We live in a time when nobody trusts anybody.
If someone in authority says “A,” then a dismaying percent of the public say “B” must be the case. Worse yet, far too many of us also become quickly convinced that the “A”-sayer has an ulterior motive, and only said “A” to gain some personal advantage.
Those who say they have the public good in mind are not believed.
The Internet campaign against building a new Allen County Hospital is an example.
Allen County’s commissioners hired the Hospital Facilities Group of Wichita to make a study to determine the financial feasibility of building and paying for a new hospital to replace our aging and inadequate hospital. It did so and showed how it could be accomplished.
One of the important factors involved is the assumption that a new hospital would make a profit of about $1.5 million annually that could be used for debt reduction. That assumption is now being challenged on the basis of incomplete information. Did the challengers go to the administrator of the hospital and ask if the information was accurate and complete? Of course not. What fun would that be?
Much more satisfying just to assume that the Hospital Facilities Group — which depends upon its reputation for accuracy and integrity for its very existence — deliberately exaggerated the hospital’s potential earning power.
Let’s take another look. First, HFG had every reason to give Allen County its considered opinion. It wants to stay in business. Developing a reputation for integrity and good judgment based on careful research is its best life insurance.
Second, Joyce Heismeyer, administrator of Allen County Hospital, agrees that the HFG estimate is sound. Since her employer, Hospital Corporation of America, which leases the hospital from the county, has no interest in building a new hospital here, she would have no incentive to mislead the people of Allen County. She is, as a matter of fact, an honest and, yes, trustworthy person who is in a position to know what the facts are.
Third, the HFG estimate is conservative. It does not take into consideration the fiscal impact that a state-of-the-art hospital would have. Income — and profits — should rise because the new hospital would attract additional physicians and technicians and serve a greater percentage of the hospital needs in its service area.
THE POINT of the blogs against the hospital is that the income estimates might not come up to snuff and that the county would then be forced to find other revenue to retire the bonds.
Is that a concern? Of course. There are no certain things in this world, so choices must be made. There are risks in building a hospital. There are also risks in yielding to fear and deciding not to build.
Here are a few of the risks in not building now:
One, a continued decline in the quality of health care available in Iola. It will be more difficult to attract and retain health care providers. Physicians will send an increasing number of patients out of Iola to receive care un-available here. As this trend accelerated the hospital would receive less income and become even less able to meet local health care needs.
Two, building costs will never be lower. Interest rates are historically low, as are construction costs. A decision to put off building could prove enormously expensive.
Three, a decision to say no to a first-class hospital would set a negative tone for our community at a time when accentuating the positive is critically important. Good medical care is at the top of the list of “musts” for those looking for a place to start a business or buy a home. A new hospital standing beside an al-most-new doctors’ clinic on the entrance to Iola would be a powerful advertisement for Iola.
Four, health care is a job-creator. Allen County Hospital now provides 160 jobs. A new hospital would do more business, require more employees and also would be part of the community’s health care network: without an adequate hospital, fewer physicians and other providers would be able to thrive here. Not building puts existing health care jobs at risk and lowers the potential for additional ones.
INVESTING IN THE future is always risky. Failing to invest makes many other failures certain.
— Emerson Lynn, jr.
