Claire L. Hebert-Dow: When did oncology & cardiac rehab become 'non-essential'?

To The Daily Sun,

Reporter Green's front-page story on the hospital closure pretty much decimated my weekend. "Difficult" doesn't begin to describe the reaction of some of us non-employees who take for granted that when we do need to see our doctor, he's a phone call away. We've even gotten used to the actual call replacing the visit. We've postponed elective procedures.

There was a time not too long ago when "elective" meant cosmetic. Now it's a case of postponing lab work, breathing tests, scans, etc., because we don't possess the classic signs of COVID-19. Since when did oncology and cardiac rehab become "elective" or the new buzz word "non-essential"? OPA shutting its doors strikes fear in all of us seniors.

While we've all been alerted to the downward financial spiral of LRGH, most of us didn't connect the dots to, one by one, physicians becoming employees of the hospital vs. independent contractors able to call their own shots. But wiping out what has always been a natural extension of one's wellbeing goes beyond "difficult." More like a reenactment of the movie "Gravity" with Clooney untethered from the mother ship.

Why does no one want us? What is it about LRGH that makes it so unattractive as an acquisition? Isn't a "fire sale" a good deal for someone? Please enlighten us. Inquiring minds want to know. And God speed to all those directly impacted by this tragic situation.

Claire L. Hebert-Dow

Laconia