A March 24 Bulletin article was headlined “St. Charles prepares for a remodel. First-floor project is intended to improve the patient experience.”

Seriously?

Another Bulletin article on Aug. 3, 2011, “St. Charles operating in the red; 3 jobs cut,” details the percentage of patients with commercial insurance (28%), Medicare (52%), Medicaid (15%) and uninsured (5%). Just over a quarter of St. Charles’ patients are paying customers, who support and fund the other 72 percent. That’s a health-care system on the verge of implosion.

A third recent article, “Bend more costly for commercially insured,” from Jan. 27, 2011, reports that the cost of inpatient hospital use in Bend is 25 percent higher than the national average and physician care is 40 percent more expensive.

Is it any wonder we’re going broke paying for health care in Central Oregon?

It seems the “patient experience” will be improved by “private, individual stations where patients will sign in” and six pre-op consultation rooms. Is “patient experience” really going to benefit from the new physician lounge, conference room and study or the lounge for administrative staffers? (Heaven forbid they mingle!) Couldn’t the medical records area be in a hole in the ground rather than occupying expensive real estate?

If St. Charles really wants to improve this patient’s experience, it’ll save the $2 million it’s spending on this remodel and cut costs instead. Does anyone at all have the foresight to see what’s going to happen when that 28 percent dwindles even further?

Allyn Hardman

Sisters