Posted by NatchezEnema (anonymous) on March 18, 2008 at 2:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Before Haley Barbour's signature is dry this hospital will file for bankruptcy. All you have to do is read between the lines.

Posted by dangyankee (anonymous) on March 18, 2008 at 2:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I was thinking . . . the space that NRMC occupies could make a really nice park, if you just bulldozed the building, planted a few trees and flowers, put up some benches and maybe a fountain or two, make it just pleasant spot for tourists and locals alike. It's a great location, right at the intersection of two highways, across the street from Mickey D's (AND Barbeque Heaven), next door to Taco Smell and Shoney's, et al. It would be a great tourist draw--so bulldoze the durned money-losing hospital.

The problem, folks, and yes, I know this is hindsight, is that no one connected to the hospital apparently had any inkling, any awareness whatsoever, of social and economic and political forces impacting hospitals across this country for at least a generation, two decades, now.

Yes, yes, yes, I know y'all "do things different down here," or so you claim, but you are not immune from those social, economic and political forces affecting this country. Have you ever heard of John Donne, you know, that "no man is an island" guy? Well, no city, no state, is an island, either. We are all "part of the continent, a piece of the main," or however it went.

For what it's worth, it looks from here (a mile out of city limits) like NRMC administration has tried to learn from its nationwide, big-city brethren. Buying up private practices is not a "wild notion;" it was bred, I think, mostly from the evolution of "healthcare networks"--hospitals had to buy up primary care practices to make sure they remained in as many financial loops as they could. Investing in state-of-the-art cardiac cath labs (someone mentioned that), "64-slice MRIs" (like, who knows what that is?), etc., was just trying to stay "competitive."

Competitive with whom? NRMC vs. Community?

Anyway, I think we should stop bashing hospital administration. It serves no purpose. Those folks were all likely doing the best they could, trying to follow what the "big boys" in bigger towns were doing, and lost sight of the fact that Natchez is a very small place, and so must play by different rules, while at the same time, envisioning what made big-city "rules" in the first place.

Posted by NatchezEnema (anonymous) on March 18, 2008 at 2:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)

These people around here wouldn't know the right thing to do even if it jumped up and slapped them in the face. I agree on the park, add a few white elephants also. Either way we are going to pay for it! IDIOTS!

Posted by dangyankee (anonymous) on March 18, 2008 at 2:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)

(Continued) New hospital administration, for however long it is here, needs to get one notion in its head: Natchez is a small community. What does a community hospital NEED to provide? What services can be "outsourced?"

Natchez community, you may THINK you deserve state-of-the-art everything, but, guess what? You can't pay for it. So figure out what healthcare services you MUST have available, and quit thinking that "someone else" must buy those services for you. It ain't gonna happen. "Somebody else" only pays for kids of underaged, undereducated, underskilled, no-responsibility-taking moms, plus their often-imprisoned "significant others." Honest people, and honest communities, have to come up with other options.

To borrow a phrase, "Get real, Natchez."

Posted by NatchezEnema (anonymous) on March 18, 2008 at 3:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)

All these hospitals around here need to do is deliver babies, take out your tonsils, set broken bones, stitch up cuts , and get you stable enough (from severe trama) to go to Jackson, Baton Rouge, New orleans or such. I'm sad for people possibly loosing their job but this crap had to end somewhere. Before it was over with it was just a matter of time before one of them got a nerosurgeon and started offering brain surgery.I have had family that worked at Baptist and University in Jackson and some of the things they get up there from Natchez is a mess that should have never been treated in Natchez anyway. These hospitals are so strapped for cash due to the shrinking population with insurance, they bought all this big expensive equiptment for one thing. To charge more money, do the BIG SCAN, DEEP SCAN . So they can do the NEW PROCEDURE. They just got to big for their pants! Natchez doesn't need a MASH unit or any TRAPPER JOHN MD around here. Leave the big toys to the big boys who can afford it and USE it!

Posted by sayitloud (anonymous) on March 18, 2008 at 6:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)

File bankrupcy and stop the whining already.

Posted by supertrucker47 (anonymous) on March 18, 2008 at 6:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)

hey

Posted by snatchez (anonymous) on March 18, 2008 at 6:50 a.m.

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

Posted by eagle1 (anonymous) on March 18, 2008 at 8:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)

The problem is Regional has become a charity hospital. The other clinics and hospitals can cherry pick their clients, the ones WITH insurance and deny service to the ones that don't have insurance. Anyone without insurance or money goes to Regional, that is a fact. Legally, Regional cannot deny care for patients without coverage or money. Basically, the word was out that you could go to Regional and not pay. Instead of these people going to regular doctors for a common cold, where they'd have to pay something, they just go to the emergency room where they won't be denied and then skip out on the bill.

Posted by supertrucker47 (anonymous) on March 18, 2008 at 8:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I DISAGREE EAGLE.THE HOSPITAL HAS SSQANDERED MONEY ON USELESS WARDS ADDED ON THAT WASNT NEEDED.MONEY THEY HAVE,MONEY THEY SIMPLY COULDNT PAY BACK.THEY KNEW WHEN THEY BORROWED ALL THIS MONEY THAT THEY COULDNT PAY IT BACK.THIS WAS ALL IN THERE PLAN TO SAVE THE HOSPITAL.WEVE SEEN THE BOARD MAKES STUPID DISISIONS.THEY DONT KNOW HOW TO TIE THERE OWN SHOES MUCHLESS RUN A HOSPITAL.NOW THEY WANT THE TAX PAYER TO BAIL THEM OUT.WELL I GOT A SURPRISE FOR THEM.HAILY BARBOUR AND THE LEGESLATERS OF MS DONT SPEAK FOR ME.THEY SHOULD LET THIS HOSPIAL FALL FLAT ON ITS FACE AND ALLOW SOMEONE TO BUY IT WHO KNOWS HOW TO MANAGE MONEY.I WONDER IF SOME BOARD MEMBERS EMBESELED MONEY?TRHIS HOSPITAL ISNT A BENIFIT TO NACHEZ ANYWAY.IT ONLY PROVIDES JOBS FOR REACH PEOPLE.AND USELY YOU HAFT TO KNOW SOMEONE VERY WELL WHO WORKS THERE JUST TO GET A JOB MOPPING THE FLOOR.TY

Posted by fire39212 (anonymous) on March 18, 2008 at 9:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I love the park idea.....To bad it isn't big enough for a ZOO...

Posted by muleman (anonymous) on March 18, 2008 at 9:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)

NRMC needs to think about how hard it's going to be to get those thosands of dollars worth supplies that are required to run a hospital even for a day. If they take bankruptacy vendors are NOT going to lining up to sell them anything on credit especially if their are no signs of a significant change it leadership. Just thought I would throw that out there. No use pointing fingers, what's done is done. Somebody needs to think of how the healthcare needs of this community are going to be met. There are a lot of people here that can't drive a hundred miles for healthcare. I am sure there is A solution to the whole thing and somebody needs to be taking some action SOON.

Posted by sayitloud (anonymous) on March 18, 2008 at 9:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)

You're right...you're ALL right but you have to think of that board they have....these guys just want to fold 'em and go play golf.

Posted by grrbrts (anonymous) on March 18, 2008 at 9:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I very much agree with suppertrucker47's comment. The hospotal must start anew.

Posted by Swapmeet (anonymous) on March 18, 2008 at 11:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)

When this story first broke, the board said they were just getting the legislation approved before the state legislators ended the current session and entered a break. They said they didn't know if they wanted to use it or not, but they wanted it in their back pocket just in case they needed to file. From the tone of this article, filing is now a foregone conclusion. What a difference a few days make. I believe they have planned on filing from day one. I just hope they figure out that this town is not a metropolis that needs every specialty in medicine offered to man. Don't worry about what Community is doing. Just offer the services which are fiscally feasible and for the rest: stabilize them and ship them to a bigger hospital. I believe that's the most responsible thing to do, but it is just my humble opinion. I could be wrong.

Posted by sayitloud (anonymous) on March 18, 2008 at 11:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I've said all along the hospital doesn't want help...they WANT to file bankrupcy.

Posted by ntzslums (anonymous) on March 18, 2008 at 12:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)

It's a shame.......

Posted by seakmr (anonymous) on March 18, 2008 at 2:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Supertrucker--apparently spelling was not your best subject in school. We are supposed to take your ideas into consideration when you can't even spell simple words? When you say you have to know someone to be hired by NRMC you are wrong. I was hired as a nurse's aid while I was in nursing school. When I graduated from nursing school I applied for a full-time job there. I did not know anyone working in Human Resources. What I do know is to get a job at NRMC, you have to fill out a job application. On this application, you have to write things. This is something you obviously would be incapable of doing based on your blogs!

Posted by sayitloud (anonymous) on March 18, 2008 at 3:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)

true dat!
May I back up on my last comment and throw in the fact that I don't mean the employees of the hospital are the ones who want to file bankrupcy.....but that assanine board.
I feel for the employees, this is a very sad thing for them.

Posted by redusmfan (anonymous) on March 18, 2008 at 6:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)

THey will not close, they will be much leaner when it is over and done. They will streamline, doing ob-gyn for medicaid and insurance, emergency trauma, and geriatrics for medicare and supplemental insurance. It will happen. Get used to the idea now.

Posted by snatchez (anonymous) on March 18, 2008 at 7:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)

sayitloud, you seem to always be very negative. The reason the hospital is broke is because people think it is a charity hospital. Sayitloud, you are always saying things about people. What have you done for this town or this community. i doubt you even pay taxes. Your just a losser.

Posted by supertrucker47 (anonymous) on March 18, 2008 at 7:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)

SEAKMR?DONT WORRY ABOUT MY SPELLING,ITS FINE ENOUGH YOU CAN READ IT.FOCUS ON THE ISSUE AT HAND.YOU DO HAFT TO KNOW SOMEONE TO GET A JOB THERE AT NRMC.THE PLACE SHOULD CLOSE DOWN.IT BENIFITS NO-ONE BUT RICH GREEDY PEOPLE.IF I WERE IN THE LEGESLATER I WOULDNT HAVE VOTE TO SAVE THEE THING.THEY DESERVE TO GET JUST WHAT THEY GOT,BANKRUPT!TY

Posted by seakmr (anonymous) on March 18, 2008 at 8:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)

supertrucker--Who are these rich greedy people you speak of? Surely not the nurses? I can assure you I am not rich, not even close. My husband lost his job when Johns Manville shut down. This was at the time I was finishing my last semester of nursing school. We also had a baby that was 1 month premature during that time. Guess what...because we could not afford to cobra his insurance I had to pay out of my own pocket for my delivery and expenses. I could not get Medicaid. I am still paying on my NRMC hospital bill every paycheck. My husband now has to work in Jackson and is gone all week long away from his family because he had to find a better paying job to help support our family. Even with 2 jobs the bills pile up. Most of my bills are medical bills even though I have insurance through NRMC. Insurance does not cover everything.

Posted by dixiecrat (anonymous) on March 18, 2008 at 8:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)

1.) NRMC is a charity hospital (sort-of). NRMC is a state/county subsidized entity. There are statutory state-wide guidelines that govern it. All publicly owned/community based hospitals (as opposed to the private ones) are technically classified as "Non-profits" (check out the Mississippi Code Annotated Title 41 "Public Health" Chapter 13 "Community Hospitals"). They are financed primarily through taxes and bond issuances and are not, strictly speaking, pay-as-you-go nor intended to be a revenue generating cash-cow for their county. The very purpose of their existence is to ensure all communities have, at least, basic health services -- just as they have publicly funded fire and police services, as well.
2.) Arguing over whether NRMC nets enough or has a profit margin misses the whole point of this discussion completely. This debate turns on the serious political ramifications of a quasi-public entity filing for bankruptcy. I saw in the news recently where a town in California had to file for bankruptcy -- this is on the same level. This is why the governor and the legislature have to be involved. This is why the political backlash/fallout/repercussions over all of this should be HUGE.
3.) Whereas, many of the points made by "dangyankee" are well-made, he is still, apparently, just that -- a dang yankee who is not aware of the full picture as to what is actually happening "on the ground" here in Natchez. The reason the hospital is on the verge of bankruptcy is completely due to our "Fearless Leaders" on the two boards that have responsibility for the hospital and the fact that they hired the massive, international hospital management corporation "Quorum" to come to Natchez to run our rinky-dink little community hospital for us. Such a move was completely unneeded and cost us millions. Although, dangyankee's observations were right on the mark regarding the extremely poor judgment and "big city approach", etc. used at NRMC, the remarks were misguided because it was not a case of poor local yokels trying to be like the "big boys" in the "big leagues" -- rather it was a bunch of "dang yankees" coming to Natchez and trying to run our hospital in a one-size fits all, corporate cookie-cutter manner that was wholly inappropriate and unrealistic for the situation here in Natchez.

Posted by seakmr (anonymous) on March 18, 2008 at 8:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Adding to my previous post, I stand corrected. I actually hold down 2 jobs and my husband 1 job and we still barely can pay the bills! So as I said, I am not rich and none of the nurses I work with are either.

Posted by iamnobody (anonymous) on March 18, 2008 at 8:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)

wonder if it will be a 3-2 vote,,,the hospital could let interns work the er,,they could not be anyworse than what i saw last weekend,,or they could reopen the walk in clinic for a np to work,,and i am not talking about the afterhours clinic,, that would cut in to the time taken up by the er/staff for the colds, minor aliements, they could charge less than the outragous fees,,,have you seen an er bill lately?? hell those doctors are rarely from this area, and they have their bills sent from somewere else so they are not contributing to the overall welfare of the community,,,

regional employees used to have the convience of an on site daycare,,now they have to pay more travel more for their children to be taken care of so they can work,,

there are many things that can be started, restarted, or changed,,

the question is will our newly elected officials explore all the options that can generate revenue,,or,,,are they gonna turn tail and file chapter 9

that is all

nobody cares

i am nobody

I DO CARE

Posted by natchez1 (anonymous) on March 18, 2008 at 10:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Dixiecrat is right, filing bankruptcy is a last resort (or should be) and as the former city attorney is one of the people owed money by Regional he is against the bankruptcy (although lawyers seem to manage to be first in line to get paid when finances improve).

Quorum is responsible for many of Regional's problems but the supervisors and the board are not without blame. Regional has fallen victim to many factors that were hard to predict. It increased services at a time when growth looked likely, it then had more competition for out patient care with the building of the Riverpark Medical Center.

The closing of major industries, poor management, increased competition, a decrease in Federal reimbursement, and a decline in the local economy led to the the perfect storm. Like some recent news events sometimes a crises occurs so fast that it is hard to react.

Many people have blasted Dan Bland for Regional's problems, Dan has actually been one of the few board members fighting the mismanagement of the hospital. The board does have members who are clueless - Dan is not one of them. I hope Regional can cut expenses enough to avoid bankruptcy. Too many people rely on it for medical services, and for employment.

Pay cuts though have to be a temporary solution as many of the good nurses and staff will leave to go where the pay is better. Too many talented people have left Natchez for better paying jobs. It is time to stop the exodus.

Natchez has two hospitals; many doctors work at both, maybe if the doctors and the hospitals tried to split the business fairly and not try to duplicate services both could be successful.

Posted by NatchezEnema (anonymous) on March 18, 2008 at 10:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)

All of the board is to blame. Tell me when did anybody from the board at anytime come forward and try to stem the bleeding? Never, untill banruptcy was rideing on their shoulders and it was too late. So much for the leadership of the board. It is their job to show leadership and responsibility all the time. Not try to act like they are after the ship is 3/4 sunk!

Posted by dangyankee (anonymous) on March 19, 2008 at 1:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Dixiecrat, fair enough - but I wasn't really blaming "local yokels." I did know that an outside entity had been running NRMC for a while, and assumed that most of the administrators had been brought in from outside. Those outsiders apparently were not "far-seeing" enough to realize that what works in "Anywhere USA population above 1 million" does NOT necessarily work in "Somewhere USA population below 20,000."

We need to get back to that "no man/town is an island" thing. Instead of trying to go it alone, maybe we should look at something a little different--in NRMC's case, maybe (I don't know if it is possible) hooking up with one of the big university medical centers in Jackson or Baton Rouge, which would be "closer to home" than, say, MCA or some other big hospital group. Just a (half-formed) thought . . . . Their med/peds residents, and those from other specialties, could do rotations down here, get a taste of the "rural hospital" experience, and we could establish a closer relationship with them, etc. I don't know. They would expand their market, and we would have easier access, in some ways, to more state-of-the-art stuff than a small community can afford on its own.

I am not the world's most imaginative man, so I'm sure there are people out there with more knowledge, experience, AND imagination who can come up with a few better ideas. Let's hope they (YOU, if you're reading this) get started on it, real soon.

Posted by dangyankee (anonymous) on March 19, 2008 at 1:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)

The trick, I think, will be to find some common ground between "big city/big hospital" and "small town/small hospital." Natchez is not "Jackson on a smaller scale," Jackson is not "Natchez on a larger scale," and neither one is New York City (praise God) or Los Angeles or even Kansas City, Missouri--but every one of those communities share similar "challenges" when it comes to healthcare: Access, from the consumer point of view, and, from the provider's point of view, too many consumers unable (or unwilling) to pay the cost. I honestly don't know if there is some balance point between the two viewpoints to be found. The conflict, ironically, is magnified on a smaller scale, as in Natchez.

So maybe we need to envision ourselves, our community, as part of a larger community. And conversely: We need, from a healthcare standpoint, some geniuses in Jackson or Baton Rouge or maybe even Alexandria to look at US as part of THEM. With helicopters and ambulances that can do 90 mph or more, we are not as remote from each other as we were a generation ago.

Random thought, wonderful paradox: Even as our world seems daily to be growing smaller, at the same time it is growing geometrically larger. All it takes is a little vision (well, that and maybe a lot of hope, maybe even a lot of prayer, but so it goes).

Posted by supertrucker47 (anonymous) on March 19, 2008 at 5:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)

LADY NURSES MAKE BETWEEN 28 AND 45 THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR.THATS RICH TO ME.YOU PEOPLE MUST THINK WE ARE ALL STUPID HERE.DUMMYS

Posted by youneverknow (anonymous) on March 19, 2008 at 7:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I don't think many people have what it take's to be a Nurse.
Have you noticed there are not that many men that will take on that job. supertrucker--when you go to the hospital a woman nurse will see to your needs. I don't know about you, but i appreciate every nurse that has ever come when i rang that buzzer.

Posted by muleman (anonymous) on March 19, 2008 at 9:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)

dixiecrat, Field Memorial Hospital in Centerville is run by Quorum. This little hospital seems to be doing just fine. The problem is not all one person or even one group of people. Somebody needs to make some decisions and fast! If NRMC does not get approval for bankruptacy and I think there is maybe a 50-50 chance of that happening. Bankruptacy is not the complete answer anyway. WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DO?

Posted by RICKYSMITH (anonymous) on March 19, 2008 at 10:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)

LET'S JUST PUT BLAME WHERE BLAME IS DUE. THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. WHEN BILL MITCHELL WAS ADMINISTRATOR, THERE WAS NO LACK OF FUNDS. WHO HIRED THE MANAGEMENT COMPANY? YOUR BOARD. IT REEKS OF ENRON! HOW COULD NRMC REPORT A PROFIT LAST YEAR WHEN REALLY IT HAD A HUGE DEFICIT? WHY DIDN'T THE BOARD KNOW ABOUT THIS? SOMEONE'S SITTING ON THEIR BUTT. I CAN GUARANTEE YOU THAT THE MANAGEMENT COMPANY NOR THE NEW ADMINISTRATOR TOOK A 5% PAY CUT. IF WE FIRED QUORUM, WHY IN THE HELL IS THERE A NEW ADMINISTRATOR FROM THIS COMPANY IN PLACE NOW? YOU CANNOT TELL ME THAT THERE IS NOT A LOCAL PERSON WHO HAS ENOUGH SENSE TO RUN THIS HOSPITAL LIKE A BUSINESS. EVERY TIME I'VE EVER BEEN THERE, I'VE HAD TO PAY MY CO-PAY ON THE SPOT. DO THEY NOT HOLD PATIENTS WITHOUT INSURANCE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR DEBT? START ATTACHING LIENS AND EVENTUALLY THE MONEY WOULD COME IN.
I'M TIRED OF THE WHOLE THING. REMEMBER THE NEXT ELECTION WHO YOUR SUPERVISORS WERE WHEN THIS HAPPENED. MAYBE THEY NEED TO LOOK FOR A JOB LIKE THE EMPLOYEES OF NRMC.

Posted by sayitloud (anonymous) on March 19, 2008 at 11:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)

TRUE DAT! The board is the problem. And the board couldn't care less! Remember last week during a big meeting Dan Bland was out playing golf....yeah they really care.