Reader says Valley should focus on being a Community Hospital and stop the race to nowhere
by Thed
I’ve seen a lot of comments on this blog that people should stop going to Valley, stop using doctors that go to Valley, etc. to try to send the hospital a message.
Unfortunately, I don’t think they would receive that message. The truth of the matter is that most people are not going to stop going to Valley due to this issue. Most will continue using Valley as they always do, but maybe not be happy doing it.
I have no problem with most of the doctors, staff, etc. that work at Valley. I have a serious problem with the administration. They are tone deaf, their embarrassment of attorney Drill should actually be named Tool based on his immature and annoying behavior during the previous legal proceedings, and unless you have a financial interest in Valley, I would think that most residents that were indifferent to Valley’s expansion are now seriously opposing it.
The truth of the matter is, based on my observations about convenience etc., Valley’s arguments that it needs to double its size etc. to compete and to serve the community are irrational. Most people will go to the local medical establishments in their communities. Valley does not need to increase their draw to compete with the megahospitals in the region. If they continue on the path they have followed for the past half a century and focus on the local community and stop the race to nowhere, they could modestly improve over time and still be successful.
Very well said. And if they can’t do that, move to where they can.
Really?
Valley IS the local medical establishment and as such it needs to provide the
resources nessessary to provide that care. when was the last itme you went to the ER? it’s a zoo show….outdated and overcrowded EXACTLY because that’s where people go when they need care. your analysis of the past half century is moot.
how exactly do you “improve” on the future when your stuck in the past????
economies of scale are whats in the future for valley…and they have my support.
Valley has not been a community hospital for the benefit if Ridgewood residents only for a good many years it is a regional hospital. As for the emergency room it has been upgraded some time ago with out anyone complaining.
Good for you. The ER at Valley, on most days/nights is no where near the “zoo show” it once was. Ask them.
If they are looking for “economies of scale,” then what the hell are they doing trying to build something on a site that can’t handle it ?
2- economies of scale? Really? How are they going to get economies of scale with what they propose to do?
Supposedly, traffic is going to “decrease” if they do the project. Yeah right.
It’s not Ridgewood’s fault that Valley’s execs do not know how to plan. Why should we have to put up with an out of place expansion that no homeowner could do just because they want to.
It’s been said before many times— what’s Valley’s plan for the future if they were to get what they want now?? There is no more room here. Why not just cut their losses now and invest in the right location like the hospital in Princeton? Very similar situation but handled very differently by Valley execs.
They bought all these properties in Paramus that are in appropriate settings for large commercial buildings. They should use them. I’m sure they will once their suit is tossed.
Thed.
What ever happened to “family doctors” and “community hospitals”? Follow the money. That’s what Valley is doing. I just wish that they would drop the pretense that any of this is for the good of the community. Economics are also why threats that VH may abandon this market ring hollow. They may or may not shift a couple of miles away to Paramus, but there is little fear that they will abandon their lucrative customer base.
Do recall that Valley tried to buy the license of Pascack Valley for $2 million in order to terminate and keep it CLOSED, arguing up to 2013 decision that there were too many available health care services and beds in the region.
Richard Keenan, Valley’s chief financial officer and senior vice president, said in his testimony “Most nights there are approximately 300 unoccupied hospital beds in Bergen County,” Some remaining hospitals “are still running at dangerously low occupancy levels,”
“The bed need study that we conducted again shows that opening another hospital in the most overbedded county in the state makes no sense,” said Valley CEO Audrey Meyers.
From a Valley lawyer at the time : ‘The board of trustees and the leadership of The Valley Hospital continue to believe that the opening of a new hospital ( PV) during an era of health care reform, declining hospital reimbursement, reduced patient hospitalizations, insignificant population growth and a challenging economy is wrong for the health care system of Bergen County,” “The latest numbers show that there will be no increase in demand for health care, and a new hospital will only hurt existing hospitals.”
So Valley basically argued that Pascack Valley wasn’t inherently beneficial to the region given healthcare surpluses but knowing that PV’s continued closure was inherently beneficial to Valley accumulating additional profits .
PV hearings exposed Valley’s ulterior motives and any pretense of altruism. The embarrassing double talk of Valley, the repeated attempts to shove through an overbuild and now this wasteful suit has alienated this community
Valley enjoys a coveted address and gracious host but its rather affluent residents are also educated and attentive and not willing to let the detriments of unbridled expansion degrade their town. Valley always had their support and ability to properly renew but their aspirations to be a regional behemoth needed to be thoughtfully planned especially given past rulings and guidance about limitations which they obviously choose to disregard.
Technology today allows the option of operating a right sized base with satellites , Valley could take this route or materially expand at another location as some other regional hospitals did. No legitimate rationale exists for any huge expansion not to be in a suitable location. Poor planning or arrogance are not a basis for an overbuild.
The existing building of HUMC PV was totally renovated with the newest technology for $80mil . Valley is a larger structure as is so the cost would be proportionately higher but a proper renewal would result in large scost avings that can be reinvested elsewhere. Valley and its trustees should take a cue from others and embark on a proper renewal at Van Dien and other options before they lose whatever is left of their goodwill and rank.
The Village of sRidgewood should explore removing Valley’s tax exempt status. A smaller Pascack Valley pays about $2 million in property taxes to Westwood. The level of charity care provided by Valley is already minimal as they operate in a affluent area, Valley is a fraction of what is being provided to the uninsured and indigent by St Joes, Hackensack and Englewood and the Affordable Act should result in even less direct charity care. Meanwhile, the executive compensation numbers of Valley appear to have risen substantially over the years. The hospital had the audacity to file a hostile suit in an attempt to bully our reps and taxpayers after this town spent so much time and monies doing its due diligence on ridiculous over the top applications.. I think the time of being such a supportive host and subsidizing this entity has passed. Some might see a challenge as vindictive and as low handed as Valley tactics . I understand but I see a farce and an issue that is long overdue for discussion given defined requirements for tax exempt status and expense burdens placed on this town. I hope that our representatives or a civic group will consider exploring the merits of a challenge because it appears warranted.
Great letter by # 8. Unfortunately, the idea that Valley cares about “goodwill” is really out the window.
For #8. A minor correction and a few tadditional tidbits. Cost of renovating and reequipping Pascack Valley cost $96mil not $80. Throw in $45 mil purchase price and Hackensack acquired a modernized 400,000 sq ft hospital on over twenty acres with proper setbacks off a major arterial road amid a well populated area for apprx. $141mil. It took thirteen months to renovate and reopen. They are marketed as a community based hospital that serves the local area and parts of Rockland County and are part of a the larger network of HUMC though Hackensack is only 35% owner. As a for profit , they pay taxes to local municipailty, county and state yet still offer many community services for which they won the 2014 Good Neighbor Award.
Let’s give Valley a Bad Neighbor award. What would it look like?
All well said.
One word in particular stood out for me.
#9’s “farce” says it all.
#2 – Do you live in Ridgewood? If so, Valley has already told you that they don’t care about you. They have already raised your property taxes while they pay none. They have told you that the town you live in should bear the burden of a diminished lifestyle and overtaxed infrastructure for the good of the region. So why again do you support them?
We should be asking the same of Council members Hauck and Pucciarelli. They were elected by the taxpayers of Ridgewood to serve Ridgewood’s best interests. I would love to hear a statement from each on where they stand on this lawsuit.
Currently their continuing to serve on the Council is a massive conflict of interest given their prior involvement with Valley. Unless they come out and state publicly that they side unconditionally with Ridgewood in this lawsuit, they should both resign immediately.
Could someone please post the oath that they swore when they took office? I’d be curious to see what they promised with their hand over a bible.