Alan Awrich: Perspective needed on what hospital leaders did for community

To The Daily Sun,

The bankruptcy of LRGH is distressing and of great concern to those of us who have lived and worked in the Lakes Region. The responsibility of the debt of course falls upon those who have incurred it. I was sad to see that when asked about this,Tom Clairmont and Henry Lipman had no comment. Hindsight is perfect, but perspective is also important.

When I began my practice at LRGH and The Laconia Clinic in 1981, the nearest CT and mammogram machines were in Concord. MRI did not exist. Helicopters were not available and transport of critically ill patients and newborns, especially in winter was problematic. Tom, Henry and others then embarked on creating a health care facility and medical staff to fulfill the needs of the people of our community. They recruited and developed services that included cardiology, neurology, rheumatology, pulmonology, critical care, infectious disease, oncology, mental health, elder care, vascular surgery, non-invasive laparoscopic surgery, bariatrics, spine and hand, clinical pharmacology and many others. All this was done while navigating an ever changing health care system, often with dramatic changes in prepaid (HMO) care, Medicare, Medicaid, demographics and reimbursement.

My wife and I have undergone six operations at LRGH, including one that was potentially life threatening. Two of my children were born here. As a physician I am a sophisticated consumer of health care and I have always had the utmost confidence in our facility and it’s staff, a facility and staff with a spectrum of services and expertise that easily rivals institutions of a much larger size.

Perhaps Mr. Clairmont and Mr. Lipman are in part responsible for the current state of affairs, but for all the rest of what they have achieved and created I would simply say thank you.

Alan Awrich M.D

Gilford