Page 1 |
Previous | 1 of 8 | Next |
|
small (250x250 max)
medium (500x500 max)
Large
Extra Large
large ( > 500x500)
Full Resolution
All (PDF)
|
This page
All
|
South Tucson continues Sinohuí vigil Punto de Vista/Page 7 South Tucson's EI Independiente S. Tucson residents shortchanged after Pima County's hospital move By LOU PA VLO VICE Staff Writer There is growing concern that residents of South Tucson may have been short-changed by the transition from Pima County Hospital to Kino Community Hospital. The concern is spreading throughout the Tucson area that Pima County officials did inadequate homework in planning Kino Hospital, which is now becoming an embarrassment for these reasons: --Needy South Tucson residents at times are stranded by lack of bus service to the new hospital facility, which moved from its convenient location on South Sixth Avenue to an inconvenient address at 2800 E. Ajo Way. --On weekends, there is no bus service lo Kino, according tu Sun Tran officials, who said there never has been any push from county officials to even consider providing bus service for those who may need access to the hospital. --Kino Hospital is a major reason why the cost of Pima County Health Services (which includes Kino Hospital, The Department for Improved Adult Living, and the Health department) has skyrocketed 234 percent since 1971, compared to a population increase in that same time of 29 percent. --In 1977, Kino bought so-called new X-ray equipment at $300,000 from the CGR Medical Corporation. A Texas hospital had originally used and rejected the equipment before Kino bought it. An out-of- court settlement was ultimately reached. --During the initial months when Hospital Affiliates International took over It I Pima County health care costs vs. population growth = Metropol)tan Tucs4n growth since i9ïf 1973.74 1914-iS UUT OF SIGFIT - With Kino Commimity Hospital serving as a background, the graph shows how Pima County health rare costs have increased 234 prreent since fiscal year 1970.71 while the population in Tucson has grown 29 percent bi thai time span. Kino's operation, more than half of the 213 beds in the facility had to be kept empty because of numerous technical problems. --The hospital's expenses have doubled since moving from the Pisa County Hospital. Since Kino opened in March 1977. expenses have surpassed the $41.4 million mark through Feb. 2, 1979. --The old Pima County Hospital totaled the following expenses during its last two years of operations: During fiscal year 1975-1976, $12 million was spent. During the partial floral year from July 1976 to March 3, 1977, $6.6 mOlos was absorbed by county taxpayers. Kino, on the other hand, had the following expenses: Fiscal year 1977- 1978, $24 million; partial fiscal year July 1978 through Feb. 2, 1979, $16.70 million. --During this fiscal year (1978-79) Kino faces a $4 million projected deficit. The hospital's adopted budget is $25,180,922. The county will have to appear before the stete tax commission for permission to raise its budget for the third consecutive year. Last fiscal year, Kino had a deficit of $3.2 million. The adopted budget was $21,552,421 and the adjusted budget totaled $24,207,778. During the fiscal year 1976-77 at the old Pima County Hospital and Kino, the county again suffered a deficit totaling $1,498,725. The adopted budget was $17,343,200 while the adjusted budget totaled $18,841,925. These figures were compiled by Marion Bulzomi, a county accountant. One official of another Tucson hospital offered some critical remarks at the way Kino has been handled. Said Michael J. Harris, administrator Inspections close 16 b ui/dings News/Page 3 for Tucson General Hospital: "I was really quite surprised at the lack of adequate preparation for the transition from a building built in the '20s and 'ills (Pima County Hospital) to one that was really designed for the '80s." Harris continued by saying that "the Pisa County Board of Supervisors has traditionally been overinvolved in the decision-making and not just the hospital. "Their actions have made lt very dif-ficult for top management to function, knowing that their (management's) decisions are tenuous because the supervisors may have different feelings about it." Kino was designed with all private (or single bed( rooms, which nutabes' 213. "A recommendation was made by a citizens' committee and by health plan-ning consultants that the county worked with at the time," said Jim Murphy, county administrative officer. "They felt in may ways it (private rooms) would be more cost-effective and better for the patients." Kenneth S. Scharman, county chief administrative officer, said the super-visors "are genuinely trying to do it (Kino) for the least cost. It's a tremendous load on our budget." Arizona does not participate in the federal Medicaid program and doss not provide state funds for medical care for the indigent, the full financial burden for such care rests with the county govern-ment. "Sure there are mistakes made," sald Scharman, "bad judgements made. It's like a car with a paint chip on one part of the car and someone says the whole damn car is no good." Health care costs have skyrocketed from $11 million during fiscal year 1970-71 to a $36.7 million adopted budget in fiscal year 1978.79. [Photo By Steve Gressl La Familia/Page 4 Supervisor David Yetman commented on the private room concept at Kino: "I don't believe that the hospital will get money out of this type of system in the long run. It's just somebody's rationalization for a bad design." Yetman added that the county's first choice for the Kino location was the old Pima County fairgrounds. "Why that location wasn't chosen I don't know," Yetman said. Douglas Bruce, Kino Hospital ad-ministrator who was hired by Hospital Affiliates International in September 1977, said he believes the "correct mlx in hospitals is 50 percent semiprivate rooms and 50 percent private," when asked how he would have built Kino. "My rationale is that it is less expensive to have semis. It can get very lonely in a private room if you have nobody to talk Bruce said the supervisors "overdid the concept of maximum utilization and did not take into consideration the economy of semiprivate and social requirements." Tucson General's Marris also feels strongly about the private-rooms plan. "I think Cadillacs are really nice, too. I don't personally drive a Cadillac. I don't drive a Volkswagen either." Harris was critical of the projected $4- million deficit that Janice James, assistant Kino hospital administrator for finance, announced on Feb. 28. "I tell you," Harris said, "if I had even a $400,000 deficit at this point in the year, I'd probably get fired. "I'm unable to understand that type of economics. I know that St. Joseph's, St. Mary's, Tucson Medical Center and us )Tucson General) aren't able to budget to the penny. But at least we are able to alert our boards to problems we are having in advance. "But the magnitude of $4 million is an - exceptionally high target to miss." Budgetary problems are not the only ones Kino has suffered during its short two-year existence. --Kino wrote oil $2 million in bad debts bist year, above the $18 million lt spent to treat patients who legally qualified to be indigent. --'Last year more than 300 employees of the 800 hired by Kino quit their jobs. Bruce said that this is the normal tur-nover rate at hospitals because of the number of young people hired. Women also leave, Bruce said, because of pregnancy or husbands moving. --The county now has embarked on a 17- week health care study at a cost of $75,000. The study started Feb. 15 and will continue through June 15. The main purpose of the study is to determine whether the county's three major program components--Kino Hospital, DIAL, and the health department--are being managed in the most efficient way. Yetman summed up the Kino Hospital troubles: "It's just a challenge to turn a Cadillac into a good working model-T that we need. In terms of economic operation, lt will take a few years." Vol. Hl. No. 8 P,,hhjshs'd By The Journalism Department 0f The University Of Arizona Friday, March 9. 1979
Object Description
Title | South Tucson's El Independiente, 1979-03-09 |
Description | Published in Tucson, AZ. Published monthly during fall and spring semesters. Later title: El Independiente |
Publisher | University of Arizona, Department of Journalism |
Date | 1979-03-09 |
Type | Newspaper |
Source | Newspaper |
Language | Spanish & English |
Relation | Historic Mexican and Mexican-American Press |
Coverage | 1967-1984 |
Rights | The contents of this collection are available to the public for use in research, teaching, and private study. U.S. Copyright and intellectual property laws may apply to the resources made available through this site. |
Description
Title | Page 1 |
Description | Published in Tucson, AZ. Published monthly during fall and spring semesters. Later title: El Independiente |
Publisher | University of Arizona, Department of Journalism |
Type | Newspaper |
Source | Newspaper |
Language | Spanish & English |
Coverage | 1967-1984 |
Rights | The contents of this collection are available to the public for use in research, teaching, and private study. U.S. Copyright and intellectual property laws may apply to the resources made available through this site. |
Full-text | South Tucson continues Sinohuí vigil Punto de Vista/Page 7 South Tucson's EI Independiente S. Tucson residents shortchanged after Pima County's hospital move By LOU PA VLO VICE Staff Writer There is growing concern that residents of South Tucson may have been short-changed by the transition from Pima County Hospital to Kino Community Hospital. The concern is spreading throughout the Tucson area that Pima County officials did inadequate homework in planning Kino Hospital, which is now becoming an embarrassment for these reasons: --Needy South Tucson residents at times are stranded by lack of bus service to the new hospital facility, which moved from its convenient location on South Sixth Avenue to an inconvenient address at 2800 E. Ajo Way. --On weekends, there is no bus service lo Kino, according tu Sun Tran officials, who said there never has been any push from county officials to even consider providing bus service for those who may need access to the hospital. --Kino Hospital is a major reason why the cost of Pima County Health Services (which includes Kino Hospital, The Department for Improved Adult Living, and the Health department) has skyrocketed 234 percent since 1971, compared to a population increase in that same time of 29 percent. --In 1977, Kino bought so-called new X-ray equipment at $300,000 from the CGR Medical Corporation. A Texas hospital had originally used and rejected the equipment before Kino bought it. An out-of- court settlement was ultimately reached. --During the initial months when Hospital Affiliates International took over It I Pima County health care costs vs. population growth = Metropol)tan Tucs4n growth since i9ïf 1973.74 1914-iS UUT OF SIGFIT - With Kino Commimity Hospital serving as a background, the graph shows how Pima County health rare costs have increased 234 prreent since fiscal year 1970.71 while the population in Tucson has grown 29 percent bi thai time span. Kino's operation, more than half of the 213 beds in the facility had to be kept empty because of numerous technical problems. --The hospital's expenses have doubled since moving from the Pisa County Hospital. Since Kino opened in March 1977. expenses have surpassed the $41.4 million mark through Feb. 2, 1979. --The old Pima County Hospital totaled the following expenses during its last two years of operations: During fiscal year 1975-1976, $12 million was spent. During the partial floral year from July 1976 to March 3, 1977, $6.6 mOlos was absorbed by county taxpayers. Kino, on the other hand, had the following expenses: Fiscal year 1977- 1978, $24 million; partial fiscal year July 1978 through Feb. 2, 1979, $16.70 million. --During this fiscal year (1978-79) Kino faces a $4 million projected deficit. The hospital's adopted budget is $25,180,922. The county will have to appear before the stete tax commission for permission to raise its budget for the third consecutive year. Last fiscal year, Kino had a deficit of $3.2 million. The adopted budget was $21,552,421 and the adjusted budget totaled $24,207,778. During the fiscal year 1976-77 at the old Pima County Hospital and Kino, the county again suffered a deficit totaling $1,498,725. The adopted budget was $17,343,200 while the adjusted budget totaled $18,841,925. These figures were compiled by Marion Bulzomi, a county accountant. One official of another Tucson hospital offered some critical remarks at the way Kino has been handled. Said Michael J. Harris, administrator Inspections close 16 b ui/dings News/Page 3 for Tucson General Hospital: "I was really quite surprised at the lack of adequate preparation for the transition from a building built in the '20s and 'ills (Pima County Hospital) to one that was really designed for the '80s." Harris continued by saying that "the Pisa County Board of Supervisors has traditionally been overinvolved in the decision-making and not just the hospital. "Their actions have made lt very dif-ficult for top management to function, knowing that their (management's) decisions are tenuous because the supervisors may have different feelings about it." Kino was designed with all private (or single bed( rooms, which nutabes' 213. "A recommendation was made by a citizens' committee and by health plan-ning consultants that the county worked with at the time," said Jim Murphy, county administrative officer. "They felt in may ways it (private rooms) would be more cost-effective and better for the patients." Kenneth S. Scharman, county chief administrative officer, said the super-visors "are genuinely trying to do it (Kino) for the least cost. It's a tremendous load on our budget." Arizona does not participate in the federal Medicaid program and doss not provide state funds for medical care for the indigent, the full financial burden for such care rests with the county govern-ment. "Sure there are mistakes made," sald Scharman, "bad judgements made. It's like a car with a paint chip on one part of the car and someone says the whole damn car is no good." Health care costs have skyrocketed from $11 million during fiscal year 1970-71 to a $36.7 million adopted budget in fiscal year 1978.79. [Photo By Steve Gressl La Familia/Page 4 Supervisor David Yetman commented on the private room concept at Kino: "I don't believe that the hospital will get money out of this type of system in the long run. It's just somebody's rationalization for a bad design." Yetman added that the county's first choice for the Kino location was the old Pima County fairgrounds. "Why that location wasn't chosen I don't know," Yetman said. Douglas Bruce, Kino Hospital ad-ministrator who was hired by Hospital Affiliates International in September 1977, said he believes the "correct mlx in hospitals is 50 percent semiprivate rooms and 50 percent private," when asked how he would have built Kino. "My rationale is that it is less expensive to have semis. It can get very lonely in a private room if you have nobody to talk Bruce said the supervisors "overdid the concept of maximum utilization and did not take into consideration the economy of semiprivate and social requirements." Tucson General's Marris also feels strongly about the private-rooms plan. "I think Cadillacs are really nice, too. I don't personally drive a Cadillac. I don't drive a Volkswagen either." Harris was critical of the projected $4- million deficit that Janice James, assistant Kino hospital administrator for finance, announced on Feb. 28. "I tell you," Harris said, "if I had even a $400,000 deficit at this point in the year, I'd probably get fired. "I'm unable to understand that type of economics. I know that St. Joseph's, St. Mary's, Tucson Medical Center and us )Tucson General) aren't able to budget to the penny. But at least we are able to alert our boards to problems we are having in advance. "But the magnitude of $4 million is an - exceptionally high target to miss." Budgetary problems are not the only ones Kino has suffered during its short two-year existence. --Kino wrote oil $2 million in bad debts bist year, above the $18 million lt spent to treat patients who legally qualified to be indigent. --'Last year more than 300 employees of the 800 hired by Kino quit their jobs. Bruce said that this is the normal tur-nover rate at hospitals because of the number of young people hired. Women also leave, Bruce said, because of pregnancy or husbands moving. --The county now has embarked on a 17- week health care study at a cost of $75,000. The study started Feb. 15 and will continue through June 15. The main purpose of the study is to determine whether the county's three major program components--Kino Hospital, DIAL, and the health department--are being managed in the most efficient way. Yetman summed up the Kino Hospital troubles: "It's just a challenge to turn a Cadillac into a good working model-T that we need. In terms of economic operation, lt will take a few years." Vol. Hl. No. 8 P,,hhjshs'd By The Journalism Department 0f The University Of Arizona Friday, March 9. 1979 |