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Crystal
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Crystal
Post Number: 102
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, September 16, 2004 - 01:09 pm: | 
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Don’t be surprised if we have another little uprising in L.A. The county board of supervisors are voting to close the trauma center at King/Drew Hospital in Watts. This is the place the military sends their medical personnel to train for taking care of war wounds – it’s that bad. And it was on the news this morning that the powers-that-be have taken the first step in revoking the hospital’s accreditation overall. This is the ONLY hospital in the bucket of blood and while its reputation has been horrible for years, it’s lovingly called “Killer King”, it’s all we got. Charles Drew Medical School, which has it’s own problems, is directly across the street from the hospital and the loss of accreditation for the hospital means the students won’t be able to practice there. People who work at the hospital have complained FOR YEARS that the County of L.A. does not put the funds and resources into King/Drew that they put in other hospitals in the area – shock and surprise! Doctors, nurses and technicians put in more time there than anywhere else because of the understaffing.
Folks are starting to mumble, grumble, spout and pout and you know how we do it: Burn Baby Burn!
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Cynique
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Cynique
Post Number: 1309
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, September 16, 2004 - 01:37 pm: |
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Well, Crystal, we'll see how your new Governor handles a riot situation. Does he have any National Guard units to call out, or are they all over in Iraq where the people there are also "rioting". Both places are examples of how America has failed. |
Crystal
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Crystal
Post Number: 103
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, September 16, 2004 - 02:03 pm: |
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Oh Lord Cynique I had forgotten about the Governator! He's a strange one and who knows how he'll react.
And the rest of y'all shouldn't be so smug about him because I've heard somebody's trying to push through legislation to change the requirements for President to include people who have been naturalized citizens for 20 years or more. That'll make Arnold legal and I've already seen Arnold for President signs on the news. Oy Vey! |
Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 1226
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, September 16, 2004 - 09:46 pm: |
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Crystal,
The son of a Nazi officer becomes Governor of the largest state of the World's most powerful nation, then perhaps maybe even the president of said nation.
Maybe the "bad guys" didn't lose World War II after all. |
Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 1229
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, September 17, 2004 - 07:30 am: |
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Crystal,
@ Why is the hospital accreditation subject to possible revocation?
@ Have the officials proposed temporary/permanent alternatives?
@ How do you know for certain the hospital has been denied its fairshare of funding/support?
@ What has the local media said about what's occurring? Anything? |
Chrishayden
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Chrishayden
Post Number: 634
Registered: 03-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, September 17, 2004 - 10:26 am: |
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Crystal:
I doubt if that incident alone will set off a riot. Usually riots or insurrections in the inner city follow some police excessive violence incident or another--
We had the same situation here about 25 years ago. They closed Homer Phillips Hospital, which was famed as a trauma center around the world--working with St. Louis Friday and Saturday night casualties (even white folks who got cut shot and stabbed were taken over there) physicians gained invaluable experience.
When they closed it the cops outnumbered the protestors. Black folks by then had all started bragging about how they didn't have to go to the "black" or "Po' folks" hospital.
It might contribute to such an incident, though. There is a very sullen mood in the streets, but it seems sort of unfocused.
The brothers and sisters might consider other means of expressing their discontent. They have gotten a lot better since '92 (the authorities) and with this Homeland Security Apparatus in place it could be rough going.
The Black Panther Party did not believe in riots and tried to disuade blacks from rioting. The Blackstone Rangers did, too, but for different reasons. |
Crystal
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Crystal
Post Number: 105
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, September 17, 2004 - 12:38 pm: |
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ABM [damn, what is this a Friday morning pop quiz?]:
@ failing to meet requirements for testing medical equipment, managing safety risks and keeping updated medical records … and other stuff.
@ closing the trauma center IS the alternative. The emergency room will remain open but the trauma center is where they treat the major stuff such as gunshot wounds and bad car accidents – of which there’s lots in the area.
@ I don’t have any numbers for you but Congresswoman Maxine Waters has said that closing the trauma center was a cynical attempt to divert money from King/Drew to other trauma centers. Plus there have been numerous discussions and even public demonstrations about this issue for years.
@ I haven’t seen anything from them but I haven’t checked this week’s Sentinel yet.
Closing the trauma center to keep the rest of the hospital operating may be the right answer. The perception is bad though.
Chris:
You’re right [man, you really are on a roll aren’t you] this in itself won’t start a riot and luckily a guilty verdict for Kobe won’t be an issue [yesterday somebody leaked part of a transcript from one of the initial D.A. interviews with Kobe first saying he didn’t have sex with that woman, then reversing himself but saying he didn’t want his wife to know, then saying he has had sex with another woman too]. Yea, we gotta be careful because folks are complaining that with the Homeland Security stuff the LAPD is cockier than ever.
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Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 1234
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, September 17, 2004 - 02:53 pm: |
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Crystal,
Sorry. Hope I didn't max-out your neurons just prior to your getting to toss-back a couple TGIF drinks. But I was just trying to get a lil' mo' info. before I tried to offer any (meaningful?) commentary.
The reasons you cited for why the accreditation being pulled do seem consistent with shortages in staffing/resources. Thus, it seems to me the hospital administrators should have provide evidence of such to effectively rebut the charges that have been brought against the hospital.
What I meant by "alternatives" was how will the need for services resulted from the closure of Drew's trauma center be supplemented? Are there other nearby trauma centers that can adequately manage the probable increased workload? Because if there are no adequate alternatives, it seems everyone - the public, politicians, business owners, etc. - stand to loose from the closure of the center.
Is the hospital primarily funded via state/county funds? If so, their financial statements should be available for public viewing (probably via main public library). They would tell you whether monies are in fact being diverted elsewhere. If you have a friend who is a local CPA, ask her or him to check it out for you.
I am hard pressed to believe things have gotten this far WITHOUT any media attention. Because if this center provides such vital/unique services, I would think that this story 'should be' (operative phrase) receiving regular/ongoing news coverage.
I agree with Chris that this issue won't likely elicit a riot. Although, considering the gravity of the issues you present, perhaps this issue warrant even more public outcry (sans rioting/looting, of course) than did the details of some drunken, no-count a-hole getting his tail kicked by cops. |
Crystal
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Crystal
Post Number: 106
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, September 17, 2004 - 03:25 pm: |
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ABM,
This isn’t an isolated situation. The whole County is in trouble with its hospitals, especially the trauma centers. In the last 25 years the number of trauma centers have gone down from 23 to 13 and most of these have been in the inner cities.
The King/Drew administrators and staff HAVE been voicing their disagreement with the findings or at least giving their reasonings and the media has been reporting on the situation for a while now. The problem is that nobody but us darkies that it will affect seem to care. This has been going on for years and yes they have big problems but the fact is that lives are being saved there every day. Emergency response personnel are saying lots more will be lost if the trauma center closes and they have to travel further [remember this is L.A. traffic – even with the sirens going] to get folks to a hospital. There is another hospital a few miles away and their administrators have already said they can't take up the slack because they are already overwhelmed.
OK, enough seriousness – rum and coke please bartender. Don’t worry I’m not driving.
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Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 1236
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, September 17, 2004 - 03:51 pm: |
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Crystal,
Yeah. What you cite is both unfortunate but all-too familiar and common.
You know, we Black people are inexorably being compelled to realize that there will be a deep/utter lessening of the overall degree/quality of help/attention from our public/governmental systems.
But aight, sistah gurl. Enuffah dat. Here's your rum/Coke. And I'll have vodka, a spritz of cranberry juice and a twist of lime.
And don't worry about how you're going to get around. Cuz I'll have a car take you home, ma. Or you can go 'riding' with me. <wink> |
Crystal
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Crystal
Post Number: 107
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, September 17, 2004 - 04:00 pm: |
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ABM: thanks for the offer of a ride. Are you sure you're wife [remember her?] won't mind? Wait a minute. Thanks anyway but I see a big hunk of dark honey at the end of the bar giving me the eye - I might have some action! |
Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 1238
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, September 17, 2004 - 04:05 pm: |
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Oh. Don't worry about her. I'm sure she and her boyfriend won't mind.
But hey, if you got another homie in mind, do your thang baby. Jus' so long as you don't 'spect me to cover your bar tab. (hehe!) |
Chakrya
Newbie Poster
Username: Chakrya
Post Number: 4
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, September 24, 2004 - 10:57 am: |
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Hi folks
This mightn't have made your local news, but it hit the papers (The Guardian) in London.
Civil wrongs
Decades after the Watts riots, life for the people of South Central Los Angeles is as tough as ever - and now they are losing their only good medical facility, reports Dan Glaister
Friday September 24, 2004
Next year sees the 40th anniversary of the Watts riots - or rebellion, depending on your politics. Among the hottest points of the civil rights struggles of the 1960s, the riots were condemned by the white establishment at the time as one of the largest outbreaks of mass looting ever seen, involving an estimated 50,000 people.
Almost 40,000 police and national guard officers confronted the rebels/rioters as the authorities reacted belatedly and heavy handedly. Of the 34 people who died during the six days of unrest, 28 were African-American.
After the event, despite the tepid recommendations of the official McCone commission, orthodoxy swung behind the more liberal interpretation of events: the Watts riots had been a "rebellion of rising expectations" fuelled by poverty, racial injustice, a lack of services and the awareness that Watts, Willowbrook and Compton, predominantly African-American areas of Los Angeles that were later renamed South Central, were being left behind.
The McCone commission, while largely dismissed as a whitewash, did produce one legacy, a legacy that has returned Watts and the events of almost 40 years ago to the news this week.
Three years after the riots and just six days after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr, work began on the construction of what came to be called the King/Drew medical centre, a response to the catastrophic lack of services for the local community. The 500-bed hospital, serving 1.5 million people, opened in March 1972.
Since then the proud hopes of the King/Drew medical centre have given way to less edifying stories of mismanagement, corruption, and inefficiency. Lurid tales have abounded in the press: the use of stun guns to subdue patients on psychiatric wards, the avoidable deaths of four patients on a single ward last summer, operating instruments being stitched up inside patients, and filthy wards. The outcry over the state of what became known as "killer King" became vociferous and ceaseless.
Yet a beacon shone out of the rubble of the hospital's original aims. The pride of the medical centre was its trauma unit. The unit, additional to the emergency room, specialised in the treatment of violent injuries such as gunshot wounds, stabbings and car accidents. It treated 2,150 patients last year and was the busiest and best trauma unit in the country.
However, at a press conference last week hospital officials announced that the trauma centre was to be shut down as part of an attempt to rationalise the chaotic state of the institution and prevent the closure of the entire facility. Faced with demands to make the hospital pay or see it lose federal funding, the LA county health director and the local supervisors charged with overseeing the institution chose to lop off the healthiest part of the organism.
Arguing that the work of the trauma centre placed an undue strain on the rest of the hospital, Thomas Garthwaite, the health director, proposed that closure was the only way to achieve the reforms demanded by the federal funders, who provide half of the hospital's $400m (£222m) annual budget. "It's like driving your car on the edge of a cliff," he told the LA Times. "Anything can just push it over."
His proposal provoked the fury of those who use the trauma centre and those who are aware of its political importance, both as a product of the uprising of 1965 and as a vital tool in the fight against crime in areas that were once called ghettos.
The authors of the reform plan took a step back this week and announced a period of public consultation on the plans, but that was a faint victory for its opponents: Californian law obliges the authorities to consult publicly on such a decision.
With the health authorities already agreeing to place the institution under the control of an outside management firm for a year, the prospects for the trauma unit seem fragile. If it closes, the numerous and overwhelmingly poor local victims of shootings and stabbings will have to take themselves further afield to get the necessary medical attention - precisely the situation the hospital's founders aimed to alleviate when they responded to the causes of the Watts riots.
"As we approach the 40th anniversary of the Watts riots, I see a convergence of so many problems - not just the hospital but in public housing, law enforcement," Tim Watkins, a local activist, told the LA Weekly. "Evidently, the solution to poverty is to displace the poor. We're not fixing the problem, we're exacerbating it."
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Crystal
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Crystal
Post Number: 116
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, September 24, 2004 - 02:15 pm: |
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Thanks for this Chakrya and welcome to the Board!
This article describes exactly what is happening. Folks are upset. How ironic if the closing the hospital that was born out of the '65 riots spurred another one? There is a slight difference though – the area is probably mostly Hispanic now and I’m not sure how that will change the political dynamics or folks reactions. |
Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 1366
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, September 24, 2004 - 04:23 pm: |
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Ladies,
I think there are several issues that have caused the closure of the King/Drew’s Trauma ward.
@ Trauma care is by its very nature amongst the most costly form of hospital care. The work is fast moving and chaotic, which cause costly inefficiencies. What is more expensive for a hospital to do than to save a person who dying of a gunshot wound to their head?
@ People who require trauma care the most of amongst the poorer, underinsured people. So not only must the hospitals provide costly services they must do so for people who are least capable of paying.
@ And those poor people typically recover at the hospital. Again, heaping unrecoverable expenses on the hospital.
Also, I think the change in the local demographics from primarily Black to Hispanic may have also contributed to the Trauma Center closure.
The Hispanics are likely less motivated to save the hospital because they are less connected to the historical importance of the hospital than perhaps their Black predecessors.
Also, Hispanic are (I’m generalizing.) typically less politically active than Blacks because 1) They don’t have as troublesome a history here in the US as Blacks and 2) They fear calling too much attention to themselves because many of them have questionable citizen/residency status. |
Chakrya
Newbie Poster
Username: Chakrya
Post Number: 5
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, September 27, 2004 - 09:05 am: |
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Thanks Crystal. I've been here a while though (Lurkerette)
It sounded to me like they were trying to not attract too much attention by closing the hospital slowly - department by department. |
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