Efficiencies would cut cost of care

Mr. Ken Kitzing was spot on correct in his Fence Post letter. Far too many doctors are specialists who form small partnerships and only rent space to do hospital work.

Hospitals have become subcontractors of most of the work done in them, and they open expensive, very lucrative, nursing homes attached to them. They then call themselves "nonprofits" for tax purposes. What a scam. Then to rake in even more money, hospitals under use most al of their expensive machines and facilities.

I recently had to take a relative to a local major hospital in the middle of the night for emergency. From what I saw that facility was about as shut down in staff and medical activity as possible except for nurse stations for inpatients.

I'm sure these "nonprofit" hospitals are unpacking the latest multimillion dollar CAT scanners or MRI machines as soon as they come off the assembly line; so they can unload some of the money fast enough to still claim "not for profit" status.

A world renown Russian efficiency guy was asked to evaluate a large U.S. hospital; because they thought they needed more of something, or everything. His evaluation, however, showed that scheduling of labor, machines, and facilities such as operating rooms was terrible.

So that hospital actually "bit the bullet" and started scheduling tests and operations at night.

It must have been like herding cats to get some prima donna doctors to do surgery at night. Except maybe golfers. It is only a 500 mile drive to the Mayo Clinic; so my plan is to go there or to the Butte, Montana, clinic for any serious work, or maybe the Cleveland Clinic.

Also, I know one thing about a strong government health care option. With it, I won't lose my house and go into bankruptcy, nor will I be refused for any reason if I need health care. Nor will it be overpriced or unaffordable.

Jim Peterson

Hoffman Estates