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#albertastrong One of the Fort Mac firefighters.

On the other side of the coin.....pt care and profits can be maximized in some situations. The company I worked for, cancer treatment and care, is a for profit organization. We focused on pt care first as a way to increased profits. We delivered a service that was less expensive and more patient oriented. Example, our patients were always pre authorized for insurance. Pt new up front whats was paid for and what their expenses would be. Go to a hospital, doesn't happen that way. They simply take the insurance info and then just bill the patient for what is not covered, surprise, surprise! Our cost of services were less expensive than a hospital also. Example, patients getting an exam, CT or PET/CT, as an outpatient at the hospital were charged more, common complaint from pts. We had to focus on patient care to keep those pts returning to us. We made them first. We focused on being efficient. The down side to all of this and one that I hated, numbers, numbers, numbers. Pt care and satisfaction=more income. More pts/exams/treatments=more income. Its the American Way.

we are advertising in a couple of union papers for 6 months... re clubadventist.com

You are not offending me. Many of the conditions you are describing are due to lack of staff. Why lack of staff, the bottom line. The bottom line is equally important in a nonprofit system as well. Paperwork, yes there is still paper, documentation requirements, privacy laws, insurance issues, etc , etc are having a big impact on our current healthcare system. When a system becomes larger and larger it can become less efficient and more costly. Healthcare is huge part of our economy. It includes many parts such as pharmaceuticals, equipment, etc. All of those areas are about profits, increasing profits on a yearly basis. I could go on and on but just wanted to give some idea of how complicated it all is. Patient care can and does at time get lost in all of it.

LIZ! Exactly! I feel your pain. Everything you described is similar to my experiences. Why pay for care we are clearly NOT receiving!

I have spent 4 years volunteering at a hospital. Another 3 1/2 years volunteering as a caregiver to an elderly woman from church who suffered a stroke with paralysis. Then I spent 2 years caring for my father who had early-onset Alzheimer's. Then another 6 months of volunteering my time caregiving for another woman who suffered a stroke (without paralyis). Currently I am a full-time caregiver to my grandmother (92 years old with dementia, diabetes and a recent hip fracture). I am maintenance, housekeeping, valet, exercise coach, personal hygienist, cook, nutritionist, podiatrist, seamstress, masseuse, accountant, scheduler, lawn-care, liaison, pharmacology, activities coordinator all rolled into one. I don't get Saturdays off, and I never get paid. Ever hear of the sandwich generation? I'm like a flat piece of cheese right there in the middle! I've been caring for other people since the day my parents divorced when I was 11. It is highly likely that this "job" will last me another 8 years. It will probably be replaced with caring for my father-in-law, and then my mother-in-law, and then my own mother. I may find time for volunteering at a hospital again once I am in my late 60's. By then, I might convince myself to take a break from caregiving. 50 years of putting other peoples needs first is surely enough, isn't it? Hope my husband's health holds out!

I know what you mean, Aubrey. Recently when my husband had to be in the hospital, if I wasn't there taking care of him, no one was. Never could find a nurse--other than when I looked in the mirror. What was also eye opening, was not one nurse in a three day hospital stay ever did a full body assessment on him, most never even listened to his lungs. I was floored as this was NOT how I was trained. I asked where the linen cart was, and I changed his sheets, wrapped his IV and helped him into the shower. Then a couple months ago my daughter had to be admitted into the pediatric ICU, where nursing is supposed to be 1:2 at the most, and it was, but still I provided the care, no full body assessment, never listened to her lungs--and she was admitted for breathing problems. I often wonder if I were to ever go back to being a hospital nurse, what I would be doing all day? And before anyone says they were charting or in other people's rooms, if she wasn't in our room, and she wasn't in the other patients room, there was only two patients in the PICU when we were there, and she wasn't at the nurses station, where was she? There were hours when she was literally no where to be found. Why pay for care when you aren't receiving any?

"Nearly 90 per cent of Fort McMurray still intact; 2,400 structures lost" Incredible job of fire fighters. Some went with under 1 hour sleep in the first 48 hours, until relief came.

I don't know if there is a difference, one can hope. You have just experienced the Health Care for profit system we have in this country. I make the statement after 38 years working in the health system. You can find exceptions to the above as you stated, but it is becoming more difficult for a variety of reasons.

Okay....Perhaps my timing is not the best...

Glad to hear there's some rain and cooler weather heading their way.

Absolutely nothing. Sorry.

Never miss an opportunity to gallop on a hobby horse through someone else's flower garden...

what do the last few posts have to do with the Ft McMurray fire?

The worst in times, brings out the best in people.

Green Coch, I'm really sorry that you and others you worked with in fighting fires felt that it was "only a job." That's not how my relatives view their work. I never met a firefighter before who seemed to have your opinion of his work. Kinda sad...

#albertastrong