The letter we received from Larry and Linda Nitz reminded me that earlier this month I received a letter from one of our readers asking us to look into what is going on at NMH and what with planning for and going on our little vacation I dropped the ball on following up with this story.
The “tip” we received was that the hospital is dropping home health care claiming that they are losing money. The home health care was available to people that need medical assistance but who are still able to live in their own homes instead of moving to the nursing home. Is the hospital attempting to fill the empty beds at the Care Center with this cut? The person sending us this information claims that over 20 people at the hospital have been laid off and other people had to take a cut in pay to retain their jobs. On the other hand they seem to have funds to do a fairly extensive remodel of the Clinic (Northern Montana Medical Group West) No one we talked to that works at the hospital seems to be willing to say much on this subject.
Does anyone have any information that would give us insight as to what is going on?
From what I understand Dave Henry does at the end of every fiscal year. He cuts multiple jobs, and then has his staff in billing hound the people that owe the hospital money.
ReplyDeleteOne question that always bothered me is not knowing who actually owns the hospital. I tried finding that out some time and it is just about impossible.
ReplyDeleteNMH has been and is managed by a national management company that focuses on financial management.
ReplyDeleteThe management company's monthly fees for their services and the executives they provide are substantial and must be justified by their continued focus on costs and little on new business revenue. Squeezing every penny out of existing dollars is their full time job. Looking for new dollars [business] takes work and risk. At best they are a well paid custodian getting paid well for taking no risks.
The hospital management company is a national vendor that must be managed by the hospital board. Most hospital boards in the situatiuon of NMH are managed by the management company who at best are for status quo. Status quo by choice... unfortuately, for NMH is the equilvant to being in "assisted living" moving toward "hospice care."
The final kicker to the community is the majority of monies spent monthly to the management company does not stay locally but goes to support their corporate office and shareholders.
I know it is managed by a national company. Who OWNS it?
ReplyDeleteno one will comment just like you wouldn't print Linda and Larry Nitz's letter to the editor. For fear of ...
ReplyDeleteREVENGE!!!!
Sorry , I didn't know you were not the Havre Daily News.
ReplyDeleteGood job getting messages out when your daily newspaper won't. Cowards that they are.