Hospital makes its case for tax money
One citizen argues it's a bad idea
By Jeremy Shapiro
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Newman Regional Health staff put their best arguments forward Wednesday for why the hospital needs taxpayer support for new equipment.
And though he was outnumber 20 to 1, Lyon County resident Jim Moore, vigorously argued against the Newman’s tax request.
The setting for the public hearing was a Lyon County Commission work session. Commissioners listened to the arguments and asked questions, but did not talk about how to proceed. The decision will come later as part of the 2012 budget deliberations.
Newman officials on July 13 asked for 3.5 mills in tax dollars from the Lyon County Commission. Since the request is less than six mills, the commission can levy the tax without getting voter approval. However, the public can bring about a petition and force an election.
Although the hospital is allowed under state statute to request tax dollars, Newman has not asked for it since the hospital was built in the 1920s.
if approved the tax money would be used for capital equipment. Newman Hospital CEO Bob Driewer said they need $1.5 million to replace an MRI machine and $2.1 million to reinstate a catheterization lab.
Driewer and other staff members said the new equipment could potentially save lives and reverse a trend of county resident seeking health care elsewhere.
The market share of county resident choosing Newman over out-of-county hospitals has slipped from 73 to 63 percent, Driewer said.
“If we don’t begin to provide services that patient need, which are different than what they required in the past, the fate of the organization is going to drop,” Driewer said. “The reason to look at cardiology is very simple. The percentage of transfers out of the emergency room every year goes up and the number of transfers for cardiology is up.”
For the full story, pick up the Thursday Emporia Gazette.
pnkgurl06 (anonymous) says...
the hospital does new need equipment....and badly.
August 3, 2011 at 2:09 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
solong (anonymous) says...
They can get all the new equipment they want, I still won't go there unless taken their unconscious and my family not notified because they wouldn't go there or allow me to be taken there either. In my mind the only reason people go there is if they are ready to die or uninformed.
August 3, 2011 at 2:54 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
scarlett01_98 (anonymous) says...
solong, the staff at newman have saved my life several times, literally...jmo
August 3, 2011 at 3:06 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Wichitawings (anonymous) says...
I think that they should take a long hard look at why people are going out of county for health care. I don't believe that it is because of the equipment, but how people are treated when they do go there.
August 3, 2011 at 4:54 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
sail (anonymous) says...
People,health care is utmost when quality of life issues are talked about .If we as a community expect to gain status, then health care is a must.How we fund health improvements, now that is open for debate. A community fund drive or a tax, or we can just become a town minus a full service hospital..
August 3, 2011 at 6:24 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
railroadhorn (anonymous) says...
Here's what I don't get - the overall plan. What is it? For instance, part of this tax hike would pay for a cath lab. Meaning caths for heart and lung problems among other things. But there is NO cardiologist or pulmonlogist working full-time in Emporia at Newman's. There's a heart doctor who comes from Cotton O'Neil once a week, I think. But say I go in for a cath on my heart. What doctor here would order that? And would it then result in a cardiology referral to someone OUT OF TOWN if treatment is needed? Are they going to be doing stents here now? All of those go out-of-town right now, I think. See that's what I don't get with Newman's. Why have a $2 million Cath lab but no heart doctors in town? Is my family practioner going to handle that? I don't think so!
August 3, 2011 at 7:28 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
I'm guessing that installing a new cath lab would mean that a cardiologist would spend more time in Emporia than what is spent now. Sure would be nice to have a full time cardio man.
What can we as a town do to attract one?
I don't want to sound like a broken record, but by investing in their medical services, some towns have defined themselves as go to places for top knotch medical care. Why can't we be that town? Why are we always putting down Newman's?
I have always received good care when I was there. Why shouldn't we all be interested in increasing their types of services. And yes, if attitudes need adjusting there, that too.
I say we organize a fund raiser or two or three. As I said on another thread recently, I am willing to donate one of my quilts. Those puppies are worth a pretty penny, I assure you. I can bet that other quilters would be willing to do the same.
What about others who may have access to other kinds of stuff or even services? What can you donate toward a giant auction, proceeds to go for buying hospital cardio equipment? What the hell, what you do today may save your own life one day.
What Emporia auctioneer is willing to donate his/her time?
What building shall we use?
August 4, 2011 at 8 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
zippy (anonymous) says...
Good idea "create." I would be willing to donate some items too.
There are many good people working at Newman Hospital. Anywhere you go in town (or any town), there are people that you might not care for.
August 4, 2011 at 8:35 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
I may be wrong, but didn' t Carl Didde or his and his families foundation or something like that, buy/donate the CatScan to NRH some years ago ?
What I am getting at, is the fact that most state of the art medical facilities have had most of their equipment or equipment funding either donated or funded by philanthropic, wealthy individuals or corporations or businesses, who want to return something worthwhile to a community that will further their legacy, and it will also help their image and profits .
I agree with Wichitawings, the real question is why are people going elsewhere for health care ?
Is it cost of treatment, lack of care, poor care, lack of resident cardiologist, understaffing, unnecessarily long waits for care ?
Has the director of NRH actually taken a good long look at what the problem is and really tried to fix the problem ?
If a business is losing customers and revenue, then there is a problem either with the business, management of that business or something is causing the problem. And no amount of new equipment or funding, no matter where it is obtained will fix the problem, if the problem is within the business itself and cannot or will not be fixed .
Perhaps the director and board of directors of NRH need to look for a " philantropic foundation " that would be willing to give them the funding they need ?
August 4, 2011 at 8:47 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Good deal, zippy. Two of us is a start. This is possible.
Newman's is a major employer in our town. And yes, there are a few sourpusses there just like anywhere. Why not repay them with a smile.
C'mon everybody. I double dog dare you to join in.
Once we get an auctioneer, I'll bet things will start to mesh.
August 4, 2011 at 8:51 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
bluebonnet (anonymous) says...
RRH - I imagine it is sort of a "chicken and egg" scenario. We can ask why have a cath lab with no local cardiologist; however, how can we expect to ever attract a cardiologist to town if he/she doesn't have the proper equipment to do his/her job? The question goes both ways.
August 4, 2011 at 8:59 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Philanthropic organizations are constantly being asked for money. I don't have a problem with asking, but what's wrong with Emporia helping herself first? Why must we depend on some wealthy individual?
Perhaps once some wealthy individuals see Emporia in full swing with helping herself, they will come forward with a nice donation. If not, we should just keep trying to help ourselves.
It's tough to keep having your hand out, but when you auction actual items, the person who buys is actually getting something in return. No one is expecting something for nothing.
C'mon Mr. Walker. How about spearheading something here. Your own grandmother lived out her life at Newman hospital's 3rd floor, Mrs. W.L. White.
August 4, 2011 at 9:03 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
chalkrocks (anonymous) says...
create--
I am sure you have some very nice quilts but I am not sure you can make enough to fetch the $3.5 million the hospital needs. Maybe we should bite the bullet on this one and give them their extra money for the first time in 90 some years then we can start doing the auction thing for their next request. Maybe if we start now we will have enough in 90 years to fund that request.
August 4, 2011 at 9:17 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
railroadhorn (anonymous) says...
bluebonnet - I like your chicken and eggs thinking but why is it so hard to get any information out of Newman's. If they hope to attract a cardiologist with the new catheter lab, why don't they say that in public? I'm looking for them to say what their vision is, that's all. It would help me support their plans and feel better that they know where they are going. I'm told that the weekly cardiologist pretty much sends all the patients to Topeka for care and testing anyway so maybe that's the problem. I just think Newman's could be more forthcoming, that's all. And they have the Foundation, why can't it kick in some of the needed dollars?
August 4, 2011 at 9:54 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
I agree, chalkrocks. We really can't raise that much anytime soon. So let them have what they want now, but we can't let that stop us from donating to an auction. They have an auxiliary. Surely, they should be able to mount a giant auction once a year that would make a good deal of bucks to be used for purchasing equipment, particularly heart equipment since the number one killer in Lyon County is heart.
Why is that BTW? Too much beef in the diet? Not close enough to the right care in time?
Where I'm from, the auxiliaries of the three largest hospitals mount annual campaigns that bring in millions. They are very active fundraisers and one of their very lucrative events is an annual auction.
August 4, 2011 at 10:14 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
There have been comments on another thread about the RDA and retail developement.
I just don' t know what the same people who made the comments on the other thread, about people not having the funds or jobs to support any more retail businesses at this time, can possibly think that the same situation would not apply to an " Auction " to raise money for NRH ! Besides, the latest news is the Stock Market may just be in the beginnings of a " free fall " and that is not a good scenario for anyone !
But, be of good cheer our politicians and political partys, who are funded and backed by the Wealthy and Super Wealthy, will undoubtedly fix everything .
Yea, for themselves and no one else .
August 4, 2011 at 11:39 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
I, wonder how much I could sell signs to New York City or Manhattan, to put up on street light posts, that say, " BEWARE OF THE FALLING INVESTORS " or " CAUTION - JUMPING INVESTOR ZONE " or " EAR PROTECTION REQUIRED - LOUD STOCK MARKET " CRASH " NOISE IMMINENT ?
August 4, 2011 at 11:45 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
They're buying gold.
As I was quilt sitting for a couple of hours today, several people came by to ask about buying quilts. Perhaps they don't realize how much they cost. But I provided a few names they could contact.
Some people have a few dollars to spend it seems. People will spend at an auction where they won't spend in a retail establishment.
August 4, 2011 at 3:26 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
railroadhorn (anonymous) says...
Don't comment on this thread. Go to the one dated August 4, which explains it's really a $10.5 million tax hike over 3 years....
August 4, 2011 at 7:11 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )