Hoping I don’t become my mother as I age…

[gwand]

I’m in Mayo’s backyard, and I’ll go as far as saying they are bad for the health care system… they have poster up in the ER’s stating they are a not for profit, and ask for donations constantly, yet are taking over all the small town hospitals, and closing them up, to eliminate the competition, they may be a non profit, in the way that they spend all the money on new purchases, and administration, so they don’t have to pay taxes… they’ve been building ambulance garages in place of local hospitals, and clinics, so it’s necessary to drive or be hauled 100 miles… then anything they have actually running, they run so lean, you can’t see a doctor, and are forced to video conference with a doctor, if you actually need to see one… elderly are totally being bypassed which certainly is not increasing lifespans in our area… my mother at 87 has no primary care physician, my wife’s uncle, who is 93 and I’m memory care, is forced to video conference and he doesn’t even understand that that is his doctor anymore

The worse thing about non profits are the grotesque salaries paid to upper management. Of course, the highest salaries in the country within the nonprofit world go to football and basketball coaches at our universities. Next highest salaries in the nonprofit world, go to presidents, deans, and CEOs of many medical institutions. Those on top make multi million dollar a year salaries. One of the worst examples of nonprofit abuse is the salaries paid to many top management within the goodwill organization. Local leaders in California make over $700,000 per annum. This is all public knowledge on the web. My Dean/CEO makes over 2 million per year.

 

[GaryE]

My mother in law got hardcore physio for a broken hip/replacement, and she now can walk well, at 90. The accident/surgery was in her early 80s. It wasn't an easy sell - there is that idea that the procedure solves the problem and follow up is not needed. I don't think that's just generational - a lot of people believe it. Physio can be hard, and rehabbing after surgery can hurt. If you always think short term, it is hard to be convinced. If you give me a choice between a miracle and a treadmill, the miracle wins. Til I think about it...

As individuals in a society, a lot of us have trouble with longterm. I also think we overestimate how people process cause and effect.