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

Donna,

Honest question...if LHC is prepared to handle any emergency, why is it that so many of the more serious emergencies are flown or taken to Fairfax or Reston Hospital? It seems to happen frequently.

 

The majority of Americans have a local competitive choice of where to spend their money on healthcare.

Loudoun County needs healthcare competition. That is my main reason for pushing for BRMC. BRMC is the quickest way to establishing competition, and driving rival healthcare organizations to improve service, improve quality, improve access, and improve costs. Both BRMC and LHC will be better for it. Certainly the citizens will be the beneficiaries of this dynamic.

The option of drawing up new plans for County wide healthcare is a stalling tactic initiated by those opposed to a challenge to the LHC County monopoly.

 

A monopoly is a monopoly no matter how you sugar coat it.
I find it funny that many of the people who want to allow LHC to maintain it's monopoly, in the past, complained how terrible the service is from other local monopolies like Adelphia. Competition works. Now I am not comparing LHC to Adelphia. I am sure LHC has genuine concern for their patients and the community but why, all of a sudden, does LHC have big plans to expand services and locations? It's because there is a new kid coming to town. That, ladies and gentlemen, is why competition is a good thing. If BRMC were never proposed I guarantee LHC would not have such bold plans.

 

afgm: The answer to your question is: for the same reason that Fairfax and Reston often refer and transfer patients to other facilities. Sometimes, care is better delivered by another facility for a variety of reasons. No hospital or no combination of two, three, or four hospitals can meet the specific needs of every patient who gets hauled into the facility.

To draw an analogy, do you think that every grocery store stocks every food product that any shopper wants? Healthcare is similar.

pats: I promise to end the tit-for-tat bickering. I'll do this unilaterally, so feel free to join me or not -- your choice. My point on access is that we already have an excellent healthcare infrastructure in Loudoun. Rather than destroy it by bringing in HCA, I think that we should invest in what we have to make it better.

Also, I do not believe that HCA would improve our overall healtcare access given their past business practices.

 

Chris,

I didn't ask you. Your opinion means nothing to me. Donna has inside knowledge and I frankly, trust her answer more than yours.

 

Using your analogy - when enough people request a certain product, the grocery store will start to carry the item.
Maybe the numbers didn't justify LHC performing certain procedures and sending patients to other locations, but I do not think it is coincidence that they started offering more "groceries" until HCA jumped into the picture.
Competition anyone?

I will agree with you somewhat that we do have excellent (I wouldn't use excellent) healthcare. But for the amount of money the average Eastern Loudouner makes and for the amount of taxes we pay, why shouldn't we have truly excellent healthcare? And by this I mean more options, more locations, more, more more.... I think I am entitled to it, don't you?

 

T8erman,

My observation is most cases we hear about where patients are flow out are for serious injuries. Time has to be a factor with situations like this. I am interested in knowing why Loudoun Hospital can't handle these cases. That is a legitimate question.

I am with you I assume alteratives through competition will correct this issue. Either Loudoun Hospital will fix their service offering, or BRMC will provide it.

At the least, patients would be flown from Loudoun Hospital to BRMC. That would meet Chris' 5 minute estimate.

 

T8erman: Be careful what you wish for... Personally, I think that we deserve better than HCA. If we want better healthcare access, we should all support the CPAM.

From a moral perspective, I have to say that I think that the argument that wealthier people deserve better healthcare than those who are less well to do is something that I am not comfortable with. Still, you have a right to that opinion and it's understandable given your political persuasion. (As an aside, all 4 major networks, including FOX, denied Dubya airtime for his latest Iraq spin-session -- slap, ouch, boohoo!)

afgm: Thanks for the latest rant. I needed a dose of insanity as I sit here watching The Swan.

 

I thought I heard at the HOA annual meeting that the decision regarding HCA was in the hands of the Board of Supervisors and that concerns, opposition, and support for the hospital should go to the BOS????

I might have misunderstood that.

 

The BOS does have the LAST word about this issue!!!

I wanted to let you all know that our website www.notinbroadlands.com is back up and running. Thanks to all of you that wanted us to re-establish it. We are in the process of updating it so please visit and let us know what you want to hear about. Thanks, Donna

 

Chris,

What facts lead you to believe that Loudoun won't need another
hospital by 2010? According to the US census the population is
expected to grow by more than 50% in the next 6 years to more
than 300,000 people. By 2020 the population is projected to grow
247% to 417,000 people. There is no question that Loudoun will
need another hospital to keep up with growth.

If LHC is such a good hospital then how would Broadlands Regional
Medical "destroy" them? Are you opposed to any new hospital in
eastern Loudoun or just not one in your back yard?

Judging from the title of the anti-hospital site - Not In Broadlands -
the anti hospital folks simply don't want a hospital here in
Broadlands. I fortunately have not had a reason to find out the
quality of care at LHC yet but have not heard alot of positive
feedback from those who have.

Skins fan

 

skins fan:

I have never stated nor believed that Lo. Co. does not need another hospital. I just don't believe that we need two hospitals right on top of each other, geographically speaking. Some have called another hospital right here redudant and duplicative (repetitive but true!). Whatever you call it, it sure as heck makes absolutely no sense!

I believe that the sensible decision is to support the Lo. Co.'s Comprehensive Plan calling for hospitals at Lansdowne, Leesburg, and Dulles South and community health centers in Lovettsville, Purcellville, Middleburg, Round Hill, CountrySide, and Dulles Airport. That plan best meets the need of the county's growing population.

 

You mistated this plan as the Loudoun County plan, it is the Loudoun
County Hospital Plan, structured to keep competition out of the their profits.

 

chris,

Do you know when are these hospitals scheduled to be built? Who is going to build them?

Can you provide details of this "Comprehensive Plan," or a link to information on it? It may have been provided in a previous thread, but I cannot locate it. Thanks.

 

What makes you think that YOU are qualified to make that determination? Are you experienced at market research for new hospitals? Have you started new hospitals in the past? Probably not. Instead, all of your tirades are likely just mere opinions.

 

Pats_fan: Thanks for a civil post! About the Comprehensive Plan, I received details about it in the mail last week. More information should be somewhere on the Lo. Co. website -- or contact the Lo. Co. BOS. To answer you other question, I am sure that our BOS would not advocate for an untenable plan. If they support it, then I am sure that they have a plan for getting the facilities built. I just hope that they can get MLB in Dulles and healthcare for the whole county at the same time.

afgm: Thanks for another insane post! As I recall, your last comment to me was "Chris, I didn't ask you. Your opinion means nothing to me." So, I could respond childishly and say "Right back at you![] Actually, stike that "could" and replace it with "will."

 

Unless I missed Dubya declaring martial law last night, I think that America still allows for freedom of expression. Sorry that you don't believe in it, wick.

I've worked to improve healthcare access all of my life. That includes working for over six years in hospital settings. I don't need that to have an opinion on the matter (nobody does...), but since you asked... What about you, wick?

 

I am more than capable of "civil" posts, as long as my words and opinions are not twisted into oblivion!

I am surprised that you have such faith in the BOS on this issue -- If I remember correctly, I think you agree with me that their county growth plan is asinine. You haven't had many nice things to say about the BOS regarding other issues discussed on these forums, either.

I admittedly don't know enough about the Comp. Plan in order to form an opinion as to their judgment on this issue, but I certainly won't put blind faith in the notion that they would not support an "untenable" plan.

I'm with you on the MLB issue, though! [^]

 

Chris your ego is getting in the way, I was actually responding to a comment made in the forum, it happened to be yours.

By the way Chris, where has Mary Jo been lately? Haven't heard from her since her mysterious brief appearance. Any ideas?[^]

 

Three things:

1. The First Amendment only protects you from the government, not from other people that disagree with you. If I want to disagree with you about your beliefs, I have that right under the same First Amendment. There is no legal authority that states that your First Amendment rights give you a free ticket to never be disagreed with by other people. Another lie perpetrated by chris. You are master of misstatement.

2. I have never worked in healthcare. At the same time, I (including others) don't strut around these forums crying wolf about the devastation of the Broadlands if the hospital is built. You do. Don't compare me to you. I am merely pointing out your inaccurate and emotion-packed "arguments" against the hospital.

3. My previous post was in response to your purported "business analysis" of the lack of need for a hospital in the Broadlands. That is not your job. That is HCA's job. Did you lobby against the Subway that was built at the Broadlands Village Center, too? After all, there are already several Subways in the area. We don't need another one. You know what, that is Subway's decision. Likewise, it's HCA's decision. If they feel there is a market for a new hospital, then they should be able to build one. It's called free enterprise. Look it up.