UPMC Braddock closing (Jeannette, Homestead: new home, salary, budget)

[neurodistortion]

I think UPMC bought the hospital with the intention of closing it in the long run, just as Cedar Fair bought Geauga Lake with the intention of closing down that park a few years later.

[Scientist Mom]

I do have to admit though, UPMC Bradoock is the closest hospital to me and I do not want to go there.

[Geeo]

I'm kind of surprised it held on for as long as it did. Braddock has gone from a population of 20,000 or so fifty or sixty years ago to about 2,000 today. And most of the people in the immediate area didn't use the hospital, but went to other UPMC facilities. The UPMC hospital megalopolis of Oakland/Shadyside is so close by and specialized care is available at those places.

[neurodistortion]

Excela Health out here in Greensburg has kind of a monopoly with all of the hospitals here in Westmoreland County. When they bought Jeannette Hospital, they turned it into an affiliate of nearby Westmoreland Hospital and then they are in the process of downscaling the emergency department into an urgent care center. I wonder why UPMC didn't go that route with Braddock.

[ferrarisnowday]

Originally Posted by Scientist Mom

I do have to admit though, UPMC Bradoock is the closest hospital to me and I do not want to go there.

How come?

[hempfield mania]

Forbes in Monroeville is part of the West Penn health system and will be in direct competition with the new UPMC hospital.

We have used Forbes for our second born and for some emergency visits and have no complaints so far. L & D rooms were recently renovated and we got to stay in it the entire time unlike Magee where we had to go to a gloomy, unflattering post partum room the next day that didn't even seem up to regular hospital room standards.

We will still go to Childrens for kids emergencies, as long as time isn't of any grave concern. They misdiagnosed a broken leg (toddler's fracture) in our then 18 mo. old daughter at Westmoreland Hospital. Saw the Children 's ortho group the next day in Wexford and the leg was casted within an hour.

My wife is in the healthcare field and abhors UPMC's monopoly. She worked on an LTAC floor for a couple years and pretty much got to take care of all of the surgery and misdiagnosed screw-ups from a lot of UPMC hospitals. Luckily, she is out of there and doesn't have to deal with that drive or the depressing environment anymore. Anyone read the Tribune Reviews series of articles last year and into this year focusing on UPMC's liver transplant "scam". I believe they even won some awards for that series of articles.

[Copanut]

Originally Posted by Hopes

As for Monroeville needing two hospitals, I suspect UPMC plans to close the existing one.

.

It's part of the West Penn Allegheny system, not UPMC.

[greg42]

Originally Posted by Hopes

As for Monroeville needing two hospitals, I suspect UPMC plans to close the existing one.

No, that's the thing. The other Monroeville hospital is West Penn Forbes Regional. The reason for a second hospital in Monroeville is to keep on killing the competition.

We had a decent experience at West Penn (main West Penn, in Bloomfield) a few months back. ER, admission, etc. They seemed thorough, perhaps overly so, but no long waits in the ER, etc. I don't hesitate to go to West Penn. If I was at/near home, I'd go to Beaver or Sewickley Valley, which together are a different group altogether. Presumably they have rebuffed UPMC out there; can't imagine that UPMC didn't try to buy those. West Penn can't afford to be acquiring anyone.

What UPMC is doing with doctor practices is what you really should be worried about. Ask a doctor whose practice has been bought out by UPMC if they are feeling good about what UPMC is insisting they do. Keeping time with each patient to 15 minutes, keeping anything that sounds like not the reason you came in that day to a separate visit, etc.

I don't understand how UPMC can maintain that it's not for profit. It acts in every way like an entity looking to squeeze out every last bit of profit as well as squash the competition.

[raubre]

Originally Posted by neurodistortion

Exactly, especially one that's within a mile of each other. Makes me wonder about the UPMC rumors that goes around when Century III's impending demise makes headlines. Keep in mind, Jefferson Hospital is less than two miles from there.

Doesn't UPMC own Jefferson (or have some partial ownership)?

[raubre]

Originally Posted by ferrarisnowday

How come?

To be honest, I live near Braddock Hospital and would rather not go there either. I doubt it's the hospital, it's probably the neighborhood.