The prior FTC Chairman, William Kovacic, emphasized the importance of health care competition in a September 2008 opinion, stating that, “The health care industry provides us all with fundamental services at significant and vulnerable times. Vigorous competition can promote greater access to cost-effective, high-quality health care.” Today in New Jersey, the significant and vulnerable times of those who live in the northern corner of the State are secondary to politics and profits.
Obviously the machinations of the political players must view a reopened hospital in Westwood as part of a SimCity game, where no one supposedly wins or loses, but its fun to play. Unfortunately this is not a computer game. Real people live and die in the communities affected by the shortsighted political comments of individuals like Assemblyman Johnson or Senator Weinberg.
No one would suggest the reopening of a hospital in Westwood, or anywhere else, would be a simple decision, but it should be one where facts have a bearing. The Englewood Hospital ‘facts’ suggests it has financial challenges. Though they appear to be more a management factor then a hospital capacity concern, considering their results are inconsistent, fluctuating over the years.
Englewood has 571 licensed beds. According to the State’s Report to the Governor, Englewood was staffing and spending dollars to maintain 293 beds. If Assemblyman Johnson or Senator Weinberg sat down and actually read the dry material, they would note that the report’s assessments of occupancy /capacity are based upon “maintained” beds. (This is an important point that will be discussed in another blog.) They would also consider that Governor Corzine has a black and minority constituency in the area that was served by Pascack Valley Hospital. Ignoring them is to insult their existence.
Clearly, the Hon. Johnson assumes government is a preferential process determined by the number of votes in an area. Therefore he should consider when including the Governor in his circle, who will have more passionate perspectives on the hospital’s need. A passion that could actually carry influence in the voting booth comes November.
Would an Englewood, Leonia or Lodi voter be more concerned about their lost tax rebate or a hospital up in Westwood? And the River Vale, Northvale or Closter voter, might they be more concerned about medical care access for their child and ageing parent or the State budget? The voters affected by the Hon. Johnson’s racist assumption are not insignificant.
The maintained beds in a hospital don’t differentiate between blacks or minority or Westwood or Englewood residents. On the other hand, the outcomes of trauma situations do differentiate between 15 and 45 minute access to medical intervention. The suggestion now that the DOH is considering ruling against an HUMC North hospital in Westwood implies that healthcare needs may be more politically oriented then people focused.
The political comments by Assemblyman Johnson were so out of line it required a little more ranting. For some other public views on Assemblyman Johnson and the consideration of ‘race,’ Click HERE to read a few ‘Letters to the Editor’ printed in the Record.
Do any politicians really understand what they talk about? Most aren’t actual in business people or anything other then a politician. Johnson spoke for attention and a headline. It didn’t mean he understood anybody’s need, certainly nothing about needs of the Pascack Valley.
Comment by happyface781 — July 21, 2009 @ 7:45 PM
I guess its safe to assume the Assemblyman doesn’t respect the Valley residents as humans.
Comment by jimcricket — July 22, 2009 @ 10:07 PM
Did Englewood make money with the 293 beds? Is that why Englewood wants the hospital kept closed, more money? How does the Assemblyman make this a minority issue? His statements are senseless.
Comment by Belcher — July 21, 2009 @ 10:58 PM
Politicians are useless. They speak, rarely offering more then rehashed words from some aide or other talking head.
Obama is trying to push through healthcare reform, any reform, without knowing what the consequences might be. Guess he figures we can always amend the ideas as we go along. In the meantime through our hard earnings we experiment with his hope for a legacy.
Its the same thing we’re seeing going on with this hospital. We’re opening, we’re not opening all because somebody is rambling about something they know nothing about. The empty words then influence other people who are more concerned about the politics.
We have scare tactics thrown in to keep the thing in turmoil. It’s further kept off balance by soundbite laden politicians trying to seem somehow relevant. And who gets hurt? The people who need the hospital.
Comment by 8FIDO — July 22, 2009 @ 9:28 AM
Something wrong with this picture. If they tried to close the hospital in the 60′s; black activists like Sharpton would come across the river in support of the local, minority community’s need. The only color Johnson represents is green.
Comment by JoAnn — July 22, 2009 @ 5:56 PM
Politicians just take us as being dumb. The big O got Congress to pass a trillion dollar stimulus package described in a 800 page bill. Raise your hand if you think anybody who voted for it, read it. Result: 9.5% unemployment and rising, while States took the money to plug their debt ridden budgets.
At this point in our smaller world of politics, what would you expect with reopening a hospital? Clarity? The State has a report, allegedly a mere couple of hundred pages, when would a local politician take time to read or understand it? Do they really care? My neighbor told me our local politicians want to concentrate on inspecting foreclosed homes around town. Isn’t hassling foreclosed home owners wore interesting then solving our need for a hospital.
Comment by SpinTree — July 22, 2009 @ 8:58 PM
How can facts, politics and healthcare be so misaligned from the care for people. The presidential politics ask for healthcare to be revamped offering no clue on how it will be paid. Gubernatorial politics weigh voter groups and worry about who they could offend. Area politics equate black issues with Englewood Hospital pitting them against Pascack’s people. Local politicians make like turkeys with their heads cut off with no idea what to do. And the people who really need this hospital are left with nowhere to turn.
Comment by randoff123 — July 23, 2009 @ 8:16 AM