SRMC and JFL

I hope everyone is ready for this. The way I read the article is, this is the tip of the iceberg. They are spending millions on consultants that will tell them how to fix the problem. The request for more money is coming.
There are other issues that haven't been brought up. A hospital can be down graded not only on patient care but on the age and condition of the building. The contractors play a part as well. My company has been through several JACO inspections because we contract to hospitals. The way we conduct business and our record keeping is a direct reflection on our clients.
They didn't say wether or not medicare has decreased the reimbursement rate, which can have a huge impact on revenue

Now SRMC has also passed a surprise, intensive CMS inspection. (tu)

When JFL pays its CEO and others top dollar and doesn't even have functioning generators when the power goes out, amongst basic things much less other major issues, there's a big problem. They waste funds continuously. No one knows how to budget or collect receivables.

Neither hospital is self sufficient and costs taxpayers tons of money, annually, to get bailed out with appropriations by our VI Legislature in the millions of dollars.

Sorry to keep harping on this but it is the complete lack of ability and accountability here in the VI that allows this to continue. It's nothing new. It's been happening for decades.

Gov. Dejongh opted out of the Affordable Healthcare Act to get more Medicare funding.

On a side note, denvertired, how was your visit?
Please post observations.

Alana: I posted this so that people could understand that the hospital on St Thomas is doing very well.

Alana, the territories do not qualify for health care exchanges under ACA, and you can blame some Stateside entity who reinterpreted the law to allow them only for States. The insurance companies may have also had influence because our small communities are considered small, risky pools.

DeJongh had no control over that, and the facts are there if you Google.

Alana, the territories do not qualify for health care exchanges under ACA, and you can blame some Stateside entity who reinterpreted the law to allow them only for States.

Not entirely correct but here's a link which explains it all in very basic terms:

http://www.yourhealthcaresimplified.org/news/u-s-territories-obamacare/

Our government accepted expanded Medicare benefits (as did the Guam government) as the only sensible option given our tiny markets.

I can post another source that supports my statement, but not worth my time. I am not trying to prove anything on this forum, and anybody who is curious should do their own research and not rely on limited info in any forum.

Alana: I posted this so that people could understand that the hospital on St Thomas is doing very well.

Sorry, East Ender.
To my understanding, they both require enormous government subsidies to continue to operate, tho RLSH is much better run. Correct me if I'm wrong but RLSH is not self sufficient in funding itself.

Only privately run clinics are self supporting, because they will only treat patients who can pay either with insurance or their funds. Many hospitals are subsidized, though some are fortunate to have endowments that supplement.

Does your vet treat your animals if you can't pay? Probably not, because your vet isn't obligated by law to treat. Your vet also has the option to euthanize if an owner can't afford more treatment.

How many areas of the world that have 50k people have a hospital and cancer center? How many are not subsidized?

I can post another source that supports my statement, but not worth my time.

Who suggested you were wrong? "Not entirely correct" is not a denunciation.

Okay, here's an interesting link I found.
http://america.aljazeera.com/watch/shows/the-stream/the-stream-officialblog/2013/10/30/how-the-affordablecareactaffectsusterritories.html

Since I have no affordable individual heath care insurance as I
don't work for the government nor a company nor am not old
enuff for Medicare, and nor would not qualify for Medicaid as
not indigent, I'm pretty much s##t out of luck. However, my tax dollars support the hospital.

Last time I went to RLSH, I paid in full, a year or so later, I get a collection agency asking for payment that leaves a number you cannot respond to. Took me months to sort out with the hospital
even tho I had proof of payment.

BTW, The only reason we have a cancer center is because of private donations.

Alana, and your point is? Just because somebody pays taxes doesn't mean they should be entitled to every government service. Many people who pay taxes think they don't use government services, and feel they should not have to supplement public schools, libraries, public transportation, etc. But most call police or fire department if their life or property is in jeopardy.

If anybody in VI really wants/needs health insurance, they should get a job that offers it, wait until they qualify for Medicare/Medicaid, join VI bar, rely on savings to cover, or move. The current law for VI is stacked against you for individual insurance which discourages small businesses creation, IMO, which was also the case before ACA. IMO, the US is mostly a nation of liars and hypocrites no matter where you live.

And your point is what?
I get nothing for the taxes I do pay.
Government services? Surely, you jest?

If anybody in VI really wants/needs health insurance, they should get a job that offers it, wait until they qualify for Medicare/Medicaid, join VI bar, rely on savings to cover, or move."

Your quote, not mine.

The VI opted to expand MEDICAID, not Medicare. So did other territories. I still stand by my statement that people should not rely on most forum posts as facts. They need to check multiple sources regardless of subject.

JFL is in serious trouble. My decision to move to STX rides entirely on their getting their act together. I fear that they are buried so deeply in bat guano that a turn around is years away if possible at all. The raises,.....especially the retroactive ones are outrageous. When times are tough you tighten your belts, not buy new, taylored pants. If the administration is serious about turning the hospital around, they should have, on a moral basis, refused the raises. In my humble opinion. When times were tough at the hospital I worked at in the states during the height of the Great Recession,....NO ONE got raises for 5 years. This was a fiscally sound, non profit hospital. We all complained, but understood it was what was best for the hospital and ultimately,.....the patients and community.

If your decision rides on any VI government agency getting their act together in a year or two, best to start long term planning of 5 or more years. The hospital on St Thomas may be the only agency that has proven improvement. That's another Google history, and I recommend you research it.

If your decision rides on any VI government agency getting their act together in a year or two, best to start long term planning of 5 or more years. The hospital on St Thomas may be the only agency that has proven improvement. That's another Google history, and I recommend you research it.

Yes, the hospital on STT is on my radar. And would make a great second choice. No offense to those of you on STT but I just felt STX was a better match to wants, needs and personality. STT would be much more convenient to the sailing and island hopping that I so love to do! Maybe I'll have to rethink exactly where I want to live. At least to start. Thanks for the advice ms411.

By the way, do members of this group ever formally get together? I would love to meet all who have provided me sage advice and buy them the beverage of their choice : ) The next time I'm on island, of course! Lol!

The VI opted to expand MEDICAID, not Medicare. So did other territories. I still stand by my statement that people should not rely on most forum posts as facts. They need to check multiple sources regardless of subject.

Untwist your knickers - it was a simple error /typo on my part since "Medicare" has been on the forefront of my mind lately. I provided one link out of many which had the information and you could have simply stretched your fingers to have done exactly the same to provide others. Of course nobody should rely on forum posts as Gospel ...

Knickers not twisted. Alana also said Medicare so wanted to make sure to make clear distinction.

My lord, this board can devolve in a nanosecond. Pdmargie, why would we get together when yelling at each other on the internet is so much fun?

A. CKCI and the heart center on St Croix were built with tobacco settlement money. Yes, there were private donations to assist.

B. ALJAZEERA? Really, Alana?? When was this incident with the bill? Was it since Mr. Wheatley came on board? (I believe I am correct in not using the term "doctor" as his doctorate is in business). The whole point of this thread was to show that you can turn around a dysfunctional government agency. Having someone with a doctorate in business is a help.

C. I really was aiming this at people like Pdmargie who would like to actually come and be part of the solution. It is frustrating to work in a dysfunctional environment. I can't speak to the situation in St Croix, but SRMC is improving. Maybe not *there* yet, but working on it.

The whole issue with health care and the huge amount that it takes up in the GDP (20%) is a whole other issue.

Pdmargie, why would we get together when yelling at each other on the internet is so much fun?

There used to be get-togethers years ago and they were very enjoyable. Those with different opinions can get along very nicely while agreeing to disagree. Developing antipathy towards a forum contributor simply because they don't say what you want to hear or you fundamentally disagree with their position or its delivery is a bit immature. 😀

I know I'm repeating myself but where the hospitals are concerned there's no question that they go through major ups and downs. For a few years they function well and then they go through a horrendous slump, only to rise again like the phoenix for several more years of relative normalcy. Travel nurses who've done stints here over both the thick and thin years have consistently told me that the hospitals here are on a par with stateside institutions at which they've worked and even at their worst are not the worst by any stretch.

I worked for several years at the Yale University Medical Center and the Yale-New Haven Hospital and, when I first had to avail myself of the St Thomas hospital services, I was pretty taken aback by the laxity of operations. Several years later a major glitch in my treatment as an inpatient would have seen me leave in a box had it not been for the eagle eyes of a good friend who got the mess sorted out. Fortunately I haven't had to give them the opportunity to try again but I'm not going to run around dissing them because, well, caca happens. I think overall and based on the experience of friends, they HAVE made steady improvement.

Knickers not twisted. Alana also said Medicare so wanted to make sure to make clear distinction.

My mistake, typo!