Dear Editor,
Rumor is rife that our Pocahontas Memorial Hospital, county-owned and operated for a century by and for us who live here, will soon be sold to Charleston Area Medical Center, which is part of the still-larger Vandalia Health System corporation.
It may be claimed that such a buy-out will give us access to a wider range of services. In fact, our doctors here already refer patients to many other facilities, when we do not have a needed piece of equipment or specialty here. Our providers have an impressive knowledge of where the best specialty care may be found, across several States. Virtual care and specialty consultation are already available from right here. No change in ownership can change the economic reality that our small population cannot pay for more than a certain amount of staff and equipment here.
There may be more truth to a claim that we cannot alone pay off the debt we are incurring with the current expansion of PMH, and must sell to avoid default. Since most of that money has already been spent, some tough re-examination of local priorities might be needed to address this one.
But loss of local ownership and control of our Hospital must not, in my opinion, be allowed to happen. If it does, the business model (profit motive) of a distant corporation will replace service to Pocahontas County as the ruling principle. It is likely that the new owner, already employing hundreds of doctors, will decide that their own docs, seen through a computer screen, are good enough for Pocahontas County patients. Why pay doctors physically in Pocahontas County?
It is quite possible that the new owner will make the cold business decision that our facility is not profitable enough, and moreover competes with its other larger and more centrally-located ones, and close PMH down altogether.
Rumors are often false. But this one is bad enough that I think we should all take action to make sure it is false. The people who will decide if it stays a nasty rumor, or comes disastrously true, are our PMH Board members: JL Clifton, Janet Ghigo Tim McClung, Freda Jackson, Donald McNeel and Edwina Garber.
Our County Commissioners, who appoint them, are Jamie Walker, John Rebinski, and Walt Helmick.
Let them know how you feel, before it is too late.
John Leyzorek
Marlinton
