Don Vachon: Who ever heard of furloughing doctors? Mine won't hang around

To The Daily Sun,

Here is a real good story for you all! I just received a call from my doctor's office telling me that all appointment for the Laconia Internal Medicine Center were cancelled. Next question, is my doctor going to move to the clinic or elsewhere in the hospital? Answer, "no," like the rest of the staff he is being furloughed. What, my doctor is being furloughed? Yes, that is correct. We might re-open in August, maybe not. So, what happens to my doctor for six months, I ask? Answer: he is being furloughed!

Has anybody ever heard of a doctor being furloughed? Do you really believe that this doctor is going to wait around for six months. He's from upstate N.Y. and they are looking for new doctors. Does anyone believe that he will not be gone within a week? So, my regular doctor from the Laconia Clinic left to go hiking. This was my new doctor and I truly liked him a great deal. Now, I am doctor shopping again!

Does anyone believe that our hospital has been mismanaged? Oh, they have great debt. Really, that's been known for years, and this new great president is the one who needs to be furloughed immediately. Did our hospital need that new front end to be so fancy? At what? $1.5 million? I'm wondering what this amazing hospital president receives for a salary? My guess: around $250,000 and the super nurse that he brought with him, that didn't even have a license? My guess: $125,000? There you go. What the heck was the board thinking?

So now, this wonder boy gets what, $5.2 million from the state, then lays off 600 folks. Yep, good call governor, He claims he hoping to partner with a larger hospital. Okay, that will never happen under the current leadership at LRGH. To the board: show good faith in your community and dump or furlough this president and his tag along. Then, maybe another qualifying hospital group will consider taking LRGH as a partner.

Another issue to consider folks: how hard is to get a qualified doctor to move to our area? It's not easy at all. So how can they even consider furloughing a doctor? What the hell is wrong with the board of directors?

Finally, to my doctor and his staff, I apologize for the inapt president of LRGH and the board. You were an awesome doctor. Thank you for moving from Virginia to Laconia. I know that you will be departing for your home in upstate N.Y. They will be very lucky to have you as their doctor. Again, doctor, thank you and I shall miss you.

Don Vachon

Laconia