Hospital’s financial woes

Millinocket Regional Hospital is having financial problems again. The administrator, Richard Waller, gives examples of the job reductions for the equivalent of 15 fulltime employees. I am, however, acquainted with a few of those people affected by the “reductions” but not for the reasons stated. They were fired and some with more than 20 years of loyal service.

I would question why Waller is concerned with attracting new employees when he has just reduced the work force. Why also does Waller believe the financial situation will turn around because of new practices supposedly being established? Millinocket has not been able to retain any of the physicians they have recruited over the last 20 or so years with the possible exception of Dr. [Pundalik] Pai and Dr. [William] Jenkins.

Where have the members of the board of directors and the Finance Committee been during this fiasco? Why haven’t they fulfilled their obligation and commitment to oversee hospital matters? Have they had their heads buried in the sand throughout all this? For as long as they do not properly monitor these exorbitant nonessential costs, there is no end in sight to the hospital’s financial woes.

This is becoming only one of the many hospitals that are being affected because of uncontrolled spending policies and by the decisions being made by undisciplined administrators that have caused the ensuing spiraling costs of the entire health care system. Though there are many dedicated care-givers in the profession, they are not the ones making the financial decisions. Instead, those decisions are being made by the “number crunchers,” most of whom are nonmedical personnel.

The ideal solution would be that we get back on track and concentrate on the health, well-being and care of the patient and not on the commercial and financial aspects of the health care system.

Alice Maragus

Millinocket