This column is a response to the front page article from Dec. 30 regarding the insurance negotiations between ThedaCare and Network Health Plan and the allegations made by a local business.
I’m not writing this as a corporate representative of ThedaCare, but as a local physician who happens to work for ThedaCare. I’m not sure what word best describes how I felt after reading that article, but a few that come to mind are mad, frustrated and hurt. Let me explain.
Mad: I feel like the response from the HR representative from TimberPro was completely inappropriate and detrimental to this community. I’m very sad to hear that she knows people who say they have not had a good experience at the new campus of ThedaCare Medical Center-Shawano because that should not be the case. I’m truly sorry that it was.
However, bad mouthing the hospital in the newspaper based on someone else’s reported experience is not the way to improve the medical care in our community, nor do I believe it represents the majority of people’s experiences. The vast majority of people I have spoken with have been very happy with the care they have received since the move, and believe me, I hear it if they are not. With moving into any new facility, there are always going to be growing pains with the logistics of operation, but the medical care people receive is the same top-quality, compassionate care it has always been.
Frustrated: I don’t think both sides of the story were fairly presented. As much as I wish it wasn’t, health care is a business, and with that comes the need to meet the bottom line. Whether it is a for-profit health care provider, like some in the area, or a nonprofit, like ThedaCare, you still need to make enough money to invest back into your business to keep it growing. That is all ThedaCare was trying to do in their negotiations with Network Health Plan, and NHP was not willing to meet the minimum acceptable reimbursement rates.
If a customer told TimberPro it would only buy its product if it could pay much less than any other customer had to for the same thing, I’m pretty sure TimberPro would not accept it, nor should it. I’m frustrated Network Health wasn’t called to the carpet to explain why they wouldn’t pay fair rates to ensure that members of our community could get the health care they needed locally.
With regard to raising prices, it is unfortunate timing, as I’m sure it does look like it is to support the new hospital, but it’s because of inflation and would have occurred regardless of the new building. I’m just thankful we were able to only raise our prices by 2 percent, which is less than other area health care systems, as has been the case over most of the last seven years.
I deeply understand the financial burden of health care in this country, so I know why this is frustrating to most. It is, unfortunately, the reality of our American health care system. I am really hoping a deal can be reached between ThedaCare and Network Health Plan so that our patients can continue to see us here in Shawano, but if not, we, as providers, will do whatever we can to get through the gap until open enrollment in the fall would allow for insurance changes.
Lastly, I feel sad. I moved to this community to practice medicine just over eight years ago, not for the money nor prestige, but because I wanted to make a difference in a rural community where health care disparities are high and a personal touch is appreciated. I have always loved practicing here and being a part of the community, so I take it personally when the care we work so hard to provide, often at the expense of our personal and family lives, is attacked the way it was in this article.
Is our community in desperate need of more doctors? Yes it is. So, those of us who are here now are pouring our hearts and souls into our work to keep providing the much-needed care to this community until we can get more help. We are actively working to recruit more doctors, who will have as much passion and commitment as this great community deserves, to practice here.
However, articles like this don’t make it easy to convince other doctors that this is a great place to practice and live. Although some may be willing to drive 45 minutes to see their primary care doctor, that is not desired, realistic nor healthy for most people in this community.
So, before bad-mouthing a local business partner who does so much for this community, people need to stop and think about how their words will impact the whole community, think about the fact that no other business would be expected to accept inadequate payment for their work, and how one’s words personally affect those of us who are working so hard to improve the health of this community and feel honored to be able to do so.
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