"Chew the Hay and Spit the Stubble"

"Semi-Regular Reader" offers the following:

This shouldn't be construed as an Internet flame, but since the DRMC discussions definitely draw lines in the sand, I have one question.

Of what professional quality are the doctors of DRMC or can that NOT be determined?

The rankings suggest you get mixed medical care. The outward migration numbers suggest the medical staff isn't trusted by non-emergency "customers." People planning heart surgery or other major treatments aren't weighing the corporate philosophy of hospital management into their decision of where to seek treatment. They want the best doctor they can find, not a good doctor backed by decent local marketing and town word-of-mouth.

Doctors departing DRMC in large numbers isn't good UNLESS replacements can better the medical care. That's no given - and unproven under hospital management - because DRMC's paid very high salaries in recruiting only to maintain sub-par results. If customers aren't seeking DRMC treatments, even under a monopolized local healthcare system, then those in the "trench" should look in the job performance mirror as well. It's only fair and is a reasonable request.

Another note: If you get up in the morning and absolutely dread going to your job, you owe it to yourself to, at least, look for other job opportunities. Your personal health and wellness isn't worth it and the services you're providing innocent patients can only suffer given the unconscious distraction of mental misery.

If you choose to "like it" and not leave it, then chew the hay and spit the stubble. Enough workers must obviously "like it" because the debate water is barely rippling except for Forthright's interest in the issue - which is good reading and a good communication forum (but not a journalistic outlet). It's a soapbox.

By the way, I like the idea of "Boss Hog" walking the ER and asking such customer service questions if privacy law permits. The questions posted by the commentator that should be asked by "Boss Hog" to patients should be asked by the nurses and doctors too.

And if patients complain of chatting, drinking and eating at the nurses' station - most of it is likely to be work related, but I'm not buying that there isn't enough loafing going around to make such patient complaints legitimate. The "High Horse" ain't that high, staff! Remember, the front line medical staff gives patients the impression of the care they're given. Hmm, on that one.

We should continue this discussion of alleged tyrants, tinker-bells, Bosses Hog and medical care. A "ship" as large as DRMC needs many oars and many rowers. Don't look exclusively at the Captain - but keep an eye up there!

The writer asks some very relevant questions about the quality of DRMC's physicians. The care provided is not always a question of "qualifications" as it is of "motivation". Here's the problem:

Let's say that I am an employed physician at DRMC with a guaranteed salary of $750,000 a year. I get paid $750K whether I see 25 patients a day or 2. I am not greedy, so I can live very comfortably on $750K a year in Greenville, MS. What is my motivation to work 12 -14 hours a day seeing patients when I could be on the golf course every day by 2:00 p.m.? None!

Physicians are no different from anyone else. It is noble to think that they are driven by the Hippocratic oath, but they also have personal lives, families and hobbies like the rest of us. At the end of the day, money is what gets us all out of bed in the morning... if you happen to truly love what you do, well, that's just icing on the cake.

Greenville is lucky to have as many good physicians as it has, given the underhanded politics that typically drive them away. We also have some physicians that should be barred from practice because of their incompetence and unethical practice. Ray and the "horsemen" of DRMC are well aware of these "dangerous docs", but continue to turn a blind eye to maintain their power as well as the facade that "all is well at DRMC."

The writer is also correct in stating that we can't simply blame the "Captain" for the plight of this ill-fated ship. Ray has many cronies, from supervisors to board members, whose hands reach just as deep into the county coffers to maintain their status in the "club".

I also commend the writer for recognizing the intent of this blog. Yes, it is a "soap-box" and not intended to be journalistic reporting of fact. It should be fun reading and I hope it is informative, but it is still a forum for views and opinions... some can be substantiated in fact and others may be purely personal perspectives.

Awareness of public issues is a good thing and participating in a blog discussion is actually quite fun. You can express your opinions with complete anonymity and your voice will be heard. Change will only occur when public voices unite.

Forthright