Friday Tony Rucker devoted his blog to "Healthcare in Plainfield". It is an interesting and worthwhile essay that reviews many of the issues and possibilities of restructuring. He is correct that it is not a s simple as Plainfield's own "Cato the Elder" would have by demanding at every meeting that Muhlenberg be restored.
The fact is a simple one: that once the criminal act of closing MRMC was sanctioned by the then Commissioner upon its finality there was no longer the possibility of restoring the hospital we knew.The bricks and mortar remained but the essential human element that made the hospital a prime institution and left for other viable locations. Once new roots had been established there would be no return.
People will not acknowledge why Palinfield lost its health care life line. It was not for the lack of physicians or for a void in an affordable daily walk in center. That already existed although its location was not central. Nor was the Neighborhood Heath Center equipped 24/7 for the minor emergency care that a hospital ER can provide.
It is also true that the Mayor and Assemblyman must share a portion of the blame but not all. Their decision to keep the public in the dark until the bombshell blew was a political one. Perhaps although it is questionable that a public outcry before the Commissioner gave her blessing could have averted the disaster, we can not know.
However the true onus falls on three entities that allowed conditions to reach a state of no return.
The first was the Board of Governors who after permitting their Chief executive officer to make multiple bad business decisions committed the ultimate crime by accepting in the name of business efficiency a subordinate 'partnership" with an inferior hospital which both sides had professed to be rivals for patients. The handwriting was on the wall the day that union was completed.
The second and one most people do not consider was the hospital internal structure of semiprivate 2 bed rooms. There was pluses in that type configuration which reduced the cost per bed in construction and in delivery of routine services. It was a major stept forward from the 6 or more open bed wards of pre WWII construction. As reimbursement methods change there was now a two tier charge structure which the insurance carriers encouraged. However, no on e gave a damn about most individual's desire for privacy in times of stress.
The third and major destructive entity was the population of MRMC's natural service area. The abuse of the ER and the major inpatient load of Medicaid and non-payers may have been the major economic contribution. But the prejudices of affluent and insured patients who could not stand the possibility of sharing a room with one of the "rift raft" Plainfielders was a major contribution. Too may would rather go to Overllook or JFK than stay in Plainfield, irregardless of the capabilities of each hospital staff.
Fault finding is easy. The cure is hard. Can there be a cure? I believe so. Despite the fact that I have few of the answers I shall try to explore it perhaps tomorrow and Monday. albeit probably too superficially..
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Fault is easy to find.
ReplyDeleteThe Mayor ( Sharon Dearest )was the point person for the city of Plainfield and Solaris. Nuff said. She did nothing.
Jerry Green ( the self proclaimed 3rd most powerful person in the State Assembly ) did nothing.
Neither of these 2 even "joined the fight" until WELL after the, "Oh, we thought about it, it's closing tomorrow" decision was "officially" ( wink wink, nod nod ) announcement was let out to the public.
Certain people, Dottie most vocal of them all, seemed to forget that.
All the other reasons may have been factors, but Sharon and Jerry SLAMMED the final nails into that hospitals coffin by taking a complete and total "no comment" approach to it as it unfolded.
Then the morons in Plainfield elected them BOTH back into office.
There's the mentality in Plainfield for you. Plainfield not only deserved the hospital closing, they defacto ASKED for it and then thanked the State of NJ by voting Jerry and Sharon back in office sending the message to the State of NJ - "Good job closing that hospital" - Signed the voters of Plainfield.
Anyone who wants to dismiss those facts and call it a rant, you are part of the problem that helped close that hospital.
If, in fact, Jerry Green was on the payroll of Solaris, it does not take a genius to connect the dots of how this deal got done... bought and paid for.
ReplyDelete5:40PM, Perhaps you had better define "being on the payroll". That there were allegations of a relationship through a position on a consulting/lobbying firm and perhaps campaign contributions from individuals closely connected to JFK and the NJ Hospital Association were mentioned at the time. But I do not remember any direct payments from Solaris.
ReplyDeleteI will agree that there is no evidence that the Assemblyman attempted to use his political influence to prevent the closing, and so of his action at the time seemed to only offer alternative care for Plainfield.