Wisdom of ER staffing decision questioned (4/12/03)

To the editor:

Hello. Anybody home up there?

My mom used to get right in my face, peck right in the middle of my forehead and say those very words when I would do something especially dumb.

Well, here goes, I’m writing this letter to extend that old phrase to the Jay County Hospital Board, the Jay County Hospital Administrator, the Jay County Hospital Chief of Staff, and the Jay County Commissioners.

If per chance I have left anyone out, please feel free to consider yourself in.

On March 27, The Commercial Review published the news that an out of state firm, ECI, would be taking over our hospital’s ER staffing. Notice the “our.” Jay County Hospital is Jay County-owned.

For the last 24 years, Preferred Medical Management Inc. has staffed our ER, this year being one of their most successful, with patient status up and complaints at the lowest ever.

With this local firm, if there are problems, you can call the president of the firm locally, because he lives 15 minutes from town and he’d be there to handle any problem immediately. Done and over, before you could even get a message to a regional office of an out-of-state firm.

This firm has always worked with administration to provide our community with the highest quality of staff, and has always worked with JCH on competitive bids for their service.

This year they were not given any specs for which they could compare and even bid on. Hello.

Somebody is pulling some strings here. If it’s not broke, don’t fix it. Hello.

If Preferred is not good enough then why does ECI want to “incorporate the doctors we have into this plan,” as Mr. Heston stated?

Bill Davis stated “JCH depends on the local community for its patient base. It’s interesting that we can’t support a local company.”

This local company has given back to our community with open hearts for the last 24 years. Check the CR at Fair time, and the 4-H and FFA benefit greatly.

And Jay County benefits on a tax basis by having them in our county.

So, if our medical staff at JCH recommended to retain Preferred, why did the board do the opposite?

Why would you risk losing a company that has worked for the betterment of our community, in quality health care for 24 years?

Now for some facts and a little name dropping.

Preferred medical Management Inc. staffs Parkview Huntington Hospital in Huntington, with a far larger volume than Portland. Preferred also staffs the paramedic services at Huntington, which, by the way, are ranked No. 1 in the state.

Want to check it out? Here’s the number: (260) 335-3000.

Preferred also manages a small hospital ER — Pulaski Memorial Hospital in Winamac. Contact Dr. David Parker at (574) 946-3245.

Here’s one that our commissioners and board members really need to check out at White County Hospital in Monticello.

Dr. Charles Tribbett had the privilege of working with ECI until they were (what’s the word?) put out, let go. Here’s his number: (574) 583-3333.

In closing I would like you to think on these things. In the recent years, we have seen factory closings, with no chance of gaining those jobs back.

We’ve seen a local company take their business out of our country even, just to lose it all, their jobs are gone forever.

Jay County is a place to grow, but it is time for our people to get together on these things. It’s time to forget about the old vendettas. That’s the “strings” I was talking about earlier; you’d have to be blind not to see it.

It’s time to speak out and keep our community and “our” hospital growing.

“The needs of the many outweigh the wants of the few.” Read that last phrase again and again and again and again. Get it yet? I hope so, before it’s too late.

Thank you for your time.

Charlene E. Wilder

Portland

Stay local

To the editor:

Recently, I read that the (Jay County) hospital board voted not to renew Preferred Family Physicians’ contract to staff the emergency room. I feel strongly that these services should be contracted locally. If the hospital had concerns with the services that were rendered by the local company I hope that a sincere effort was made to work out any differences. If Portland is truly a Place to Grow we need to support community and strive for excellence.

My family and I have used the emergency room several times in the past three years. The care received was always excellent.

Preferred Family Physicians and the other local doctors do an exceptional job providing health care for our community. Will a company from Michigan really provide better services? Are they established in the community, and can we be assured of the same quality of emergency room care that we already have?

Respectfully,

Nila Blankenbaker

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