Fat and stupid MineralMan waxes philosphically about why Ebola seems to be showing up in American Hospitals and why health care workers are catching it. Is it because we allowed people into the country that were sick? Nope. Is it because the CDC has blinders on about the possibility of an outbreak? Nope.
It's because Hospitals are run my 'business' Administrators...
MineralMan (67,681 posts) http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025668129
One of the real problems with Ebola and U.S. hospitals is that most for-profit and many non-profit hospitals do not have medically-trained people in the top management jobs. Instead, those jobs are filled by MBA folks and bean-counters. They are the people who make the decisions about how the hospital is run in most cases. Since medical staff cannot override directives from the non-medical management team, situations like what has happened in Dallas are always a threat.
When budgetary matters override medical decisions, the result can be deadly. Preparing for something like Ebola is very costly, requiring expensive items to properly protect staff members who will actually have to care for patients. In addition, policies designed to keep uninsured patients from being admitted can lead to people being sent home who should have been admitted.
So, many hospitals have minimal or no preparations for worst-case situations. Management resists costly preparations, so they don't happen. That's very probably the situation at the hospital in Texas. Decisions made by non-medical management override the wishes of the medical staff. Management simply does not understand medical needs, and only concerns itself with budgetary matters. It's a prescription for serious problems.
repackaged DNC propaganda about how "Republican Cuts Kill"
boston bean (21,566 posts)
1. So, it was common sense to question what others were saying, right?
ie, that our health system is the best in the world and we can handle an outbreak and know what to do.... We all know that is complete and utter bullshit at this point and time.
BB takes a break from waxing over vaginas to call ObamaCare crappy...
MineralMan (67,681 posts)
3. Actually, we do know what to do.
Not every hospital or area, however, is properly equipped to do what we know how to do. What we know is that two health care workers have contracted Ebola at this particular hospital. On the other hand, no health workers contracted it at other hospitals where Ebola patients were treated.
We do know how to handle this. Whether we will actually do what we know, however, is a matter of individual health care facilities. I suspect that what has happened in Texas is going to be a real wake-up call for other facilities. I also know for a fact that the major hospitals in the Minneapolis St. Paul area are well prepared. They've even been running drills to test their preparedness, and have the materials needed on hand and ready. They have specific teams in place to respond to any Ebola patient who might turn up. The Twin Cities have about 20,000 residents who are immigrants from the affected areas in Africa. There is travel between here and there, as well.
Earlier this year, a Lassa Fever case was handled in the Twin Cities. The patient survived and no health care workers were infected. So, yes, we know what to do with hemorrhagic viral diseases. If we do what is needed, they can be handled safely.
Different places are doing different things. However, the current problem in Texas is evidence that better preparedness is required. Will the lesson be learned and followed in other places. In some, yes. In others, I suspect not.
So, what preparations are being made where you live? Do you know? Let us know what you discover.
What?
marions ghost (17,570 posts)
2. You are probably right
I hope some in-depth investigating is done on this... People need to realize the vulnerabilities of medical care that is too tightly bound to the bottom line. Surgical intervention may be needed.
We should nationalize the healthcare industry!
