We need Ang to fix this with a bipartisan solution. Once again they go get speeches from Gorden and Suhrad but not Ang even though he is the leader of the repubs. Why is this?
We need Ang to fix this with a bipartisan solution. Once again they go get speeches from Gorden and Suhrad but not Ang even though he is the leader of the repubs. Why is this?
Leader of the repubs???
What are you putting in your sauce?
Minority Leader Robert T. Farley
Even Suhrada has more experience and tenure, he's a R last I checked.
"Ang" might be the leader in YOUR house, but he's the JUNIOR legislator in the County Republican lineup.
Ellis management should seek advice of talented nursing staff
Re Aug. 7 letter, “Nurses can’t bear to see what’s happening at Ellis”: I applaud Patricia Arket for having the courage to speak out on behalf of the patients’ right to quality care. It was not, perhaps, the wisest career move. but it certainly was the right thing to do. One has to hope that still has meaning in this world of corporate greed. Though Ellis management may wish to silence their employees, they can’t impose that on their patients. Ellis needs to realize at this point, that in this chaotic transition time, their one constant strong suit is their nursing staff. Ellis needs to reach out and use that valuable resource as a chance to improve the quality of both the working atmosphere and the quality of patient care. There should be meetings in which the staff can air (without risk of losing their jobs) their concerns and ideas. Who better than they to know what needs to be done to make things better? The management should be drawing from this wonderful pool of knowledge, not intimidating them into silence. Right now this hospital is dealing with a fractured system, and they need all the help they can get to get it back to an acceptable level of functioning. Mr. John Voight commented in an Aug. 8 letter, “Everyone at Ellis [is] doing their best during tough time,” about the great nursing staff, which I agree with. He did, however, state that there was no one to blame. That I absolutely disagree with. There is, unfortunately, plenty of blame to go around for the current broken system now in place. You can start with the Pataki administration, which leads us directly to the Berger Commission, who came in and sliced, diced and all but destroyed any good health care being offered in Schenectady County. Let us not forget the state Department of Health and anyone else who supported this ill-conceived, poorly thought out plan. Though Ellis may have had this thrust upon them, they too have to absorb some of the blame here. The Berger Commission had an opportunity to do this the right way, and they absolutely blew it. The time frame given for this massive change to happen was not only unrealistic but cruel and dangerous, as it put patient health care at great risk. CONSTANCE E. CARTWRIGHT Scotia
It looks as though Mr. Connolly is trying to counteract the bad press. He thinks that if he tells everyone how great our new healthcare system is no one will notice how bad it is.
Ellis, Jim Connolly CEO, is just trying to trump the bad press. It is just all smoke and mirrors from Ellis. And where is the 'power of the union'? Theysay that the St.Clares transfers are not interested in signing on with the union. And why should they? Why should they pay union dues to a union that is clearly not doing anything for the already unionized workers?
If the union was smart, they would step up to the plate and speak for their nurses. Then perhaps they could bring the St. Clare nurses on board! Unless, of course, the Nurses Union has a weak contract which left the unionized nurses defenseless.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
We recently had a loved one admitted to Ellis through the ER. It was during the huge transition with St. Clare’s Hospital. The ER was packed with patients. The staff was obviously stretched to capacity, but the care could not have been better. We had a long wait, but never once was there a discourteous or irritated answer to our questions. This same caring attitude continued after his admission to the third floor of the hospital. He was there for three weeks, until his death. Nursing care and attitude were exemplary. The nursing care was always timely, efficient and gracious. A family member was with him at all times, and was always made to feel welcome and comfortable. Everyone, no matter how busy, was attentive to all our needs. As a former registered nurse at St Clare’s, I was particularly impressed. During this time of sadness, we are grateful for the good memories from a truly dedicated and caring staff. With all of the negativity and issues surrounding this transition, the community needs to work together to ensure quality care for our people. ELINOR PARIS DOROTHY HATLEE Glenville
Well, Elinor, just consider yourself, one of the lucky ones.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
I don't know how true this is, but a nurse told me this just the other day. She said that there are patients that arrive at Ellis by ambulance who are admitted, treated and discharged without ever leaving that ambulance. Not good!
Ellis Hospital board to blame, not the Berger Commission
As a thoughtful observer/participant in the recent changes in health care delivery in Schenectady, I read with interest your Aug. 17 article [“Ellis Caught Short by St. Clare’s”] outlining the reasons for the multiple failures of Ellis Hospital to deliver satisfactory care for our community over the past two months. Your premise that Ellis Hospital was somehow overwhelmed because of a surprise closure of St. Clare’s Hospital is simply untenable. After several months of negotiations both hospitals agreed to a settlement under which St Clare’s would surrender its license and turn over management of the hospital to Ellis, in return for monies provided by the state to fund the outstanding pension debt at St. Clare’s. That agreement did not call for the closure of St. Clare’s Hospital. The decision to discontinue inpatient care on the McClellan Street Campus of Ellis (formally St. Clare’s) was made by the board of Ellis Hospital. To argue by example: Bellevue Hospital recently reached a similar agreement in which it surrendered its license and turned over its management to Ellis in return for monies from the state to settle outstanding debt. Ellis decided to keep Bellevue open. For whatever reason, Ellis decided to stop all inpatient services on their Mc-Clellan Street Campus. It was that decision which created the crisis we have been dealing with over the past few months. In addition, the Berger Commission cannot be blamed for our current problems. It was never the intention of the commission that St. Clare’s close. I quote from their recommendations: “With adequate preservation of the core services provided by St. Clare’s to underserved populations, a consolidation of the two hospitals will reduce costly duplication of services and create efficiencies.” The Ellis board and administration saw fit to ignore these recommendations. I submit to you that if Ellis Hospital was “caught short” by the closure of St. Clare’s Hospital, they have no one to blame but themselves. At best, that decision raises serious questions about the ability of the Ellis board to anticipate the future health care needs of our community. At worst, it gives me serious doubts about the Ellis plan to abandon the fully functional inpatient facility on McClellan Street in favor of expensive retooling of the largely outdated facility on Nott Street. WILLIAM VACCA Niskayuna The writer is a practicing physician and a former member of the board of St. Clare’s Hospital.
Well I guess this just about says it all folks! The Ellis board screwed up at our expense! People should be contacting that Connie Cervo on what we as residents can do to help re-open the 'McClellen St. Campus" to a full functioning hospital. And there should be more letters to the editor AND letters to Jim Connolly and the board to demand that the 'McClellen St. Campus' be opened to full capacity.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
St. Clare's Hospital needs to be reopened. Our tax dollars should not go to adding on to the current Ellis Building when we already have a perfectly good hospital half empty 1 mile down the road. Make your voices heard join Schenectady County Citizens of Hospital Choice contact Connie Ciervo at 374-5365 or email ciervoca@verizon.net
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