Monday, June 27, 2005

Money Money Money…

It’s big money and bad idea time again. County and medical center budget time. The good news is the medical center is in decent financial shape; the bad news is Cambio Healthcare Solutions wrote the budget. They froze the hiring of caregivers again, so we’ll be using overtime and travelers in the many short-staffed departments. They need to keep cash available so they can hire more friends into fat executive positions and for legal fees.

Cambio got the medical center into what looks like a very long, very expensive legal battle with the psychiatrists and their union. The private contractor who wants the contract, the shrinks, and many of our temporary executives will all be deposing each other, meeting and conferring and generally building up more bad feelings and legal fees. Meanwhile, back at John George Psychiatric Pavilion, patients continue to back up in the psychiatric emergency area to dangerous levels and we don’t have enough permanent or temporary staff to care for them. Way to go Cambio!

So, this budget undoubtedly hides more than it reveals and the more eyes on it and our trusty trustees the better.

So the big budget meeting’s Tuesday, June 28th in Classroom A, Highland Hospital. They won’t tell us the time yet, but I’m sure the Sheriff knows. Just give the Sheriff a call or show up around 5:30 and wait with the rest of us.

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