It's time to fix the health care system in southwestern Pennsylvania

[SteelCityDem]

Where are the voices adamantly opposed to federal or state control of health care? Are they not as worried that the three health care organizations in southwestern Pennsylvania are becoming a monopoly as they waste money, raise prices and premiums without restraint and generate unreasonable profits despite their nonprofit status?

For years the Pittsburgh region has had front row seats to a variant of professional wrestling known as "health care" -- a three-way main event involving Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, UPMC and West Penn Allegheny Health System (and their entourages).

I have been privileged to watch this act unfold for two decades through the lens of experience as an attending physician and professor at Harvard University, Duke University and the University of Pittsburgh and their affiliated health systems. My family and I also have been consumers of health care at all three institutions (and at West Penn Allegheny).

I have seen major increases in charges for medical care and major outlays for advertising and political influence designed to "win" control of the health care business here. While this contentious fight proceeds, the quality of care has worsened or stagnated despite growing premiums and profits. There are no winners, save for a few executives and administrators, their supporters and associated vendors.

Read more: http://post-gazette.com/pg/11135/1146394-109-0.stm?cmpid=newspanel#ixzz1MYJIw9DM

[Divernan]

1. Excellent commentary - he has to be "emeritus" to tell the truth

After waiting 4 months, I was fortunate to snag an appointment with one of the top specialists at UPMC - she rarely takes new patients. Her assistant/resident physician, who prescreens all patients, told me this doctor has to see 50, that is fifty, yes F-I-F-T-Y ! ! ! patients a day. As a specialist, of course her patients' have complex conditions and detailed health histories - oviously this doctor cannot give them her best - she just does the best she can.

But her employer, UPMC makes record profits (non-profit, my ass!) and has expanded facilities to the European Union and Saudi Arabia.

[PA Democrat]

2. UPMC is building a $240 million dollar hospital in Monroeville

less than a mile away from Forbes Regional. It's all about becoming a monopoly rather than offering the best and most economical patient care. Cut out the waste, the obscene advertising budgets, the excessive executive salaries, and health care may become affordable for a few more people.

[MrMickeysMom]

3. Try to get your House Rep to support Certificate of Need process

It's due to its sunset in 1997 that UPMC was even able to build less than 3 miles from Forbes Regional (West Penn Allegheny) campus.

the CON process would have stopped this nonsense. We will have an "F" service level intersection fail more, if that's possible. UPMC is not only a joke to work for, but they bring absolutely no tax base to Monroeville.

It is a winning situation for them, traffic nightmare for us, and no meaningful added tax base. Two out of three ain't bad, eh?

[demodonkey]

5. I would not take a sick stinkbug to Forbes Regional Hospital.

If I was lying in the middle of Haymaker Road with my Aorta rupturing and my last blood in my body exiting my circulatory system, with my last conscious breath I would tell the EMTs to absolutely NOT take me to Forbes.

I never ever want to go near that place again.

Please, PLEASE no snide comments because you don't know my whole story. And that's all I am saying for now.

[Curmudgeoness]

4. These health care organizations are not confined to Pittsburgh.

I am 70 miles north of Pittsburgh, and we are lucky to have two hospitals in our area. Both have been taken over or are somehow in alliance with UPMC or Allegheny. They tell us the care is so much better with these changes, but it is at a high cost. Now, instead of having the ability to treat many conditions, these hospitals just life flight people to Pittsburgh. At a high cost.

There are fewer and fewer choices for health care, as well as everything else, in all of western PA.