Posted by countyconscience (anonymous) on July 11, 2009 at 11:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)

This is from the guy that has a billboard on bypass claiming his hospital is one of the ioo hospitals in the country, where the food is terrible, the place is unclean, staph infections rule, and there are not enough nurses on duty. "Oh sorry, I would not have taken 1 1/2 hours to answer your buzz but I have fifteen patients tonite."
He operates on math formula - High charges minus cheap service equals maximum profit.

Posted by wilson (anonymous) on July 13, 2009 at 11:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Countyconscience and to other citizens of this county:

I appreciate Mr.Dooley's comment. He is completely correct as it relates to our regional hospital. I understand your concerns, however; what we all must understand is the reimbursement as it equates with care, food, and all other needs is poor when it comes to hospital of our size.

Having lived in another larger city in our state, our hospital is much cleaner and the personnel truly cares about our community. Now with all this being said, people are people. I am sure countyconscience that you are worldly and have worked a multitude of jobs that would give you the leverage to ridicule one of the largest employers in our county.

Maximum profit is the biggest joke I have ever heard. Do you realize that the days of a hospital turning a profit are OVER? The uninsured, decreased reimbursement, and people unable to pay their bills are killing hospitals all over this country. Larger hospitals are closing in many cities across our country large buildings are just shells where people took care of people.

So the next time you are in Andalusia Regional Hospital, please note it isn't perfect but they get and A+ for trying. Just remember, you live in this community countyconscience, when you wreck you definately are going to roll in the Emergency Room door and you will be taken care of by some of the most qualified caring people in this county.
Some of us need to learn solutions instead of always pointing out negative. Thank you Andalusia Regional Hospital for the job you continue to do day in and day out!

Posted by Estragon (anonymous) on July 14, 2009 at 9:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Mr. Dooley, the CEO of Andalusia Regional Hospital, is apparently satisfied with the status quo of our health care delivery system. First some facts. Andalusia Regional Hospital, Inc. is a for-profit corporation that is part of LifePoint Hospitals, Inc., a conglomerate that owns and operates 48 hospitals in non-urban areas of the country. LifePoint was itself a spin off of hospitals owned by the country's largest for-profit hospital chain, Columbia/HCA. This spin off occurred as Columbia/HCA was being investigated for Medicare fraud and abuse, an investigation that ultimately led to the indictment of a number of Columbia/HCA executives and the payment of over $1.7 Billion in fines.

LifePoint's 2008 Annual Report to Shareholders states as follows:

"In spite of the economic pressures that affected the entire
hospital industry in 2008, we achieved solid financial results.
Revenues from continuing operations increased to $2.7 billion,
generating income from continuing operations of $138.2
million and diluted earnings per share of $2.58—an increase
of 15.7% over the previous year. We did not merely hold our
ground; we gained it. In the process, we positioned our
company solidly to build on our successes and our
fundamental strengths in the years to come.
We also remain in an excellent financial position for both 2009
and the longer term."

Perhaps Mr. Dooley, in his next article, could explain for the readers of the Star-News why covering every American with health care insurance is so bad for this money machine.

Posted by 188822 (anonymous) on July 16, 2009 at 8:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I have to agree with Estragon!

I will believe that our system, and I will quote Mr. Dooley, "ain't broke" when I stop seeing the many jars beside the cash registers at convenience store asking for assistance to pay for medical care.

Posted by rgodwin (anonymous) on July 16, 2009 at 2:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I know our health care in America isn't perfect, but it remains the best in the world. Health care isn't a right no matter how many would love for it to be. I do believe that government programs could easily take care of our elderly and needy if it weren't for all the illegals in our country mooching off of our system. As long as we as a nation remain ignorant to the liberal agenda and vote for liberals who care nothing about the poor other than their vote, we will always have a large section of our people who think the rest of the world owes them a living. I do not understand people who believe for one second that anyone in Washington could ever run anything efficiently, especially health care. It's a shame to me that so many people have come to think that government is the answer for everything, when the truth is that government destroys much more than it has ever fixed. Our military is the only part of our government that works and it's because their job is to destroy. Obama and his democrat congress is well on it's way to destroying the America and the freedoms that so many of us love and hold dear. The bad thing is that it is happening right before our eyes and the majority doesn't even see it happening. If Obama's national health passes, it will be the end of private health care no matter what he says. There is no private company of any kind that can compete with the government. A private company has to produce a profit or go out of business, but the government doesn't have to. They just force you to pay more taxes to make up for the loss. This means that if his National Health Care passes, there will be nothing but national health care left and government officials will be telling you when and if you can go to a doctor and which doctor you will see. It was a sad day when Americans elected a president who obviously hates America and works everyday to destroy the freedoms that we have always enjoyed as Americans! I just hope people wake up to who and what he and his congress is before it's too late.

Posted by RTR (anonymous) on July 16, 2009 at 3:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Countyconscience,
Do you know what Andalusia Regional Hospital is doing to prevent and protect patients from the staph infections that you say "rule"? Have you spoken directly with any of the staff, infection prevention nurse or administrators at the hospital regarding your concerns? Have you ever heard the term "Community-Associated Methicillin Resistant Staphyloccocus Aureus (MRSA)"? The Centers for Disease Control website is an excellent resource for those concerned about the health of their community. Do you know the numbers of Community-Associated MRSA in our area? If you took the time to investigate the facts, you would find that Andalusia Regional Hospital is very aggressive with their infection prevention efforts AND places an extremely high priority on quality patient care. The staff, physicians and administrators at Andalusia Regional Hospital live in this community and use the facility for their healthcare needs. This community is their home and it is filled with family, friends, and neighbors. It is illogical that they would ever seek to provide anything less than quality care. If you have specific issues with quality of care, I suggest you take them directly to the hospital adminstrator so he can address them.

Posted by THEY (anonymous) on July 16, 2009 at 4:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)

How about let's remember that the hospital is a business with stakeholders who expect it to make a profit. If you go to Walmart to buy a 100 dollar product and pay 10 dollars for it, Walmart is going to increase the price to 1000 dollars so the company can get paid the 100 dollars for its product and remain in business.

It's ridiculous how we have become so dependent on the government for our every need. If I was worried enough about my family, perhaps I should stop buying cigarettes, alcohol, and cell phones for 4 year olds and buy some health insurance instead.

When this community begins to realize that the hospital is not publicly funded and it works very hard to take care of its stakeholders, often against standard business practices in the amount of money given to charity in the community, then you will realize you are lucky to have a facility like Andalusia Regional Hospital in this area.

By the way, for those of you without dictionaries, a stakeholder is anyone who has an interest in a business entity, be it employees, shareholders, or the surrounding community.

...and it's top 100 (ONE hundred).

Posted by Estragon (anonymous) on July 16, 2009 at 10:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I keep hearing the phrase that the U.S. has the world's best health care system. While patriotic boasting is understandable, unfortunately the facts don't support this boast.
The World Health Organization in 2000 ranked the health status of countries by a number of complex factors, including personal health indicators such as life expectancy and infant mortality. Here are the rankings:

1 France
2 Italy
3 San Marino
4 Andorra
5 Malta
6 Singapore
7 Spain
8 Oman
9 Austria
10 Japan
11 Norway
12 Portugal
13 Monaco
14 Greece
15 Iceland
16 Luxembourg
17 Netherlands
18 United Kingdom
19 Ireland
20 Switzerland
21 Belgium
22 Colombia
23 Sweden
24 Cyprus
25 Germany
26 Saudi Arabia
27 United Arab Emirates
28 Israel
29 Morocco
30 Canada
31 Finland
32 Australia
33 Chile
34 Denmark
35 Dominica
36 Costa Rica
37 United States of America***
38 Slovenia
39 Cuba
40 Brunei
41 New Zealand
42 Bahrain
43 Croatia
44 Qatar
45 Kuwait
46 Barbados
47 Thailand
48 Czech Republic
49 Malaysia
50 Poland

As you can see, the U.S. is not #1, but #37. Despite spending, on a per capita basis, more than twice the health care expenditures of any other country, our health care system produces outcomes that are more comparable to Third World Countries than highly developed nations. For example, the life expectancy in the U.S is 70.0, while 23 other nations have higher life expectancies. Infant mortality rates in the U.S., according to a 2008 CDC report, is as follows: "The U.S. ranks 29th worldwide in infant mortality, tying Slovakia and Poland but lagging behind Cuba."

It amazes me how people in our country can be bamboozled by misinformation from those financially invested in the status quo, and by the mean-spirited narrative of reactionaries who oppose everything that has to do with "government." Government guarantees everyone access to public education, why shouldn't it also guarantee everyone access to something that is equally fundamental to our society: health care.

Posted by countyconscience (anonymous) on July 17, 2009 at 1:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)

RTR seems to disagree with my comments about the "staph" problem at ARH. Your denial doesn't diminish is existence. I have personally referred patients, who came home from this hospital sicker than when they went in, to an out of town infectious disease specialist. This was always after they could get zero relief form the staph they caught while there were being treated at ARC for other problems.

This problem has been going on for at least 15 years and will continue until somebody other than Mr. Dooley sitting in his nice office has the good sense to change the housekeeping practices at this hospitals - this means the whole place. It also means replacing the the people who do the cleaning in the patient rooms, bathrooms surgical suites, recovery rooms, hallways, storage areas.

The problem began with a certain employee in the 80's who spent most of her time running the hospital grapevine and not on keeping the place clean. She created a culture of laxness and it spread among the people that work for her. She is gone put the problem still exists. The only way to change it is to replace the existing operation with a whole new staff that are given the same set of procedure to go by from someone who knows how to keep a hospital clean.

Now to rgodwin who said that we could not trust "anyone in Washington could ever run anything efficiently, especially health care". Well lets see....they run the healthcare systems for the army, navy and the airforce, the VA Heathcare system, Medicare , Medicaid, and provide healtcare to every federal employee. I firmly believe that the government in Washington can do anything else in the healthcare arena that congress directs them to do. they also do this with lower administrative costs than private healthcare insurers. Kind of an amazing thing once you think about it.

Posted by countyconscience (anonymous) on July 17, 2009 at 1:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)

RTR seems to disagree with my comments about the "staph" problem at ARH. Your denial doesn't diminish is existence. I have personally referred patients, who came home from this hospital sicker than when they went in, to an out of town infectious disease specialist. This was always after they could get zero relief form the staph they caught while there were being treated at ARC for other problems.

This problem has been going on for at least 15 years and will continue until somebody other than Mr. Dooley sitting in his nice office has the good sense to change the housekeeping practices at this hospitals - this means the whole place. It also means replacing the the people who do the cleaning in the patient rooms, bathrooms surgical suites, recovery rooms, hallways, storage areas.

The problem began with a certain employee in the 80's wqho spent most of her time running the hospital grapevine and not on keeping the place clean. She created a culture of laxnses and it spread among the people that work for her. She is gone put the problem still exists. The only way to change it replace with a whole new staff that are given the same set of procedure to go by from someone who knows how to keep a hospital clean.

Now to rgodwin who said that we could not trust "anyone in Washington could ever run anything efficiently, especially health care". Well lets see....they run the healthcare systems for the army, navy and the airforce, the VA Heathcare system, Medicare , Medicaid, and provide healtcare to every federal employee. I firmly believe that the government in Washington can do anything else in the healthcare arena that congress directs them to do. they also do this with lower administrative costs than private healthcare insurers. Kind of an amazing thing once you think about it.

Posted by rgodwin (anonymous) on July 17, 2009 at 7:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)

To countyconscience , I didn't say that the government couldn't run anything. I said that they ran nothing efficiently and they don't have to show a profit. Only a liberal democrat who thinks government is the answer to all problems could possible think so. Government never tightens their belts to save and conserve. They just strangle the working me and women of our nation with more taxes! I've talked with people who have used the VA because that's all they have, not because it's their preference. Don't worry, if Obama and the Democrat congress get their way, they will soon have you and everyone else in their wonderful health care program. That should really make our mortality rate closer to Cuba and and drive unemployment even higher. If it weren't for destroying our nation even farther, I'd almost wish that it would happen just to demonstrate your ignorance.

Posted by Estragon (anonymous) on July 17, 2009 at 8:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)

CountyConscience/rgodwin/RTR/THEY:

Let's not loose sight of the relevant issues: (1) Do all Americans deserve access to affordable healthcare, and (2) would our country be benefited by providing universal health coverage to everyone?

Medicare presently provides coverage to persons over the age of 65 and disabled individuals. Medicaid covers low-income individuals. Covering these individuals did not destroy our country, it did not bring about unemployment, and it did not result in "Godless socialism" or any of the other boogeymen that are raised to scare people. It did result in a higher quality of life and a longer life-span for the elderly and the poor.

The people currently left out are those individuals in the middle, both economically and age-wise. Many of the individuals not covered by current federal health insurance coverage are working aged and their employers were expected to provide their health care coverage as a fringe benefit. Unfortunately, many employers, especially those who run small businesses, can not afford to provide health insurance for their employees due to it high costs. In Alabama, Blue Cross/Blue Shield has captured almost 80% of the health insurance market and this dominant market power allows it to dictate its terms, unconstrained by free market forces. Additionally, individuals who are unemployed or self-employed, and do not qualify for group insurance, find themselves unable to obtain health insurance not only because of its prohibitive cost, but they have been screened out by insurance companies because of their family's health histories or by their own pre-existing conditions.

The discussion of staph infection at ARH is interesting, but irrelevant. MRSA and MSSA have become epidemic in all hospitals, even excellent hospitals like UAB Medical Center. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/84986.... (Note to RTR: "Community Associated MRSA" is that acquired in a non-healthcare setting. "Healthcare Associated MRSA" is that acquired in a healthcare setting, and when acquired in a hospital is required to as a "nosocomial" infection.) But, discussing staph infections, or engaging in disparaging discussions about our country's first President of African-American heritage, something that a lot of white folks in south Alabama find hard to accept, are major digressions and distractions from the real question: How do we as a country best provide health care coverage to all Americans?

Posted by RTR (anonymous) on July 17, 2009 at 8:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Countyconscience,

I DO disagree with your comments about "staph" problems at ARH, however, I never denied the existence of "staph". In fact, "staph" or Methicillin Resistant Staph Aureus (MRSA) is a major concern for our community and many communities throughout the United States. I simply asked if you were aware of the processes in place at ARH to protect patients from this organism? I can assure you there are several.

ARH employees hundreds of people in this community. Those hundreds of employees have hundreds of family, friends and neighbors who use ARH for their healthcare needs. I stand by my statement that is it illogical for them to seek to provide anything other than the best quality care. ARH is not perfect, as no one is perfect, but you will find many there who care about their community and go to work every day with the goal to provide excellent healthcare.

I thank you for your comments as this gives ARH the opportunity to evaluate processes and improve the care that is provided for this community.

Posted by rgodwin (anonymous) on July 17, 2009 at 9:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Estragon, I agree 100% that all Americans have the right to affordable heath care, but not free health care. What I disagree with is that government can provide it more cost effective and better than private industry. I also have no problem with Obama's color. I wouldn't care if he was blue and orange if he was doing what it takes to make our economy grow, but he's not. I truly believe he's a very smart man because he's played the people like a fiddle. If your checking account was out at the bank, would you just start spending money that you don't have? No one in his right mind would do that and that's exactly what Obama and congress are doing right now. They are taking over privately owned companies and this will destroy the free market if it's not stopped. If the government starts national health care and dictates what people are paid, we will lose the brightest minds to other fields or else they will go elsewhere to work. It will also destroy all private health care except for the extremely wealthy, because private industry can't compete with a government that will just print more money. I'm lucky in that I've yet to have any health problems, but I sure don't want some government flunky telling me when, if and where I can see a doctor and which one I will see. I understand that we may need to reform health care with some government oversight, but not government run. I know some say that our health care isn't that great, but I sure don't see them traveling elsewhere in droves to get it.

Posted by Estragon (anonymous) on July 17, 2009 at 11:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)

rgodwin:

My disagreement with you is that you have a lot of opinions, but not one single fact to back them up. Perhaps this is why your opinions are either (a) illogical, without any rational basis, or (b) mindless repetition of right-wing talking points based on misinformation and disingenuousness.

Are you saying that it is better to have Blue Cross/Blue Shield, which controls 83% of the health insurance in Alabama, make decisions about how much health care providers should be paid than the government, which is answerable to the democratic process? If the federal government is so inefficient, why are private insurance companies unable to compete with it?

There was a poll a few days ago about whether the readership of the Star-News approved of Dr. Benjamin, Pres. Obama's choice for Surgeon General. Dr. Benjamin lives in south Alabama and is a graduate of UAB Medical School. She has started rural health clinics in Alabama and her career has been one of selflessness and dedication to the poor. All of us in this area should be proud that a local person was tapped for such a high national honor. Yet, amazingly, over 60% of the readers at this newspaper disapproved of her. Could it be because she is Black and the white folks in south Alabama can't get past racism? I think so.

Posted by rgodwin (anonymous) on July 17, 2009 at 6:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Estragon, I'm not talking about just Alabama. I think a person should be able to buy health care from any provider anywhere he chooses. That's one part of health reform we need. If everyone was free to shop around for health care, it would be good for both the consumer and the provider, because competition would bring prices down. I have no problem with health clinics like we have and what they do for our elderly and needy. My mother is on medicade, but what I have a problem with is national health care that they are trying to shove down our throats and the majority of people who are insured want no part of it. Government does not and never has run efficiently. It's just worse now than usual. If they wanted to start a National health care program and play by the same rules as any other business, I would have no problem with it, but they won't. No company can compete and survive if they are in competition with the government that does not have to show a profit. If government health care programs or any other government run program had to show a profit, they would all fail. I'm not saying there are not some honorable people who work in government jobs, I'm just saying without our tax dollars, they would all fail. You said that I didn't have one fact and I think everything I've said is both fact and common knowledge. I don't even hate government, but I do hate bad, crooked government like we have in Washington right now. I know that most people haven't opened their eyes yet as to what is happening to our freedoms in this country, but they will and when they do it may be too late to get them back. I'm not trying to get anyone to agree with me, but if government national health care passes like Obama and the democrats want, you will be able to look back in the archives before long and see I was right. I'm through commenting on this subject, but I do respect your opininons although I don't agree with you on this one. I think we have way too much government and not enough personal accountability.

Posted by Dogface (anonymous) on July 18, 2009 at 1:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)

For all who desire for the government to provide your healthcare for you please answer just one question for me. What has the government ever taken over and ran that is now better because of it? If you think healthcare is bad now just ask GM how bad it can be when the government takes control.

Posted by countyconscience (anonymous) on July 18, 2009 at 7:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)

When Chrysler got in trouble in the late 70s the government took it over for a large share of the stock in the company. They turned the company around sold the stock for a tidy profit. When the banks in the toilet last year, the first thing to happen was that quit loaning money to people to buy cars. then they quuit loaning money to to Chrysler and GM. and they went in the tank. Had the government stepped and bailed them out unemployment would have soared dramatically from their out of work employees plus the employees of their suppliers and local dealers. State unemployment benefit funds would have been wiped out and the government would have had to step in pay for this. This would have cost significantly more than the bail out cost.

So yes, Dogface, the government that you so like to belittle has taken over something and got it right. Maybe to your great surprise they will do it again.

Posted by rgodwin (anonymous) on July 18, 2009 at 8:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)

countyconscience, The government did loan money to Chrysler and they did own a large share of stock for a while, but they did not run Chrysler like you say. If they had it would have never survived and as taxpayers, we would never have got our money back.

Posted by countyconscience (anonymous) on July 18, 2009 at 11 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Rgodwin seems to be splitting hairs or counting angels on the head of a pin. Or to put it another way - it depends on what your definition of "run" is. Chrysler had to meet a number of conditions before the deal was done, one of which was to get a new president - Li Iaocca. In oder to free from government oversight and get their stock back they had to meet another set of conditons

P.S. Iaocca stood for "I am Chairman of Corporation America".

Posted by rgodwin (anonymous) on July 20, 2009 at 8:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Countyconscience, I really don't think his parents had that in mind, but it sounds good anyway.

Iacocca, Lee

Iacocca, Lee (Lido Anthony Iacocca) (ī"ukō'ku) [key], 1924–, American business executive, b. Allentown, Pa. In 1946 he joined the Ford Motor Company, where he rose to president (1970–78). He left the company after a dispute with Henry Ford II and became president (1978) and then chairman (1979) of the Chrysler Corp., restoring it through shrewd financial policies, a $1.2 billion loan guarantee, and tax concessions granted by Congress. In the 1980s, he also served as chairman of the Statue of Liberty–Ellis Island Foundation and engineered Chrysler's $1.5 billion acquisition of American Motors. Iacocca retired at the end of 1992, but in 1995 he aided billionaire Kirk Kerkorian in his unsuccessful attempt to win control of Chrysler.

See his autobiography, written with W. Novak (1984); P. Wyden, The Unknown Iacocca (1987); D. P. Levin, Behind the Wheel at Chrysler (1995).

Posted by Dogface (anonymous) on July 24, 2009 at 4:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Countyconscience, with all due respect the government did not take over and run Chrysler in the way it wants to run healthcare in this country now.

The government did not turn the company around. Apparently neither did anyone else for that matter because Chrysler has bellied back up to the government trough broke again.

It is also obvious you have NO understanding of the military healthcare system. It is not gov't run. The dental program is run by United Concordia and is payed by each servicemember. Tricare (health and major medical) is run by Humana. Do not pretend to know something you do not have a clue about. I know 100% certain about our military health system. I use it regularly.

The VA is a whole different system. It is controlled by the Veterans Administration and Congress. If you think staph is bad at ARH you need to visit a VA hospital or clinic.

Please read closely and understand. I believe every American has a right to healthcare. I also believe every American has a right to not have healthcare if they so decide. I believe every American has a right to make decisions for themselves about a great number of issues. I believe most decisions about my family and I are better left for my family and I to decide not the government.

Posted by Shamrock (anonymous) on July 27, 2009 at 6:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Rgodwin, Dogface:
You have just experienced a debate with Liberal Progressives that remind us of the style of 2 Leaders you may remember: Nikita Khrushchev and Boarish Yeltsin.

They use the sledge hammer tactic of the Communist Party - by the way it is alive and well, in the Progressive party. Cells everywhere, like red ants in the backyard - Acorn is just one for us to investigate.

Isn't this cozy. At my young age, I used to debate my History teacher in the government high school in Palm Beach County - he was also the basketball coach. I remember his name: Gunderson. He was a Communist, teaching 10th and 11th grade History. We're talking about the early 60's.

He used those same half truth tactics to put me on the defensive to make me look ridiculous. Some classes, he spent more than half of the time debating me, ignoring the rest of his class.
My classmates had quite an ear full to digest. But the Truth ALWAYS is simple and straightforward, and they got that from my responses.