Letter - Patients are priority

Talk about it

To the editor:

[In response to the December 24 story, “Hospital may drop mental health service.”] I currently work at the Douglas County Hospital Mental Health Unit as an LPN. While change can be difficult to embrace, I also understand the need to run a business efficiently. I am a resident of Douglas County so I contribute as a taxpayer.

While the discussions are still taking place, it has been expressed to our staff by the management at Douglas County Hospital, it is their hope the transition will be seamless and except for a name change, our patients may not even realize a change has occurred. But my question is this: If we cut nursing personnel by one-half (we currently have two RNs and two LPNs) we are told we can still provide the same quality of care and, in fact, as Bill Klein suggests, it may even enhance quality once Lakeland takes ownership, how is this possible?

In my mind, this doesn’t square up. Some significant changes will need to occur in the way we currently do business, if we are to meet the challenges with half the staff. I am proud of the services we offer to our patients in between doctor visits, and as a nurse, this has been a very rewarding part of my job.

I would like to ask the agencies involved in this transaction, be that Mr. Flaig, Mr. Woods or Mr. Klein, if they would publish a phone number where someone can be reached if patients or family have problems or concerns with the changes. I intend to interview with Lakeland, if given the opportunity, so I feel I have a stake in ensuring that whatever changes take place, our patients remain our number one priority.

Tammy Porwoll, LPN

Holmes City, MN

Tags: patients, douglas, county, mental, health, unit