The Road Ahead

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Mark Kindt
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The Road Ahead

Postby Mark Kindt » Tue Dec 11, 2018 9:55 am

"The Healthiest City In America"

Last summer, as the city administration began dismantling Lakewood Hospital, the mayor was quoted to the affect that Lakewood was on its way to becoming "The Healthiest City In America."

In this Deck series, we are going to try and take a look at some of the future healthcare issues in our community.

Becoming the healthiest city in America is certainly a laudable goal to aspire to and to achieve.

Is this goal realistic or is this "goal" just more professional (and quite Orwellian) public relations jibber-jabbering?

Three years ago in December 2015, the City of Lakewood made its definitive exit from community hospital-based health care.

What now?


Mark Kindt
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Re: The Road Ahead

Postby Mark Kindt » Tue Dec 11, 2018 11:11 am

Fewer Healthcare-related Jobs

As the City of Lakewood transitions to its new model of healthcare, that healthcare will be delivered by fewer healthcare employees -- more than 1,000 less jobs.

Net Job Loss 2015 to 2017.jpg
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Mark Kindt
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Re: The Road Ahead

Postby Mark Kindt » Tue Dec 11, 2018 12:39 pm

Insuring the Uninsured

The public policy that provides more available healthcare insurance to the uninsured is probably the single most important step that the City of Lakewood can take to achieve its goal of healthiest city in America.

This is a hypothetical example of what those needs and costs might look like. As I gather more data, I hope to refine this analysis. This is in the range of the achievable.
Ballpark Cost of Insuring the Uninsured.jpg
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Mark Kindt
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Re: The Road Ahead

Postby Mark Kindt » Tue Dec 11, 2018 3:10 pm

So What Is It?

Now that Lakewood has a new model of healthcare, well, what exactly is it?

How will it lead Lakewood to becoming the healthiest city in America?

How will it help the medically-uninsured?

What role does the City of Lakewood have, if any?


Stan Austin
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Re: The Road Ahead

Postby Stan Austin » Tue Dec 11, 2018 4:50 pm

There is no new model of health care. Never was.

Instead of a Level 2 trauma center we have a couple of 24 hour drug stores to attend to any of your emergencies.

Any kind of health insurance is only as good as its practicable availability. That's gone.

And, here's a kicker--- when I was in the hospital it was easy for friends to come by and visit, boost my spirits. That's a goner, too.

You can attach a dollar amount to all of this but the willful destruction of Lakewood's humanity is incalculable

Stan Austin


Mark Kindt
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Re: The Road Ahead

Postby Mark Kindt » Tue Dec 11, 2018 4:52 pm

A Few More Questions For The List

Now that the city administration and the civic leadership have committed to the new model of healthcare delivery, how will its success (or failure) be measured?

As the city administration pursues its goal of making Lakewood the healthiest city in America, how will that be measured?

Who will establish the criteria for the measurement of "healthiest"?

Who will do the measuring? How much will that cost?

How transparent will these processes be?

(Recall that the processes that led to the closure of Lakewood Hospital began as early as 2012 and had virtually no transparency until litigation was brought.)


Mark Kindt
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Re: The Road Ahead

Postby Mark Kindt » Tue Dec 11, 2018 6:09 pm

Stan Austin wrote:There is no new model of health care. Never was.

Instead of a Level 2 trauma center we have a couple of 24 hour drug stores to attend to any of your emergencies.

Any kind of health insurance is only as good as its practicable availability. That's gone.

And, here's a kicker--- when I was in the hospital it was easy for friends to come by and visit, boost my spirits. That's a goner, too.

You can attach a dollar amount to all of this but the willful destruction of Lakewood's humanity is incalculable

Stan Austin


Mr. Austin, I recognize your points here.

In February 2019, Lakewood Hospital will have been closed for three years and, by then, well on the way to complete demolition.

My perspective is now to review the present situation as it now exists and to understand the likely consequences for the future.

We've had consultant-study after consultant-study. While I disagree with the outcome, I live here just as you do.

A lot of very sincere, well-meaning, and committed citizens have worked to create the Healthy Lakewood Foundation.

A younger generation is addressing these tasks. Let us give them some room.


Mark Kindt
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Re: The Road Ahead

Postby Mark Kindt » Sat Dec 15, 2018 10:44 am

Covering The Uninsured -- More Important Than Ever

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national ... 9d846c5054

The Affordable Care Act may be on the road to full repeal in the federal court system.

The city administration and 2015 city council made the extreme decision to abandon about $6,900,000 in annual charity care from its public community hospital. Moreover, they made the decision to permanently end even the possibility of any local acute-care charity care at all by demolishing our hospital.

With more than 10% of the Lakewood population without medical-coverage, how will Lakewood ever become the healthiest city in America?

Is this even in the realm of possibility at all or is this just more sloganeering from the city administration as Mr. Austin has suggested?


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Jim O'Bryan
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Re: The Road Ahead

Postby Jim O'Bryan » Sat Dec 15, 2018 11:08 am

Mark Kindt wrote:With more than 10% of the Lakewood population without medical-coverage, how will Lakewood ever become the healthiest city in America?

Is this even in the realm of possibility at all or is this just more sloganeering from the city administration as Mr. Austin has suggested?



Mr. Kindt

Of course this was all just another lie. A lie they needed to confuse the average Lakewoodite long enough to make the funds and hospital disappear.

"You can't close the hospital" said the residents. "Healthcare is changing, we are now dedicated to being the healthiest city on America." said City Hall and sycophants.


I am always amazed when people reporting news report that Trump is lying. Of course he is.

The same is true with 99% of the public statements from City Hall. just look at everything they say, and the facts. They never line up, never.


It was all just a charade until it was closed, deal done, and no going back. Whew funds successfully privatized.

Let's not forget The Healthiest City Hall in America... brought us the "nicest Taco Bell anywhere" on Arthur and Detroit.


They only know how to spin, facts a mediocre achievements as rocket surgery and cures for cancer. They do not understand not only should City Halls not lie, it is not needed. Do you job, and residents will judge or not the outcome for themselves. They only reason to lie and cover-up, is for elections, and to cover up really bad things.

A month ago, some public art appeared at Sloane and Detroit. As with all art, some liked it, some did not. But the city, overreacts to the discussion in their desperate need to control the narrative, to nicest, healthiest, etc. Issue a release of all of the great things this art does. High up in the list was "Reduces crossing distances." No the distance between the corners, and the sidewalk did not change 1/110th of an inch. There are now Bullocks, (dumb objects to get in the way of traffic) in the street. making the car zone smaller, but crossing distances did not change 1/110th of an inch. Why crow about it? Why make shit up, when you do not have to.

Healthiest City! more $$$$$$ lost in their game of 3-card-monte.

.


Jim O'Bryan
Lakewood Resident

"The very act of observing disturbs the system."
Werner Heisenberg

"If anything I've said seems useful to you, I'm glad.
If not, don't worry. Just forget about it."
His Holiness The Dalai Lama
Bridget Conant
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Re: The Road Ahead

Postby Bridget Conant » Sat Dec 15, 2018 12:22 pm

Reduces crossing distances." No the distance between the corners, and the sidewalk did not change 1/110th of an inch


Oh god, that made me laugh. It’s shorter now to walk from Blackbird to the top of Detroit Hill?

They all deserve jobs in the Trump administration.

Hey Summers! Hey Butler! I hear there is a Chiefs of Staff opening in DC and you would be perfect for it!


Mark Kindt
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Re: The Road Ahead

Postby Mark Kindt » Sat Dec 15, 2018 4:27 pm

Here's The Logical Reality Check

For more than 100 years, the City of Lakewood provided the infrastructure for acute-care inpatient hospital services including the provision of significant charity care. The City of Lakewood officially abandoned that role shortly before Christmas in 2015. (It was privately abandoned earlier.)

Three years later, we can see that the City of Lakewood has no budgeted funds to advance its goal of "healthiest city in America". Yes, it has a "header", but there are no funds for it described in the 2019 Budget.

We know the opposite is happening and, of course, the budget confirms this. An award-winning heritage and community hospital is being cannibalized for commercial development for which there is slight need.

Funds received from the closure of Lakewood Hospital by the City are NOT being used for any health-care purpose at all. No, folks, they are being used to demolish the hospital.

While Lakewood may yet become "the healthiest city in America", I would not hold my breath for too long. We have not moved beyond mere sloganeering yet.

Here are the relevant strategic objectives from the City 2019 Budget. Full budget attached below as a PDF.
2019-City-of-Lakewood-Budget-Document 9.jpg
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2019-City-of-Lakewood-Budget-Document 10.jpg
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Attachments
2019-City-of-Lakewood-Budget-Document.pdf
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Mark Kindt
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Re: The Road Ahead

Postby Mark Kindt » Sun Dec 16, 2018 11:16 am

Let's Keep Score On Progress

Scorecard -- Healthiest City In America.jpg
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Mark Kindt
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Re: The Road Ahead

Postby Mark Kindt » Thu Apr 18, 2019 1:21 pm

City To Advise Local Restaurants On Menus

Looks like the same folks that dumped our award-winning, heritage public hospital are at it again.

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=25223

Those individuals and families in need for local charity hospital care or other acute-need healthcare services will just have to do by making better food choices until we can get those upscale town homes completed for the incoming wealthy residents.

The City's initiative on this is risible* and should be met with the derision that it deserves.

______________
* risible = LOL


Bridget Conant
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Re: The Road Ahead

Postby Bridget Conant » Thu Apr 18, 2019 1:43 pm

Those individuals and families in need for local charity hospital care or other acute-need healthcare services will just have to do by making better food choices until we can get those upscale town homes completed for the incoming wealthy residents.


Yes, and those who are needy are not the individuals who can frequent restaurants on a regular basis.


cmager
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Re: The Road Ahead

Postby cmager » Thu Apr 18, 2019 2:13 pm

Bridget Conant wrote:
Those individuals and families in need for local charity hospital care or other acute-need healthcare services will just have to do by making better food choices until we can get those upscale town homes completed for the incoming wealthy residents.

Yes, and those who are needy are not the individuals who can frequent restaurants on a regular basis.

Perhaps they will simply select a healthier population, where everyone is above average. Can they redline the community based on BMI, blood pressure, or pre-existing conditions?



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