[Vision2020] need for dialysis center (was which way to egress...)

[Jerry Weitz]

Bruce,
Consuelo and I are supporting Gritman's bid to acquire LHS.  The dialysis 
unit will not be sited at LHS. For us, Gritman is an outstanding rural 
hospital and a community asset.  Gritman serves our rural communities with 
health clinics.  Gritman is progressive and forward thinking.  For example, 
Gritman brought to our community a same day surgery center, a state of the 
art rehabilitation physical therapy facility, and presently is 
contemplating a dialysis unit and a wellness center.  Gritman will aid in 
securing long term care for our area which presently stretched.  Gritman's 
enhancements directely aid recruitment and retention of faculty and 
students at the University of Idaho.  I have been active in recruiting long 
term care providers to the area.  Two have looked closely at the LHS, 
talked with Gritman folks, and our Commissioners visited their Spokane 
sites.  One would require 20-40 acres and the other about 10 acres.  Both 
concluded that the present site is not worth bothering with and too cost 
inefficient to renovate.  The industry has to have the ability to change to 
market expectations.  A major reason LHS failed.  In doing research, they 
have discovered that Moscow's Good Sam had to spent 20% more for their 
additions because of Major Chaney's unbundling the development process.  It 
could very well be that they will look at Pullman would be my guess.  Jerry


At 09:39 PM 1/16/07, Bruce and Jean Livingston wrote:
>Pat,
>
>How valuable would it be, in terms of a community health care issue, to 
>have a dialysis center in Latah County?  I understand there isn't one here 
>at the current time.  Is that an important thing to have, or is it good 
>enough to have one in Spokane and Lewiston?
>
>In talking with Gritman representatives BJ Swanson and Jeff Martin, I 
>asked them about possible uses for LHS (if it were transferred to Gritman 
>and a nursing home operator did not come forward to run a nursing home 
>there as a sub-lessee of Gritman).  They responded that one of the things 
>that they were seriously contemplating as a use for some of the space was 
>a dialysis center.  Just how significant an addition to our community 
>would that be?
>
>Bruce Livingston
>----- Original Message -----
>From: <mailto:pkraut at moscow.com>Pat Kraut
>To: <mailto:vision2020 at moscow.com>vision2020
>Sent: Tuesday, January 16, 2007 9:21 PM
>Subject: Re: [Vision2020] [Bulk] Re: "Which Way To The Egress?" Barak Obama
>
>I have said this before but you may be new enough that you didn't see it 
>and it is too important for you to not know.
>I have two sons with failed kidneys. We have done the transplant dialysis 
>since 1985 it is expensive, painful and more of a heartache than you want 
>to think about. For someone to give their organs they must let their 
>family know they really want to give it isn't enough to put it on your 
>drivers license. AND that is because of tort claims in this country. The 
>hospitals are afraid they will be sued and Edwards is an attorney who has 
>done just that. He got a big award for something that is very 
>questionable. Waiting for a transplant is horrible. It is watching your 
>child, parent, loved one of any relation slowly sinking and in pain. Organ 
>doation is the greatest gift any one can give. BUT, less and less people 
>do it because of fear. And for me that is Edwards legacy.
>
>
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