write an editorial letter about poor condition of rural health centre
Answers
Explanation:
Editor’s note: Hospital board candidate Dave Irwin submitted two letters simultaneously. We present both of them here, as submitted.)
Dear Editor:
I live in Sumner,Neb. I graduated from Lexington High School in 1965, and graduated from Nebraska Wesleyan University in 1970. I retired after 43 years in education (teaching/coaching). Now I am the pastor at Orleans Presbyterian Church and have been for almost 9 years. My wife, Debra, is a nurse. My mother was an RN at the old Lexington hospital, and my father was a Methodist pastor here at Lexington. I have three daughters, all married and working here in Nebraska. One is a full-time dentist.
I am running because I believe I can make a difference and I want to keep our healthcare dollars here in Lexington. I know the voters in the Lexington hospital district are tired of this constant civil-war type thing going on. They want it done with and over. We are being made fun of at other medical institutions in the state, because of this constant strife. I have heard this first-hand.
We cannot close the new urgent care or the new clinic, because they have to be paid for now.
I am worried about the budget, as all of us taxpayers should be. We can’t continue operating anything in the red, especially with large payments coming due soon. I believe I can bring a positive attitude and positive ideas to the board. I believe that it is time for fresh ears and fresh eyes on the board. Change is good, and it is time for that.
I don’t know both sides really well yet, as I just kind of jumped into this election. But, I’m trying to learn on the fly the issues of all people, and their concerns. Then I can attempt to find answers to give them.
We need to turn all of this anger that exists in the hospital district into positive energy to move ahead and start making healthcare in this community the best for ‘all’ people.
I don’t feel it can succeed the way it is going, as split as it is now.
Patients should always come first. Those who are going here and those won’t go here right now. Our healthcare dollars are going to other places than here, and that needs to change if the new and remodeled facilities are going to financially succeed.
I have been up to the LRHC facilities, and spent several hours over two days, looking, listening, and taking notes on all the new renovations, and new clinic and urgent care. It is a fantastic facility, with knowledgeable nurses, and other personnel, and such a clean, colorful environment. The new machines and new techniques seem to be second to none.
I have talked to Leslie Marsh, Nicole Thorell, Jim Hain, and Wade Eschenbrenner, and I have asked a lot of questions. I have been told to come back and ask more, and I will. I want to get walked through the plan for paying off this facility.
I believe we have wonderful healthcare providers throughout our hospital district boundaries, and we need them all.
But it all needs presented better to ‘all’ of the taxpayers in this hospital district, and I don’t believe that has been done well enough yet. And the ‘methods’ of including the public in all of this, I feel, need improved for sure.
My main thrust is that we must ‘all’ push “together” to make this work out. Hoist up the white flag! Hand out the olive branches to all!
And everyone stop using their energy to keep this fighting going on, and stop the anger and hatred, and get on the same page together.
Look around Lexington and the hospital district, and see all of the new and improved buildings and schools and businesses. They got done and successful ‘because’ people worked together on them. ‘Not’ against each other.
LRHC and the new clinic and urgent care and Plum Creek can all be successful and are necessary to this hospital district. Not all in the same building, maybe, but in Lexington.
If patients can truly chose where they want to go for services, then let’s actually let them, without the mudslinging.
What we ‘can’t’ do is have 41 percent of the possible patients ‘not’ using these facilities, and having numbers in the red because of that.
Can I make a difference and help change this? I would like to try.
-Can it be changed overnight? Certainly not. And it will take a determined, open accountability, honest effort by everyone to do so.
I
Thank you.