No doctors
By Jennifer Ockey - 11/28/08
Why do hospital CEOs spend tons of money making a hospital a “pretty medical center” when there are no doctors in it? I used the MD Center, located in the hospital. The doctor decided to send me to Missoula to see an endocrinologist. There are none in town. Perhaps funds from the hospital’s “medical center” should be used to bring an endocrinologist to Helena. Another example of fund usage: A friend entered the ER with back pain. Diagnosis? “PASSABLE” kidney stones. The doctor sent her home. Two days later she was in the ER. Her “PASSABLE” kidney stone was lodged in the opening of the bladder, causing possible bladder eruption. Treatment? Emergency surgery. No, not in Helena’s “Pretty Medical center” but Great Falls. Why Great Falls? Because Helena doesn’t have a urologist to do the surgery. They give pain medicine and her husband drives her to Great Falls. Again I ask, why spend money on a “pretty medical center” when there’s no doctors in it? Whoever is in charge of this huge “medical center” should perhaps think about putting doctors in the hospital before putting a pretty fountain in front of the building!
Jennifer Ockey
912 Hideout St.
Jennifer Ockey
912 Hideout St.
Current rating: 4.5 with 11 ratings.
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Reader Comments:
Ding wrote on Nov 29, 2008 11:23 AM:
" Great letter! Bottom line: Any hospital that spends all its money on a self-indulgent construction ego-trip is generally not the kind of hospital that treats its doctors (or other staff) well. Many physicians can only take St. Peter's for a couple years before they are long gone to greener pastures. Some of this has to do with the limmitations of a small town medical community, but the hospital needs to assume some responsibility as well. "
4061111 wrote on Nov 29, 2008 9:19 AM:
" Helena is notorious for not paying their medical professionals enough money. So we're often left with physicians that aren't all that great. On the other side of the coin, by some miracle, there are actually a few doctors here that are caring and do something most doctors never learn - they LISTEN to their patients instead of run them through like an assembly line. Perhaps that kind of proactive treatment along with good pay would draw in more quality doctors and we could enjoy better health as a general rule. "
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purple wrote on Nov 29, 2008 5:48 PM: