[StBernard] Hospital Board

[Westley Annis]

Craig:


>For the record, my posistion has been stated publicly several times. 


Would you provide a response in a forum such as this as to why the
resignations of the doctors on the Board are necessary, in your opinion?


I haven't seen your position in print and if it has been, 
I apologize.  What is this position in regard to?  Is it the idea 
of the "community-based" hospital?  I know you have some financial
concerns regarding that.

Or, is the stated position you have, in regard to the physicians 
on the board?  If you support their removal while they themselves 
have said they would recuse themselves from any decision regarding the
choice of a provider, why do you feel they must be removed?  I
don't recall the entire A.G. opinion but I don't recall that 
opinion stating the physicians should be totally removed.

Do you think it is a good idea to have someone with medical 
experience be on the board that will choose a provider of medical
services for the parish?  Do you
 think that physicians, as
medical practitioners, would have an idea of the number of beds
a facility would need and the types of service and equipment that
would be needed?  I know that in many states, a licensing board 
determines the number of beds needed for an area based on 
population served.  I do not know if Ochsner or OLOL used any such
criteria, but I bet a doctor would know what the sufficient number
of beds should be and that knowledge would be invaluable to an
entity which is going to choose a hospital services provider along
with other issues that non-medical folks may not think of or be 
cognizant of.

When the populace and electorate see a call for the wholesale
dissolving of the current HSD Board and then constituting a 
brand new board (with all the time that entails) they become 
concerned especially when they do not read the *reason* for
dissolution of the current board.  People want to
 know why this
is necessary as they see the timeline for bricks and mortar being
pushed further and further back.  When we see this and have no
explanation as to why this is necessary people will start thinking
"what's going on in the background that we don't know about and
that they won't tell us."  

How many times, in this Parish, the state or the nation have we
seen candidates we felt would move us forward only to be
disillusioned with them once they get in office?  The best thing
is to let the electorate know *why* you are taking some action.

>From the write-up in the paper I did not see a reason stated for

dissolving the current Hospital Board.  If it was to remove the
two physicians currently on the board because they wouldn't resign,
folks need to know.  The more that things are out in the open
for the public to see, the more confidence the electorate will
have in their elected officials.

By
 the way, it was good to see you posting something here again.
I'm sure most people on the list feel like I do that it's good to
see you here again.  Although we know you have a (more than) full-
time job and family, it's good to see you around on the list
again.

#8416





	
	-----------------------------------------------------
	8416
	
	I will be glad to meet with you. Explain everything that you want to
ask about
	and then you could pass the factual information along as you wish.
My guess is
	that I will not here from you. My office # is 2784227. Hope to hear
from you
	soon.  For the record, my posistion has been stated publicly several
times. 
	Disagreeing on issues has always been part of the public process. I
know that
	the current council and president stay focused on what is best for
St.
	 Bernard
	even when there are disagreements. The old mudslinging approach to
disagreements
	should be put away for good. I hope that for the good of our
community the issue
	can remain the focus.  The temptation to use internet secret
identities to
	promote unproductive commentary must be fought as should those who
allow it to
	continue.
	Hope to see you at the office
	
	God Bless
	Craig Taffaro