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| Photo by Lincoln Journal Star |
The Friend hospital needs the support of the surrounding community in Saline, Seward and Fillmore counties.
The Lincoln Journal Star is running a story about the 85-year-old hospital, saying that the Friend Community Healthcare System needs around $800,000 to update its hospital's electrical system by the end of the year, or it will lose its Medicare funding and be forced to close.
How does this affect Dorchester residents?
Access to nearby health care is important for a high quality of life, especially for senior citizens. In that aspect, Dorchester is better off if we can help Friend keep its hospital, as well as the 50-plus jobs it sustains.
Even more importantly, to be strong and grow stronger, Dorchester needs a strong and growing Saline County. We already have challenges -- losing a Saline County hospital should not be added to the mix.
Friend hospital promoters are pursuing a bond issue on that town's May 15 ballot, hoping to raise enough money to update the wiring and sustain the hospital.
While Dorchester residents can't vote on the question of bonding, we can support the Friend hospital by utilizing its services.
The Journal Star wrote, "The hospital’s financial health has improved slightly, and its daily patient count is rising — from an average of 2.5 two years ago to four this year. The number of patients visiting its clinic also increased, from a daily average of two last year to six."
But those numbers need to keep growing for the hospital to survive, hospital officials say.
One Friend hospital official said: “We want the people of Friend to know that every time you go to Lincoln to see a physician that could be seen in Friend, that’s hurting us.”
Let's be good neighbors and do what we can to help Friend keep its hospital.
Seward County has more people and just one hospital. Apparently they think one hospital in the county is adequate. Crete has a fine hospital. We should focus on making that one the best there is for Saline County. That should be enough.
ReplyDeleteThere are many towns in the area that use the Friend hospital. If an ambulance from Western or Exeter, sometimes Beaver Crossing and Milligan, had to drive the 30+ miles to Crete, a patient might not have the same outcome then if they stopped at Friend hospital and had immediate care in the ER. We need this hospital. Many people in Friend are elderly and need immediate care, not a 20 min. drive to receive the same care in Crete they could have received in Friend. This bond will NOT raise any taxes.
DeleteWestern is much closer to a hospital in Fairbury, Milligan is closer to Geneva. Exeter is a little closer to Friend than Geneva is and Beaver Crossing is a little closer to Friend than Seward, but in either case I would choose a larger better-equipped hospital if it was only a matter of a few minutes difference.
DeleteAs to all the employees hired in Friend, it just doesn't seem to be too cost effective for the number of patients involved. The big issue seems to be providing employment for 50+ people who could probably find jobs elsewhere very easily. Lastly, I don't know who below is only paying $15 per $100,000 valuation. Our recent tax statement showed $33.40 per $100,000 for the hospital and that is on farmland that is nowhere near Friend, does not have a Friend address, and is not in the Friend school district. Yet their over-reaching district has included it.
The $15 is what the bond would come to if it was a separate bond.
DeleteWhy does it take 50+ employees to take care of two to four patients daily? Is that really true?!?
ReplyDeleteCooks, Housekeeping, receptionists, maintenance, central supply, xray tech, lab techs, nurses, nurse practitioners, clinic nurse, accountants, controller, CEO, CNO, HR, laundry, IT, PT, paramedics, social services, just to name a few. All clinical aspects run 24hrs a day/7 days a week either in house or on/call so there are more than 1 person in a roll to provide care. If you take call those people usually put in more than 40 hours a week being ready at a moments notice to help you whether it be during the day or 2:00am in the middle of the night. It doesn't take much when you have to have 2-3 nurses/aides a shift to cover both the floor and then if an ER comes in, you can't just leave the patients on the floor unattended, at least an aide has to be with them otherwise its abandonment. That number also includes PRN staff that help cover shifts. All you're seeing is a number and not breaking it down to how a business runs. Taking care of 2-4 patients is just the hospital. You are forgetting about the clinic and all the out-patient services they provide as well.
ReplyDeleteOne this is that it won't raise taxes. They will use the money they already get from the tax district to pay for the bond. They just need it upfront instead of year after year. Also it comes out to 15 dollars per 100,000 dollars of taxable property. I would sure like to know that for 15 dollars if I get injured I could be seen quickly instead of a 30 minute drive to another hospital.
ReplyDelete