By Tia Will
On Sunday 1/29/17, renowned local gynecologist Tia Will announced the grand opening of a new hospital in Davis, California. Dr. Will stated that she was inspired by recent events in Washington to build this great new hospital which she expects will be a fabulous addition to the community of Davis.
Dr. Will explained that the new hospital, of which she will be the Chief Medical Officer, will be beautiful. It will include a major regional trauma center including life flight, a cancer center, be a hub for complicated neurosurgical procedures with associated rehabilitation center, and closest to her heart, a full Women’s and Children’s hospital with a high risk Labor and Delivery service and intensive care units.
After a marvelous ribbon cutting ceremony attended by the mayor and mayor pro tem of Davis, county supervisors and a host of other elected officials, Dr. Will took questions from the press.
When asked by reporters about her inspiration to build the hospital, Dr. Will pointed to the current president’s clear signals that bigger is better and that we need to improve our infrastructure and provide huge numbers of new jobs. Dr. Will responded curtly to a second question about her qualifications to head such a facility stating that, although she had never built, staffed, or operated a hospital before, she is a very smart person who will surround herself with all the best advisors. Besides, she stated, I have had two children and been hospitalized myself three times and thus have all the experience that I will need. One of her children, who has been designated as a senior advisor, added that Dr. Will “is a woman of action so the press should just get used to it.”
A final question from the reporter from the Davis Enterprise inquiring about why Dr. Will was making this announcement in front of an empty field, having just cut a small length of ribbon held by her children, was deflected by David Greenwald of the Davis Vanguard. Mr. Greenwald explained to the Enterprise reporter, “Dr. Will is a known believer in alternative truths, has been greatly inspired by Kellyanne Conway…. and besides, we find it best not to contradict Dr. Will while she is holding a scalpel.”
That sounds like we have a very smart president. What’s not to like about providing “huge numbers of new jobs”.
Very smart of Dr. Will. She realizes that she can’t do it all and will bring in experts for various duties as all other hospital administrations have done.
Dr. Will was asked if her hospital was going to follow the Planned Parenthood accounting method where they count an abortion the same as someone coming in just to pick up birth control pills.
She responded that they are considering it? Then she queried why should a patient walking in for a hang nail count less than a patient who gets open heart surgery? A visit is a visit.
Keith
This is the second time that you have posted these ideas. I am truly wondering where you got this. Perhaps off Daleiden’s thoroughly discredited site ? I also noticed that you have not responded to my detailed assessment of how much time would be required for the comparative procedures which is a major driver of medical cost.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/jul/27/planned-parenthood-downplays-abortion-services-as-/
Keith
Thank you for responding. This is exactly why I chose to break this down for you yesterday in terms of the amount of time needed for the various appointments. I was hoping to demonstrate to you that the relative amount of time is only one parameter to take into account when assessing the percentage “weight” of a procedure. Another way of measuring would be to assess what level of provider was needed for each service if one were looking solely at the financial proportion of services devoted to providers vs to equipment needed vs number of personnel needed.
There are many ways of looking at this that are more complicated that attempting to equate abortions to hang nails.
I also note that you did not respond to my truthful post that Planned Parenthood has been vilified and defunded even at facilities and in at least one state where they have never performed a single abortion.
Keith
““huge numbers of new jobs”.
And this would be fine if they were in fields of need and the most cost effective way of meeting that need. You clearly missed the point that merely providing “more jobs” is both redundant and ineffective if they are not strategically placed and in truly needed fields. Davis does not have the population to support the kind of hospital described. Likewise bringing back jobs of the past ( with their pitfalls of decreased productivity due to automation and environmental harm, “clean coal”) instead of investing in those of the future is no more reasonable than building a “huge” hospital in a community that cannot support it.
“Very smart of Dr. Will.”
No. Dr. Will realizes that regardless of whom she were to choose as advisors, she has no where near the knowledge, wisdom, experience, and temperament to run a hospital. Now if only our current president had made the same realization.
I live in Davis and often use hospitals in Sacramento and Vacaville. I would look at it as more of a regional facility instead of a local one and am thankful for all the new jobs and the convenience of another local hospital.
Keith
I also see things in terms of regional rather than purely local care. However,this misses the point that in our current system, where one chooses to obtain care is frequently based on what insurance coverage one has rather than where one lives. A single party payer system would allow everyone to go to the facility of their choice without the costly and purely bureaucratic process on one insurance company reimbursing another for the care that was provided “out of system”.
While you and I might both “welcome” another hospital of the type I described, it is not economically feasible which is why Kaiser has not chosen to build here despite increasing market share over the past 25 years. Bigger, more, newer are not always better, or even economically viable.
This hospital will clearly Make Davis Great Again. If only there were a system in place so people could take advantage of the great medical services this huge new hospital will provide–an affordable care act, if you will.
I realize this is a satire piece so I appreciate your oxymoron, for vast amounts of Americans ACA is anything but affordable.
“… ACA is anything but affordable.” Compared to what alternative plan?
Hi Eric
The fact that you acknowledge that this hospital will “Make Davis Great Again” is good enough for me. Would you like a senior consultant position so that you can whisper in my ear about the best course of action ? Let’s say dinner at Tia Towers to hammer out the details ?
Keith
“…ACA is anything but affordable.”
Agreed. But then the ACA was not what I would have preferred. I am a strong supporter of universal health care through a single party payer. I believe that what is needed is health care, not health insurance. I realize that this is a minority opinion at this time but am baffled by why that is the case when many other countries have achieved superior health outcomes using such a model.
Are we sure there aren’t any burrowing owls living in that field?
Richard C
Dr. Will has been known to have a soft place in her heart ( or brain ?) for burrowing owls. Perhaps that is what is slowing construction. You have shown appropriate concern for the environment. How would you like a position of senior advisor ? You are likely as qualified as Eric and Dr. Will and possibly more qualified than some of the current cabinet.
I’m not holding my breath waiting for this to happen. There are a number of potential obstacles to overcome and approvals to obtain, including, but not limited to, Council advisory commissions, Planning Commission, General Plan, Colonel Plan, Lieutenant Plan, Sierra Club, zoning ordinances, neighbors, City Council, Measure R, and, ultimately, Michael Harrington.