Word on the street has it that Porter is axing doctors, nurses and relationships with practices.
Jane Lindholm’s “Vermont Edition” articulated the challenges, and it is clear from the word on the street and the radio program’s guests that these challenges are being addressed without transparency to those affected.
It appears that the drastic financial measures will gut the hospital practices, thus gutting service to the community. The related tsunami effects will be longer waiting lists for medical services (and I’ve already heard about such situations), reduced quality of medical care, reduced student population due to physician relocation, increased real estate for sale, a tectonic shift in the social fabric (sorry for the cliché) of our community, and probably many other waves I cannot imagine.
Bottom-line oriented management strategies are certainly effective in addressing financial catastrophe. They are also effective in destroying work environments, delivery systems and communities. Chainsaw Al was great at turning companies around — at great human cost. Former Middlebury College President Timothy Light had some experience with this strategy as well — and so did the community.
My children were born at Porter — a wonderful experience for me. I rely on the presence of an excellent facility and excellent physicians and staff. I care, and there are many others who care, too.
I think the community deserves frank answers, Porter, not generalities. A public hearing might be in order, since your mission, I think, is to serve the public?
Christina Wadsworth
Weybridge