HCA's Finances Sour -- "more bad news to come"

Just curious - what part of the health care field do you work in?

 

afgm: Initially you said, "health care in the United States represents 26% of the GNP." Now you say that 26% of healthcare expenses are related to paperwork. How are those alike in any way? I'd love to see how your tie those two statements together.

That's right. The Admins have made it perfectly clear that A-N-Y-O-N-E can post here. This is not the Broadlands forum. Rather, it is the forum for anyone who can log on. We really should change the name to something like "Random Forum."

T8erman: I'm ROTFLMAO about "Broadlands Medical Research Center." I can see it now, mad scientists doing research experiments to see what makes people in this community tick...

 

exrook -- I'm glad to share.... I've worked in some area of the healthcare sector all of my life -- you name it, and I've done it. I've worked in managed care, new technology evaluation, and hospital finance. Now, I mostly work to ensure that patients have access to healthcare services.

 

I guess your work doesn't include access to healthcare services in Broadlands...

 

At first, I started to type, [Edited by Moderator]
Bravo! Please take a bow..." But would that have accomplished? So, I instead choose to response this way:

GCyr: Access to healthcare in the Broadlands is optimal, quite possibly near perfect. I can't begin to count the number of physicians within a 5 mile radius, and there is a brand new hospital five minutes away, too. If HCA would just let Loudoun Hospital continue to expand its services instead of trying to deny our community life-saving cardiac care and other services, I would rate our access as close to perfect as you can get. Most Americans would kill for the bountiful healthcare that we have, and it is a self-pitying insult to everyone who does not enjoy our privileges for you to say otherwise.

 

chris,

I am relatively new to the area, and don't know a lot of the back roads in Ashburn. I know of a couple of ways to get to the hostpital, but, for the life of me, I can't figure out how you can get to LCH in 5 minutes.

You keep using this "5 minutes" claim. Could you share your route with me? I hate waiting for that light to cross Rt. 7 -- waiting for that light, by itself, frequently takes me 5 minutes. Do you have a trick to get to Lansdowne? Anything you could do to speed up my trip would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

Loudoun Hospital Seeks To Block Purcellville Imaging Center


Dec 10, 2003 -- Loudoun Healthcare Inc. announced last night that it has new plans to immediately re-open its medical imaging center in Purcellville. Not coincidentally, that offer was made before the town council just as a medical group affiliated with Valley Health System’s Winchester Medical Center prepares to provide those services.
Loudoun Hospital is seeking a Circuit Court injunction to prevent the competing group from operating in the building. ...

http://www.leesburg2day.com/current.cfm?catid=28&newsid=8173


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It has got to be true: "If I ever made an inaccurate statement in these forums, I will gladly retract it."

Maybe she plans to use the new BRMC Helicopter pad!

 

Have you ever felt like a cat playing with a mouse, eventually getting bored with the mouse, and then ignoring it? We need a sticky trap in this forum.

 

There you go again, Chris, cutting down anyone who doesn't agree with you. Why can't you just address the issues/facts instead of running open at the mouth and quit attacking anyone who doesn't agree with you!!

If your work includes getting people access to healthcare, I'm only asking why this excludes access to BRMC in Broadlands? How did you determine that "Access to healthcare in the Broadlands is optimal, quite possibly near perfect"?

Access would be perfect for me with BRMC across the street from me and not having to drive to LHC in ever increasing traffic. So, apparently what's perfect for you is not perfect for someone else; hence the difference of opinion which you can't seem to understand or tolerate.

It's you that wants to "deny our community life-saving cardiac care" by not supporting BRMC since these services are already approved for BRMC. Why should LHC go through the approval process and maybe be disapproved which would further delay those "life-saving cardiac care" serices in our community? The services are already approved for BRMC, so why are you denying "our community life-saving cardiac care?"

 

Surprise, surprise!! Just like Chris' other fantastic claims, the five minute route doesn't exist (unless you're flying by helicopter). We just drove there this morning from our home in Southern Walk -- it took 22 minutes</u>. We had to wait eight minutes at the corner of Ashburn Road and Route 7 since there is only one lane that is allowed to go north on Ashburn Road at that intersection. I'm glad it wasn't an emergency.

Chris, please entertain us with another legendary statement or claim. Like I said a couple of days ago, this is great entertainment.

 

CHRIS!!!! You have been edited! Way to go girlfriend! hehehe

 

I disagree.

Last November at my annual physical my doctor expressed concerns about a mole on my arm that had changed color and shape. He referred me to one of the two dermatologist that work with LHI. After calling both and learning that neither was taking new patients until April, I started calling practices near INOVA Fairfax. The first I called was able to see me two weeks later, removed the mole, and determined it to be very early squamous carcinoma. They then scheduled a follow-up Moh's procedure to two weeks later to ensure that it was all removed. Now all that's left is a slight scar on my arm.

Had I waited to see one of the two doctors in Loudoun county, I'd have had an increased chance that the cancer would have spread, and would just now be getting it removed. Not what I would call optimal by any definition.

I think I just convinced myself that the new hospital is a good thing.

Exrook

 

Are you affiliated with LHI in anyway?

Exrook

 

Chris mentioned we should support LHC expanding their services. I agree!!!
For example, wouldn't it be nice if LHC had a Board certified Pediatrician on duty like the HCA-owned Reston hospital does??
Doesn't it seem hard to believe that in Loudoun county, with a huge population of children, the only hospital hasn't seen fit to have a Pediatrician on duty???? Maybe they don't seem to think it is necessary or a priority. Maybe they could spend some of their millions of profit and reinvest it into the needs of the community.
If you have a child that needs emergency care, think twice about which hospital you go to.
I've spoken to Donna about this, and she is working with LHC to make this happen. I hope she's successful.
Cliff

 

I have had such awful experience(s) with Fairfax INOVA that any hospital outside of INOVA has got to be better. I agree and hope that Donna has luck with getting LCH to staff a full time pedicitrican for emergencies. Given this area is heavily populated with children. I have been to LCH for myself at 4am and was out within 2 hours so it was a nice change from INOVA - 6-7 hrs average! I have never had to take my child and am terrified of the day I do. I think for now I would take her to Reston. My husband had ankle surgery there and said it was so much better than INOVA.

As for the hospital in Broadlands, when there is an emergency, a close hospital would be nice - but it would depend on the quality of care and the type of services offered.

 

Exrook -- I am not an employee of Loudoun Hospital, though I would proudly work for such a reputable origanization.

To all the others who complained about what you labeled as "horrible" healthcare here -- I am tempted say something that the pro-HCA side said to those who opposed the hospital: "If you think that is so bad, move." However, I won't say that because, unlike most of the pro-HCA side, I actually do value your opinions and encourage you to keep on voicing them.

Again, most people in a sane state of mind would kill for the excellent access that we have to healthcare in the Broadlands. We've got it better that the vast majority of Americans.

 

As I mentioned to Cliff, LHC has pediatricians available and they have board certified Neonatologists that are also board certified in pediactrics. The neonats are there 24/7, it was determined at the time that neonats were more of a benefit to the county because there were more babies being born, and Reston determined at the time that peds were needed for Fairfax County. However, a neonat is able to help with any pediatric issue. If your child is seriously injuried LHC is able to handle those traumas depending what the circumstance is and what the EMS techs have determined needs to be done.

 

But, of course, you did say it. I am tempted to say something like "what a miserable attempt to disguise your intolerant views," but I won't, because that wouldn't be nice. Instead, I'll just respond to your substantive comment:

We may have better access to healthcare than "the vast majority of Americans," but does that mean we shouldn't ask for/demand even better access if we can get it? I don't know about you , but I want the best for my family, and I don't buy the argument that I shouldn't get it just because I already have it "better than others."