinics were established through grant money obtained from the Federal government by UMC School of Nursing Faculty, and they provide low-cost or free primary care. The clinics are staffed by Nurse Practitioners who volunteer their time, and have improved access to healthcare for many in the Midtown Jackson area, have reduced the number of Emergency Room visits for non-emergent patients, and have been a teaching tool for faculty and students in the School of Nursing. Does Alcorn not still have a nursing school in Natchez?
Another idea that has worked in many hospitals in the Jackson area as a way of decreasing costs, increasing access, increasing patient visits, and alleviating ER overcrowding has been the use of Nurse Practitioners in the Emergency Departments. While some EDs have the Nurse Practitioners see any and all patients, others have NP-run "fast track" areas where uncomplicated illnesses can be seen and treated, or referred to a higher level of care quickly and efficiently. Hospitals here have found this an effective way to increase ED census and billing, decrease wait times for patients to be seen, and increase patient satisfaction for their facility. Just another thought...

Posted by aesa (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 12:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)

barnabas...you are right! NRMC saves lives on a daily basis.

The hospital business is a tough business in New York City,
and it is a tough business in Natchez. Yet somehow the community, the leaders, the hospital, and the employees will resolve this issue.

This is NOT an isolated event, it is happening all over the country.

It is not about finding fault, it is what it is...now let's just fix it!

Posted by sodar (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 12:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)

NatchezEnema, I am not trying to bad mouth anyone in the town especially those trying to help. I was part of the original downturn in Natchez back in the early 80's when the oil business went bust. I hung around for over a year trying to get a half decent job. I always had every intention of returning to Natchez (and still do occassionally), but once I left and saw how prosperous things were outside of Mississippi it just isn't going to happen.

Unfortunately, almost all of my friends who grew up and recieved a college education have done the same. And things will not change until Natchez can get some industry with good paying jobs for everyone. Tourism is not going to do it, as it never has and never will.

Yes, I believe the hospital could be managed much better and yes the doctors are over paid for what they do (I have several family members in that profession...none of them live in Natchez anymore either). No one should make that much money by helping people who can not help themselves.

As far as the Republikkkan comment, I see the Dumbacrats have really made things better, huh? Neither party is doing anything but making sure the other doesn't get credit for anything.

I will just end by saying whenever I look at a national map on the tv for weather or whatever, I always look at Natchez first. If you are from here, it stays with you where ever you go.

Posted by roberth33 (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 12:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)

"No one should make that much money by helping people who can not help themselves."

I list only the physically and mentally handicapped and the elderly in the category of people who cannot help themselves. Everyone else can go out and get a job and pay their own way. No money? No treatment. No more free rides folks.

As for what Doctors make? That is capitalism at its best. Thank god for capitalism and the USA!

Posted by beammeupscotty (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 1:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)

If greed and capitalism are what makes America great then I see why other countries hate us so much. Understand you will pay taxes, the question is what are they going to spend them on. I guess if you have never been down and out you can talk this trash but I have and know what it is like. Having a sick child and nowhere to turn is heartbreaking. Sometimes things happen beyond your control so all the ones here that haven't experienced hard times be thankfull.

Posted by sodar (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 1:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Roberth33, I own my own company and enjoy capitalism at its best as well, probably better than many doctors.

Healthcare and capitalism are not the same, my father is a doctor and I can remember going on house calls with him as a child. Back then you were paid whatever the patient could afford and many of the times it was not in cash. I do believe doctors should be paid well because not everyone can learn what they have to learn or are patient enough to go to 12 years of school after high school. I have several friends who make over $500,000 a year as a doctor their first year in the profession and just do not feel that is right.

Posted by sodar (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 1:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Amen to beammeupscotty, I have also had to either wait until payday to feed my child or dig for change out of the couch to afford medicine. It is an extremely humbling experience.

Posted by dovechase (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 1:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)

sodar, I too have had to scrape money up to care for my child. The difference here is that people like you and I did everything in our power to pay what we owe. Even if it took years to do it. Lots of the people who have not paid never had any intention of paying. They feel as though it is "owed" to them. Until that mindset is dealt with, this problem will continue.

Posted by beammeupscotty (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 1:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Back in the early 70s I had to use the old Charity Hospital and the free clinic. The truth is I got better service and quicker service then than I do now with good corporate insurance. The people were more understanding and compassionate.

Posted by fire39212 (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 1:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Why is it Medicaid refussed to pay??? I know we are blessed enough to have insurance and i DO NOT go to NRMC due to the rudeness there....Plus they charge alot more than my insurance will pay.....Maybe just maybe they should get with the insurance companies and settle for what they will pay....It may bring people in who knows....

Posted by roberth33 (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 1:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)

they reason NRMC charges more is that you are being charged to cover for those who don't pay.

sodar, I hear what you are saying, but are you willing to work for no pay??? Why should a doctor or a hospital???

Posted by sodar (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 1:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Dovechase I agree with everything you said, and with the current state of affairs we have; I do not think some peoples mindset will ever change. It all has to do with education and that is a very hard hurdle to overcome.

Posted by sodar (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 1:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)

roberth33, It is called "cost shifting" the medical profession has to charge double to those who can afford to pay or have good insurance, to cover for those who can/will not pay. I wish I knew the answer, but I do not.

I never said they should work for no pay, I just personally know of many who get paid to much just because they can. There are also those who do not over charge and these people are too few. If you are a doctor you should be paid well, just not so much that your patients go in debt to pay your bill. If my car breaks down and I can not afford to get it fixed then I can wait until I have saved some money. If my child is sick and I have to go to the doctor or hospital, it should not be a life changing event for me financially.

Posted by snatchez (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 1:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)

tsaint, the university of mississippi medical center gets money from the legislature to operate. Regional gets no money from them. Regional was cut by medicaid which is why the hospital is suffering. Too many people think regional is a charity hospital. How many people go there at night wanting drugs? how many people go there that have been shot/knifed/beatup as compared to Community. why can't the people from Louisiana go the hospital in Louisiana and not regional. Suppose regional said no more people from La or Jefferson County, or Wilkinson County. Now they could make money.

Posted by RiverRat00 (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 2:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)

NRMC is a victim of its own policies. They have not had the best interest of the community at heart for some time. Mr Weaselman had run off more doctors than he brought in. They recently fired the best surgen (Dr Rubinstein) they had in years and now those patients with vascular problems (like my mother) have to go to Jackson to be taken care of. They also fired there cardiologist and didnt hire a new one. Is it any wonder the hospital lost money? Maybe if we just had 1 good hospital instead of 2 fighting hospital this city would be better off.

Posted by fire39212 (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 2:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I use the new after hours clinic they opened next to the hospital.. It is FANTASTIC... I tell you the Dr's there are wonderful.... Dr. Jose is excellent.....What a wonderful person he is....

Posted by natchez08 (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 2:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)

???????

Posted by notfromnatchez (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 2:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Maybe Fire is referring to Dr. Jose Cuervo. He's my personal favorite too.

Dr. Soju...now there's a man that can help you forget about your pain.

Posted by ntztransplant17 (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 3:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)

RiverRat00 - Excuse me, but you have NO idea what you're talking about with regard to the "fine" surgeon and the "fine" cardiologist that no longer practice at NRMC. If you knew the facts, you too would have happily let them go. Mr. Wesselman DID NOT run them off, but it was definitely in the best interest of NRMC for them to be out of there. NCH will find out eventually just exactly who and what they have. By the way, do you have any idea what is involved in getting a new doctor into town? Evidently not. It is a long, arduous process that can involve months of recruiting before you find one that WANTS to come to Natchez. Then the process of investigating the physician begins. You don't bring a doctor in just because he wants to come without thoroughly checking his credentials and his professional history, criminal record (?), lawsuits (?), education, internship, residency and graduation from an accredited medical school, as well as professional and personal references - the list goes on. It's not a simple task to recruit new physicians and sometimes it's kinda like what Forrest Gump's mother said "Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get!" Some of physicians look good "on paper", until you have to deal with the "real thing".

Posted by ntzmom (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 4:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I use Community Hospital, and have rarely had to use the ER facility. But I do see why people go for small things. I have called my doctor, with 103 fever, and they tell me they have nothing available for one to two weeks
I had pnemonia so HAD to use the ER.
So, point is, if the family doctors wont see their patients in an emergency, then what are we supposed to do?
This has no revelance I guess to Regional, except that those of us who do PAY their bills, well, I choose the treatment at community over regional.
And yes, I took tylenol, I took nyquil, still felt so sick, I could not breathe, so the ER was the only option.
This has no revelance to MRMC's problems, except that I do pay my bills, and I choose Community

Posted by dovechase (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 4:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)

ntz why don't you go to the afterhours clinic. they get to patients quickly. I have gone to the one next to NRMC and I was impressed with it. They do not have the crowds of the ER.

Posted by roberth33 (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 4:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)

What do they call the who graduated last in his class in Medical School?

Doctor.

Posted by ntzmom (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 5:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I will dove! Hopefully it will be a while before any of us get sick, but I will give that after hours place a chance!
Thanks!

Posted by gemccull (Gary McCullars) on February 27, 2008 at 5:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)

But you know being at the bottom of the class does not necessarily mean that the individual is a bad doctor.

Posted by fire39212 (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 5:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Notfromnatchez that is who i am talking about...He is so good....Easy on the eyes too lol...

Posted by RiverRat00 (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 6:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Dear ntztransplant17: You are excused. Perhaps it is you who are not aware of all the details you think you know. I have lived here for 10 years (my mother has been here 27 years) and you are evidently a recent "transplant" from somewhere else. If things are as you say, the hospital did all these checks on those doctors and found they were qualified. This town had 3 surgeons last year and now there is one. Two out of three nights, there is NO surgeon on call so patients have to be shipped out to another city. I didn't know the first surgeon(DrSwartz) who left, but I know Dr Rubinstein saved my mothers leg and was a good, caring doctor. The cardiologist who left was making the hospital lots of money and now the cath lab is closed and we dont have a cardiologist. (surgeons and cardiologists are the biggest income producers for hospitals) Please tell me how not having a cardiologist and only having 1 surgeon in town is good for this community. I cant plan which days to have a heart attack or a car wreck.

Since it is so hard to recruit new doctors who even want to come here, it is even more important to keep them once we get them. Maybe if the administration placed more emphasis on retention, the city wouldn't be having this crisis. I hope whoever the next CEO is will make keeping doctors a priority.

Posted by ntztransplant17 (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 7:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Dear RiverRat00 - I have been here 10 years also - just like you - and I DO know what I'm talking about. I worked at NRMC and know all about what went on with those physicians when they were there. However, I am glad the surgeon saved your mother's leg.

Posted by Proof4u3 (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 7:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Quorum WAS the beginning of the end for "Jeff Davis", now NRMC. That's the bottom line. There was a huge financial reserve while Bill Mitchell was there. When he "left" and Quorum took over, money began being spent hand over fist. Most of it was unneccessary and unneeded. The department heads, at the time, complained about and questioned all of the spending and little by little they were methodically "replaced" by a Quorum employee. Quorum had and still has the reputation of "breaking and buying" most hospitals that they manage. It is said that this is the case with King's Daughter's in Brookhaven as well. All of this began obout a decade ago. The citizens of Natchez should demand to see the financial records of the "Bill Mitchell" era and the "Quorum era". The board of supervisors, the board of trustees and the attorney,at the time, should be held accountable for ever bringing in an "outside" mangement group. Get Quorum out, period. It may be too late, but the whole truth should be told. Indigent health care and unpaid bills have ALWAYS been a problem, but it's not the root of this matter. This is my opinion and if there is doubt, just check into it.

Posted by djarum_black (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 8:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)

You're not going to get the BEST doctors in Mississippi, to begin with.

If someone's sharp enough to BE a really good doctor, they'll move the heck out of the state and somewhere without the tort reform problems that cause malpractice insurance coverage to be insanely expensive for doctors. Why do you think so many doctors who live on the MS side of the river practice on the LA side?

Why SHOULD good doctors stay around here? What incentive is there, really, to stay in this po'dunk bit of nowhere that's mostly populated with people who can't afford to get sick, while paying out the you-know-what just for the insurance you need to practice medicine? Considering the cost, time, and effort that goes into becoming a doctor, it's just a bad investment to hang around a place like this.

Posted by RiverRat00 (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 8:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Dear NTZtransplant,

Thank you. My mother is much better now and she didn't require an amputation like the other surgeon in town said. He is the one who sent us to Dr Rubinstein.

I didnt realize you worked at NRMC. My problem is that my mother was able to have her surgical treatment for her legs here and now has to travel 110 miles for followup. We had a good surgeon she liked and who did procedures no one else did. Now he was fired by the hospital and the hospital closed his office the very day my mother was supposed to go back for her follow-up. There were a lot of vascular patients and dialysis patients who have nowhere to go now and this IS the administration's fault. I cant wait to see how long it will be until we have another vascular surgeon in town.
Do you still work for NRMC? If not, why did you leave? Don't you think the hospital and the city will be better off with more surgeons and cardiologists? If it is so hard to get them to come, shouldn't we try to keep everyone who does come rather than having to recruit new people? I think the next CEO will have a hard time keeping this place open because of the mistakes made by Quorum and Mr Weaselman.

Posted by woodduck (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 9:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I want to try to provide answers a few of the bloggers statements/questions
.1. Medicaid in the state of MS is 92 Million dollars in the Red. This is a fact, was in several papers a few weeks back. They made the decision to cancel the payment that every rural/ underserved area hospital in MS received each year. This money was in addition to the regular Medicaid payments which Medicaid pays religiously, provided the bill is submitted correctly (All CPT codes correct, diagnosis codes correspond on all the bills, etc.) This decision was not novel to NRMC, it affected all hospitals that are in the catagory of Rural/underserved area hospitals.
Another thing along the same vein The Democrat article stated that only 46% of the revenue billed was collected. Some of that goes directly back to the hospital. Medicare, Medicaid and increasingly Private Pay insurers are only going to pay if you submit a “Clean bill” If the diagnosis codes are incorrect, the diagnosis doesn’t match, anything, and I mean anything incorrect the bill is returned. If the proper corrections are not done, the revenue is lost. Billing is increasingly more complex and exacting. If its not done right you won’t get paid, period. Another problem with NRMC is their archaic billing /Pt ID system. Instead of a patient having one “hospital number” like every other place I have ever seen, NRMC assigns a new number for every visit. So a patient that makes frequent visits to the ER has Chemo, multiple procedures, may have 30-40 50 different hospital numbers. I couldn’t keep up with just a few that my mother generated a few months back, NRMC must be in the hundreds of thousands or millions by now. I have found out in life if it’s too complicated, people will either ignore it, or fight it, neither of which is productive. Incredibly, a patient is assigned an ER number and if they are admitted, they get a second number!! SIMPLIFY!! Most of the folks working in billing are nice, dedicated people, but they aren’t mathematicians, accountants nor should they be. Make their job simpler and the numbers will increase. Likewise when patients are trying to pay a bill, it would be nice if their entire billing history came up on one screen, they could then pay on the balance rather than bits and pieces of 5-50 different bills. When my mother was ill, I got at least 5 bills from NRMC for 5 different hospital visits, now that’s costing the hospital a lot of money for unnecessary postage as well as creating a very confusing accounting dilemma for the patient.

Posted by woodduck (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 9:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)

(MORE)
2. The hospital’s incredibly expensive retirement system (PERS), while it has been a blessing to the employees, has to go. NRMC matches dollar for dollar up to almost 12% of an employees contribution to over 150,000 per year. So if an executive makes 150K per year and makes a 11% contribution of 16,500, the hospital matches that with 16,500. No other pension plan that i know of has that sort of compensation match. If you use Dan Bland’s figures of 1.8 million payroll for March (3 pay periods of 600K each) the total yearly payroll 600K X 26= 15.6 Million if the hospitals PERS contribution is 11% that would be 1.716 million. That would be a huge number for a profitable business, it’s not tenable for a business that is foundering in debt.

3. NRMC is entirely funded by it’s revenue stream, unlike UMC in Jackson that receives millions of dollars from the State of MS. UMC also has the luxury of the UM Medical school with lots of Med students, interns, residents, fellows, etc. who greatly enhance their provider/patient ratio. They have clinics that treat many of the patients who would otherwise use the ER. These clinics are staffed with Interns, Residents. They can run 24 hours a day, because they have all these folks who are in training. Unfortunately, we do not enjoy that luxury in Natchez. We have a few Drs and the hospital staff to treat the patients who require care in Natchez. As Natchez has shrunk in population, so has the Medical staff. When I came to Natchez a long time ago, we had 4-5 orthopedic surgeons, at least 5 board certified general surgeons about 8-10 older GP’s who were doing some surgery, 2 urologists and at least 6-7 OB GYN’s. Now we are down to 1 General surgeon (take heart riverrat00, Rubenstein is coming back to town, NCH has signed him, so your prayers are answered) 2 orthopedic surgeons, although one does very little work at the hospitals, no urologists and 4 OBGYN’s. So as you can see we now have about 8 Drs doing the same work that almost 30 were doing back in the late 1970’s.

Posted by woodduck (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 9:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)

(MORE)
4. Recruiting physicians is incredibly hard if you want the good ones that will stay! Recruiting the “Circuit riders” who have been 10 places in the last 15 years is pretty easy, just dangle a lot of money and a cushy contract (lots of pay with no guarantees of production) They will crawl out of the woodwork. Big problem, many of them are not very good and none of them are remotely interested in a commitment to the community. These are the folks that we have been getting in Natchez for the last 10+ years. then throw in a couple of nice older guys who have retired from practice in California, who want to semi-retire, come here set up a practice (At one or the other hospitals expense) and then sit back and basically do nothing for a few years. What Natchez needs and wants is unfortunately, what every hospital in every town wants, the really good skilled young surgeon who will move here with his family, buy a house, get involved in the community and make a contribution both professionally and within the community. Problem, this sort of Dr can pick and choose among lots of places. The physician today is going to gravitate to a place where several key criteria are met. Stable medical community with a minimum of strife and conflict (eliminates us already!!) Safe and stable environment to raise his family, and probably most important enough other specialists in his field that he can have a call sharing arrangement with reasonable amount of time off. The good young Dr is a lot more likely to go to a community where he can enter an established group with and established reputation and a system where he is off a predictable amount of time. It is almost impossible to recruit a good physician into a solo practice environment today. One way is for the surgeons/physicians here in Natchez too be actively involved in the recruitment process, the problem is the hospitals have decided that they should be the recruiters, which further marginalizes the Drs that are already here.

Posted by woodduck (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 9:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)

(MORE)
5. None of the above and all of the above are what created NRMC’s problems. Quorum never had a vested interest in NRMC, they never had a performance based contract. They took their management fee off the top and made a profit no matter how red the hospitals bottom line was. As was stated above, everyone, except the Quorum people have said for years that NRMC should get rid of Quorum, but them nobody has ever listened to the employees. The Board of Trustees would rather bring in some knucklehead who doesn’t know where Natchez is without a map, turn him loose and when he/she makes a hash of things, send him on his way and replace him/her with another knucklehead. All the while employees and staff opinions are neither solicited nor appreciated. But you know what, Quorum is gone, so from now forward we can’t blame them. All of the past bad decisions are history. Expensive non producing physician recruitement, Cath lab, Expensive equipment bought with little or no feasibility studies( folks would be amazed at the amount of equipment and supplies are bought at physician requests only to be used once or twice and then parked in a corner of a storage room and forgotten. A few years ago, Lasers were the hot new thing, terribly expensive, very cranky and temperamental, disposable fiberoptics quite expensive. Well every hospital that was doing ENT and OBGYN work ended up with a couple at several hundred thousand dollars each. Well they came and went so fast most folks didn’t even get a chance to learn to use them. I think NRMC has an Eximer Laser that was bought and never used. All of these things are part of the problems that have led to the situation we are faced with now.
6. In the end, the folks in Natchez are going to have to make a choice as to which hospital they want to survive. Will it be NRMC or NCH? It will be one or the other, but both cannot survive in the medical climate we have today. We need to look at Vicksburg, Columbus, Greenville, Tupelo, even Brookhaven and McComb all are one hospital towns. Vicksburg, Greenville and Columbus had two hospitals, they made the decision that only one could survive. They are all the better for that decision.

Posted by aesa (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 11:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Wow woodduck!!!!

That was good...you are (or once was) obviously in the medical field in a management role.

The hospital business is a tough business!!!

Posted by ntztransplant17 (anonymous) on February 27, 2008 at 11:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)

RiverRat00 - The other surgeon probably felt that an amputation was quite likely, not being a vascular surgeon himself. However, I certainly am glad your mother was referred to one.

I agree that we definitely need another surgeon and cardiologist, as well as another gastroenterologist and, believe me, NRMC has actively been seeking those specialists and would also like nothing better than to be able to offer 24/7 coverage in the ER with a cardiologist and a surgeon.

As far as retention of these physicians, you have to understand that some of the physicians that do come here are so unreasonable and so demanding that it just isn't feasible for NRMC to retain them by bowing to their every demand. Mr. Wesselman isn't just "running these doctors off". There are valid, legitimate reasons that they are let go. Some of their financial demands alone have put the hospital even further in debt because they are contracted by the hospital. Since they are contract physicians, NRMC must provide office space, equipment and personnel for their practices as well as pay their liability insurance and salary. Yes, the physicians do bring income into the hospital, but a large portion of those profits go back to them and the maintenance of their practice. So, bringing new physicians in isn't a simple process and sometimes things just don't work out once they are here. I do know that the Administration at NRMC has worked very hard to retain physicians, but when the physician(s) creates problems - financial and otherwise - the best decision is for them to "go on down the road".

As far as my leaving NRMC, I can assure you that it wasn't because of any problems I had there, but rather personal/family reasons. If those problems hadn't arose, I would still be there. I still have a fierce loyalty to NRMC. They were always good to me and treated me fairly. I just hope they can come out of this mess and go on to be bigger, better and profitable. WE NEED NRMC!

Posted by karithompson83 (anonymous) on February 28, 2008 at 5:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)

To architect, NRMC cannot accept patients if they do not have appropriate staff to take care of those patients. As a nurse, quality is much more important than quantity to me. If I have a patient load that isn't safe, mistakes are much more likely to be made. I'm sure that no one wants that when it comes to their loved ones and a possible life and death decision. Although ideal, filling every room, everyday just isn't possible if staffing is not adequate. It puts patients in danger!

Posted by southernbelle (anonymous) on February 28, 2008 at 8:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I think Dan Bland should run for mayor

Posted by gemccull (Gary McCullars) on February 28, 2008 at 9:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Someone help me with the numbers.

$113,000,000 billed for services. 46% collected for services. If some benefactor gave the hospital $8,000,000, the donation would solve the financial woes of the hospital?

Posted by surgerynurse (anonymous) on February 28, 2008 at 10:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)

To csguidry:
Hospitals are required (private or county, etc.) to treat all patients in the event of an emergemncy regardless of ability to pay. If, after a pt has been stabilized, they choose to ship the pt somewhere else then you have to find a physician and hospital willing to accept them. It is a very complicated process. Many hospitals simply won't take patients unless they require a service that is not available at the facility they come from. Much of the burdon of these pts is born by the initial facility they visit because there is simply no other place for them to go.

As far as statements made about the hospitals going on ER and ICU diversion (and I say hospitals because both do it)I can assure you it is not a decision that is made lightly. A hospital goes on diversion generally when all its beds are full. When I say beds I mean beds that have staff to take care of patients. (There is a part of NRMC that is not used primarily because there isn't anyone to staff it and the rooms are so outdated as not to be safe or usable at this time.) If a hospitals ER/ICU is full then it would be safe to assume that they couldn't take any patients that might require and ER/ICU bed. If in that situation another hospital has open beds the ambulance patients are "diverted" to the other hospital. I can assure you that in this situation hospitals do everything they can to move people around to free up respective bedspace but sometimes there isn't anything you can do.

Posted by Savage (anonymous) on February 28, 2008 at 10:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Please explain to me why SO many people on Regional's board, like Dan Bland, have NOTHING to do with the field of Medicine? Is it for the the $50 they get per meeting? Or for the ego trip? They hardly seem very wise, having let the hospital get into such as mess...

Posted by seakmr (anonymous) on March 1, 2008 at 10:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)

How does the hospital propose to cut employees hours? There is already a nursing shortage in the area I work in. All this negative publicity surely is not going to have nurses breaking down doors to apply for PRN(as needed) positions that by the way make $25/hour which is more than I make an hour as a dedicated employee for 5 years!

Posted by RiverRat00 (anonymous) on March 1, 2008 at 3:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Woodduck ntztransplant and justone:

You are correct that the cath lab and OR are not making money for NRMC now and that is 100% because of the CEO. He essentially ran off Dr Flattmann (the towns only remaining surgeon)by refusing to make minor changes to make it easier to do surgery at NRMC. He fired Dr Dulam knowing that he was making more money for the hospital than any other physician there. Is it any wonder he moved all his caths to McComb and opened his own 64 slice CT scanner. Then Dr Rubinstein came and started using the cath lab and again was making a lot of money for the hospital - obviously he had to go as well. If only the hospital had retained these specialists and had someone competent doing their billing, they would be rolling in the dough. Now they have fired their cath lab director and moved the other cath lab personnell ( only a matter of time before they leave) - I guess this will help send all this profitable business to Riverpark which now has the only cath lab in the area. Maybe weaselman has stock in Riverpark - that would explain his actions in firing specialists and chasing others to competing facilities.
If he is serious about being open to any options, perhaps he should swallow his pride and approach Dr. Flattmann, Dr Rubinstein, and Dr Dulam about returning to this facility. Then perhaps the OR and cath lab would again be busy and profitable and help support some of the uncompensated care the hospital is obligated to provide by virtue of being the county hospital.
Just a thought - does anyone have a better one?....

Posted by tellmestraight (anonymous) on March 3, 2008 at 8:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Well, so much for NRMC learning from their mistakes! After getting themselves
up to their (excuse me, our) eyeballs in debt, guess what they have done! Well,
gone right out and signed a contract with another physician! Yes, folks, that's
right! With their backs up against the proverbial wall they went right out and
did it again! This time it's a cardiologist in his 50s who just happened to be
in town today. If it weren't in our little community it would be laughable.
Instead it screams of the gross incompetence of our esteemed hospital board.
Rather than utilizing the services of the cardiologist already in practice here,
they just couldn't resist the urge to go out and spend more money that they
(excuse me again, we) don't have! Just how long do you think he might stick
around? Long enough to complete his contract and collect those nice paychecks
for just being in town? What about the patients
Regional manages to funnel into his practice? What happens to them when he's
done his time here and moves on to the next town with a fat yearly contract?
It's one thing to buy out practices of established physicians, at least you are
relatively assured they'll be around for some time. With an older, out of town
doc, there's no reason to believe he'll stay here long enough to unpack his
diplomas, much less put down roots! You know the old saying "you can't teach an
old dog new tricks", well, I guess our old dogs can't get even get their old
tricks right.