Letter to the editor

Dear Editor,

I grew up in Carter County, graduated from CCHS in Ekalaka, and worked at the Dahl Memorial Hospital evenings and weekends for 3 years of high school. My time in Ekalaka gave me a huge start on my journey to becoming a nationally recognized cardiovascular surgeon and a Stanford University clinical professor. I have been on the BOD of a large general hospital in California, and also a large Agricultural Corporation. Recently I have been made aware of some of the problems and fighting happening at the hospital between employees, the hospital association, and the board of directors. This is very concerning to me as this impacts the quality of patient care and the satisfaction of the employees and patients. My mother was in the nursing home for several years and at that time I observed that the patients received excellent and humane care. The employees seemed happy and to be enjoying their work.

This hospital is a vital institution for Carter County. If the problems are not rapidly resolved I can foresee the loss of this hospital, to the detriment of the entire county. DO NOT allow a medical corporation to take over the management of the hospital as it would be the END of Dahl Memorial Hospital! Look at Jordan and Terry, where a medical corporation took over, drained all the finances and closed the hospitals! Those little towns no longer have a hospital!

This type of hospital demise is happening all across the country! Medical corporations do not have any good interests of the local people nor hospitals but are only concerned about their own bottom line.

A BOD should be open, transparent and HONEST. Misrepresentation and personal goals should have no place in the running of a hospital. The hospital association may need to recall the Board of Directors, or even possibly the County Commissioners may need to temporarily assume hospital management.

I will be sending a more detailed letter to the hospital association with suggestions and possible solutions. Certainly I hope that by this time next year the Dahl Memorial Hospital will be a successful, happy, thriving institution with employees, administrators, directors, and BOD functioning smoothly.

Sincerely,

Dr. Grace Blair

Billings