>Yes! Dropping a patient who signs the petition makes perfect sense. Think about it…
What some of you, who are not physicians, fail to realize is that if Valley does not move ahead with their plans, one of the consequences will be that the hospital won’t be able to offer some of state-of-the-art equipment that would sustain Valley’s capabilities for decades to come. These are the unique resources that attract the best doctors and keep them at a hospital like Valley, instead of alternatives like Columbia Presbyterian.
Now follow me on this one…if you don’t support Valley’s plans by, say, not signing the petition, Valley won’t be able to purchase, install and support the most “cutting edge” technology. That in turn will make Valley a less desirable hospital for the “top” physicians, who can choose to practice anywhere they want, but, choose the relaxed setting of Ridgewood because Valley’s superior facilities make it unnecessary to work in NYC. Eventually, the doctor, who you think is so great will move on to a hospital in another city that is willing to invest to support his or her practice and making the cutting edge of medical technology available to his or her practice. After enough physicians come to the same conclusion, Valley will not be able to attract the next great young doctors and will eventually become a second tier hospital. You and I will both have to find a new doctor and settle for second rate care or go somewhere else.
So, before you get up on your soap box and brag about not signing the petition, pause to consider the very real and severe consequences of the collective actions of all the anti-Valley people like you over time. Keep in mind you are affecting the quality of your doctor’s practice and, ultimately, contributing to the decay of medical care in Ridgewood for all of us. You may poo-poo that idea and say that “your actions won’t really have that kind of impact.” But, you would be wrong. Why would the best doctors want to set up their practices in Ridgewood? The answer is that they won’t. And who will be responsible? YOU! Although, tou won’t ever accept that responsibility. You’ll blame it on the declining school system or some other issue. But, the fact will remain that the residents of Ridgewood chose not to allow Valley to invest in the future of YOUR medical care.
If I was your doctor, I would absolutely drop you as a patient, because you obviously don’t care about me or my livelihood and would be hurting my practice. So, if you come into my office and see a petition, you don’t have to sign it. But, just don’t let anyone else see that you didn’t sign it. Because, if I find out that you were voting against my opportunity to have the best medical resources possible for my practice, I am sure that I won’t have an opening the next time you call for that emergency appointment.