Broadlands Medical Facility

At this point, I don't think responses are as important as the actual text of the letter. Since it was penned by you, can you help us out. I think it will help your cause and put things in context. Best to see it as it is, not the way others have portrayed it.

This is especially important based on the way it is being portrayed, her in the forum, at the public hearing, in the hallways, and in the press. It can't be as bad as they are saying it is.

 

Homer, would you like to have a direct referendum on every matter of public concern and get rid of our nation's republican (little "r") form of democracy? Direct referenda is what caused California's severe budget problems, and doomed our badly-needed sales tax increase for badly-needed transportation needs in NoVA. I elect people to office based on their abilities to review pertinent facts, make critical analysis, and exercise judgment ... NOT because they can simply follow every poll or survey! The same is true here, and in nearly two years debating this subject, I have neither seen nor heard sufficient facts</u> to oppose BRMC. Just a lot of rhetoric from LHC supporters and a now-HOA board member with, I believe, significant conflicts of interest.

And to those that oppose the BRMC and rely on the report claiming one hospital is enough until 2010... Hello, that is only 5-1/2 years away!!! Wouldn't you rather have our area's health facilities ready and able to prepare for unanticipated population growth above current projections, or at least ready for the 2010 population a few years early, than to be caught without adequate medical care when you or your family need it most? I, for one, am not willing to take that risk!

 

bertmv-

Thanks for sharing your surgery experience; my wife gave birth at Reston hospital and we were very pleased with the overall experience, especially the staff at the hospital.

I've had two ER experiences at LHC - both surprising were handled fairly well and in about as timely fashion as I would expect from any ER. The most recent one was 4am thanksgiving morning last year - that one I attribute to timing because it wasn't busy when we got there but when I was leaving "business" had picked up...

jeanne-

My ER question was just one aspect I was inquiring about as I stated. "ER's aren't profit centers" - I learned this fun fact at the first public meeting that was held in Broadlands, right after the hospital was announced. At the meeting, some of the most vocal participants expressed concern about sirens and helicopters. After the meeting, several representatives from HCA stayed around to answer more questions. The rep I spoke with (possibly assuming I was going to further probe about sirens and helicopters) stated that fact above and further described the more profitable centers in the hospital (outpatient surgery, ob) and demphasizing the ER. The largest volume of uninsured patients comes through the ER, so I can't imagine they will go to great lengths to make the ER inviting. I know the ER is just one piece of the picture.

I did enjoy your commentary/questions regarding Donna's letter (compliments on your thoroughness!). I am curious, as others have stated, as to what her response is to all the questions especially the last one...

Slightly off topic:
I know one of the many reasons for locating BRMC here is the proximity to roads such as the greenway. I'm picturing an image of an ambulance driver franticly searching for a credit card to pay the greenway toll of $143 (in the year 2012) at one of the unattended plazas while the lights and sirens are on...

 

AFGM, While you have been very active on these forums, and it always makes for good entertainment I am still waiting for a response to my invitation. I understand your comfort level when it comes to this forum, but Glen it is impolite to not RSVP to a personal invitation. Look forward to hearing from you.

 

Gee Donna, still no response. Thought you didn't check the forum that much.

 

Seriously, Donna. I would hope that you have better ways to advocate for your position than by continuing to waste your time "calling out" a member of these forums for not wanting to meet with you personally. You have made numerous offers on these forums and AFGM has not responded (can you blame him?). Thank you, we all get the point.

If you are really interested in meeting with AFGM, why don't you call or e-mail him and spare us any further dramatics staged for "public consumption." You are a member of our HOA; he is a member of his. It's not like you can't figure out how to contact him personally.

 

What does this have to do with the HOA board using OUR money to put out propaganda on the BRMC when the poll clearly shows that the residents are divided almost 50/50 with the anti side on top. And the Builder has control, we have no say at the momement but we still have to pay dues to support their point of view! This isn't about wether the hospital should or should not be here. This particular issue is about the misuse of community assests.

 

Thanks. That's consistent with what I understood the breakdown to be and it still doesn't seem to match with what I believe most people would perceive the county's needs to be. For example, 12 ob beds (which themselves were a late addition) vs. 40 psych beds in the nation's fastest growing county seems a bit askew. But if someone can point me to the studies justifying the breakdown, it might make more sense to me.

Also, your numbers confirm what I have been saying--that the psychiatric beds represent the single largest service. Med/surg is a diverse category which covers a very broad range of illnesses and medical subspecialties and services. Psychiatry is a specialty in itself, and appears to be the specialty that this hospital wishes to give the most attention to, notwithstanding any actual need for such services.

 

Not everyone believes an increased sales tax or a hospital in Broadlands is NEEDED. There are no facts to support either of those positions only opinions. If you're unwilling to take the risk of not arriving at a hospital soon enough why didnt you move next to an existing one? Why did you take that risk but arent willing to take an imaginary one? Once again a hospital supporter defies there own logic. Are we now using the Chewbacca defense to get the hospital built here.

 

It's starting to sound as if this hospital would be more generally accepted if they dropped the Psych beds. Someone previously posted that it doesn't make much sense that in the fastest growing county in the country that they want to build a new hospital with 12 OB beds (they'd fill those up in the first 10 minutes of operation) vs. 40 Psych beds. Is there some flexiblity here with HCA concerning what will be offered or is that a done deal? Can they drop the Psych idea entirely?

 

LOL! If it's an Ewok and anot from Kashykk you must acquit!!!

 

Brooks,

The single largest service that will be provided is healthcare. Mind and body healthcare.

As stated before I see no difference between a medical issue being physical or psychological. Both are valid, both exist in our community, and both need to be treated by healthcare professionls, in a professional hospital.

 

So, if BRMC gets built and the rest of Loudoun County (i.e., West, South Riding, Purcellville, etc.) gets neglected, that's ok? Bec that's what will happen.

 

I think Brooks makes a good point. If you broke up all the services out it is apparent that the focus is mental. This totally negates your argument that this hospital is what the county needs. It is what HCA needs.

 

Neglected? Becuase they won't have a hospital physically located in the West or South? Although I take issue with the premise that building BRMC = neglect of the rest of Loudoun (by that token LHC intentionally disenfrachised the West when they moved from Leesburg to Lansdowne), for sake of arguement let's say that building BRMC negelecting the West/South. Exactly how will not building BRMC improve their situtation?

The "Comprehesive Healthcare Plan" as authored by Loudoun Hospital Center suggests that a hospital be located in the South. Considering that the State has determined that the area that includes Loudoun County has a surplus of hospital beds, exactly how is this mythical hospital in South Riding going to be built? HCA has received approval to RELOCATE THEIR existing beds from one phycial location to another. If BRMC is defeated HCA still owns the beds.

No one with any integrity can suggest that the State will be approving the addition of 100+ beds to the area anytime wiht the next decade considering it took several years for HCA just to get approval to move their existing beds within the area and that was only accomplished with a protracted legal battle. So how does eliminating the only opportunity for Loudoun to get a 2nd hospital in at least the next 10 to 15 years improve the healthcare access in the county?

 

Why is everyone so sure that this is Loudoun's only opportunity to get a hospital?

 

Homer,

Are you forgetting that the mental health services provided by BRMC are also meeting the proffer for a 5 acre Mental Health Facility that was part of the original development plan for Broadlands? What do you suggest we put in place to meet our requirements if BRMC is not built, since the requirement to provide a 5 acre Metal Heath Facility will still need to be met? I for one would rather have the psych services as part of a hospital setting (and we already know what the services will be) than have some other smaller stand-alone facilty built that will serve god knows what. Are you willing to risk someone building an adult drug treatment facility or something with more potential danger to the community than what is being included in BRMC?

 

I think this is a good argument. Clearly, HCA wants/needs BRMC in order to transfer psychiatric beds away from one or more of its older facilities.

However, even if the psychiatric services comprise the single largest service that BRMC will provide, I can't overlook the fact that over 75% of the remaining beds at BRMC will handle non-psychiatric services. It is inconceivable to me that HCA would try to "bury" the psychiatric services by "throwing in" over 120 non-psychiatric beds, if they did not perceive a need for those other services in the county. It doesn't make sense -- you don't needlessly quadruple the size of your business just to make the original services seem more palatable to the state/county/residents/etc.

No rational person argues that the county does not (or will not) need these non-psychiatric beds within the next few years. Even if 25% of BRMC's services fulfill HCA's self-motivated desires, it doesn't change the fact that 75% of the facility will fulfill a needed service in the county.

 

Afgm and Vacliff,

I am wondering, as a neutral third party, why you two are pushing this thing so hard. As an outsider looking in, and knowing you both are part of the local HOAs, I can't help but think you both have some behind the scenes interest in this project. An occasional voice on the part of HOA would be fine, but you both seem to have no open mind on it. Any objective third party reading this thread would conclude, as I have, that the whole story is not being told here. What, if anything, is the historical relationship here between HCA and the local HOA representatives who represtent the Homeowners</u>?

 

I don't trust HCA to keep that ratio. What's to stop them from taking away physical beds and adding Adult mental later.

AFGM, you're right about the proffer. I wonder if that proffer was b/c of some whim, a bribe, or a real need? There already is an outpatient psych right down the road on Claiborne and Ashburn farm.