Speak Up

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Stick to Jackson’s mission

 

I have been a nurse educator at Jackson Memorial Hospital for 27 years and I’m proud to be an employee of our public hospital. I am concerned about the proposals to privatize services. What would stop Jackson’s management team from continuing to outsource if it were successful with this project, outsourcing the emergency room, our front door?

The professionals there are totally committed to working in the ER and Rape Treatment Center. Outsourcing emergency-room services isn’t in the best interest of our patients. It would disrupt our mission at Jackson. It’s time for community leaders to stand up and protect this community jewel of 94 years.

Our goal is to provide a single standard of care to everyone in the community, regardless of their ability to pay. In 1991, the community proved its commitment to Jackson by passing a half-penny sales tax. How does that mission factor into a private, profit-seeking company that’s focused on the bottom line? That would be putting money into private pockets and cheating people who can’t afford healthcare that we, the public, have paid for them to receive. Our patients deserve better than this.

James Keith Buehner, Miami

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