Agents of what change?
To the editor:
Is everyone thrilled to know we have competent agents of change to shape the future of Danville who have it on good authority - being themselves, apparently - “... proven ourselves in our careers and through our voluntary contributions to our community ...” as agents of change who “... take very seriously our responsibility for the investment, management and distribution of approximately $200 million to benefit the health, education and well-being of the Danville area” and agents of change who are “... united in purpose and dedication to our community ...”?
Frankly, I have never read anything that so scared me about a group of self-perceived and self-anointed “agents of change” - maybe that should be “god” with the small “g” - as “Looking at the long run,” (Jan. 7, page B6).Has anyone ever heard the term “delusion of grandeur?” Maybe $200 million that belongs to the general public of the Danville-Pittsylvania-Caswell area does confer some power, but it surely cannot confer - make that “buy” - approval or respect.
May I recommend a research study on the background subject of this discussion entitled, “Are For Profit Hospital Conversions Harmful for Patients and Medicare?” by Gabriel Picone of the University of South Florida, Shin-Yi Chou of the New Jersey Institute of Technology and Frank Sloan of Duke University.
H.C.S.
Danville
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Interesting letter....take a moment to Google the study referenced above. Here is the abstract from SSRN:
Abstract: We examine how changes in hospital ownership to and from for-profit status affect quality and Medicare payments per hospital stay. We hypothesize that hospitals converting to for-profit ownership boost postacquisition profitability by reducing dimensions of quality not readily observed by patients and by raising prices. We find that 1-2 years after conversion to for-profit status, mortality of patients, which is difficult for outsiders to monitor, increases while hospital profitability rises markedly and staffing decreases. Thereafter, the decline in quality is much lower. A similar decline in quality is not observed after hospitals switch from for-profit to government or private nonprofit status.
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2 comments:
Definition of "agents of change"= Profiteering liars who will sell thier souls to the devil for a buck. Take heed of these agents of change. They live here in our community. They are neighbors and so called friends. Most people in the community have patronized thier bussiness' or know someone that has. There is a lot of money tied up in this "foundation". Keep your eyes open and watch where that money is spent and used. Just because the money gets donated somewhere does not change the fact that the money will have to be used to: build something, be invested, purchase equipment or supplies, purchase land to build new buildings, etc. Wonder who those contracts will be bid out to. Wonder which banks will be used to invest the money. Wonder whose land will be bought to build on. Just keep these things in mind and be watchful.
Not only do we all need to watch them, we need to be very vocal about what is going on. I know for a fact that American National has played games with the E. Stuart James Grant foundation money. The Institute has recieved some pretty hefty donations from local civic clubs that actually came from Grant's will and she did not name the Institute as a benefactor, because it did not exist. Anyone using that bank better watch their back....
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