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Salary cut is first surgery to save NRMC
Published Sunday, March 16, 2008
The first budget scalpel was unwrapped last week in what is almost certainly a radical expense-cutting surgical process at Natchez Regional Medical Center.
Interim hospital CEO Jim Richardson met with staff members Thursday to announce across-the-board, 5-percent pay cuts for NRMC employees.
Regional announced last month that despite believing it had made a profit last year, the hospital actually suffered significant losses and is struggling to pay its debts.
Presumably, the cutting done last week and what’s likely to be more cuts ahead are the first moves in a reorganization plan aimed at keeping the hospital alive.
It’s going to need life support, at least for the short-term. And for Natchez Regional that will come in the form of Chapter 9 bankruptcy.
The hospital began working toward the big “B” word last week. It seems almost inevitable at this point.
Regional’s board of trustees must wrestle with three key hurdles ahead:
4How do you stop the bleeding of cash? If you’re in debt and your losing money by the day, radical thinking may be necessary. Obviously, any part of the hospital that isn’t profitable or that’s overstaffed needs quick attention.
4What will the board of supervisors do? The county is on the “hook” for the hospital’s debt, so the board of supervisors must be careful with any plans they might have. Simple “selling” the hospital may not be the answer, particularly if the selling price doesn’t cover the debt.
4What’s the survival plan, the long-term plan? Bankruptcy will only hold off the creditors for a bit. Ultimately, if the hospital is to continue to operate, a plan must be made to either fix systemic management problems and/or rig the place to operate at a minimum break-even point.
As hospital trustees work those possible scenarios, two men close to Natchez Regional agree that ultimately the Miss-Lou isn’t big enough to continue to support all of the hospitals still here.
“Most doctors agree that we need one hospital,” said Dr. Ed Daly, Regional’s Chief of Staff, adding that no one seems to know how to make that happen smoothly.
“What’s best is anybody’s guess,” he said. “Obviously, this county-run deal isn’t doing well. … Almost every day it becomes more and more dire.”
Former Natchez Regional CEO Jeff Wesselman, who left last week, but remains employed by Quorum Health Resources, the Brentwood, Tenn., company that provides management services to Natchez Regional, echoes Daly’s feelings.
“It’s a pretty sober environment right now. The board is in a tough spot,” he said. “It’s not their full-time job to manage hospitals. (But) I remain very optimistic about Natchez Regional.”
Despite the lingering debt and profitability issues, Wesselman says the hospital can still survive, even in a competitive environment.
“There’s still enough business here to support the medical facilities,” he said.
Wesselman said one of Regional’s biggest problems is just not having the right “mix” of doctors, particularly specialists.
“(Surviving) is still achievable,” he said. “We need more doctors in town. (And) recruiting doctors is difficult. Period.”
But the financial “errors,” Wesselman contends, were errors on paper, not fraud or wrongdoing on former CFO Mike Anderson’s part.
“It’s a lot of responsibility on a CFO — to close the books and have everything be accurate and right,” he said. “Although the errors were there, they’re really not a large number, compared to the whole picture.
“But you don’t have any margin, small errors can make a big difference.”
Regional can survive, Wesselman says, and it needs to for the community’s sake.
“It can still make it. Three months or six months does not define 48 years of history,” he said. “I don’t think (closing) is the right answer at all. It’s worth fighting for.
“I do think it’s a one hospital town, assuming that the county hospital winds up being the one hospital.”
Kevin Cooper is publisher of The Natchez Democrat. He can be reached at 601-445-3539 or kevin.cooper@natchezdemocrat.com.
Comments
Posted by rushinghjr (anonymous) on March 16, 2008 at 1:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)
We need more, fresh ideas! Maybe even a new Board of Trustees with new Blood! Think about it ! Staff meeting with employees about pay cuts and jobs? The Board chairman playing golf with the mayor! Seems like he would have been there for Backup!
Posted by sayitloud (anonymous) on March 16, 2008 at 7 a.m. (Suggest removal)
All true rushinghjr but remember we ARE in Natchez!
Posted by beammeupscotty (anonymous) on March 16, 2008 at 7:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Quorum must have had a really great contract. No responsibility at all for the money mess. Money was made bills were not paid and Quorum gets to walk away scott free. Who in the world drew up this contract?
Posted by beammeupscotty (anonymous) on March 16, 2008 at 7:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Across the board salary cuts or raises are the least fair way of dealing with a problem. They should have different levels of pay cuts anyone making less than $20,000 no pay cut, $20,001 to $50,000 a 5% cut and above should have 10% pay cuts. Divide up the hospital let part of it be for V.A. use, another section for charity and a third for insured patients. Seperate the liability and at least the loss might be less.
Posted by beammeupscotty (anonymous) on March 16, 2008 at 7:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
If I were a vendor taking a hit from Regional they would be cut off. I hope none of the local businesses go under from these unpaid bills.
Posted by southernbelle (anonymous) on March 16, 2008 at 9:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Kevin , this is not a question about the subject at hand but..... Why hasn't the Democrat reported anything on the Rev. Jeremiah Wright - Obama issue ? I would think your readers would like more information on it .
Posted by gemccull (Gary McCullars) on March 16, 2008 at 10:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)
If Wesselman is the expert about the hospital woes, why in the hell did he not do something?
Posted by woodduck (anonymous) on March 16, 2008 at 10:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)
If you make the pay cuts too regressive, you will lose the skilled people who are the lifeblood of the hospital. Some of the Nurses are having a hard time with a 5% cut, increase that to 10% and they may well be out of Natchez and working in some other town. I feel for all the folks that are going to have to take a pay cut, but the alternative is much grimmer. Should NRMC be forced to close, practically every employee would lose their job. NCH is already fully staffed, so they couldn't absorb many of the NRMC personnel. So look around, it's going to be you relative, neighbor or friend out of a job. Do we really want that?
As to the VA/Charity/ Insured idea, get real! First of all, I can assure you the VA has absolutely no interest in a hospital in Natchez. They are having enough problems funding the ones they already have. VA is consolidating, not expanding, and secondly, VA's depend on Medical schools/Residency programs to fulfill their medical staffing. There would be no way of staffing a VA in Natchez. How would you propose dividing up the hospital into insured/Charity? Have a floor with 4-8 bed wards separated by curtains for the charity patients, like the old Natchez Charity? How do you think the leaders in the community would explain that scenario? Also who do you think would pay for the "Charity" patients? The State of Mississippi got out of the Charity hospital business decades ago when they closed the Natchez, Vicksburg, Laurel and Meridian Charity Hospitals. They aren't going to get into that boondoggle again. I can just see it now, the legislature appropriates money for a "Charity" hospital in Natchez, and next session, they have requests from every financially troubled hospital in Mississippi to convert to a "Charity" hospital and bail them out financially.” well, you did it for Natchez, why not us"? Ain't going to happen!
Certainly almost all of the Vendors that are supplying NRMC are putting the hospital on COD. They will be on a “pay as you go” program, which may prove to be valuable in the sense that it will force everyone to take a hard look at what they really need or what they just want. What the bankruptcy will allow is to freeze the current bills and allow the hospital time to get some cost cutting measures in place. Don't forget, the hospital is collecting money, there are receivables being collected, however they cannot cover the expenses. Many of which are obligations, that were made by the previous two administrators, that are not revenue producing, but were and still are costing NRMC money. That is why the interim administrator is looking at every contract that NRMC has currently. This includes contracts for services as well as supplies, equipment, etc.
Posted by woodduck (anonymous) on March 16, 2008 at 10:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I cannot believe that the Democrat even quoted Wesselman. He single-handedly was responsible for most of the problems facing NRMC today. Funny how his story has changed too. A few weeks ago, the CFO Mike Anderson was fired for allegedly "Cooking the books" probably with Wesselmans complete knowledge and complicity. Now he's just the poor guy who was just overwhelmed with all the bookkeeping and financial problems. YEAH Right!! Wesselman you need to get your story straight, better yet, go tell your story in some other town, where they may believe you for a few months until they figure out what you really are. Maybe you will get to tell it again when NRMC gets around to suing Quorum for malfeasance and negligence, possibly fraud as well.
Posted by beammeupscotty (anonymous) on March 16, 2008 at 12:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I think the Tillmans already do some work for the V.A. Hospital system. As far as dividing up the hospital, that is done on paper with assigning so many beds to va patients. The charity patients would have to be run thru the welfare system, the insured would be billed as such.
Posted by sayitloud (anonymous) on March 16, 2008 at 12:37 p.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by rushinghjr (anonymous) on March 16, 2008 at 2:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Just a note! Dr Clifford Tillman use to do work for the veterans as I remember. He was my Doctor, but he is now retired. I's sure Randy or Barry may still do some.
Posted by redusmfan (anonymous) on March 16, 2008 at 3:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)
And the bleeding still continues in Natchez....Sorry....
Posted by shedevil (anonymous) on March 16, 2008 at 5:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)
red..natchez hasnt seen anything yet...the worst is yet to come....the way things are going here now..we will be doing good to keep power on the traffic lights.no jobs..no tax base...but we do have retirees
Posted by commutingnurse (anonymous) on March 16, 2008 at 7:37 p.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by commutingnurse (anonymous) on March 16, 2008 at 7:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It was people like you that helped suck the system dry!!!
Posted by getrealnatchez (anonymous) on March 16, 2008 at 8:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Dear Woodduck, I cannot believe that Kevin quoted Jeff Wesselman's name in this report. I think you are right on target, Lets give this new CEO a chance. Hopefully, he will reach out to all the doctors in Natchez and turn the place around.
Posted by redusmfan (anonymous) on March 16, 2008 at 9:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
shedevil, I fear the end may be near if this Rentech thing falls through. I have never been a real pessimist UNTIL I START TO TALK ABOUT NATCHEZ. I have seen things my whole life that made me sit back and wonder who was running the show down there. Where I live now, we are doing ok. Business is ok, things could be better, but we are all trying to pull together and get through it. But, then there is Natchez....
Anyways,
Have a good night.
Posted by Whisper (anonymous) on March 16, 2008 at 10:04 p.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by commutingnurse (anonymous) on March 17, 2008 at 12:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Wood Duck is one of the few people making comments that make any sense. This person should be on the board!!! This is a professional with plenty of sense and integrity. It really concerns me that the board is populated with people that either have no medical background or are "past their prime". What any board needs is informed people with the hospitals best interests at heart. I think Wood Duck is one!!!
Posted by Whisper (anonymous) on March 17, 2008 at 11:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Yah, I finally said something to get removed.
Now I feel like a real blogger. Ha
Posted by commutingnurse (anonymous) on March 17, 2008 at 6:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Whisper! You don't have to say much to get removed. You just have to hit the right nerve. I'm still laughing!!! I responded to someone that made UNTRUE statements with the TRUTH and my comment was removed. Hopefully, she will learn to keep her mouth shut or at least type the truth when she blogs. This would be the only forum where anyone would "listen" to her. I guess that is why she put her REAL name. She wants credit for her LIES.
A lot of things that get posted are NOT the truth. Much of it is speculation. Such as, I have never heard mention of converting the hospital into a psyche hospital. That was just an idea of one of the bloggers. So is the VA thing. That is not do-able.
Community posts adds for REAL nurses, no wonder she hasn't applied there. Or did she get turned down?
Posted by redusmfan (anonymous) on March 17, 2008 at 6:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
commuting nurse, you used her name, that is why they deleted you...I got deleted for using the word eff-------...just once....oh well, here it goes again...lol....
Posted by seakmr (anonymous) on March 17, 2008 at 9:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
If I'm not mistaken, commutingnurse used that person's username which happens to be her real name.
Taking a cut from NRMC employee's pay is wrong. We should not have to pay for the sins of the people who have made unwise decisions over and over. Is it really true that the doctors and management did not receive pay cuts? NRMC needs to get rid having a hospitalist position. Doctors should be made to see their own patients, not a doctor who knows nothing about a patient. My grandmother is scared of having to go in the hospital because she knows her doctor does not admit to the hospital and the hospitalist would be the one seeing her. Her doctor is an employee of NRMC, but does not admit patients. What kind of logic is that?
I feel sorry for the housekeepers and non-nursing employees who will barely be making minimum wage after this pay cut. How are they supposed to take care of their families?
Posted by seakmr (anonymous) on March 17, 2008 at 9:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)
NRMC also needs to cut out free meals for all the doctors. They should get the same discount as all the employees get. I bet one of the next cuts will be employee discounts on meals. Don't get me wrong, the doctors I work with are wonderful, but I would think the doctors could afford their meals more than the regular employees.
Posted by noname (anonymous) on March 17, 2008 at 10:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Clarifyng the VA and the Tillman subject. Dr Randy no longer oversees the VA Clinic. Dr Barry did not work with the VA. Dr Clifford and the VA only shared office space. Dr Clifford was not a VA physician.
Posted by commutingnurse (anonymous) on March 17, 2008 at 10:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Seakmr, You brought up good points. I agree with you on a lot of them. I'm pretty sure the management got cut,too. Doctors not. (Contracts) Management doesn't have contracts. Their management is divided into different levels. They have senior management. Then they have the Unit Managers. All of the Unit Managers are responsible for multiple units. Then they have the supervisors that are hospital wide and handle the day to day emergency issues that arise, because there are many. The unit managers and supervisors did get cut! I know most of them personally and have heard them discussing it among themselves.
Some of the doctors have contracts as well as other outside parties. I heard they are going to be looking at ALL contracts. Maybe some of these will be reworked or done away with all together.
I don't like the hospitalist idea either. Were does the $200,000 come from that I overheard one of the doctors say that job pays? Maybe it does pay that much, maybe not. I don't make that and don't have access to that kind of information. If I see a doctor and trust that doctor, I would sure hope to look up and see him if I am sick enough to need a bed in a hospital. BUT if I were a doctor, I could definitely see the perks of having someone make rounds for you so you can get to your patients in a timely manner in the office. I bet their patients are NOT really complaining about the office wait times, unless they go to a cardioligst that schedules 9 people for the same 15 minute time slot. (NOT DR. DULAM)<<<---Haven't saw him, don't know how he schedules. My dad sees another cardilogist that comes from Alexandria that does that. WHAT IS UP WITH THAT? He gets sick every time he goes. There is not sitting room and someone is always hacking right next to him. He is elderly and even though he is weak still considers himself too much of a gentlemen to let ladies stand.
If this offends anyone, you could always request to have it deleted like Miss *****>JGLJ)*)(*&JKKLJ did!!! or you could just scroll by and take it as another informed/ misinformed idiot. It's your choice! All of these are just opinions! Except WOOD DUCK. The only one with the inside scoop! Everyone's still trying to figure out who you are.
Posted by commutingnurse (anonymous) on March 17, 2008 at 10:26 p.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by commutingnurse (anonymous) on March 17, 2008 at 10:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Go ahead and google quorum hospital lawsuit. 10 years ago, Natchez is behind! Quorum tsk, tsk! Shame on you! Have you changed your strategy and bilked money from the hospitals now instead of Medicare?
Yeah! Wood Duck! I agree with you (once again) about the flip floppy statements made by Wessleman. He wanted his cake and yours, too!
Posted by xenon314 (anonymous) on March 18, 2008 at 8:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
What NRMC needs is leadership - real leadership. The kind of leadership that will go to the board of trustees and insist on the kind of control that a real CEO needs: the ability to hire good people and fire the nonproductive people. As it stands right now, NRMC is basically the "jobs program" for Adams County - you practically have to kill someone to get fired. One of Wesselman's first initiatives was to shut down the daycare - it was losing $40-$50,000 per month, serving only a few employees' needs. The board shot him down. I think the daycare eventually closed, but this was indicative of the fight Wesselman faced at every turn.
Am I defending Wesselman? Hardly. This downward slide started with the previous CEO, Houghton, and continued with Wesselman. If you're the CEO, the buck stops at your desk. What NRMC needs is an agent of change, someone empowered to make the tough decisions, and someone with proven skills at physician relations. Make no mistake about it - a hospital CEO's primary mission is physician relations, because physicians are the only people that can admit patients. Like any business, volume cures many ills. Unfortunately, NRMC is facing three competitors at the top of their game - Natchez Community Hospital, Riverpark, and Promise - who are all very good at what they do. For NRMC to survive, it has to be able to compete with them...not an easy task, but possible with the right leadership.
Posted by supertrucker47 (anonymous) on March 18, 2008 at 9:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)
LET THIS HOSPITAL FALL FLAT ON ITS FACE.WE DONT NEED IT ANYWAY.THEY HAVE SQANDERED MONEY TO BUILD WARD AFTER WARD MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THEY BORROWDED THAT THEY KNEW THEY COULDNT PAY BACK.THIS WAS ALL IN THE PLAN TO SAVE THE HOSPITAL.FIRST THEY HAD TO BACKRUPT IT.THEN CALL ON THE STATE AND THE TAX PAYERS TO SAVE IT.THE BOARD DOESNT EVEN KNOW HOW TO TIE ITS OWN SHOES MUCHLESS BUDGET MONEY.LET SOMEBODY BUY THIS PLACE THAT KNOWS WHAT THEY ARE DOING.AND A NEW CEO ISNT GONNA CHANGE A THING.ANYWAY THE ONLY JOBS AT THIS HOSPITAL BENIFITS RICH PEOPLE ANYWAY.THE SERVICE AT THIS PLACE IS PATHETIC.TY
Posted by kcooper (Kevin Cooper) on March 18, 2008 at 9:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Supertrucker47: One thought here ... The hospital's debt is public debt. If the hospital were to just close (which I both doubt would happen and also don't think SHOULD happen either), the county is still liable for the debt.
The 2006 refinanced bond debt contains a section that effectively puts a giant hook in the county's back. If the hospital closes, the debt remains and the county can be FORCED to add tax millage dedicated to the debt retirement.
The best plan is to keep the hospital afloat -- either indefinitely or until it can be sold.
Posted by eagle1 (anonymous) on March 18, 2008 at 10:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This is the reason government does NOT belong in private business. If the hospital was privatized, this issue would be dead.
Posted by karithompson83 (anonymous) on March 18, 2008 at 11:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Supertrucker47: I am truly sorry that, at some point in your life, you received sub-standard care at NRMC. As a nurse, and former employee of NRMC, I take pride in my work and do ANYTHING and everything I can for each of my patients. I truly do not think you understand what would happen to the citizens of Natchez if this hospital closes. I don't agree with everything management does. I also know that some employees do not seem to care about the jobs they do. But that is NOT everyone. I am DEFINITELY not rich, and my job benefited me. I learned a LOT and I think I was able to make a difference in each one of my patients lives. I do not have any suggestions to help save the hospital, that's why I'm not management. But where will you go when you need urgent medical care and Natchez Community (also a former employer of mine) is full to the brim? Who will be there to help you? The first person you will see in this case, where ever you may choose to go, is a nurse. Just remember that.
Posted by xenon314 (anonymous) on March 18, 2008 at 11:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Kevin - I agree with you in principle as far as the debt goes. However, unless new leadership can stop the operational losses, then we're just throwing good money after bad. I am proud of the board for taking the steps to get rid of Quorum. It's a good first step. The board must empower the new leadership to take necessary action and be a change agent. The definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over, but expecting different results.
You cannot borrow your way to profitability. You cannot save your way to profitability (although expenses must be watched carefully). The only way for NRMC to survive is to generate enough business to cover its fixed costs, its marginal costs, and to service its debt. This will not be accomplished by wishful thinking, but by a real leader with a vision, a vision with a plan, the will to execute the plan, and the support of the board and the community for the plan.
If this cannot happen, then closing or selling the hospital are the only other options. However, I don't see much hope of a sale, since the debt load of NRMC is probably equal to (or greater than) the asset value of the hospital.
Posted by Fedup (anonymous) on March 18, 2008 at 2:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
This is one of the things wrong with the HOSPITAL! I can't understand how the government couldn't see what they were creating today from 30 years ago. They paid women (Black, White, and Brown) to give birth to children that they never wanted, didn't have a father to be there or a family unit to try to raise them to respect the lives of others better than they do today. They have created monsters of these children and now after we have paid for them to be born, fed, medical care through out their lives free, now are killing our children and the hard working people of America. We have put them in housing projects, low income (if any income at all) and all they see are people with bad behavior from the day they are born and we have given them a free ride and they are worthless to society. The large amount of them have had multiple children with different boys, (I would say men) but they aren't, who by the way don't have to pay child support because they don't work, so the government has created a society of people who can't take care of themselves so the rob, steal, harm and kill someone for what we have worked hard to get. We have prisons full of these people and it is time to stop the cycle of reproduction of these inhuman people. Over the years we have made the working people go without health insurance and all the other things we would like to buy because we can't go to the doctor free, get food stamps or free college because we are of a certain income and it is so not fair to us who try to go by the laws of the land, and the Christian beliefs we were taught by our (PARENTS). We have two boys and I by no means are saying they are perfect, they did get into some trouble and when they did they had to pay the price for it. I understand that kids make bad choices sometimes but if they aren't watched over by parents who love and nurture them they can't function in our society if they don't know right from wrong. I hope that we as a society can change unfair laws and programs that continue to give a "get it free card" and start offering a plan of sterilization to those who continue to bring children into the world for a check every month. We were told we made too much money for any help with college for our boys, yet we work, pay taxes and those who don't get to go to ANY college they want to free, what is fair about that? iI want you to know why every American is scared to walk the streets of our cities large or small because of who is out there waiting to rape, rob, pull a gun , or a knife to kill you for what you have in your pockets, or purse. We need to ask some tough questions to our politicians and get this changed before we are no different than animals living in America.
Posted by seakmr (anonymous) on March 18, 2008 at 2:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Supertrucker--Just what do you do for a living? Based on your ideas and poor grammar, I bet you are a poor performer!
Posted by redusmfan (anonymous) on March 18, 2008 at 7:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Seak Mr, do you have something to do besides jump on supertrucker? Although he does not speak for me, I believe he has the right to his opinion. I have one and you have one, so leave Trucker to his and move on please.
Posted by redusmfan (anonymous) on March 18, 2008 at 7:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
kcooper, It is a common business practice to downsize while in a financial hardship. This is what the hospital should be doing. I know that layoffs are not the popular answer, but they will come in time. If you read the other post I have made, you will see where I have stated that they need to get back to the core of their operation and do the very things that do generate income for them, then work on other services till they reach a balancing point.
I am not in favor of it closing at all, but they need to outsource anything that has proven to be a real money loser for them and move on.
Posted by supertrucker47 (anonymous) on March 18, 2008 at 7:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
KARIT?WE DONT NEED TWO HOSPITALS.NRMC HAS ALWAYS HAD POOR SERVICE.THERE PRICES ARE TWO HIGH.THERE STAFF DOESNT CARE ABOUT PEOPLE LIKE THEY SHOULD.AND TO GET A JOB THERE EVEN MOPPING FLOORS,YOU HAFT TO KNOW SOMEONE IN CONGRESS.LET IT CLOSE DOWN.IT WONT HURT NATCHEZ IN THE LEAST.OR LET SOMEONE ELSE PURCHASE THE HOSPITAL.I COULD LESS ABOUT THE CLOSING.THE PEOPLE WORKING THERE HAS BEEN LIVING HIGH ON THE HOG FOR YEARS.LET THEM HIT THE STREETS AND GET A REAL JOB THAT INVOLVES PHYSICAL LABOR,GET THERE HANDS DIRTY FOR A CHANGE.I DONT FEEL SORRY FOR ANYONE THERE BUT THE PATIENTS.TY
Posted by seakmr (anonymous) on March 18, 2008 at 8:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
supertrucker--apparently you know nothing about nursing. We get our hands and everything else dirty everyday we work by cleaning patients, being vomited on, amniotic fluid splashing on us, or blood. There are alot of single parents working at NRMC that would be devastated by pay cuts, layoffs, or closure of the hospital. This is our livelihood. Would you not be impacted if you lost your job? Receiving unemployment compensation does not make a dent in rising costs of utilities, food, and gas. I think it is downright hateful for you to say these things about the employees. If you were to come in to the ER in a real emergency, those employees would not think twice about trying to save your life. I can tell you from experience working in Labor and Delivery, I do physical labor everyday. My patients usually have an epidural and are numb from the waist down. I have to physically move them in the bed myself and believe me I am very short and not muscular at all. I take very good care of my patients. I put my patients first always. I can tell you I don't think I have every had a patient complain about me performing poor service.
Posted by dixiecrat (anonymous) on March 18, 2008 at 9:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Allow me to respond to some comments earlier in the day (before the "intelligent discussion" nose-dived into a series of individual rants about every one's own personal problems). First of all, there is a VA Clinic in Natchez -- just not a hospital. It is part of the Tillman Medical Group (Dr. Clifford, specifically) but it is only a part-time practice run through their regular office at 105 Northgate Road (beside "El Potro" Mexican restaurant). The Phone # is (601) 442-7141 if you don't believe me! Secondly, I am not a big "Wesselman-fan" (nor am I against him) -- I am simply for the truth. The truth is Wesselman has only been the NRMC CEO for a couple of years now -- he was brought in to "stop the bleeding" after many years of mismanagement by Jack Houghton, Wesselman's predecessor as CEO. "Xenon" was right on point with his earlier observation of the same, whereas "WoodDuck" is so far off-base in his comments it is incredible that someone could be that completely uninformed (And y'all want him to be on the hospital board?! No wonder we're in the trouble we're in)! These problems have been going on long before Wesselman came around -- it's just that the public is now finally getting wind of them after many years of cover-up. If you want to blame WesseIman for the current debacle at NRMC then I guess you might as well blame our next President for the war in Iraq -- it would be the exact same logic. So who IS responsible? Quorum, to be sure. But, hey, take a look on the Internet and see how many other community hospitals they've bankrupted around the country. It's just business as usual for them -- it's not like they're from here or care anything about this community, anyway. So, then -- who's ultimately responsible? How about our elected officials here in Adams County and the culture of political cronyism that puts kinfolks and incompetents on the boards that are supposed to oversee public entities and ensure taxpayer monies are well-spent? Remember, this is a publicly funded, community hospital! This is more than a mere scandal or boondoggle or fiasco -- this is criminal malfeasance by elected and appointed officials. Heads should roll for this (just not necessarily Wesselman's). Sure, this is definitely an example of the incompetent inefficiency of government but it's also more than that: some people have gotten rich by fleecing the corpse of NRMC and they don't belong to Quorum. If the voters and taxpayers of Adams County do not hold our own local "leaders" responsible then we deserve everything we get!
Posted by commutingnurse (anonymous) on March 18, 2008 at 10:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
What rule did I break with that post to get it removed?
Oh my! Must really be hitting a sore spot.
Would really like to know who found it so offensive as to reqest deletion.
And am really amazed because it was deleted DESPITE not having anyone's name in it.
Seak mr, Why bother to respond to supertrucker ( who is clueless anyway)? You could have had him deleted like someone else does my comments.
Posted by commutingnurse (anonymous) on March 18, 2008 at 10:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
redusmfan--people are entitled to their opinions, but supertrucker is downright hallucinating. He or she needs to climb out of that big rig and actually walk through the doors of Regional.
Supertrucker-- Go see for yourself and look in the eyes of someone that makes $6 and hour and tell them they don't deserve their job. Some of them which drive a distance to get there. Many of which do the best for their patients EVERY day EVERY TIME. Many that WORRY what their patients will do WITHOUT them. NOT all of us were fortunate enough or capable enough to go into the big money making jobs.
The MAJORITY of the people at Regional care what happens to THIS community. IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT A PAYCHECK!!!!!!!!!!!
WHAT WARDS HAVE BEEN ADDED??? CLUELESS. WALK INTO THE DANG HOSPITAL AND SEE ESSENTIALLY THE SAME LAYOUT THAT HAS BEEN THERE FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS.
Posted by supertrucker47 (anonymous) on March 19, 2008 at 5:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
LOOK PEOPLE!THE BOTTOM LINE IS THIS.THE HOSPITAL SQANDERED MONEY ADDING ON WARD AFTER WARD THAT WASNT NEEDED.THEY SPENT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS KNOWING THEY COULDNT PAY THE MONEY BACK.I BELIVE THEY KNEW THE HOSPITAL WAS GOING BROKE AND IT WAS A PART OF THERE PLAN TO BANKRUPT NRMC SO THAT THEY COULD GET THE STATE OF MS AND THE TAX PAYER TO BAIL THEM OUT.IM A REALIST.I SEE BEYOND THE SMOKE SCREEN,REDERICT AND PROPAGANDA THAT THESE PEOPLE ON THE BOARD IS THROWING OUT THERE.THEY HAVENT FOOLED ANYONE.I BELIVE THAT THESE PEOPLE SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED TO FIND OUT IF WRONG DOING OR A CRIME HAS BEEN COMMITTED HERE.SOMETHING SMELLS IN NRMC AND IT ISNT THE PATIENTS.WHY DO YOU PEOPLE BELIVE EVERYTHING YOU HEAR?YOU ARE ALL SO NIEVE AND STUPID CAUSE YOU WONT EVEN CONCIDER ANOTHER SENAIRIO.THE PLAN TO BANKRUPT NRMC HAS BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR AT LEAST TEN YEARS PEOPLE.YOU JUST COULDNT SEE THIS COMING CAUSE YOU WERENT LOOKING FOR IT.WAKE UP AND SMELL THE COFFEE.TY
Posted by commutingnurse (anonymous) on March 19, 2008 at 7:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)
SUPERTRUCKER, I WISH THEY WOULD LET GET AN INSIDE SCOOP CAUSE YOU ARE WAY OFF BASE.
I DO AGREE WITH YOU ON ONE THING. I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME INVESTIGATING. NOT BECAUSE I THINK THE HOSPITAL IS LITTERED WITH CROOKS AND DIRTY PEOPLE, BECAUSE ANYTIME SOMETHING GOES WRONG OF THIS MAGNITUDE IT NEEDS TO BE PUT INTO PERSPECTIVE AND COMPARED. AND MOVE ON OR NOT. LET HEADS ROLL IF NEED BE.
IT'S EASY TO LOOK AT DEBT OWED TO VENDORS IN THE MILLIONS AND FREAK OUT. WHAT DOES IT COST A HOSPITAL TO RUN IN A DAY/ MONTH SCENARIO? WHAT IS THE EXPECTED REVENUE IN RETURN. BECAUSE NO MATTER HOW YOU SLICE IT, THERE ARE SOME THAT JUST DON'T PAY. THAT INCLUDES INSURANCES. THANK GOD YOU DON'T LIVE IN A BIG CITY WHERE AN HMO GETS TO CHOOSE WHO YOU SEE AND IF YOU CAN SEE THEM OR HOW MANY TIMES. INSURANCE IS THE REAL RACKET.
YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THOSE THINGS WITH AN OPEN MIND AND SOME REAL INFORMATION INSTEAD OF JUST RUMOR AND INNUENDO AND BAD ATTITUDE. YOU HAVE TO KNOW THE WHOLE AND REAL STORY, ANYONE DOES.
OPINIONS! A HOSPITAL IS MADE UP OF MORE THAN ONE NURSE OR AN ER WAITING ROOM. THERE ARE MANY LIVES SAVED OR IMPACTED AT THAT HOSPITAL EVERY DAY. MANY MANY GOOD THINGS COME OUT OF THERE
IT'S A SHAME THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE THAT POST DON'T SEE THAT. I THINK ONLY A HANDFUL OF THE EMPLOYEES EVEN LOOK AT THIS SITE. I THINK THE OTHERS ARE GOING ABOUT WHAT THEY DO BEST, TAKING CARE OF THOSE THAT NEED IT MOST.
THANK YOU
Posted by mtntz (anonymous) on March 19, 2008 at 4:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)
One thing everyone should be aware of is that this county does not and has not supported the "county hospital" with any money. Taxpayers are not out anything. Your supervisors won't even fill the potholes in the parking lot of the hospital which is a hazard. A lot of people mistakenly believe the county and/or the taxpayers pay to keep the hospital going but nothing is further from the truth. The county can support Alcorn but not the hospital? You can go to Natchez Community but you will pay 4 times the rate at NRMC. After all, it is the single most expensive hospital in the state of MS. Yes, they pay taxes, but how much of that profit do they really keep here and how much do they send to their stockholders?
Posted by dixiecrat (anonymous) on March 19, 2008 at 9:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Where are you coming from "MTNTZ" -- another planet? Yeah, sure -- it's not a direct taxation that supports NRMC; it's "quasi-public" meaning that, like the U.S. Postal Service, it does take in revenue to offset expenses but it is not a money-making "for profit" venture and it certainly doesn't have stockholders (that is, it's not "public" as in a publicly traded company but as in an extension of the local and state government). It's primarily funded through bond issues and the like. That's why everything dealing with this possible bankruptcy has to be vetted by the governor and the legislature and the county board(s) -- because it's a pseudo-governmental entity. Check out Mississippi Code Annotated Title 41 "Public Health" Chapter 13 "Community Hospitals" to educate yourself on how the "public" health system here (and hospitals) actually work(s).
Posted by rushinghjr (anonymous) on March 20, 2008 at 12:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)
(Dixiecrat) Thanks for your input and insight! it was very uplifting compared to some "not truthful" things that I have read thus far!
Posted by sayitloud (anonymous) on March 20, 2008 at 9:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)
thanks for that dixiecrat!
Posted by iamnobody (anonymous) on March 20, 2008 at 5:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
ok,,
regional is a county owned hospital,,here is an idea,,
no more outside management companies, i am sure there are qualified people here in the area who can and have the education to run the hospital, as far as the daycare issue the director (tammy) is to blame for the drop in enrolement thus it's closing because when mrs. mary ran it, it was full,,,,
hell they don't even see the state inmates that are housed in woodville,,there is no contract for that,,go figure,,are the federal prisoners going to be seen there?? or are they gonna have to go to centerville or travel to jackson??
why don't you ask the stuporvisors what they plan to do,,or better yet,,where they go when they need medical attention,,i wonder how many actually go to regional,,,,
natchez has lost great doctors and nurses,,i can say from recent personal experience in having a post surgical check up having been post poned for almost a year because the doctor is tied up in surgery, or there was an emergency,
so what happens when he burns out, or makes a mistake due to exhaustion??
the main point i want to make
is that
regional is a "COUNTY OWNED" hospital
make it "COUNTY RUN" hospital
nobody cares??
well i am nobody and i do care,,
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