Today's Courier editorial (see here) advises Plainfield should put its Muhlenberg anger aside.
Harumph!
The argument is that anger on the part of Plainfielders about Muhlenberg's closure is hampering 'crafting ongoing health and emergency services for the city'.
Where to begin?
First, anger is a great motivator. So, I would say 'Stay angry!', 'Mobilize!', it's the only way things really get done.
Secondly, it is not just Plainfielders who are angry over Muhlenberg's closure as a more careful reading by the Courier's editorial board would show. It is the 100,000 plus residents in the thirteen communities that depended on Muhlenberg who are angry.
As state officials themselves admitted, a full 40% of the beds lost last year came from the closure of Muhlenberg. That's not peanuts, folks. Folks are NOT upset about having an SED; they are upset at NOT HAVING a centrally located acute-care hospital facility for a sizeable and underserved population.
Thirdly, it is unwise of the Courier -- or anyone else for that matter -- to rely on statements by Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs about whether or not the satellite emergency department (SED) is 'working out'. Time was when newspapers would do their homework on the issue before accepting a blanket statement like that, especially from an elected official!
I have been told that, in fact, the SED IS WORKING OUT: staff is functioning efficiently, visits are up -- the only dark spot is that emergency transport times to other facilities have crept up from 61 minutes to 67 minutes. That ain't good.
If Mayor Robinson-Briggs were doing her duty by participating on the Muhlenberg board of which she is a member by virtue of her office, she would have access to the metrics which Solaris must keep, and would know the true status of the SED.
If the Courier hasn't the resources to check the facts out, we all end up being the losers.
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