Feedback: Some hospital expenses doubted

Published 3:00 pm Saturday, November 2, 2002

I would like to respond to your article regarding Whidbey General Hospital’s financial woes. I work there but am pretty low on the totem pole so don’t expect my job will be endangered at this time but am deeply disturbed by the way this whole thing is being handled.

The request for managers to take early retirement was clumsily presented at a meeting with no prior notification of people who have given years of service and who have irreplaceable experience and knowledge, not that this is not mirrored in the corporate world but we all know what has been going on there. I can not believe that management and the board is so incompetent that they just figured out they were in trouble.

Reimbursement, especially by Medicare and DSHS is very low, but that has been a known all along, it should not have come as a surprise. I would question why sweetheart deals have been made to attract specialist physicians, in particular, in my opinion, a plastic surgeon. We definitely needed an ENT especially after the passing of Dr. Manor, but a plastic surgeon, I think that was not really needed.

I really would question the huge expense of the Patients First Program, this was a week long program, now it is shorter but every employee is required to attend with full pay, it was enjoyable but has gone on for more than a year and I can’t imagine the cost. Didn’t they see the problems looming? I did and so did most of my co-workers, as we were doing skits and watching videos for a week. Even upper management and doctors attended. But apparently upper management didn’t learn much as the program was all about treating people, patients and co-workers, with respect and establishing trust. That is certainly not what they have done. Not to worry though they will just float another bond to get them out of their predicament.

Pat Wallace

Oak Harbor