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Old 12-04-2010, 01:02 PM
 
Location: East Central Phoenix
8,020 posts, read 12,169,131 times
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About 100 jobs at stake due to closing of birthing center | Phoenix News | Arizona News | azfamily.com | Home

Quite a shock considering I was born at this hospital in the early 1960s. Unfortunately, this type of facility is a money losing operation for hospitals ... especially when it has been reported that two thirds of obstetric patients at this hospital are on public assistance. Still, it will be kind of sad to see this facility go.
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Old 12-04-2010, 07:43 PM
 
Location: Phoenix, AZ
159 posts, read 395,049 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Valley Native View Post
About 100 jobs at stake due to closing of birthing center | Phoenix News | Arizona News | azfamily.com | Home

Quite a shock considering I was born at this hospital in the early 1960s. Unfortunately, this type of facility is a money losing operation for hospitals ... especially when it has been reported that two thirds of obstetric patients at this hospital are on public assistance. Still, it will be kind of sad to see this facility go.
I was born there in the earlier 60's as well. Possibly a sign of what's in store for the future as the medical community finds itself unprofitable due to continuing intervention by the government. What then... Government run medical centers?
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Old 12-04-2010, 08:36 PM
 
Location: Casa Grande, AZ
8,685 posts, read 16,752,567 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Valley Native View Post
About 100 jobs at stake due to closing of birthing center | Phoenix News | Arizona News | azfamily.com | Home

Quite a shock considering I was born at this hospital in the early 1960s. Unfortunately, this type of facility is a money losing operation for hospitals ... especially when it has been reported that two thirds of obstetric patients at this hospital are on public assistance. Still, it will be kind of sad to see this facility go.
Sad for all, but this is probably just the first in line...There will be more to come in many specialities due to cuts...
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Old 12-06-2010, 10:24 AM
 
Location: Avondale and Tempe, Arizona
2,852 posts, read 4,477,657 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MGotcha View Post
I was born there in the earlier 60's as well. Possibly a sign of what's in store for the future as the medical community finds itself unprofitable due to continuing intervention by the government. What then... Government run medical centers?
Quite the opposite really.

It's the fallout from government cutbacks, at least on the state level.

The governor and the legislature are slashing AHCCCS coverage and eyeing cuts in public education too, but they won't volunteer to take a paycut or have their health insurance benefits slashed.

The final result is hospitals and private business facing severe cutbacks and closing facilities.
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Old 12-06-2010, 06:04 PM
 
10,719 posts, read 20,211,921 times
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On the flipside, when you consider the number of hospitals that were built here in the last 10 years including but not limited to Banner Estrella, Banner Gateway, Chandler Regional, Gilbert Mercy, Dell Webb and Mayo Hospital Phoenix and then I haven't even discussed the major additions and rennovations that old hospitals added on like St. Joes, Banner Desert, Banner Thunderbird and Good Samaritan added (which amounts to be a second hospital in some cases like Thunderbird). And they are in the process of building Banner Ironwood in Queen Creek, http://www.bannerhealth.com/Location...r+Ironwood.htm


So when an old hospital like John C. Lincoln North Mountain closes it's birthing center, it's really pretty inconsequential considering the number of hospitals that have opened in the Valley. That was a big reason the birthing center closed is because there are so many alternatives that people have now that they didn't have 15 years ago. The birthing center has been losing money for YEARS because there are so many other hospitals that private insurance patients go to. In the past, the competition was less and private insurance patients were having their children at John C. Lincoln so they could offset the cost of their Medicaid patients. That's no longer the case so it doesn't make sense to keep the birthing center open any longer.

It makes for great headlines but trust me, there are enough hospitals with birthing centers in the Valley!
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Old 12-07-2010, 08:22 AM
 
Location: Avondale and Tempe, Arizona
2,852 posts, read 4,477,657 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by azriverfan. View Post
On the flipside, when you consider the number of hospitals that were built here in the last 10 years including but not limited to Banner Estrella, Banner Gateway, Chandler Regional, Gilbert Mercy, Dell Webb and Mayo Hospital Phoenix and then I haven't even discussed the major additions and rennovations that old hospitals added on like St. Joes, Banner Desert, Banner Thunderbird and Good Samaritan added (which amounts to be a second hospital in some cases like Thunderbird). And they are in the process of building Banner Ironwood in Queen Creek, Banner Ironwood


So when an old hospital like John C. Lincoln North Mountain closes it's birthing center, it's really pretty inconsequential considering the number of hospitals that have opened in the Valley. That was a big reason the birthing center closed is because there are so many alternatives that people have now that they didn't have 15 years ago. The birthing center has been losing money for YEARS because there are so many other hospitals that private insurance patients go to. In the past, the competition was less and private insurance patients were having their children at John C. Lincoln so they could offset the cost of their Medicaid patients. That's no longer the case so it doesn't make sense to keep the birthing center open any longer.

It makes for great headlines but trust me, there are enough hospitals with birthing centers in the Valley!
Good observations but there is something else to consider.

The issue is the economy, fewer people having babies, healthcare benefits being cut on both the public and private levels.

Don't be too surprised if other hospitals close their maternity centers in the near future because of what I wrote in the above paragraph.
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Old 12-08-2010, 12:05 AM
 
Location: Rural Michigan
6,343 posts, read 14,594,552 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Java Jolt View Post
Good observations but there is something else to consider.

The issue is the economy, fewer people having babies, healthcare benefits being cut on both the public and private levels.

Don't be too surprised if other hospitals close their maternity centers in the near future because of what I wrote in the above paragraph.
I'd have to agree - the census is down in most valley hospitals - many patients with insurance are delaying covered procedures, simply because they don't want to spend the co-pays (things like knee replacements, etc).

Those on government assistance never stopped coming - they could care less about the bills, they don't have any money.

We don't have universal healthcare, but we DO have a "death panel" - it's our AZ legislature.

azriver - I have to disagree about 100 more unemployed people being "inconsequential".

Especially right before christmas.

Last edited by Zippyman; 12-08-2010 at 12:20 AM..
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Old 12-08-2010, 12:55 AM
 
2,942 posts, read 6,490,471 times
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People still have to give birth somewhere. One hospital stops offering that, five neighboring hospitals will soon have some job openings....
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Old 12-08-2010, 08:25 AM
 
Location: Rural Michigan
6,343 posts, read 14,594,552 times
Reputation: 10548
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ritchie_az View Post
People still have to give birth somewhere. One hospital stops offering that, five neighboring hospitals will soon have some job openings....
Sure - they'll hire 80 people to do the work of 100 people and we'll all get cheaper health insurance premiums next year.

right?

right?

I'm holding my breath, just waiting for the "savings"....

The bottom line is that you will have one less choice of where to go for healthcare, Banner becomes even more of a monopoly, and 100 Phoenix families got a x-mas gift they'll remember for years.
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Old 12-08-2010, 04:57 PM
 
2,942 posts, read 6,490,471 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Zippyman View Post
Sure - they'll hire 80 people to do the work of 100 people and we'll all get cheaper health insurance premiums next year.

right?

right?

I'm holding my breath, just waiting for the "savings"....

The bottom line is that you will have one less choice of where to go for healthcare, Banner becomes even more of a monopoly, and 100 Phoenix families got a x-mas gift they'll remember for years.
That may be true. But there is a reason John C. Lincoln is closing their birthing center. It was either not getting enough business to justify keeping it open, or it was too expensive to justify keeping it open. Either way, something about it was not being run well enough, so it's closing. That's no different than any number of other business that have closed or reduced the services it offers.
People will still give birth, it will be at different hospitals. Those hospitals now will gain because of this. It's no different than one hamburger stand gaining business after a different one closed.
It stinks for those 100 or so employees who will be let go. But that is life--it can happen to any one of us. But there will be other opportunities, especially at the nearby hospitals that will soon be hiring to meet the new demand.
This same kind of thing happens every day in every city in America. I think it makes the news because it's a hospital. If it were Roy's Hotdogs, no one would bat an eye.
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