DC's Black Voices
I attended a meeting January 12th in Ward 7, where the subject was DC health care. More specifically, it was a strategy session for the proposed National Capital Medical Center. The room was filled with black folks from Wards 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 -- all in support of this new hospital. Ward 7 Councilman Vincent Gray was there along with representatives from the city administrator's office, Howard University, and a public relations firm. Before the meeting ended, we established a new organization called the Citizens for the National Capital Medical Center (CNCMC).
The most important thing I learned is that Howard University plans to create a non-profit to run a smaller in-patient hospital on Georgia Avenue NW and move the Level 1 trauma hospital and 250 beds to Ward 6 to fill the existing acute health care void in that sector of the District. This being the case, why is there a need for the City Council to submit this proposal before the Certificate Of Need (CON) process? After all, Howard is just moving their trauma services from one location where there's more than adequate health care coverage to an area of desperate need.
The reason I introduced race in the third sentence is because, as much as I would have liked to have seen a rainbow of faces in that gathering, it's clear to me that either we need to do a better job of enlisting others to this campaign, or they simply don't see this as their fight. Now, if the former is true, the CNCMC plans to address that, but if the latter is the case, then I say we don't need them anyway. One of the strategies the CNCMC agreed on is a concentrated effort to lobby those seeking office in November. Plainly stated, if you want to be the next Mayor, Council Chair, or At-Large Councilmember, then you must publicly support our issues and cast a Yes vote for the hospital and a No vote on the CON process! Anything short of that is unacceptable.
The CNCMC knows the opponents of this measure plan to use the CON as a hurdle to block this hospital. That being the case, the CNCMC plans to galvenize support within our community first, and then launch a well orchestrated counter attack with accurate information to challenge those on the editorial staff of the Post.
I attended a meeting January 12th in Ward 7, where the subject was DC health care. More specifically, it was a strategy session for the proposed National Capital Medical Center. The room was filled with black folks from Wards 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 -- all in support of this new hospital. Ward 7 Councilman Vincent Gray was there along with representatives from the city administrator's office, Howard University, and a public relations firm. Before the meeting ended, we established a new organization called the Citizens for the National Capital Medical Center (CNCMC).
The most important thing I learned is that Howard University plans to create a non-profit to run a smaller in-patient hospital on Georgia Avenue NW and move the Level 1 trauma hospital and 250 beds to Ward 6 to fill the existing acute health care void in that sector of the District. This being the case, why is there a need for the City Council to submit this proposal before the Certificate Of Need (CON) process? After all, Howard is just moving their trauma services from one location where there's more than adequate health care coverage to an area of desperate need.
The reason I introduced race in the third sentence is because, as much as I would have liked to have seen a rainbow of faces in that gathering, it's clear to me that either we need to do a better job of enlisting others to this campaign, or they simply don't see this as their fight. Now, if the former is true, the CNCMC plans to address that, but if the latter is the case, then I say we don't need them anyway. One of the strategies the CNCMC agreed on is a concentrated effort to lobby those seeking office in November. Plainly stated, if you want to be the next Mayor, Council Chair, or At-Large Councilmember, then you must publicly support our issues and cast a Yes vote for the hospital and a No vote on the CON process! Anything short of that is unacceptable.
The CNCMC knows the opponents of this measure plan to use the CON as a hurdle to block this hospital. That being the case, the CNCMC plans to galvenize support within our community first, and then launch a well orchestrated counter attack with accurate information to challenge those on the editorial staff of the Post.
posted by Leo Alexander | 8:15 PM
12 Comments:
interesting.
Krishna,
Thanks for visiting my blog. I look forward to hearing how an East Indian interprets our continued struggle here in the States.
Peace
What is DC General Hospital doing today? Why can it not be used for its intended purpose?
The old DC General is nothing more than an out patient clinic now. Because there were relatively few capital improvements made over the years, the building is in terrible shape. In this new plan the District plans to partner with Howard Univ (HU) and invest roughly 200 million dollars towards the construction of a new hospital. HU would manage and staff the new hospital at that old site. The problem is developers want the land near the old hospital and don't want any state-of-the-art hospital, for those most in need, near their investment. This is an issue of race, money, land and the access to first rate health care.
leo,
actually, there's more than just outpatient care at dc general. it's an urgent care center that can handle some light trauma cases, as well as the cases that most often end up in hospital ERs - flu, sprained ankles, spikes in blood sugar, etc.
i completely agree with you about the facility itself though. it's out of date. but i'm not convinced the HU plan is the right one. i'd rather see something that is still full service, but not as many beds and linked to a better system of community clinics.
do you know why folks want to put it at the dc general site rather than actually on the east side of the anacostia where the need is greater?
I'm not really sure why reservation 13, the old DC General site, was selected for the new hospital. But I would think it's because the land is already there and has been used before for that purpose.
I do know the CNCMC has to do a better job explaining why in financial terms this hospital is needed...since that was the rationale used so effectively to close that institution. Trying to appeal with a humanistic arguement may be a stretch for some folks west of the park to comprehend. After all most could give a damn about what happens in the rest of the District. However, they will understand a strong financial arguement. So if the CNCMC can make the case as to how this impacts their wallets then public support west of the park will grow.
Caatdc,
Your description of the services at the old DC General is nothing more than an outpatient facility...after all none of these patients can be admitted and kept over night. And it's not even open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. That's just a clinic.
I like your suggestion about a hospital with a network of community health centers, but that sounds like the Public Benefit Corp.; that's just what the Mayor shut down after taking office.
Until someone comes up with something better, to serve this eastern community, I fully support the Howard Univ. plan.
i think you're on target with the financial argument - that one needs to be made. and on the location, i still don't understand why the dc general site. if the argument is that more hospital care is needed on the east side of the river, why not build the hospital on the east side where the need is greatest? the district owns land in wards 7 and 8, why not build it there rather than on the west side of the river?
but i'll still disagree with you on your terming the current dc general campus "nothing more than an outpatient clinic". an 'urgent care center' and a 'clinic' are very different things. they may both offer outpatient services (meaning you're not staying overnight for something), but what's offered at the dc general campus is more than anything you'd find at even the most comprehensive of clinics. so respectfully, it's disingenuous to call it a clinic.
caatdc,
I can appreciate the argument for putting it over in ward 7 or 8...I live in ward 4, so I could care less where it is. My bottom line is--their needs have to be met. Let's just get it done!
Peace
Leo,
Is there going to be a follow-up meeting to the January 12th strategy session? When is the PR firm going to get started, and which one is involved?
The next meeting date is being planned right now...I'll post it when it's set.
The question about PR is very interesting, because since we're not paying for it and Howard Univ. is, they are under their direction and time table. The name of the firm is the Walker Marchant Group.
The next meeting of the Citizens for the National Capital Medical Center is set for Monday, Jan. 30th @ 6:30 p.m. @ 3939 Benning Rd. NE. This not a pulic meeting for the purpose of debate. This meeting is for those in support of the NCMC only and No candidates for public office are welcome. Please respect these guidelines.
Post a Comment
<< Home