As a 30-year member of the medical staff at Union Hospital I was dismayed at how the Tribune-Star in a recent editorial discussed the “tarnished image” of Union Hospital.
I also am not entirely happy with the all-too-public and publicized conflict between Anthem and Union and both sides might have handled the situation differently, but it is important to point out some additional considerations.
Union Hospital is a not-for-profit health care provider that is governed by a non-paid Board of Directors made up of citizens of the Wabash Valley who donate incredible amounts of time to ensure that health care is available to all citizens of the Valley without regard to ability to pay.
Anthem is a division of Wellpoint the largest for-profit health insurance company in the United States. Their board of directors, as pointed out in the Monday edition of the Tribune-Star, receive stipends of hundreds of thousands of dollars per year. Anthem has been the largest profit-making company in Indiana for the last several years.
Union Hospital is by far the largest provider of charity and uncompensated care in the region. The hospital provides staffing and services to the St. Ann Clinic at no charge to ensure that the least able of our citizens have access to care. A sliding fee scale is also utilized to make care more affordable in many of its facilities.
The new Union Hospital that was financed through bonds and without outside capital is an investment in the future of Terre Haute. It is the largest building project in the history of Terre Haute and came at a time when the building trades were being devastated by the recession. As has been its tradition over many years the hospital chose to use local union contractors whenever possible for construction and that has undoubtedly helped stabilize our fragile local economy.
So I believe the image of Union is far from tarnished. What is tarnished is our health care delivery system that despite spending more that any other country in the world has resulted in a system whereby hospitals have to fight with insurance companies and the health care of our local citizens is on the line.
Let us all hope that health care reform ends the headlines and we can get about the business of delivering quality health care to all of our patients.
— James Buechler, M.D.
Terre Haute
Terre Haute losing an excellent doctor
Terre Haute is losing a terrific doctor. Dr. Monte Shaheen is leaving on July 31 for New Mexico to become involved in cancer research.
In our 60-plus years, we have known many doctors: those who seemed so incompetent you wouldn’t want them working on your pets; those who see dollar signs not people; those who confuse M.D. with GOD and heaven help you if you question or criticize them; and, luckily, those who really care.
Dr. Shaheen is not only a brilliant physician (oncology isn’t an easy specialty), but also a truly nice, caring person. He is really special.
You meet many people while waiting on the completion of a round of chemo and not one of his patients had a bad word to say about him. That’s something because it’s seldom so many people appreciate a doctor.
Our hope is that if he decides research isn’t exactly what he wants, he’ll come back to Terre Haute because we can always use a doctor of his caliber.
— Pete and Judy Purdy
Terre Haute
Don’t blame GOP for slowing reform
How arrogant and ignorant of the Tribune-Star to publish the editorial page cartoon showing the elephant (aka Republicans) saying, “Whoa there pal, slow it down” to the health-care reform snail that has been having his trail tracked since 1993.
The Democrats have a majority in the House, the Senate and the White House — but the Republicans are slowing it down?
I read your newspaper, I’m not stupid. But, as Jeremiah Wright says, maybe the “chickens are (indeed) coming home to roost.”
By the way, I have been unemployed for a year, and I have no health insurance.
— David Chubb
Marshall, Ill.
Moderate Muslims rejecting Sharia
Islam has two parts; Din (Religion) and Sharia (Islamic Law, Politics). Din teaches love and compassion, but Sharia mandates the subjugation, oppression and exploitation of women and non-Muslims. The Koran teaches both, Din and Sharia.
Moderate Muslims are troubled by Sharia, but it is intertwined with Din in the Koran. In order to reject Sharia, they have had to renounce Din also, despite the fact that the penalty for apostasy in Islam is death. Many individuals born into Islam have renounced Islam for this reason; prominent among such individuals are Ali Sina (www.faithfreedom.org), M.A.Khan (www.islam-watch.org), Ibn Warraq, author of the book “Why I am not a Muslim,” and Mark Gabriel, author of the book “Culture Clash: Islam’s War on the West.”
Many moderate Muslims have said that “they are against hate, not faith.” To prevent moderate Muslims like these from leaving the Religion of Islam (Din), some moderate but devout Muslims have formed a group, called “Muslims against Sharia.” This group has a Web site, www.reformislam.org. This group is engaged in producing a New Koran, which omits the Sharia-related verses of the Koran.
— Ramachandra B. Abhyankar
Terre Haute
Palin appeals to common folks
The Bush Bashers (BBs) mock her; the New York Know it alls (NYKIAs) prissily belittle her; the Washington D.C. (WDCKIAs) ignore her.
But the BBs and the NYKNIAs better watch their step because she appeals to the common people. I believe the Democrat, the old-line Republicans, big spenders of our money, one and all, fear her. Those who say her recent retirement from the governorship of Alaska is bizarre hardly know north from south. Their challenge comes from the north.
I am contributing to her campaign and I urge all who read this do likewise. Sarah Palin, go for it.
— Warren W. Bowden
Terre Haute
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