LAT:Why Supervisors Let Deadly Problems Slide (King Drew Medical Center)

[NNguyenMD]

Why Supervisors Let Deadly Problems Slide
By Mitchell Landsberg, Times Staff Writer
• Fearful of provoking black protests, they shied away from imposing tough remedies on inept administrators. 'We have failed the community,' one board veteran acknowledges.

From the beginning, King/Drew was to be something special — a hospital that reflected African American achievement and power, a model for urban hospitals nationwide.

But within three years, it had become clear that, for all the aspirations the hospital represented, it was falling far short. At times, instead of healing its patients — almost all of them black and Latino — it was killing and maiming them.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-kdday5dec09,1,5150845.story?coll=la-home-headlines

This is the last part of an incredible 5 part series, but I urge you to read part 1 first. Arguably the best investigative journalism in a long while.

[goclark]

1. King Drew will be missed in Los Angeles

It talks about the problems but I remember it in its glory days.

There is no quality health care for the poor.

[NNguyenMD]

2. umm...I hope you read the entire first part at least. They're not just

problems. We're talking about widespread negligence and blatant corruption among its employees and staff. Cook County Hospital in Chicago, even more dilapidated, torn down, and underfunded than King/Drew, had an incredible record of world class healthcare delivery.

I do not mean to patronize you, I just urge you to read the article in its entirety and the rest of the 5 part series. This hospital is outright killing this community with the most callous, negligent, substandard healthcare some can only imagine possible.

[goclark]

4. Not patronized at all

I believe we are saying the same thing.
King Drew was a wonderful hospital when it opened.
Many of the finest physicians worked there.
I knew many of them.

As I stated, the Los Angeles Community NOW has NO hospital/health care for the poor. Many of the poor that surround King Drew are now traveling many more miles to get to other hospitals that are not up to the task.

Those hospitals are so overloaded that they will soon be cast in the same light as King Drew.

I know Supervisor Burke, Maxine Waters and most of the others mentioned. They are all fine people but the problem is overwhelming for anyone but God to fix.

Sinai should in no way be compared to King Drew. Sinai has the FULL support of a RICH community. The best doctors in the world want to be there. Money pours into Sinai. The members of the Board of Directors and the physicians go to Sinai as patients, as do their families and friends. That makes a HUGE difference.

King has suffered from neglect from many sources. The blame should not just be put at the feet of Supervisor Burke.

I do know this, health care all over Los Angeles is a mess. I have Blue Cross and I waited 6 hours to get served at the Emergency Center at Brotman in lovely Culver City. The nursing staff there is over worked and there is talk of closing it too.

The problems need to be FIXED IMMEDIATELY! It is a sin and a shame that it has come to this.

[NNguyenMD]

5. I appreciate it, and I'm glad we have an understanding.

Were you talking about Mount Sinai in the Upper East Side of New York City though? You're right b/c that is a very rich hospital, and very well funded, surrounded by an affluent communty.

But I was talking about Cook County Hospital in Chicago, which has an excellent reputation in healthcare delivery to the community it serves, and like King/Drew, is situated in a similar type of community, urban minority population. Its also a high volume trauma center and is home to one of the top academic centers for trauma surgery in the nation. Of course not all hospital can be like Cook County, and Cook is probably more of the exception than the rule.

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/332/18/1242

As much as King/Drew Medical Center is a symbol of accomplishment, and pride, radical change needs to be done if this hospital is going to be viable again. They need get rid of this culture of mediocrity and callousness, and that will call for tough decisions, such as firing a lot of people who have made that place so terrible.

[goclark]

6. Cedars Sinai in Los Angeles

I was talking about Cedars in Los Angeles where all the movie stars go.

http://www.csmc.edu/

Thanks for providing the article for us.

[NNguyenMD]

3. if possible please read part ONE first, its a comprehensive investigation

and makes more sense reading it front to back in whole.