WINNEMUCCA - Senior citizens were disappointed to discover the people they expected to represent Humboldt General Hospital were unable to be at the Pleasant Senior Center Sept. 24 to answer their questions.
That problem is expected to be ameliorated Oct. 22 when CEO/Administrator Jim Parrish and board members Jim French and Ed Hopfer are scheduled to be at the center to field questions from the public.
Seniors had expected hospital board President Moe Hanzlik and Parrish to answer their questions about issues with the hospital. However, a mix up in communications didn't allow for either one to be there. Board member Mel Hummel tried stepping in at the last minute, but being the newest member of the board he had a hard time answering many of the questions thrown at him.
Although he was warmly welcomed, that didn't stop the audience from peppering him with questions ranging from billing to door width.
Joe Gough, who only had a short time to put together the meeting, said that of one of the problems he has seen at the hospital is the lack of enough information to compare rates of various procedures.
"We can shop for cars. We can shop for groceries. But we can't shop for medical care," he said.
Hummel said that board members are often looked to when someone has a problem and they take all those concerns to heart, delving into them and even bringing them before the board, if necessary. One of the areas they are reviewing is getting more information for prospective patients.
"When you come in to have a procedure, you need to be able to sit down and talk with somebody, find out what it's gonna cost, how much your insurance is gonna pay and how much you're expected to pay up front," Hummel said. He said that by the time a patient gets a bill they have forgotten what it was all about.
There were questions concerning how well the hospital works with the Veterans Administration, why billing was not done locally and why all doors were not wide enough for wheelchairs. There also were questions about the building and staff training and costs for training, quality of care and why doctors leave town.
Hummel said his memory of doctors in the community is that they used to stay for years, but people nowadays are very transient and tend to move more often.
"The doctor might like working here and love his patients, but his spouse or her spouse can't find something to do in little bitty Winnemucca, and if any of you have ever been married you know that if your husband or wife is not happy, you're not happy either," he said. "And I think that has more to do with the doctors coming and leaving us than anything."
Other questions concerned the admittance area, nurses' hours, employee turnover rate, pricing, complaints about the CEO, Harmony Manor and if charges there were higher than surrounding areas.
It was Hummel's understanding that there was someone at the hospital from the billing company to answer questions, at least temporarily, and he is insistent that the billing be more user-friendly.
"I am a little disappointed that there is so much conflict there (within the community)," Hummel said. "I really would like to see it as the place that the people in this community can use, feel comfortable using it."
After the meeting, center Director Patricia Tindall said that she appreciated Hummel coming to the center.
"I do think that most people here were most happy to be able to voice their opinions or issues to somebody," she said. "I think he gave them the feeling that somebody was listening, even if they're not, or even if he can't do anything. It's good that the board members seem to be accessible."
The next meeting has been put on the calendar at the senior center at 1480 Lay St. for immediately after lunch.
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