Hospital board passes expansion to quorum court
Published by Jeff December 14th, 2006 in News.Billed as the largest single economic development package since the 1975 construction of the existing hospital, the Drew County Memorial Hospital expansion project formally moved forward today as the hospital board voted to send a resolution to the Drew County Quorum Court requesting that a referendum be placed on the ballot for a March 2007 vote.
The resolution asks for a 3/4 of one-cent sales tax to be added, bringing the current tax rate to 9.75% for Monticello and Drew County. That means that a resident who earns $50,000 a year would be paying approximately $180 per year for the expansion, after they pretax expenditures like housing payments
The project is ambitious. Totaling $21 million, the expansion and renovation will include the following:
- Creation of a “medical mall” on the first floor which will include emergency services, radiology, laboratory, and same-day outpatient surgical procedures which will be supported by three operating rooms and surgery rooms.
- It will add a second floor to the existing structure which will provide 49 private beds.
- A nursing care unit which will include an obstetrical unit with private rooms and a comprehensive nursery, all private medical and surgical patient rooms, and a state of the art Intensive Care Nursing Unit.
- Renovation of the 30 year old facility will allow repairs to the existing structure and realignment of services.
New services added by the project are comprehensive and will allow the hospital to be a regional source for health care. Some of the list of services and features of the massive project include:
- Seven new ICU/CCU rooms
- Four labor/delivery/recovery/post partum rooms
- Expanded and fully equipped nursery
- Three operating and procedure rooms
- Dynamically expanded emergency room area that will allow 10 patient care positions
- Imaging department
- Expanded specialty clinics
- Enlarged pharmacy
- Double the space for the physical/occupational therapy department
- Three room sleep lab
- Enlarged dining and serving area
- Realigned offices and business areas to improve organization and efficiency
The expansion of the hospital will conservatively create at least 35-40 new jobs, according to hospital board chairman Gary Shrum.
The existing hospital is approximately 75,000 square feet and was built in 1975. It is classified as an Acute Care hospital and has 49 beds available.
Shrum commented, “If we were to build the same facility that we currently have today, we would not be licensed by the state because we are 40,000 square foot underfloored. With this expansion, we will be able to offer a number of services that we don’t now have the room to offer.”
The hospital anticipates that the construction will not only bring new health care professionals to the area but will also bring a number of other health-care related jobs and services to the community. By voting to bring the resolution to the Quorum Court and to the community in March 2007, the hospital board wants to place the decision squarely in the hands of local residents.
If the Quorum Court agrees to place the resolution as a referendum for next year’s vote, the project could begin as early as September 2007. The expansion and renovation would take about two years to complete.
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NICE! It’s somewhat costly, but I think having our local hospital up-to-date is well worth the investment and will make Monticello a more attractive place.
Now if we can get the people up to date who work there.
I afree with TJ-I would be willing to pay extra sales tax for such improvements and may I add-they are long overdue.I do also know that a lot of Monticellonians agree wtih Randy’s comment also……….
What does that mean, getting the people who work there up to date?
I know a number of people who have had problems out there. A friend of mine who had swelling on the brain was sent home from DrewM after a trip to the emergency room, being told nothing was wrong with him, that sort of thing. He ended up with a medivac flight to Little Rock.
I know a number of people who have had similar problems at almost any health care facility you could name. However, fortunately, I also know many more people that have positive experiences at both DrewM and other hospitals. Fact is that errors occur because it is a profession practiced by humans. In addition, some conditions do not immediately manifest measureable signs. The good news is that the majority of the people who practice medicine do it for the right reasons and without any malicious intent. An improved facility with expanded capabilities will only improve all of our options.
if memory serves, DMH has had difficulty securing the services of a full-time anesthesiologist in the recent past. if said improvements would help bring about an enviornment that would help attract quality health-care providers, i’m all for it. if we’d just end up with a bigger, more under-staffed facility, i think it’s a waste of money.
i do believe that every community needs and should have a quality health-care facility. i know its one of many factors a prospective industry looks at when deciding to locate in an area.
My comment on the hospital addition is… They need to get the part that is already here cleaned up & kept that way. Just take a trip thru all of it & notice the filth in corners, on walls, about anywhere you look. Another thing people here are about taxed to death for the income, etc, that is earned in the area. I for one, think this is more important than adding space, a lot of the time a year or so ago, people were sent home, because there wasn’t enough patients to need them, this was not just a one time happening. I knew some that worked there that it happened to.. May still be, Look and see..
I believe that 3/4 of a cent is a small amount to pay in order to upgrade our present hospital. If upgrading the hospital would bring in more/different doctors to Monticello I am all for it.
There is a problem when a women in Monticello has to go out of town to have a routine hysterectomy. I would have much rather preferred to stay AT HOME to have it done.
My family would fall in the $50,000 income range and trust me when I say that I would spend $180 on “STUFF” that really doesn’t benefit me, my family or my community. Also, another way to look at it is that whenever something is bought in Monticello, whether it be by a resident or someone passing through. the money is collected. If you will stop to think about it, whenever you go out of town and purchase something you are paying that cities sales tax to go for whatever it is appropriated for. I know in some cities their sales tax is much higher than here in Monticello.
Last but not least, and I may be wrong, but I think the additional 1 cent sales tax that we have been paying that goes has beem going towards youth activities, city infrastructure, economic development and one other thing will be on the ballot in September for renewal. The yough activities has benefited from this tax but as far as city infrastructure and ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT…….well I personally think that leaves much to be desire.
I guess the bottom line is that there will always be something that needs additional tax dollars and there will be something to complain about each and every one of those things!
It is time for the citizens of Drew County to stop complaining about how bad the hospital is and STEP UP and do something about it!
I have been treated very well at Drew memorial during my child birth,
but did have to transfer to Baptist in Little Rock because of lack of care! Drew memorial is a very nice Hospital but does need updated bad. My husband had to sleep on the floor while we were there not cool! Im all for growth !!!
It is my understanding that at the Quorum Court meeting on 12-18-06 the resolution to place the 3/4 cent sales tax increase to benefit the expansion of Drew Memorial hospital to be placed on a ballot for public vote was addressed. During the meeting the Quorum Court voted 5 - 3 against allowing the resolution to be placed before the REGISTERED VOTERS of Drew County. By doing this, the 5 Justices who voted AGAINST placing the resolution on the ballot took the right of the REGISTERED VOTOERS of Drew County away from us.
As a registered voter of Drew County, my right to vote yes/no or for/against a 3/4 cent sales tax increase has been stripped from me. I applaud my Justice for voting for the resolution.
Hopefully this resolution will come up again in the near future and more thought will be put into letting the REGISTERED VOTERS of Drew County to decide the outcome of their future!
Karen’s understanding is correct, however, more light should be shed. Prior to the vote, Justice Carol Bulloch made a motion to table the issue until next months meeting. Her reason for the motion was that only one informational meeting had been held and that 4 of the nine QC members had not attended this meeting. She thought that it would allow more time for the JP’s that did not attend this meeting to learn more about the plans for expansion. A vote was taken resulting in a tie for this motion. Important to note here that some of the justices that did not attend the meeting voted also not to table the vote. I guess they did not need any information to strip you of your rights to decide for yourself. Anyway, in the case of a tie, the County Judge then casts the deciding vote. In this case, your elected Judge voted against delaying the vote. I suppose he too was afraid for JP’s to learn more.
After this action, it was time to vote on the proposal to place a 3/4 cent tax on the ballot. Justice Loyd made the motion, however, he had to read it from a yellow piece of paper that was handed to him by Justice Potter. He was asked to restate the motion by the recorder of the meeting, but finally just handed the paper to her instead of restating what he had proposed. When the Judge asked for any discussion, Justice Thompson stated that he didn’t need to discuss it because there was no way he was going to put a “three cent” tax on the people. Maybe he should have voted to table this so he could find that it is actually 3/4 of a cent instead of 3 cents, small difference. It would also be important for him to note that he wouldn’t be taxing anyone, only placing it on the ballot for us to make our own decisions.
Luckily for you, your Justice did vote for you to have your say. Your JP was just not successful in his/her effort. My JP sat in there and assured all that the people had elected him to do their work and if he wasn’t doing it they would say so with their votes. I have supported him in the past but no more. And I will say so with my vote. I didn’t vote for him because I thought he knew better than I did what I wanted. I voted for him because I trusted him to do the right thing. My mistake Mr. Potter. It won’t happen again.
I agree with Karen completely. Can’t wait to see this issue on the ballot. Many people have fought many times for me to have this right. Who are they to deny me that?
The REGISTERED VOTERS of Drew County ELECTED the quorum court members to make decisions, not pass everything BACK to the voters.
If the quorum court was not allowed to make decisions we’d be having elections on every proposal that anyone floats. Our county can not afford to have an election every month!
A 3/4 cent sales tax may not be much to me or you personally, but it’s a lot to businesses who have to charge those taxes.
Dumas saw the err of their ways when they lost their Wal Mart and had to do some creative finagling to REDUCE their sales tax.
If this hospital expansion is going to be such an economic boon, as the hospital folks claim, let them pay for it out of the increased hospital revenue.
As for these new jobs, will those jobs be outsourced to companies outside of this county like a lot of their jobs are now?
They have jobs available for Drew County residents now but those jobs are outsourced.
Lake Village and Dumas just built new hospitals, and look at them now.
Laura wrote:
Her reason for the motion was that only one informational meeting had been held and that 4 of the nine QC members had not attended this meeting. She thought that it would allow more time for the JP’s that did not attend this meeting to learn more about the plans for expansion.
Come on now, surely you know why they wanted to table this until January. The hospital would get another vote in January when Ron Echols takes his seat on the quorum court.
What are we suppose to look at when we “look at them now”, pertaining to the hospitals in Lake Village and Dumas?
What jobs at Drew Memorial Hospital are “outsourced” now?
What do you mean “they wanted to table this til January”? Noone voting or discussing was from the hospital. This was one of the JP’s that made that motion. If you are comfortbale with your justice blatantly stating that he doesn’t need information to make decsions for you, that is your right. I, however, am not.
You are correct, they should not put every decision that comes before them to the people. Sales tax issues are different. Are you sure I am not a business owner with tax concerns? They make decsions all the time. Such as the decision to “outsource” garbage collection at my expense, increase my water rate to pay their insurance etc. I simply mean that as elected officials they should take their responsibility seriously enough to at least put a little effort into what they do. Or at the very least, have enough shame to not gloat about their ignorance.
I will start off by saying that maybe the REGISTERED VOTERS of Drew County need to take a look at who they’ve elected and think long and hard about whether or not that person really has the best interest of the citizens of Drew County on their mind when they vote for an issue as important as upgrading OUR hospital.
Garry, I have a question to one of your comments “if the hospital expansion is going to be such an economic boon, as the hospital folks claim, let them pay for it out of the increased hospital revenue”……….the economic boom can only come AFTER the expansion has happened. It can not just appear out of thin air.
I am sure the hospital would LOVE to be able to provide the expansion that is needed without an additional 3/4 cent sales tax……maybe you can make a suggestion on how it could be done.
As far as your thought on tabling the issue until January so that Ron Echols gets on the quorum court……does one man really have that much power that the JP’s are afraid of his presence on the court? Besides, was Mr. Echols elected by the REGISTERED VOTERS, not appointed.
I been reading some of this stuff and I just have a few comments.
First, someone mentioned only paying $180 if you make $50,000. Your income has nothing to do with this tax. This is a sales tax not an income tax. I’d imagine if most are like me you spend $180 in sales tax in a month.
Now someone mentioned the outsourcing of hospital jobs, i might be wrong and i hope someone corrects me if i am but doesn’t an outside company do the hospital’s billing. I know I have called out there on a few occasions with questions about my bill and i was referred to another number and company. Also i maybe wrong but i believe the cleaning is contracted out to a cleaning company outside of Drew County. Also it was mentioned the garbage was outsourced by the county, that is no longer true. The county handles its own trash pick up. As to water, the county doesn’t handle water, those are individual water associations.
Face it people this town is not big enough to support a regional hospital. Especially when there is a world-class hospital a little over an hour away and one of the best hospitals in the state 45 minutes away. To be a regional hospital you have to draw people from the region. Where are we going to get these people from, Wilmar? Dumas, Warren, Hamburg all have their own hospital. If the problem is too serious then they will go to the closest one. If its not then why would they drive 20 minutes to Monticello when they can drive 30 to a better (proven) hospital in Pine Bluff.
Ive heard people complain no one on the Quorum Court discussing or voting was from the hospital so they didnt know the information. Well the hospital has a Representative there ever meeting. Also do you really think the hospital board members haven’t been in contact with the quorum court? Just because all the information wasnt discussed at the meeting doesnt mean it wasnt going on.
Another claim of the JP not knowing the difference of 3/4 and 3 cent tax. You realize with this tax, the city, and the county tax our tax rate would be 2 3/4 cent tax on the dollar. Im sure that is the 3-cent tax that was being referenced to.
Also, the reference to an economic “boom” and if the money will come out of thin air is completely wrong. Do you really think 3/4 of cent tax will generate $21 million in a year? The one cent tax only generates $1.5 million a year. This $21 million in cost will not be paid off all at once; it will be paid annually from the amount the sales tax generates annually. SO if there is an Economic boon from the hospital revenues it could pay the “BILL” on the cost of the hospital annually.
And last, tabling the issue until January and how much power does one man has. Well when the vote is 5-3, one man’s vote is could be a deal maker or breaker. This is politics, thats how things work.
Let me state that I was there. No I don’t think that 3/4 of a cent would generate that money in a year. That was not the proposal. It was for 25 years. I would not have been able to have estimated that either. That is why the hospital did its due diligence and had a financial bond company gather our local information and calculate it based on current numbers. With that I am fairly comfortable.
In reference to the JP not knowing the difference in the amounts, your suggestion is not what he was referring to. He did not know that it was only 3/4 of a cent. When another justice tried to explain to him, Justice Loyd interrupted her, talked over her and called for a vote.
Lastly, in reference to your comments on trash and water. You are correct, that is now handled by the county again. They made the decision to undo the decision they already made. However, when they went to the outsourcing our rates went up, when they went back, our rates did not go down. As far as water, that depends on where you live. I live in the county but am served by city water. Not served by any water association. But that really doesn’t even matter. The point I was making is that the QC routinely makes decisions without putting every issue to a vote. That is what they are elected to do. However, some issues require more input than 9 people’s opinion. If you are not in support of this issue, why is it a problem for there to be an election? Just vote no.
One last comment, in reference to the “proven” facility at Pine Bluff. Go back to my very first posting…………..there are just as many who have had “negative proof” as “positive proof”, about Jefferson, Drew, Baptist and the Mayo Clinic for that matter.
There was recently an article in the Monticello paper discussing a study on cities and how much out of town money was spent in these cities. (For example, how much retail money is spent in Little Rock by non Little Rock residents). Only one town in the entire state was higher than Monticello. My point being, why not get a state of the art facility without having to shoulder the entire cost burden. Let others help us pay.
This is why it’s important for more people to be more informed when voting. Important issues like this could be handled in the way that the community/county truly desires.
It’s obvious that the hospital is in need of upgrades, etc. A town of this size should have a hospital in better shape than the one we have. This is a larger community (with a college) than the surrounding towns. Our hospital should be able to provide services that the surrounding communities’ hospitals cannot provide. When something bad happens to a loved one, we shouldn’t have to suggest they be transferred to Pine Bluff for proper care - they should be able to stay right here.
I’m sure I’m not the only one who thinks this… but it’s our own fault for not voting responsibly.
You know what is funny, for an issue that some on the quorum court did not feel important enough to go in front of the citizens of Drew County, this web-site alone has had 12 different people interested enough to respond.
Whether the response be for or against, it is good to know that there are interested citizens in this county.
Karen said:
Whether the response be for or against, it is good to know that there are interested citizens in this county.
On that, we can agree, Karen.
It was once said that “The greatest risk of all is not taking one.” Sam Walton, Don Tyson, Bill Clinton, J.B. Hunt and many many more from our state took that risk and became world or national leaders in their own right. With a vision, forethought, hardwork and dedication to their dream, their subjective reality that they had invisioned turned into objective reality that could be seen and shared with others.
Risks come in all shapes and sizes. Healthcare being no different. From the person that welcomes you to a hospital, to the doctors and caregivers that come to know you and provide for you during your stay. Their one common goal, quality healthcare. The person that welcomed you is at risk for maybe not being polite or not having a smile on their face. The Doctor is at risk of being sued for malpractice. The caregivers for not careing. The “risk list” can go on and on and on. Through constant education, training, inservices, seminars, etc. healthcare workers strive to be the best at providing quality healthcare. The risk is just to great not to…
Now, onto the issue at hand. From what I have read in the newspapers, reading these blog’s and talking (listening) to individules it has become discerning to me. Would an expansion to the existing facility bring that quality to the highest level? (Although quality is measurable I feel that it goes to infinity.) Would it enhance the quality of care that is provided? What about the services that could be added? The caregivers at DMH as with any other facility want to be able to provide what is best for the patients as well as their community. For those who do not understand the concept of quality care need enlightening.
If my memory serves me corrrectly several years ago DMH attempted to change it’s tax status to a 501c (due to federal government cutbacks.) This was a vision by the hospital to keep the hospital viable and growing in order to provide the quality healthcare needed for the future. Town meetings were held with much discussion and negativity. This change would have removed the burden of DMH from the citizens of Drew County. I infer that the hospital millage could have been used elseware for county needs. This would have allowed DMH to finance monies needed for growth while all assets that are gaind by the hospital remain the property of Drew County. This was denied for what ever reason. The administrator at that time (who had put 4.8 million on the hospital books during his tenure)was forced to resign. His vision was quality healthcare, his fault, he cared to much… The risk was passed by. Might I add, he went on a $20,000,000.00 venture with Blue Cross and Blue Shield and last I heard is an executive in the healthcare industry.
I”m sure it is a daily struggle with rising costs, patient needs, nursing shortages, insurance reimbursements, etc. and the list keeps going, but, quality healthcare is always there. The way I see it, the employees do the best they can with what they have and could do even better and more if allowed the opportunity.
I put my trust as well as my families health in the hands of the caregivers at DMH. They have saved many lives and will continue to save many lives. Sure there are procedures that cannot be done at DMH and that is acknowledged, but what they do is care for, nuture and see to your needs. I don’t like to be around a person when they are ill as with most people, but a nurses dedication to work 12 or more hours a day around people that are ill takes a special person that is deserving.
I am all for better roads and I am all for economic development, as many other citizens are, that is why I personally voted for those two proposed sales tax’s. I am also for a better hospital that will enhance quality care as well as bring new services (and jobs) to our community. I put my trust in those at DMH with hundreds of years of combined experience as to what their needs are. So WHY may I ask, can I not vote as a citizen of Drew County, for my future healthcare needs? Why should I have to travel to other hospitals for services that could be offered here?
Perhaps it’s the risk? Oh well, at least we will have a good road to drive to Little Rock on…
Bradshaw was not forced to resign. He already had his job lined up with Blue Cross & Blue Shield while he was trying to get the county to allow the hospital to get 501 C 3 status. Thank God he was not successful because BC&BS would be controlling DMH right now.
This could be an endless debate, but, I’m not sure how you would define “forced to resign”. However, I worked at DMH when that all went down and he definitely was “pressured out”. If he had not resigned he would have been removed. It was a difficult decision for him and he still cares a great deal about this facility. Not necessarily all of the players (like the ones that pressured him out) but certainly about the hospital. Of course he already had another job lined up, he didn’t quit in the heat of the moment. He realized he was going to have to resign or be fired and so he sought employment elsewhere. I would do the same thing. I have financial and family obligations that require me to work and any responsible person would do the same.
As I have been reading the previous posts about the Drew Memorial Hospital expansion project, I have several thoughts on the subject that I would like to share. Concerning the question the Advance raised about where the doctors stand on this issue, I am not a doctor, but I believe if they were asked as citizens if they would appreciate a bigger, finer, nicer, newer hospital the answer would probably be yes. Would it make a difference in how they conducted their business? Probably not. If the services they are looking for are adequately provided across the street from their clinics, would they send their patients there? I think yes. If the services are not there, they will send their patients to the place where they can get the best care. I do not think we should ask the doctors to take a public stand on this issue. This will be a no win situation for them and we should not put them on the spot. They are professionals and will continue to do their job as professionals regardless of whether or not we have a new hospital.
I just wonder if any of the quorum court members frequent this web-site and have had the opportunity to see the posts?????????
Yes, the administrator was forced out and went to work for Blue Cross/Blue Shield. It appeared while he was holding his job as administrator and collectigng a salary from Drew Memorial he was representing the interest of BC/BS in attempting to convince the county quorum court to let BC/BS operate the facility with a 25-year lease for $1 payment.
Under this arrangment the doctors on staff were offered 25% profit from all supplies used in the hospital. It was a sweet arrangement but those who want to do the research many hospitals across the south allowed such an arrangement with Columbia Health Care and closed when they were no longer profitable or saw great price increases. If memory serves correctly, Columbia Health Care filed bankruptcy.
Would someone please explain why any reasonable person would think that with facilities like UAMS and hour and a half away that we could build a teaching hospital here that would compete with the likes of their specialists?
There’s not one of us in this county who would not seek the best possible health care in Little Rock if faced with a life threatening illness.
There’s not one doctor in this county who would not refer us to one of those well-qualified specialists?
The price tag would be a great deal more than $21 million to do so.
This hospital employs over 200 people. Burdening our pocket books to enlarge it because an architect who stands to gain a fee if such a facility were built when a Drew Memorial administrator entered a drawing and won the architectural plans. So we add 40 additional jobs, the newspaper gets added advertising revenue, then there is a need for new equipment and the taxpayers will be once again tapped. Then, perhaps, the salaries we pay won’t attract nurses or doctors, then it is back to the taxpayers for more money.
Today the hospital is not profitable, not well maintained but does allow us to get to a specialist when we have a heart attack or are in a serious car accident.
What more can we expect in a county where the average income could not be much over $20,000 a year?
We have a beer budget and champagne tastes. Let’s correct that some our elected officials are the ones with the champagne tastes and most always they look for the taxpayer to pick up the tab.
Let’s survey elected officials in the city and county and see just how many of them have been patients in Drew Memorial Hospital over the last 20 years?
That is information we need before we vote to increase our taxes.
There are those who appear to believe that most residents of Drew County use Drew Memorial Hospital on a regular basis. That simply could not be true or the hospital would be posting a profit each month.
If the hospital is interested in “educating” the
voters as the local paper infers then why aren’t we offered statistics they surely have in their possession. How many patients are medicaid? How many patients return on a regular basis to take advantage of the services offered…child birth, appendectomies, gall bladders, tonsils. How many doctors perform these procedures and exactly what procedures are offered at Drew Memorial? How many doctors have wanted to practice in Monticello with hospital staff privileges and been turned down over the last 20 years? Are the nursing salaries at Drew Memorial Hospital competitive with Crossett and Lake Village? If not how much more would the hospital have to offer to be competitive?
This is a county hospital. It belongs to the taxpayers of this county and yet we are not given basic public information in our local newspaper or by the administration at the hospital. Then the local paper in an editorial has the nerve to infer we are not educated enough on the hospital expansion effort.
Well, pardon me, I thought that was the job of both the local newspaper and the hospital and neither one seem to be providing us with what is clearly in the domain of public information.
While some hospital employees and board members think we taxpayers should turn our pockets inside out, a person is left wondering why the hospital doesn’t share any information with us?
It’s interesting that no one from the hospital posts at night. Could it be these posts all made during the day are coming from the work computers of hospital employees during work hours.
Sorry to be petty but I cringe when I read the paper anymore. We have a road tax in the county, a city tax, a hospital proposal which was preceded by a library proposal and then there is, of course, a convention center proposal. What is next?
Do elected officials in the city sit around trying to think of how to get into the taxpayer’s pocket 24-7?
That’s a new one on me “A teaching hospital?”
Maybe I missed something, but I do not recall reading anything that referenced this proposed hospital expansion as a “teaching hospital”.
I don’t think you missed anything. There was no reference to a teaching facility. But for the record, 4 nursing schools send students to our facility. Each year many more ask to do the same but our current space does not allow. Interesting to note here that one of the schools that has requested repeatedly to send their nursing students to Monticello is located in Pine Bluff. Radiology schools also in Pine Bluff send students here every year, the pharmacy school in Little Rock sends students here, the list goes on and on. What is the quote about the prophet unrecognized in his own land?
Also, how does anyone think they know who is posting when. I see names that could very well be hospital employees posting at night. Oh yeah, some hospital employees work at night and are at home during the day.
Next, of course an architect recieves a fee for his service. So do grocery store owners, insurance salesmen, ministers etc. If you know of a reputable firm that would do it for free, I feel sure that the hospital administration and board would love to talk to them. In addition, the cost for equipment is included in the proposal. This was discussed at the community meeting that was held several weeks ago. Also, check your newspaper. The hospital has operated in the black for the past two years. This is an accomplishment few prospective pay rural facilities have been able to accomplish in recent years.
Tax issues are not used to pay salaries. DMH has not had to use agency nurses in 5 years because they have been able to attract and retain very competent qualified staff. There is certainly a need for services provided in larger areas, no one argues that. But just because it can be obtained elsewhere doesn’t mean it is wrong to consider expanding what is offered here. Hopefully you have never had the experience of a family member with a long lasting serious medical condition that could not be managed here. I however have. I cannot begin to explain to you the burden of trying to present for my loved one and participate in their care as they died and still be available to the rest of my family, my job etc. a hundred miles away. To know that this could change for just $200.00/year or less out of my pocket breaks my heart. I would give anything for these services to have been available to my family a few years ago.
But again, we are in a wonderful country with many priviliges. We are free and protected to have different views. I respect your right to yours, I defend my right to mine. Put it on the ballot and let the chips fall where they may.
As long as all three tax proposals were on the ballot at the same time I wouldn’t have a problem letting the “chips fall where they may.”
The story you are about to read is not true. The names used are not those of “real people.”
This is about a person named, um…lets see…I know we will call her Martha.
Martha awoke one Sunday morning as usual. The sun had just risen over the tree tops and it was going to be a beautiful day. She started her day off with a hot cup of coffee. As the aroma from the coffee filled the air, her anticipitaion of going to church in a couple of hours was beginning to build, for she is a person of faith. Something though just wasn’t quite right. She had felt a slight headache that morning. She shrugged it off though and went on her way of getting prepared for church services.
A short time later there was a knock at the door. It was her best friend Edna. Edna always knocked to let her presence be known and then comes on in. Edna smells the fresh brewed coffee that is filtering through the air. Of course, she grabs up her favorite mug and pours herself a cup. Edna calls out to Martha, “Martha it sure is going to be a beautiful day today. I wonder what the lord has in store for us at church today?” “Martha…Martha are you there?”…Edna calls out. Theres no response. Edna sets her hot cup of coffee down on the kitchen counter and walks back towards Martha’s bedroom. As she nears the bedroom in the dimily lit hall she see’s to her horror Martha, laid out on the floor. “Martha…Martha”…she exclaims! Martha lay there, eyes wide open with a slight glaze. Motionless, nonresponsive, but yet, seemingly aware in a strange way.
Edna hurridly runs to find the telephone. All the while going through her mind is 911, 911, 911. She remembers seeing it on the kitchen table. As she picks it up, her nervousness causes it to slip from her hand and fall to the floor. She picks it up again and frantically punches in 911. She hears a ring on the other end and thinks “What is taking them so long to answer?” It rings again. The 911 operator answers… “911. How may I help you.” Edna shouts out “It’s Martha, I, I, can’t wake her up. She is on the floor and I don’t know what to do!” The operator in a calm manner asks Edna questions to determine what the exact situation is. The operator tells Edna that she will dispatch an ambulance to her location immediately.
The ambulance arrives within six minutes. Edna meets them at the drive. “It’s Martha! I think she’s dead!” Edna leds the paramedics to where Martha lay motionless. The paramedics assess Martha. “There is a pulse.” Sam says to Sally, his partner on the ambulance for the past eight years. Together with skill and knowledge they begin to stabilize Martha for transport to the local hospital. They have seen this many time before and know that her time is extremely critical. They rush to get her loaded into the ambulance and driven to the hospital.
With lights flashing and sirens screaming they make their way through traffic in a frantic effort to save Martha’s life, as their capibilities are limited. They have already called into the Emergency Department at the local hospital. Vital signs have been assesed by Dr.Fixme prior to her arrival. As the Ambulance backs up to unload Martha, nurses stand ready with a strecher waiting for transfer from the ambulance strecher to theirs.
Martha is rolled into the Trauma room. Frantic skilled care begins. Martha, her eyes still wide open, with the slight glaze, can hear what is being said and cannot understand why nobody will answer her questions about what is going on. Not realizing that her lips are not moving.
Finally Dr.Fixme me leans over and tells her “Martha, if you can hear me, you had a stroke. We are going to send you to Radiology to have a CT scan performed. We need to determine to what extent the damage is.” Martha hears what Dr.Fixme just said. Her heart starts to race from the fear of thinking “I’m going to die.” Then, just as suddenly as her heart began to race out of control it stops beating. “CODE BLUE! CODE BLUE!” A nurse shouts. The Code Blue button is pushed. Over the intercom it rings out “CODE BLUE ER! CODE BLUE ER!” Nurse teams already assigned for this type of situation begin immediatly to scramble from all over the facility to converge on the ER to save this persons life.
Along side Dr.Fixme they work feverishly with skill and technology on their side to save Martha’s life. “CLEAR!” a voice rings out. Martha’s body bolts from the flow of electric current that just enter her body to try and restart her heart. “We have a pulse!” a nurse says. After 20 minutes has passed since her arrival, Martha is stabilized and sent immediately to CT.
The nurses and assisting staff don’t have to shed a tear today for this life, for this person that they don’t even know. They don’t boast about it, they take what they have learned from it for the next time a code happens. Then they simply go back to their normal hospital duties to care for their patients.
“Martha, if you can here me, I am Dr. Fixme. You are at your county hospital. The CT scan shows you have a ruptured vessel in your brain which caused a stroke. We are going to transfer you to another facility.” As the helicopter lands Martha is resting comfortably. The flight nurses ready Martha for her transfer and she is put aboard the helecopter and and flown straight to the other facility for immediate surgery.
As the helicopter takes off Jack, Martha’s son arrives along with Martha’s best friend Edna. “How is Martha?” Jack asks. Dr.Fixme tells Jack of Martha’s condition as Edna listen in. He explains that Martha has been transfered to another facility 100 miles away for emergency surgery. They leave immediately to go to the other facility. By the time they arrive, Martha has had her surgery and is in recovery.
Jack talks to the surgeon. The surgeon tells him that the surgery went fine with no complications. He tells Jack that she’s not out of danger yet. It will be a few days before we know what extent of damage was done. Jack in dismay over the situation goes to wait in the ICU waiting room along with Edna. Every few hours they get to go in and be with Martha for a short period of time. After spending a couple of days and nights in the waiting room, Jack and Edna decide to travel back home to take care of a few things. Jack is concerned about his job. He know’s he can take FMLA leave but he cannot afford to. He only has three or four day’s of vacation time to use. He also know’s that his mother’s recovery will take time.
After a few hours at home he returns to the other facility to find that his mother is doing much better and showing some response. Jack talks to her attending physician, he tells Jack that at the rate she is going she should be able to be moved out of ICU in a few more days then transfered to rehab. Jack was elated to here that. “She can go to our county facility for that then. That will make things so much easier, not only for me but for her friends who are mostly seniors and cannot travel. Oh! Not to mention the staff at our county hospital that saved her life. I am sure they would be tickled to have her under their care. You know, we don’t have alot of money and I cannot afford to travel back and forth too often. Not only that but, I don’t know if my old truck will make many more trips up here and back home.” “Jack” say’s the Dr. “I don’t think your facility has a rehab unit. She will have to stay here.” Jacks heart sank to his knees. “I need to be with her or at least close by. What am I going to do?” he says.
Martha got better as time went on. She got to where she could speak a little, she could understand what people were saying to her. Jack and Edna came up as they could not as they needed to. Martha felt alone being so far away from her friends and family which slowed her recovery.
After her seventh week in rehab her Dr. came in one day and sat down to talk to her. “Martha” he said. “You are one lucky person. You were saved many times the day you had your stroke. Had your friend Edna not found you, you would have probably died. Had 911 response not responded, you probably would have died. Had the paramedics not stabilized you and transported you quickly to your county facility, you probably would have died. Had the Doctor, nurses and staff at your county hospital not restarted your heart…YOU WOULD… BE DEAD.”
You know myself and the surgeon that repaired your ruptured blood vessel as well as many of the Doctors here at this large teaching facility, spent time in residency at your county facility. We went there on rotation to learn from your Doctors and staff. That hospital is a great asset to the citizes it serves. Never forget you are alive because of your caregivers at your county facility.
I value life. I value quality healthcare. I value those caregivers at my county hospital. What do you value Martha?
PS… Martha recovered to 90%. She now serves as a volunteer at her County Hospital. This was her way of giving back what was given to her.
Nice story BIK. I am sure everybody has either had something similiar happen to their family or to someone they know.
Everybody is praising the other hospitals but lets give them their knocks to. December a few years back my husband was in Jefferson Regional Medical Center for a week. During this time period he was served spoiled milk on at least 2 occasions. Also while he was there the electricity went out due to an ice storm/fire in the hospital. Dinner was served so they elevated the head of his bed for him to eat. While he was eating the electricity went off. After he was through eating the head of the bed needed to be lowered back so that his heart would be lower than his broken leg (to help the healing). It took over 3 hours to finally get a maintenance person in the room to manually lower the head. Also, to keep his IV working they ran an extension cord from the nurses desk into the room to his IV. Since it was night time it was dark and trust me, trying to step over an extension cord that you really cannot see in the dark is not fun.
Then while I was in Jefferson for a few days this year (for a routine surgery that could not be performed in Monticello) one nurse decided to give me DOUBLE the amount of pain medicine I should have received. The only thing that happened was that I got sick to my stomach, but that did not make for a fun ride home from the hospital.
On both occasions, myself and my husband had to try to make arrangements to be off from work all day for the actual surgeries and then take off again for the trip home. Thank goodness we had the vacation time. Last but not least, why spend our money out of town (i.e. hotels/food/gas) when if we had an up-to-date hospital we could spend it here in Monticello.
p.s. This Karen does not work for DMH
The reference to a teaching hospital was not to Drew Memorial Hospital. The reference was to the University of Arkansas Medical Sciences Center. The university is a medical school. It is a teaching hospital because patients often find themselves confronted by the doctor they are seeing, plus a number of white coats of varying lengths. The doctor wearing the longest coat is usually the physician on staff and the others are students. The one with the shortest white coat is the student who has been in med school only one or two years. The advantage to being treated at a teaching hospital is that medical schools in this country have the latest and most up to date medical equipment available in the state.
Cat seems to believe this Drew Memorial expansion being proposed will allow someone who suffers a stroke here not only be treated in the emergency room, admitted to the hospital under the care of a heart specialist and then able to return to the hospital and receive rehabilitation from a stroke on the hospital grounds.
I am simply saying that no one should be under the impression that kind of care for a stroke patient is going to be available under this proposal.
For us to have a hospital on a level with Jefferson
Regional Medical Center in Monticello, there would have to be a miracle placing most family incomes at the level of the hospital administrator…over $150,000 a year.
There seems to be an assumption that I don’t value the local hospital and that could not be further from the truth.
Every resident of this county depends on this hospital and especially in an emergency. But most of us do not depend on this hospital for a serious condition that requires specialists.
No matter how much we want the convenience of specialists in this town who would perform heart surgery, oncologists who would treat cancers or
doctors who would perform hip or knee surgery, it is highly unlikely that our community will ever grow to be large enough and have a great enough tax base to support such niceties.
We live in a small town with less than 10,000 population. We are so small that Shoney’s won’t locate here. If we had 20,000 people here, they would come.
I am trying to make the point that people can be taxed to death or at least taxed to the point they are willing to move to a more tax friendly location.
Though I can’t be sure of this figure, it would seem to me that we have a large population of senior citizens on fixed incomes, some on social security only. With an income of less than $600 a month, paying $10 in tax on a $100 purchase of groceries is difficult for a senior citizen. Those who make over
$75,000 in this county can afford to pay additional taxes. But even they may not be willing to build a regional medical facility, a new library, a convention center and support taxes for roads and recreation.
Everyone wants a better community. But if we don’t clean up eyesores like W.C. Whaley School located in our beautiful historical area, or keep the sides of the road clean and stray animals off our streets, we will never attract more than flies. But taxpayers will have to provide that money, too. We need to set priorities and decide what is reasonable to expect in a rural area and what is simply pie in the sky.
Cat is quite clear on what this expansion means. For the record, my family member did not suffer a stroke and that is not what I was discussing. A few other points for the record:
Pt.s already have strokes, come to the ER at DMH, get diagnosed, admitted, managed by family doc’s, consulted on by cardiologists and neurologists, rehabed by physical therapy, speech therapy etc., and go home and live productive lives (and if needed, assisted by an outstanding home health department). Do you really believe the majority of the population of Jefferson County makes greater than $150,000.00? I doubt this.
I am not a member of the Quorum Court yet but will be sworn in on New Years Day for a term of two years and I read the Monticello Live site regularly. I don’t know if any of the other Court members read the site but they should. I am pleased to see the response to the Court’s denial of the citizens right to make such an important decision regarding Monticello and Drew County’s future. I would like to share some thoughts on the subject.
In 1997, during the development of the Arkansas Community of Excellence (ACE) plan, a study was performed by the state health department that showed 38% of Drew County residents had to leave the county for specialty healthcare. That study was considered to be very conservative and did not address the amount of money spent for healthcare in Pine Bluff, Little Rock and elsewhere. It could be argued that easily as much or more is spent outside Monticello as is spent here as specialty healthcare is generally more expensive. Indeed, we are paying for the expansion of hospitals, just not ours.
Drew Memorial Hospital is a large operation. In the last year, it generated $29,000,000 in revenue and provided 290 relatively high paying jobs with a payroll of $8,750,000 including benefits. The hospital has made a small profit the last two years. These are recession proff jobs that can’t be exported to China or Mexico. DMH is the third largestemployer in Drew County. It could be the largest.
When DMH was built in 1975 it was adequate to serve the population of Drew County. As Monticello has grown into the trade center of Southeast Arkansas, Drew Memorial has not kept pace and is now severely pressed for space. There is no room for growth or the delivery of new and profitable healthcare services.
With the baby boom generation near retirement age and poised to be the largest consumers of healthcare in history, will we require them and others to leave town to receive that care or will we provide that care for them here and in the process provide the jobs and economic opportunities attendant to that care. Most of us have experienced the trauma of leaving town, sick ourselves or with a sick loved one to receive specialty healthcare in Little Rock, Pine Bluff or elsewhere and returning home feeling sicker. And what about the expense of traveling to and from? It doesn’t have to be that way.
About twenty years ago, the leaders in Batesville, Arkansas decided that they wanted to grow their healthcare resources and today they have a 275 bed hospital and 82 practicing Physicians. That doesn’t count the dentists, optometrists, physical therapists and other professionals. Their population is 10,400 They have virtually all the specialties represented there and have become a regional healthcare center. Healthcare is the largest employer in Independence County. It could be the same here.
The availability of healthcare is a valuable tool in recruiting industry. We are in fierce competition for the limited industrial startups and expansions occurring in this country. The towns and cities that have the most to offer will be the winners. The expansion of our hospital would also complement the nursing and allied health programs at UAM.
We have a good board and administration for Drew Memorial. They have worked hard to figure our what we need to meet the present and future healthcare needs of the citizens of Drew County. They have a plan to add to the hospital that will allow them to improve the services offered now and to add new services that presently can be accessed only by leaving town. Those new services; inpatient rehabilitation, infusion therapy, bariatric wound therapy, inpatient psychiatry and others are profitable and will help pay for the facility and future growth. Adding 49 new private beds will allow the present bed space to be used for the above memtioned services.
The Southeast Arkansas Health Foundation’s major objective is to recruit specialty physicians to live and practice in Monticello. It will be very hard to do without the expansion of the hospital. Statistics show that every physician will create a minimum of 10 jobs including his office staff and others created in the hospital and services such as physical therapy, home health, etc. If we are successful in attracting only 10 new physicians there would be a minimum of 100 new high paying jobs created not counting the new jobs created by the expansion of the hospital. Needless to say, that will increase the tax base, increase the sales tax revenue and help Monticello become a regional health care center. If we are not willing to invest in ourselves, how can we expect others to invest here.
Can we afford the $21,000,000 cost of this expansion? We can afford it by adding 3/4 cent to our sales tax. With that revenue we can pay off the bond issue in a reasonable time. I might mention that another study done in 1997 indicated that 60% of our sales tax revenue came from out of town. A few weeks ago, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette had an article that cited a study done by the department of finance and administration indicating that Drew County was the beneficiary of 40% of it’s sales tax revenue coming from out of the county. I think we could average those two studies and agree that approximately 50% of our sales tax revenue is paid by those living outside Drew County.
Many people associate jobs with smokestacks and feel that we are not progressing because there are no smoke stacks going up. Jobs are being created in Monticello, just not smokestack jobs. The Kiplinger Report noted just last week that 85% of the jobs in America are service jobs. Service jobs like healthcare are responsible for virtually all the job growth in America. It is within our capacity to help grow the healthcare segment of our economy, generating jobs, keeping our kids at home and providing the healthcare required for an aging population.
No, Cat, or at least I think the last post was from Cat or someone using her computer and agreeing on the same computer with her points and then posting under her name.
No, I don’t believe that the majority of people in Jefferson County make $150,000 a year. But there are many more taxpayers in Jefferson than in Drew
County which might be the reason they have a regional facility and Drew County does not.
I just don’t believe for one minute the posts on this site are from those who do not have a vested interest in a hospital renovation.
But then in the end the voters always decide these issues. That is why Monticello is the only city of its class in the state without planning. But historically when the economy isn’t booming, voters opt to vote against tax issues.
But then I would hope if the hospital is so hell bent on an election, quorum court members will retain the right to hold the election after there is a vote on the city and county taxes.
Believe it or not, I DO NOT have a vested interest in the hospital expansion project. Well, unless you consider my being concerned with the healthcare my family and friends receive a vested interest. If that is the case, then yes, I do have a vested interest in this project. But certainly not the kind you are implying.
I am amazed that when someone has an opinion, be it negative or positive, it is suspect that they have an ulterior motive. My only motive for these postings is to share my opinion and read the opinions of others- even if they differ from mine. I find it hard to believe that all of the postings that seem to be in favor of the expansion are “undercover” hospital workers. Maybe, just maybe, we are average citizens who are not employed by the hospital, but still believe the citizens should have the opportunity to vote on this proposal.
Gee, I wish I made over 75,000.00 a year.
It’s nice to read someones blog who is open minded and who sounds understanding.(Annie)
I think that the hospitals intent is of it’s vision and not a dream. To become a world class heart or cancer center would be just that. A dream.
The vision to provide quality healthcare by adding needed services to our county hospital is not a dream.
Don’t take this the wrong way in my next statement, for it is simply a perspective view. Looking at my Drew county tax reciept for this past year over $600.00 went to public schools and $7.00 went to hospital maintenance/operations and another $31.00 went to the hospital tax bond.
I graduated high school many, many years ago. I am all for a childs education because, they are our future. They will be the ones taking care of us when we get old. I would suppose that our hospital would be 50 or 60 years old by then. I will probably be put in the room that needed painting, but, they couldn’t buy a gallon of paint for $7.00. I will understand why it needed painting and why it wasn’t.
The thought that “I’m not going to let this happen on my shift. We’ll just pass it onto the next shift.” is not looking out for the next generation. It is as if there are those that just want to pass the buck and keep their hands clean. My favorite word RESPONSIBILITY.
Be careful what you say Ron, there are those who cannot deal with the facts.
I was not aware of Batesville. I am aware of JRMC though. 25 years ago they were just a 200 or 250 bed rural hospital. They too realized that there was much more potential for their facility. Much more that could be offered to the citizens of Jefferson County. Today they are a 460 bed facility not to mention assisted living beds, clinics, Medical office buildings, etc… I believe their staff is over 1400 employees. If anything the population has either remained the same or decreased.
Monticello, is considered the hub of Southeast AR, not Pine Bluff.
This will be my last post in response to Martha becasue he or she is steadfast in his/her opinion and I in mine. As I said earlier, that is both of our rights. However, Martha, you should try not to respond with such anger, sarcasm and profanity. It takes away from your message. I merely want to say that I am fully aware that there are more tax payers in Jefferson county. I also realize that each time one of us runs to Pine Bluff to grab something at Dillards, see a doctor or grab a bite to eat, we make payments of their regional hospital. Call it pie in the sky, dreaming or vision……….I want and need quality healthcare for my family and it would be so nice to get it at home.
Finally Martha, the DMH board did not want to rush this to a vote. The supporters of the two other taxes that you keep referencing are the ones that asked the board to push this forward now. They emphatically stated that they did NOT want all issues on the ballot at the same time because they were fearful that if citizens chose between issues, a majority just might chose quality healthcare.
I might.
In response to Martha’s previous post, if we are to assume that all postings in favor of the hospital expansion project somehow have a “vested interest” in expanding the hospital, are we then to assume that all negative postings come from people who have a “vested” interest in the expansion project not taking place?
That seems a bit absurd.
A vested interest is the state or condition of having a special interest in protecting or supporting something for the purpose of self-interest, gain or benefit, often financially or politically. By way of protecting their vested interests, individuals, groups or other entities may seek to maintain a status quo. However, if changing a system works in one’s favour, supporting or effecting such change may also be in one’s vested interest.
“Vested interests” may also refer collectively to individuals or groups which seek to maintain a favourable state of affairs.
I think that Martha just forgot to add an “S” onto the word “interest.”
It appears to me that there were vested interest”s” when the road tax passed as well as for economic development. The hospitals request is not for an individules gain, but for the communitys gain. It is for better quality healthcare.
I doubt seriously there will ever be realistic discussion of the needs in Drew County based on facts.
We continue to compare ourselves to Jonesboro and to Pine Bluff when there is little comparison between those cities and Monticello.
We were told by some we would make $100,000 on the Babe Ruth tournament because Jonesboro supposedly had done so. Though I can’t verify the exact amount we made, someone last week told me it amounted to less than $15,000, a long way from the $100,000 promised by Babe Ruth board members.
Now we are told that by taxpayers funding a hospital remodeling we will miraculously become the regional facility serving southeast Arkansas. We are also told this remodeling will result in a net profit of $1 million a year to the county hospital.
Not all the hospital board members were in favor or a sales tax ballot issue to support the remodeling of the hospital before the call for a special election went to the quorum court. One member of the board believes the hospital has the ability to make the changes without taxpayer dollars. Has anyone explained why bond monies could not be used to finance the remodeling at no cost to taxpayers? Was there a discussion at the hospital board or the quorum court level about other ways to finance this expansion.
Cat accuses me of profanity. Where she/he/it got that idea is beyond me. It certainly was not contained in my postings on this site. But then that
seems to be the way we approach issues in this community. We make up our minds without hearing facts and begin to fight over side issues having nothing to do with the question presented to us originally.
I don’t believe the quorum court was ever given a rationale as to why this issue deserved the immediate consideration of a special election and why there was never an in depth public discussion surrounding the hospital.
Timing is everything in politics. I don’t think it makes any sense to approach the county quorum court and ask for a special election knowing they have a sales road tax on the ballot in the general election. It makes even less sense when the city council also has a sales tax proposal on the same ballot. Essentially the action of the hospital was saying to city and county officials, our hospital is more important than the roads in the county and roads and recreation in the city. It was an error in political judgment at best and said to voters, “You don’t deserve to have information, you simply need to vote to accept this because we believe it is in your best interests.”
At the risk of being accused again of using profanity on this site, I ask why it is necessary to make comparisons that have no meaning to this discussion if there is reason for taxpayers to remodel this hospital?
If all financial avenues have been considered, if surveys have established the need, if specialists who would come to this area have been contacted and expressed interest and commitment, the rationale exists. The question remains, are taxpayers going to be told facts or is the special election designed to speed the vote without informing voters.
It would be a shame to rush this to a vote in a special election when there are many questions that remain that go unanswered.
martha,
someone reading your posts could very easily assume that what you have stated is current. when in fact, you have either been mislead, you simply you have stated incorrect information.
the hospital projects that it could generate, once again generate approximately $1 million of new revenue. this is not “net” profit. what the hospital charges for services and what it collects from your and my insurance company is decidely less.
when the quorom court addressed the resolution in it’s prior meeting, certain members of the quorom court denied the hospital a chance to answer questions, or explain the need for the resolution.
the board member that you quote as saying that the hospital can make the changes without taxpayers dollars, has been provided with information with different ways of trying to finance the construction. did he share that information with you?
do you need more information? were you able to come to the public health summit? our local paper has had several articles concerning the proposed changes at our hospital. as with our quorom court meetings, the hospital board meetings are open to the public. have you attended either one?
have you taken the time to come out to the hospital, sit down with their administrator, so that he may answer any concerns that you have? or are you just willing to ask your questions on this blog?
I concur with RD, again. Martha continues to ask questions that have already been addressed, multiple times. I am sure that the administration at DMH would welcome the opportunity to explain more to her. However, based on her postings, I doubt that information based on fact will change her mind. One last thought………………I have never awakened in the middle of the night needing a world series, but I have needing a hospital. There is a difference in entertainment and healthcare. Trying to compare the two is as ridiculous as comparing different cities.