Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Let market decide where hospitals are


If, as Dr. Janet Patin argues in her recent letter, private hospitals are interested in only the bottom line and are not patient-centered, perhaps she can explain a phenomena that has occurred along our northern border. That is, a proliferation of private medical facilities located on the border for one reason: they are servicing Canadians who are fleeing Canada’s taxpayer-provided healthcare.

This is occurring in areas that are otherwise economically depressed, and includes such urban disaster areas as Detroit and Buffalo. Is Canadian health care more “patient-centered” than these profit-seeking entities?

She mentions the job creation of LUH. Jobs are not created by taking from A and giving the money to B so they can hire C. Jobs are created by individuals and organizations providing goods and services in a free market economy. And yes, that includes doctors and hospitals seeking a profit.

Taxes remove money from the general economy, which is why even some otherwise terminally stupid politicians are not willing to raise taxes at this time in a severely foundering economy. Profits, unlike taxes, must be earned!

I never said that a hospital is not a community asset, but that the level should be determined by the market, not by what can be squeezed out of the taxpayer. One does not have a healthy community when more people want to leave than want to come here. And that is happening in Reedsport; ask your local Realtor!

Monty Stewart

Reedsport
Posted by at