Danville Register & Bee
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
DANVILLE - The times and dates have been set for three public hearings on the quality of care at Danville Regional Medical Center.
“Things are pretty much set in motion,” Jim Houser, co-chairman of the Citizen’s Commission Related to the Danville Regional Medical Center, said Tuesday night at the commission’s regular meeting.
Danville Mayor Wayne Williams created the commission March 6 and charged the group with finding out what problems are plaguing the hospital and figuring out the best way to fix them.
A key part of this mission involves conducting a series of public hearings where area residents can share their views on the current state of Danville Regional since LifePoint Hospitals Inc. purchased the hospital in July 2005.
Those hearings are scheduled to take place May 8 at Chatham High School, May 10 at O.T. Bonner Middle School and on May 15 in the community room of Yanceyville Town Hall in Yanceyville, N.C.
Houser expects each hearing to start at 7 p.m. and last two hours. He plans to allow 30 people to speak at each event in the interest of time. People can sign up to speak at the hearings as early as 6 p.m.
Houser hopes that groups of people who plan to speak about the same facet of Danville Regional’s care will coordinate their efforts and select one spokesperson to represent their views.
“If one person has addressed wait times at the hospital, then you should give your spot up,” commission member Arlene Creasy said Tuesday.
Houser said it is not the commission’s job to fix what is wrong at Danville Regional, but only to provide a series of recommendations that hospital officials can have to work with. He hopes everyone who plans to attend the hearings will keep this in mind.
“We’re trying to open the door to communication,” he said, adding it would be worthwhile for Danville Regional officials to pay attention to the commission’s requests.
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7 comments:
In light of Coy Harville's letter to the editor in the Star Tribune, it is interesting to go back in time two years and read the following:
"Upon a motion of Mr. Davis, seconded by Mr. Scearce, to adopt resolution #2005-06-28 and notify the Attorney General that the County is opposed to the sale of the Danville Regional Medical Center. Mr. Davis stated that he is not satisfied that the whole community will be best served by the transfer. Motion carries by majority vote. Mr. Pritchett opposed. 6-Ayes with 1-Opposed.
PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
RESOLUTION 2005-06-28
VIRGINIA: At a regular meeting of the Board of Supervisors of Pittsylvania County the following resolution was submitted and approved by a 6-1 vote.
WHEREAS, there is a current proposal pending before the Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Virginia for the sale of the Danville Regional Medical Center, a non-profit corporation, to LifePoint, Inc., a for-profit entity; and
WHEREAS, the issues and condition of this proposed sale of the Danville Regional Medical Center were negotiated and consulted in private without public notification of the activities of the proposed sale denying the Public any knowledge of the evidence as to the reasons for the decision to sell; and
WHEREAS, a significant number of Citizens of Pittsylvania County, through payroll deductions, made significant contributions to the development and construction of the Danville Regional Medical Center to insure that they had quality medical service in this community; and
WHEREAS, the Citizens of Pittsylvania County have communicated to the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors their concerns of changing the health care services of this community without the knowledge of the Citizens of the community; and
WHEREAS, the Citizens of Pittsylvania County have questioned the Board of Supervisors as to whether or not a fair price was given for the sale of this facility and what criteria or binding commitments for the long range security of community health in the County were anticipated or integrated into the sale; and
WHEREAS, it appears the Citizens of the community would bear the full risk as to whether LifePoint, Inc. will provide the interest of the community above the interest of its investors in order to provide the necessary health care for the community; and
WHEREAS, the negotiations and sale of the Danville Regional Medical Center were not disclosed until the submission for final approval was submitted to the Attorney General’s office, denying the Citizens the opportunity for any input on a major community service decision; then
BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED, by the Board of Supervisors of Pittsylvania County, that they urge the Attorney General to reject the proposed sale of the Danville Regional Medical Center to LifePoint, Inc. requesting that the process start over in an open and equitable manner, notifying the Citizens of the County of Pittsylvania of the details and consideration of the sale; such that the community interest and community asset will be equitably covered."
And ?
"And?"
Are you blind?
"...they urge the Attorney General to reject the proposed sale of the Danville Regional Medical Center to LifePoint, Inc. requesting that the process start over in an open and equitable manner, notifying the Citizens of the County of Pittsylvania of the details and consideration of the sale; such that the community interest and community asset will be equitably covered." "
BINGO!!!
"the negotiations and sale of the Danville Regional Medical Center were not disclosed until the submission for final approval was submitted to the Attorney General’s office, denying the Citizens the opportunity for any input on a major community service decision"
BINGO AGAIN!!!
"it appears the Citizens of the community would bear the full risk as to whether LifePoint, Inc. will provide the interest of the community above the interest of its investors in order to provide the necessary health care for the community;"
And they don't.....have you noticed that the hospital is currently being re-evaluated by Joint Commission, that CMS is conducting an inspection, that the mayor has appointed a citizens commission, and that the attorney general has taken an interest in the situation?
Does that not ring any alarms to you? It seems as though the county's resolution from 2 years ago foreshadowed everything that has transpired since.
Any employee of LifePoint who shows up at one of these hearings is an idiot. We know that Lifepoint will bring their own toadies. Any employee who appears with a gripe is adios--sooner or later. Don't forget, the guys who sold the hospital and brought us Lifepoint are the people paying for this exercise. Ruthless? They invented it. Only a fool would show her face at one of these "forums."
If things are soooooo bad and if you don't have the integrity to speak out then...maybe you should quit complaining and get to work.
Remember, this hospital belongs to Art and what he says "goes".
I'm sure he is a man of honor and integrity or LPNT would have never put him in the CEO position!!
Everyday in this hospital, we see our Leaders saying one thing to the "O"s and another to us. You should all be ashamed. As long as you keep doing that, we will never heal and get on with business.
How bout that CFO stepping down suddenly in Tenn. Seems that Needles thing has bitten Lifepoint on the butt. Maybe DRMC will do a little bitin' next?
To the commit "...maybe you should quit complaining and get to work."
The Hospital folks are not the only ones complaining.I was one of the people who left the hospital but I still talk to people who work there. Some of the things I have herd from these folks would make you never go there again. You may say why not post them here. Because they are hear say and I have no proof that they happened. But I myself trust these people enough that I will never go to DRMC.I have no dought the Hospital will pass the next inspection. The Admin's are making sure of that not so much by fixing the problems but working hard to make sure they will not be found this I do Know.
Lifepoint will not leave, they will meet the minimum requirments to keep this hospital. That is how they run things. The less money comming in the less they will offer and we have already seen this come to pass. The only hope would be to start a new hospital in Chatam that the people can have some control / input over. I would gladly leave my job take a cut in pay to go to work for it.
The great thing about the USA is that many people have died for the freedom to speak and to choose. I choose not to do anything with the people who sold us out and not to go to DRMC. I my mind they have tried to take that freedom away.
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