Here in Roanoke – we have an interesting local issue regarding Health Care. The largest local hospital has announced a long range plan to associate most local doctors – what this means is the doctors will become employees of the hospital (or a subsidiary corporation) and they will no longer practice with or for their own independent professional corporations.
I have heard the force behind the change would be to create a facility focused on education and research. Well, that’s a nice thought – but without a state of the art medical school (see Duke / UVA), is that possible in Roanoke?
My other concern – how will the affect the price of Health Care in our community? As it is right now there is no regulation of costs – and it is merely the free market system that keeps costs where they are. If all the doctors charge the same corporate rates – won’t costs go up?
Also – what will this do for our uninsured brothers and sisters? Heaven forbid the corporation experience bad corporate management and have to close its doors. Well – all of our local doctors would essentially be unemployed – and would either have to move or quickly start their own practices.
I don’t know the answers to these questions, but I remain concerned and love would for someone to provide insight. Check out our local paper and today’s discussion: ://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/87450