STOP BRMC

BRMC: What do you think?

2008-12-04T22:04:00.000-08:00

For those of you who are into blogging, I would like to refer the readers and those keeping up with the Broadlands Regional Medical Center to an online poll conducted by an individual resident of Northern Virginia. Please participate by clicking the following link at HoodaThunk? and show your opposition to BRMC.

Remember, the fight against BRMC is not over. Voice your opinion in any and every way possible. The Board of Supervisors will make it's final decision on BRMC January 14th. Don't let your voice be left out! Contact them by e-mail at BOS@Loudoun.gov and send letters to Loudoun County Board of Supervisors @ 1 Harrison St, S.E. 5th floor, P.O. Box 7000 Mailstop #1 Leesburg, VA 20177-7000. You can even comment over the phone at 703-777-0115.

Will history repeat itself?

2008-07-14T11:09:00.000-07:00

The San Jose Medical center has previously been a topic of discussion on the Stop BRMC blogs. You may wonder what a closed medical center in California has to do with our situation here in Loudoun County. The answer is simple, these incidents represent the concerns and ethics of HCA as a corporation and a participant in the community.

San Jose is still trying to recover from how HCA has left the community. Not only has HCA closed down the medical center leaving downtown without healthcare access, but HCA has also shown no intentions of helping to alleviate these problems. In fact, they are adding to problems through a lack of willingness to provide healthcare to a majority of the San Jose community.

Just think about what would happen if HCA were to become a staple in Loudoun County. If they are allowed to build at the Dulles Greenway site, they will be competing for patients and profits. What happens if they decide the Dulles Greenway location is not good for "profitability" like HCA's Santa Clara location? Will they decide to shut down BRMC as well? Or worse, what if they shut down the current hospitals in the area monopolizing healthcare in Loudoun. HCA pushing for the Dulles Greenway site, with it's proximity to the other hospitals in Loudoun, could be a sign of these intentions.

If BRMC remains in Loudoun, what is the likely hood they will care for the community? The answer is good, if you're insured! It's no wonder BRMC is trying to move into a higher income neighborhood instead of the Route 50 corridor where the community would be most positively affected by a hospital. In San Jose, the city council has already been a victim of HCA's unwillingness to provide care to the uninsured or those with Medi-Cal.

Will history repeat itself? Only if you let it! Voice your opposition and tell the Board of Supervisors to vote no on BRMC!

Will HCA bring Jobs to Loudoun?

2008-07-01T20:08:00.000-07:00

DOUBTFUL!

One of the dominant reasons people have for supporting BRMC in Broadlands has been the Doctors and jobs presumed to accompany the development of a Hospital. This just isn't the case.

HCA has been working on a merger with Baptist Health Care and their West Florida Campus.

This is an excerpt from a question and answer article regarding the proposed merger. The interviewer asks,

"Q: You have said that the consolidation will result in eliminating 320 jobs, mostly through attrition. What is the worst-case scenario number in terms of layoffs, and what is the projected payroll of those cuts?"

His Answer was:

"A: Our hope is to be able to handle about two-thirds of the reduction through attrition and placing people in other roles.

The 320 jobs amount to about $20 million in payroll and benefits out of a combined payroll and benefits of $310 million between Baptist and West Florid. By 2011, it will be back above where it is now.

We're also actually bringing some jobs back to the market.

For, example, West Florida did all of their billing office functions out of Jacksonville. Their IT employees-- and those are high-paying tech jobs-- have been outsourced out of the market.

Much of their marketing work was performed out of the market, whereas we will use local vendors. That was an organizational strategy of HCA, to consolidate services into regional centers.

We're taking a $200 million business and brining it back to local ownership."

If this is HCA's organizational strategy, what kind of strategies can we expect to see at Broadlands Regional Medical Center? You be the judge.

Full Article @ http://www.pnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080629/news01/806290328

Certificate of Public Need Extension

2008-05-27T08:33:00.000-07:00

A lot of the argument for and against Broadlands Regional Medical Center has been the expressed need for another full scale hospital in Loudoun County. As you may or may not know, HCA was recently given an extension to their certificate of public need (COPN) for the development of Broadlands Regional Medical (BRMC) by State Health Commissioner, Karen Remley.

However, on the date the COPN was reissued, the Health Systems Agency of Northern Virginia (HSA) also evaluated the COPN for the development of BRMC and provided a multitude of evidence against BRMC's COPN extension. I feel that the HSA's letter of recommendation to Remley is very important in the development of BRMC and that it is an integrual part of this debate. I hope that HSA's letter, written by Executive Director Dean Montgomery, can help to further illustrate a need to Stop BRMC.

http://cdn.washingtonpost.com/podcast/proddev/loudoun/documents/nvch_broadlands0519.doc

Update on San Jose Medical Center:

2008-04-09T15:58:00.001-07:00

HCA- Profits over people.

HCA owns two hospitals, in a region the size of San Jose (the 3rd largest City in California- 10th largest in the whole entire US!) , two miles apart from one another, and in the end is forced to shut one of them down. Then, at the other hospital, the one they left open, HCA immediately refuses to accept Medi-Cal for most services - leaving the elderly and under-issured with little options in healthcare!

Yet- they want to come to Loudoun County, not near the size and scope of San Jose, and build a hospital only five miles from an existing healthcare facility- and they think that both of them are going to survice financially? HELLO? Does anyone else out there see the problem here?

From the article:

"The crusty old buildings of the former downtown San Jose Medical Center are doomed to be an eyesore on Santa Clara Street until local politicians stop punishing the health-care giant [HCA] that owns it for being a bad corporate citizen. Hospital operator HCA abruptly closed the center in 2004, leaving the downtown community without an emergency room. The closest hospital, HCA-owned Regional Medical Center, is two miles away and recently stopped accepting Medi-Cal for most services, making it less than ideal for senior citizens and other [less-insured] residents. That put extra strain on the county's Valley Medical Center.

Valley Medical Center, is what some in the business refer to as a 'safety net facility'- meaning they're there no matter what, and no matter who, needs healthcare.

Role Reversal

2008-04-08T09:39:00.000-07:00

I found this nice little tid-bit from July 2007. Talk about role reversal.

Let's see. Martin Memorial Hospitals wants to build a facility 8 miles from Lawnwood Hospital and 11 miles from St. Lucie Medical. Naturally, both hospitals are opposing Martin Memorial's plans.

So who owns St. Lucie and Lawnwood, along with a lawsuit challenging Martin Memorial's CON? Why its our friends from Nashville -- HCA! How ironic.

Read these quotes from the HCA hospital's CEO Gary Cantreall:

"They are duplicating emergency services that are already provided in that area to divert patients who could be receiving full medical services at St. Lucie Medical or Lawnwood," Cantrell said.

and ...

"This is a clear example that Martin Memorial is not focusing on the needs of the St. Lucie County community, but rather its own interests," he said.

Hmmm, sounds like some folks at HCA would actually agree that Broadland is the WRONG location. Guess they're trying to have their cake and eat it too -- typical of large Wall Street corporations.

Maybe HCA needs to reserve a few of its psych-beds for some of their decision makers- they seem to be suffering from a case of dissociative identity disorder. One day they engage in predatory behavior, then the next day they oppose? Weird.

Something else in this article sounds real familiar too; HCA filing another lawsuit in court.

"Martin Memorial’s [non-profit] certificate of need to build a new hospital in western St. Lucie County has been appealed by St. Lucie Medical Center [for-profit HCA] and Lawnwood Regional Medical Center [for-profit HCA]."

"St. Lucie and Lawnwood Regional medical centers, owned by HCA Inc., filed the appeal on July 19."

HCA = Quality Health Care?

2008-04-07T12:37:00.000-07:00

Not hardly. Take a look at this article here, where a brand-new $250 million dollar HCA hospital finishes 'dead-last in eight of 10 categories'.

Ouch.

Note; Saint Luke's Health System, is a faith-based, non-profit, health system.

Saint Luke's Health System, the area's second-largest hospital operator, passed a new patient-satisfaction test with flying colors, while market leader HCA Midwest Health System came away with a black eye.

A review of inpatient survey data posted March 28 on the federal government's Hospital Compare Web site revealed that two of Saint Luke's five Kansas City-area hospitals grabbed the top rankings in nine of 10 categories that recently discharged patients were surveyed on between October 2006 and June.

Four of HCA Midwest's six area hospitals, meanwhile, accounted for all 10 last-place scores, with two of them tying for last in one category.

A total of 19 metro-area hospitals participated in the first round of the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey, which eventually will be mandatory for all U.S. adult acute-care hospitals. One of them, HCA's new $250 million Centerpoint Medical Center in Independence, finished 19th -- or dead last -- in eight of the 10 categories. The Saint Luke's Cancer Institute, meanwhile, finished No. 1 in eight categories.

HCA Racking Up Award after Award!

2008-03-25T11:25:00.001-07:00

Finally- we've found some positive news out of the HCA camp. Back in 2005, Columbia/HCA was inducted into the famous (or infamous) INFACT Hall of Shame. The criteria just to nominated for such an award; Companies must "use political influence to the detriment of public health".

'INFACT also released a "Corporate Imbalance Sheet" detailing influence-peddling activities and the impact of Columbia's practices on public health.'

INFACT is a national organization founded in 1977 whose purpose is to stop abuses by transnational corporations and increase their accountability.

Let's hear just some of the great things folks had to say at the awards ceremony outside Columbia/HCA's Sunrise Hospital in Las Vegas. I'll just go in order from the Union of American Physicians and Dentists full release found here:

"Communities have seen all across the country what they do, they slash staff, cut services, consolidate and down size," said California Nurse's Association (CNA) Labor Representative Beth Shafran. (our neighbors in Arlington can attest to this)

"We're looking at the largest redeployment of charitable assets in history. People are just now starting to realize the scope of this thing." The "thing" she was referring to was the accelerated rate of takeovers of not-for-profit hospitals by for-profit hospital companies. "Time and time again, this is what we see when Columbia is in the picture," Miller told the Banner. When these acquisitions occur, they are shielded from public scrutiny. Public companies are required by the Securities and Exchange Commission to disclose every detail of the transaction. ('shielded from public scrutiny'; sound familiar my fellow Concerned Citizens?)

So how does HCA operate? Here's one example that will make you wonder how they really got that Certificate of Public Need for BRMC;

With a price tag of $2 billion, the 1996 US elections were the most expensive ever. Big business, after investing heavily in campaigns, lined up for their rewards soon after the ballots were counted. Columbia/HCA's phalanx of 97 registered lobbyists in 23 states secured certificates of need and legislative approval of hospital deals. Columbia is Medicare's single largest biller as well, deriving 36% of its profits from the federal program. According to INFACT, there is evidence that Columbia has abused this relationship on more than one occasion. (Not satisfied with simply 'playing the system', they'll rip it off too!)

But that's not all: 'Perhaps one of the most serious charges against Columbia is its penchant for acquiring several properties in one geographic area and then closing one or more of them, creating de-facto, localized monopolies, sometimes leaving isolated rural communities without health care.' Well at least HCA doesn't purchase hospitals in poor, less-insured, inner-city areas, only to shut them down and the transfer the beds to a more affluent, better health-insured one, right? Now that would be really bad. Oh- wait- they do that too.

Back to more great quotes:

"They (Columbia/HCA) are rapacious," Columbia Watch editor Carl Bloice said, "Unfortunately it is only when Columbia moves into a community, then they learn what Columbia has been doing in other parts of the country." (looks like I'm right on cue)

"They buy clinics, buy doctors. They go for power and they own you," [Kathy] Berry, PR Director at St. Mary's Hospital in Oklahoma said. "They own your town and your newspaper." (guess we can throw blogs in their too- Loudoun Scoop, TC)

The end of this article, says it all!

In many ways, the problems of modem health care mirror the same transitional difficulties other industries have experienced in the last decade. Market principles dictate standardization and quantification. Costs, in order to be controlled, must be identified, categorized and limited. This methodology may work efficiently with commodities, but more and more physicians and nurses are realizing that it is fraught with pitfalls when applied to human beings.

Medicine is as much art as science, and art by committee cannot, by its very definition, approach the quality that can be attained when individual genius is combined with inspiration.

Human biology has as many variations as there are humans. Whenever systems developed to process commodities with a finite number of variations are applied to a commodity which has infinite variations, a percentage of that product will be lost in the form of spoilage during processing. It is considered an inevitable and fixed cost, built into the system. This irreconcilable collision of philosophies lies at the heart of the for-profit health care controversy.

Shame on you Mr. Miller

2008-03-09T09:14:00.000-07:00

It wasn't that long ago, during the campaign season to be precise, that we heard promises from candidates about "listening to the residents" and "judging an application on how it will impact the surrounding neighborhood". As election day came and we saw who our new supervisor would be, the residents of Broadlands opposed to building an intrusive 24-hr regional hospital next door, took some comfort in the fact that our new supervisor would at least be open to listening. Well it looks as if the joke is on us.

Last week the Board of Supervisors, in a shocking move, voted 5-4 to agree to delay the pending trial for HCA's lawsuit against the county and allow them to resubmit their application. Even more shocking ... our very own Supervisor Miller was the one to make the motion. From the minutes of the BoS meeting:

“Mr. Chairman, I move that the Board of Supervisors authorize the County Attorney to request, jointly with plaintiff’s counsel, a continuance of the trial in the case of Northern Virginia Community Hospital, LLC v. Loudoun County Board of Supervisors. I further move that the Board of Supervisors confirm its understanding that the property owner intends to file applications for the proposed hospital for consideration by this Board without any prior agreement for approval. I further move that that this continuance of the case is the with the understanding and direction that counsels for the parties will arrange for the elimination of the claims set for trial next week in a manner that preserves the plaintiff’s ability to appeal in the future only the preemption issue previously decided by the court in the County’s favor”

Lets look at this here. This stinks of the type of behind closed doors, smoke filled room dealing that we threw out the last Board for -- at least we knew where they stood! They campaigned on putting an end tho this very kind of politics, and now less then 3 months after taking office, Mr. Miller, Ms. McGimsey and Ms. Burk are proving that they are cut from the same cloth as the previous board and cannot be trusted.

Especially Mr. Miller. The same man who only 6 short months ago came before us and stated that he understands our opposition to the hospital and would first look at compatabiltiy with the existing neighborhood. He turned around and cut a deal to try to have it both ways. Why don't you try standing up for your constiuents instead of Mr. York and his contributors? You have not only stabbed Broadlands in the back, but you have made a wronged the Dulles South area of your district as well.

Mr. Miller -- Fool us once, shame on us. Fool us twice, shame on you ...

Unspinning the HCA Spin

2008-01-11T22:01:00.000-08:00

It does look as if things are about to get heated again in what's been a long 6+ year Hospital War here in the County. Living in LoCo has another article out today found here, similiarly reporting HCA's plan to continue on with litigation against the County Board of Supervisors for denial on their building BRMC back in 2005.

In the article Mark Foust, HCA's corporate spokesperson, had this little quote:

“We're simply trying to accomplish something that a majority of Loudoun County residents want, and that's a hospital in Ashburn,” said Foust, who referenced studies that approximately half of all LoCo residents leave the county for medical care. "

Now, I know that Loudoun County is a growing community and all, but where in the world does he get that 'a majority of Loudoun County residents want a hospital in Ashburn'? The folks whose back yard HCA wants to plow thru, don't want it. It doesn't do the folks on the southern end of the County any good. Nor the folks out west. The folks along Rt. 7 (and the Ashburn area for that matter) already have a nearly brand new hospital right up the road (5-miles) in Landsdowne- they surely don't want nor need it either. The folks in Sterling and parts further east would still travel to Reston or Fair Oaks, given they both are closer than that proposed site would be, so count them out. Who's left? Where's the majority Mr. Foust?

In that same quote it is stated by HCA’s spokesman that- 'half the residents of Loco leave the County for medical care'. If that's the case Mr. Foust- then build the hospital somewhere outside this county! Does he not understand that probably half or even more Loudoun residents work outside of the County too. Since when was medical care held exclusively within geographic lines? If I work in DC, it’s easier for me to go to a doctor in DC. If BRMC is built- I'm not going to take an hour lunch break and two hours vacation time to trek back to Loudoun to a doctor just because he practices in the county that I live.

Finally, the article points to several pros and cons of having BRMC, that have been on the Broadlands Forum.

A. Some feel that it's the right time for a new hospital, but the location is wrong. Nobody denies the fact that a new hospital is needed in the Loudoun County. But where will it serve Loudoun residents the best is the debate. There are other parts of this county that are in desperate need of access to services and Broadlands does nothing to address this. The County even says the next hospital needs to be on Rt. 50 in the Countywide Health Care Facilities Plan, and the states' Health System Agency (the body that recommends approval of hospitals to the State) recommended a denail of Broadlands based on the location. Other parts of Loudoun are more deserving. (Rt. 50 anyone?)

B. Other residents want BRMC in the Ashburn community, citing that it will bring high-paying jobs and help boost area home sales. First- probably half of those jobs are going to be filled by folks already working in one of HCA's other nova healthcare facilities. Those positions that are still vacant will simply go to folks currently employed in the hospitals and medical offices already in Loudoun. What? Do you really believe there are 600 doctors and nurses living in Loudoun County right now that just happen to be unemployed at the moment? You're smarter than that, aren't you?

It would however boost area home sales, just not in Ashburn or Broadlands- as those residents that purchased their homes under the contract that office buildings, not a 24hr hospital, would be built in their backyard, would surely be placing their current homes up for sale and moving somewhere else in the County.

C. Naturally, most residents welcome the tax revenue that a private company such as HCA would bring to Loudoun. What tax revenue? You mean HCA is going to repay the County the tens of thousands of dollars back that the County has had to spend on this dumb lawsuit? They should be forced to pay that whether they build here or not. If we're talking about the supposed $3.5m their claiming they'll pay in local taxes; first: Ask anyone with HCA to show you how they got that figure? In HCA’s initial marketing materials for BRMC is was $2M in taxes, now overnight its jumped to $3.5? I haven’t seen any changes in their plan? Where’s the extra $1.5M coming from?

Second- ask them how many times HCA has sued a locality under the guise of their 'property assessments being too high'? They sued for a tax refund on a five-year period in Fairfax, it’s a sure bet they’ll do the same here.

Simply put, BRMC is still the WRONG PLACE at the WRONG TIME. The circumstances; newly elected slow-growth board of supervisors, slowing in the projected population figures, sluggish economy, and non-existent housing market make BRMC an even worse idea than it was half a decade ago. STOP BRMC!

REFRESHER: Why HCA-Broadlands is bad for our neighborhood.

2008-01-11T17:51:00.000-08:00

It's been a little while since we successfully battled HCA-Broadlands. Now that they are trying again, I thought that a little refresher for those of you who are new to Broadlands (or those of you who have forgotten) may help. Without further ado, here are some reason why HCA-Broadlands is a bad idea:

1. There will be increased traffic and congestion: Studies show that medical offices space on average creates three times the traffic as traditional office parks (aaah, an office park -- that's what we were told would be at the HCA-Broadlands site). We are not just talking about increased traffic between weekday hours of 9 am - 5 pm. We are talking about increased traffic 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year -- Broadlands Blvd. will see delivery trucks at all hours, ambulances, and many more car trips. And when was the last time you saw a car driving the speed limit trying to get to the emergency room??

2. Increased noise from helicopters and ambulances: Again, a 24 hours large regional hospital will generate significant noise from sirens. A helipad for medical transport is included in the site plan. That is a huge impact on on our neighborhood. Has HCA done any studies to show the impact? If so, how come we've never seen them?

3. HCA-Broadlands will lower property values: Raise your hands if the number one item on your list for a new home was a regional hospital in your backyard -- you know, that million dollar hospital view from your master bathroom; a yard where your kids can play while cars and ambulances whiz past; a nice huge bedroom where you're awaken at night because of the helicopters and sirens? Anyone? Anyone? Yeah, I didn't think so ... So how exactly has HCA-Broadlands been able to claim that their hospital will increase property values -- because they've gone unchecked. How can property values possibly benefit from this type of development? The County should force HCA to release all its information pertaining to property values: the names of the who they claim have said values would go up, the method for how that was determined, and when it was determined - I can guarantee you that there will be some major holes ...

4. Lets look at the dirty truth about HCA: Already finish reading all those books you got for the holidays? Allow me to turn you on to some great human interest stuff ? We're stuff not even John Grisham could dream up -- and its true. For some entertainment, go ahead a Google a few things: HCA and fraud, HCA and taxes, HCA and community abandonment -- for those college football fans out there, "whoa nelly". Shocking isn't it? HCA claims it will be a good neighbor, they claim they will bring taxes and all, but their history tells a completely different story. They have a history of suing counties to pay less taxes. They have a history of abandoning communities for more profitable ones and of course there's always the fact that they were had to pay the U.S government $1.7 billion for the LARGEST HEALTH CARE FRAUD CASE IN U.S. HISTORY (oh yeah, part of that was defrauding TriCare -- the military's health care system. Real classy there guys.) HCA is an unethical fraudulent company and they don't belong in Loudoun County.

THEY'RE BACK!!

2008-01-11T17:09:00.001-08:00

That's right, HCA has announced that even after they lose their lawsuit to the County, they will resubmit their application for HCA-Broadlands Hospital.

After we came together and worked to defeat HCA putting a hospital in our backyard, they are back. As if the defeat by the Board of Supervisors, thousands of residents against them, and the prospect of destroying any chance for the rest of Loudoun to receive health care wasn't enough, HCA has come back for another round.

Per this week's article in the Leesburg Today, HCA makes it clear that they are not giving up on Broadlands:

"Regardless of the outcome of the litigation, however, White said that the Broadlands Regional Medical Center application would be coming before the new board for review. If the court rules in HCA's favor, the application would be bounced back to the board for action. If HCA does not win their court case, White said they plan to resubmit the application to the board of supervisors."

It's clear. HCA has no regard for the residents of Broadlands -- we must stop HCA-Broadlands from becoming a reality.

This blog is going to serve as a way for Broadlands residents, and other Loudouners, to organize against HCA-Broadlands and expose the truth about HCA. STOP BRMC!