Political action, the hospital and spreading wealth

By Published by The Editorial Board

Published: November 20, 2008

It didn’t stop on Nov. 4

To the editor:

I have recently become involved with the Virginia Organizing Project, a non-partisan group that has come to our area to focus on health care reform, civic involvement and voter rights/participation.

Over the past two months, we have canvassed local neighborhoods with voter registration forms, pamphlets explaining voter rights, information on how to positively impact the quality and cost of health care in Virginia and free energy-saving light bulbs for the community.

Working with VOP has been an extremely enriching experience for me, enabling me to not only positively impact my community, but to meet other community members and form relationships that otherwise wouldn’t have happened.

It is so very important for all of us to participate in local as well as state and national politics so that everyone’s needs and issues are addressed and none of us are left out of that process. However, now that elections are over, our No. 1 priority becomes making sure that everyone is reminded to stay involved to ensure that our elected officials keep their constituents — and their concerns — in mind at all times.

Whether or not we make this effort affects all of us, and keeping a good connection between everyday people and those who control the Legislature is an important way to improve our communities and ourselves. With this in mind, I am writing to encourage everyone to voice their concerns, stay up to date and involved and participate as much as you can.

JESSICA N. EVANS

To the editor:

I read, “Moving forward with baby steps,” (Nov. 9, page A11), not only with interest but with concern.

I am sorry that the author did not have the honor of working at Danville Regional Medical Center when it was a polished diamond. It was already a highly functioning regional provider of health care. The staff at Danville Regional provided exceptional care to the patients, the physicians were “world class” and our technology was on the cutting edge. We offered the majority of our services 24 hours a day. The flaw in our diamond turned out to be the board of directors’ leadership. They did not have the inclination to continue to aid in operating the facility.

The last time I checked, LifePoint Hospitals Inc. only bought out facilities that were mismanaged, financially in trouble and sole-providers of care in an area. Even though some of the hospital’s management was lacking skills, Danville Regional was still in the “black” when it was sold. We were not the sole providers of excellent health care in the area, but you had to go about an hour in any direction to get the level of care Danville Regional provided.

What we were lacking was board leadership, the kind of leadership that helped open the hospital and helped it “move forward with baby steps” until it hit its stride at a full gallop, becoming a regional facility.

I can assure you that there is a big difference between Danville Regional and Moses Cone Health System. The $13 million a year added to our local tax base is not a drop in the bucket to the benevolence of the Moses Cone Health System.

In the 2007 Report to the Community, it was reported that $97 million in uncompensated medical care was given to the patients at MCHS, $1.4 million to the United Way, Juvenile Diabetes Foundation and American Heart Association. MCHS also supported the Congregational Nursing Program for 46 faith entities. Health education and outreach was funded with $1.7 million. The Moses Cone Foundation contributed around $7 million to various charities and organizations in the Piedmont Triad area.

Moses Cone does use hospitalists to provide in-patient care, but the specialty practices also provide care to their patients. We are fortunate at MCHS to have highly educated and skilled physicians. Moses Cone does have to operate to make a profit, but they put their profits back into the health care system or in the community. LifePoint profits go out of town and into the pockets of its board’s leadership.

The house of cards referred to in the letter tumbled because LifePoint pulled all the aces out to improve their profits, and they are now left with the joker on top of the pile.

MCHS and others have advertised locally so our citizens will know the type of services they can receive in other locations. Yes, we all seek more business but not for the same reasons.

DIXIE S. DOSS

To the editor:

The suspense is now over, and we can all settle down. I hope the best man got the job of running the best country in the world, the United States of America. History has been made with Barack Obama coming out on top.

Time will tell if he is up to the job. I believe that he will be a good president.

There has been much said about Obama talking about spreading the wealth, but it’s nonsense being said by the Republicans.

The poor do not look at money as wealth, they just want to be able to eat every day and pay their rent. There is a line in a song, “To give some poor old soul a lift on the way.” Every person should be given the opportunity to earn a living, but the bosses like to tear factories down and send jobs overseas.

It has been said that some of the poor folks don’t want to work and would rather live on welfare. I guess that could be true for some folks who have been beaten down with troubles or illness. I would think that most folks would like to make their own way — being able to feed their families and pay their rent and hold their heads high.

What is this great United States coming to — dog eat dog? Spread the wealth, by all means. We are all in the great United States of America, so be united as one people. Spread the wealth. The working folks don’t ask for much, they just want to be a part of this great country, to be fed and clothed and to have a job so they won’t be a burden to others.

HARRY WARD

Danville