Tonight's meeting about health care/hospital

[get real]

I was there wrote:

In my simple thinking T.J. Samson Community Hospital should be a hospital for all of us. All our Doctor's should be able to see their patients when they need to be admitted. Something has changed to caused this not to be happening anymore.
Hospitals have become a scary place. Too many come out with germs they did not have when they went in. There is fear in going to a hospital that should be able to help make them better. We can't even have the Doctor we have had for years.
We will be seen by a stranger who knows nothing about us. A majority of the meeting last night made you think of our federal government. I was there.

Drs want hospitalists to see pts in hospital and they see more in office.

[get real]

some info wrote:

August 20, 2012
Forum received favorably
But questions left unanswered
By AMANDA LOVIZA VICKERY
Glasgow Daily Times The Glasgow Daily Times Mon Aug 20, 2012, 10:49 PM CDT
GLASGOW — An enthusiastic, although no more enlightened, crowd gave a standing ovation to the physician panel at a public forum on healthcare at Barren County High School Monday night.
Local physicians Dr. Melissa Walton-Shirley and Dr. Barret Lessenberry organized the forum through social media in order to bring the community together to talk about concerns surrounding T.J. Samson Community Hospital and the local healthcare industry. Walton-Shirley, Lessenberry and local “concerned citizen” D.T. Froedge gave short speeches about their thoughts surrounding the hospital, and then Walton-Shirley and Lessenberry comprised a two-person panel that answered questions submitted by the public. City council member Freddie Norris moderated the questions.
Community members were encouraged to sign up for committees following the meeting. Members of committees will be responsible for spearheading efforts with the hospital to discuss different topics of concern, including hospital and board infrastructure and policies; the hospital’s economic impact on the city as a primary employer and as an effect on property taxes; financial sensitivity of the hospital toward its patients; and management of patient care issues.
Walton-Shirley and Lessenberry are not affiliated with the hospital, and therefore could not definitively answer most of the questions submitted Monday night. Despite the lack of concrete answers, the auditorium broke into applause several times in support of the two physicians’ statements, and gave the panel a standing ovation at the end of the program.

Of course..unanswered questions..you think those two know it all? And not affiliated with the hospital,wth? Maybe lessenberry needs to leave too. Yes,they are just about money themselves and don't like that the hospital is doing well for the community! New building,yes,and this will help all the way around.

[too bad]

I have been to T.J. for several things and my family dr is a health partner there. I have never had any trouble. Until now I had a lot of respect for our doctors here in town. But these two doing this "forum" makes me wonder if they are all out to claim some greater good when really its all about money. I dont think my dr is this way. I just wonder why so many people were clapping if they knew it was all about money, or if they just go to church with them or what? From what I heard, the meeting was a joke. Some even got up and walked out. All I can say is I will never go to see either one of these doctors after this. It is very disturbing to know how capable of lying to the public they really are. Just sad

[newcomer]

too bad wrote:

I have been to T.J. for several things and my family dr is a health partner there. I have never had any trouble. Until now I had a lot of respect for our doctors here in town. But these two doing this "forum" makes me wonder if they are all out to claim some greater good when really its all about money. I dont think my dr is this way. I just wonder why so many people were clapping if they knew it was all about money, or if they just go to church with them or what? From what I heard, the meeting was a joke. Some even got up and walked out. All I can say is I will never go to see either one of these doctors after this. It is very disturbing to know how capable of lying to the public they really are. Just sad

I agree. I do believe some drs actually care about their pts as a dr and not the "business man," as what I've read in the paper. The drs have written articles in the paper trying to explain what their job as well as tj is all about.

[Corruption at the top]

Phoenix, did you not hear what was said? TJ Director and Board are sitting on more than $50 million in cold cash and they are a not for profit organization. You got a hospitalthat spends money like a drunken sailor to smear a community forum. Do you know this group had the balls to call the Barren County high school yesterday and demand that this forum be thrown out??? how dare those running TJ do that. They are spending tons of money advertising on billboards, tv and buying the silence of the newspapers all to run their empire. I understand class envy for doctors, but this bunch at Tj is despicable and ruthless. Employees are too scared to voice their opinions for fear of losing their jobs. I was in thre audience and saw so many people nodding their heads. God this situation is scary.

[a mess]

I use to work at the hospital. I have seen and heard it all. Walton Shirley tried to be the head huncho then and still tries to today. She even made the statement one day that she didn't have any idea how much money she had already made that year because she hadn't had time to sit down with her CPA to see. She would get mad at her patients if they ate something they were not suppose to or if they were fat. V Reddy was the best then and still is.

I do not agree with the Hospitalist because when you are really sick all they do is stand and ask questions about your history. YOU ARE SICK AND WANT HELP, not educate them on past things.

The best thing TJ could do is get rid of LaDonna Rogers, who everyone despises, get rid of the big dog, and shape up the ER. It is pothetic that you can't get treated there unless taken in by ambulance. It did not use to be that way, so make changes. I understand Doctor's not wanting put in 10 hours at an office then spend another 4 hours checking patience at the hospital, but the practioners need to be in touch with someone in the doctor's office for history, and NOT get mad if the doctor comes by to visit his patient when he finds out they are at the hospital. This does happen, I know, because it happened to me.
They also need a much better Medical Records Dept. they bill, wait a while and bill you again even after you have paid the bill. They think no one checks this, but they have found out some people do and double bill people all the time. There are problems there but none that can't be fixed with a few out of there and new ones in.

[Money Money]

I ask my Dr about this change and he told me if I need him just call he would come to the hospital. As for Dr, Lessenberry and Readdy they have stopped any try to get another orthopedic DR coming to glasgow for years as for Dr. Reddy the heart Doctor he is the best. he took the best care of my parents! I'm sure he has plenty of money but Dr. Readdy loves his work and Patients and he is same any were you see him. not acting better than you or to good to speak to you. I have stayed in a lot of hospitals over the years with my parents and TJ is the cleanest and most caring I have been to. Doctors are not perfect they have a live to live like the rest of us and I'm sure it is not all ways perfect. Thank you TJ Hospital.

[PHOENIX]

Corruption at the top wrote:

Phoenix, did you not hear what was said? TJ Director and Board are sitting on more than $50 million in cold cash and they are a not for profit organization. You got a hospitalthat spends money like a drunken sailor to smear a community forum. Do you know this group had the balls to call the Barren County high school yesterday and demand that this forum be thrown out??? how dare those running TJ do that. They are spending tons of money advertising on billboards, tv and buying the silence of the newspapers all to run their empire. I understand class envy for doctors, but this bunch at Tj is despicable and ruthless. Employees are too scared to voice their opinions for fear of losing their jobs. I was in thre audience and saw so many people nodding their heads. God this situation is scary.

Corruption? I am glad the hospital has $50 million dollars on their balance sheet. I wish they had more. How do you think they are able to float bonds for construction or improvements without money on the books? As for the board members, their position is unpaid. They don't receive a dime for serving on the board. It is a sense of community service that drives them. What would you suggest they do with the monies in reserve, establish a profit sharing plan with Drs. Lessenberry and Shirley? As for disgruntled employees, I have never worked anywhere that did not have disgruntled employees. Never. If you know of a utopian enterprise where everyone is euphoric, please let me know. I want to work there. I don't have an interest in either the hospital, board or the doctors but I get tired of this self serving manipulation that some want to employ to paint themselves somehow as victims of the big bad system when in fact they profit from that very system. And I am sure of this. I would not want the doctors to be the exclusive members of the hospital board. Now if Drs. Lessenberry and Shirley want to have a public meeting where there are no restrictions on questions asked either to them or the hospital management or board, I would be interested in hearing what is said. I doubt the doctors would be as enthusiastic to sit on that kind of hot seat.

[Muh]

PHOENIX wrote:

This "forum" was not about the lack of health care performed by the hospital or the staff. It was about money. Lots and lots of money. Dr. Shirley lost her money train when Dr. Reddy moved to the hospital. When he worked with her, he was an associate, not a partner. She was taking a large cut of his earnings and he got tired of it. Hence, the money train ended for her. Dr. Rose moved to Nashville to make more money than he could in Glasgow. This puts pressure on Dr. Lessenberry to work more and keep his practice viable. And if the hospital were to hire an orthopedic doctor, this would cut into his wallet. Question. Was anyone from the hospital board or staff on stage to answer questions? Don't get me wrong. I think there needs to be improvements with the hospitalist system. But this meeting was not the solution. It was a bitch session by two coddled, disgruntled individuals who has profited handsomely for years from having the hospital at their disposal and now are whining because the rules have changed. And they are trying to manipulate the situtation by enlisting others to do the complaining for them. I for one am not buying into what they are trying to sell.

So basically a meeting for rich white people to whine about their rich white people problems.

[PHOENIX]

Muh wrote:

<quoted text>
So basically a meeting for rich white people to whine about their rich white people problems.

Uh, I guess so except Dr. Reddy is Indian in the context of my post and money is green. And money is a multiracial pursuit. So green would be the color at issue at the meeting last night.

[newcomer]

Corruption at the top wrote:

Phoenix, did you not hear what was said? TJ Director and Board are sitting on more than $50 million in cold cash and they are a not for profit organization. You got a hospitalthat spends money like a drunken sailor to smear a community forum. Do you know this group had the balls to call the Barren County high school yesterday and demand that this forum be thrown out??? how dare those running TJ do that. They are spending tons of money advertising on billboards, tv and buying the silence of the newspapers all to run their empire. I understand class envy for doctors, but this bunch at Tj is despicable and ruthless. Employees are too scared to voice their opinions for fear of losing their jobs. I was in thre audience and saw so many people nodding their heads. God this situation is scary.

You sure you was in the audience cause you sure sound like one of those that had the forum,you know,and posts such stuff on fb. As for tj having money,are they supposed to do everything for nothing? They also have bills,drs,employees,etc to pay.

[well]

I know that lessenberry is only in it for money. He wants to talk about tj but yet he looks at your insurance first. Tj health partners are to be paid by tj and not thru insurance is what I've heard. I wouldn't see why all drs wouldnt want it that way myself. Maybe Mws is mad because she is no longer part of the good happening for tj.

[Hummmm]

It is all about the $$$ for those two drs. They are raising a big stink about the TJ Health Pavillion because they know when it is finished new drs. will come and those drs. will take some of their patient load and they will either have to actually work harder or they will lose $$$$. They do not want more drs because they do not want to share the pie.
As for sitting on $50 million, that it the worth of the property, equipment, etc. There is not $50 million in cash sitting somewhere. Who do you thing is paying for this dr. "continuing education" trip to Germany this week. Hint, hint, it is NOT the dr.
All this uproar the drs. are causing is just smoke and mirrors to try and hide the real agenda. Which is to gain control of TJ so they can have their way and rake in the big $$ without having to work.
Watch and see, if they get their way about their agenda they will drop the rest like a hot potato.
If they had really wanted change they would have given TJ adm and board equal time to speak. But they didn't because then the truth might have actually come out and they DON'T want that!

[Corruption at the top]

So why does the Board need to take retreats to Miami and spend $700 per night on 5 star hotels. Huh? So why does the Administration that is so threatened that they buy tshirts for all of their employees to wear last week TJ Proud to combat this meeting. They feel that they have to agressively defend their position by bying full page ads in the paper to discount this forum. Huh? Quite a monopoly.
iI was at that meeting and I did not see anyone walk out. I did see alot of heads nodding and a standing ovation at the end. there is a problem here for sure. If you guys want to make this about rich doctors and class warefare have it. But there is something definitely wrong here.
These guys running TJ are a bunch of thugs.

[Hummmm]

So, they don't have the right to take a vacation? They don't have the right to express their position publicly? It is ok for the dr's to take vacations at TJ's expense but not anyone else? It is ok for these dr's to spend money advertising for this forum but not TJ? Sounds like double standards to me.
Why is it so important to this Community Forum to keep TJ silent? Anytime one side does not want the other side to have a chance to respond, it makes me suspicious. Almost like the one side is afraid of what will come out if the other side is allowed a platform to speak. How can you form an unbaised opinion from listening to only one side of an arguement? You can't, all you can form is a narrow minded, my way or the highway mentality.
I'm not saying there are no problems that need addressing at TJ and/or the health care system in general, I'm saying that is not the true motive of these dr's. If they truly had the best interest of the community at heart they would have my support. Just because I do not support these dr's does not mean I have no concerns. There are 2 different issues here. I refuse to support dr's who demand that they be paid by the hospital for every time they set foot inside the hospital doors in addition to what the ins. co. and the patient has to pay. Don't know about you but to me it sounds like it is about the $$$.

[PHOENIX]

Corruption at the top wrote:

So why does the Board need to take retreats to Miami and spend $700 per night on 5 star hotels. Huh? So why does the Administration that is so threatened that they buy tshirts for all of their employees to wear last week TJ Proud to combat this meeting. They feel that they have to agressively defend their position by bying full page ads in the paper to discount this forum. Huh? Quite a monopoly.
iI was at that meeting and I did not see anyone walk out. I did see alot of heads nodding and a standing ovation at the end. there is a problem here for sure. If you guys want to make this about rich doctors and class warefare have it. But there is something definitely wrong here.
These guys running TJ are a bunch of thugs.

Sounds like you are in the know. And all those huh's and the thug comments tell me you are itching for a fight. I'll pass. What was the Miami retreat about and what resort? Was there a retreat closer to Glasgow they could have gone to? And how do you know the rooms cost $700/night? For all I know, they stayed at Motel 8 for $70/night (that includes soap and a plastic cup in each room). If I was an employee of the hospital, I would want this issue to stay on the front burner so I could get more free t-shirts and stuff. I would push for hats. As far as a class war goes, the doctors picked the fight, not guys riding on the back of a garbage truck (though that looks like fun, too). If you believe that statements made here have only to do with class warfare, you are missing the point. It has to do with ego and money with the claim that the system is beating them (the doctors) down and as a result the masses need to rise up crush the oppressor (the hospital and the board). And frankly, I question any group, rich or poor, black or white, male or female, that initiates public meetings trying to sway the public to their narrow view so that the public will do the dirty work for them. Oh, I forgot, this is an election year. Never mind. LOL

[Dana]

truth wrote:

<quoted text>
Exactly. If they had any sense whatsoever, they would give him his license back so he could show em how it's done.

He already showed us that if you write a script for pain medicine you can get a BJ! Thank you but we already know how it is done!

[Corruption at the top]

Of course they have a right to take a vacation. I don't care about the motivvation of Shirley, lessenberry, but the citizen speaker said alot of stuff that concerns me. Why is there a for-profitcorporation, a non profit corporation, tj sampson run by the same people? I think the boards of both those groups are the same. Those Boards self appoint themselves which is quite weird.
Why does TJ spend a riduculous amount of money on billboards, tv ads, full page ads in papers when they have a monopoly? They don't need to advertise. Just think if they took that money and hired the people they laid off that they did.The Daily times will not print letters to the editor that are in any way negative to TJ because they are in their pocket. that bugs me. The paper will write negative stuff sbout the city and the county but damn if they write something a little controversial abou TJ- won't happen.

[Mr Observant]

Cardiologists and orthopaedic surgeons make a lot more money than family practice doctors. Therefore, common reasoning would tell you it would not be the fiscal advantage of MWS and BL to join the partners.

Everyone needs to read between the lines. Any time any of us take an action, you have to look at what we are not saying, what our real motives are.

[Hummmm]

If the board self appoint themselves why don't you just self appoint yourself and start attending meetings and clean house? Sounds like you have all the answers.