In a recent opinion column, Mr. Bill Hayes made unsubstantiated claims about the quality of healthcare at an Appalachian Regional Healthcare facility. While this may serve his purposes in attacking ARH management, it certainly does not serve his community, the interests of healthcare or the many excellent employees and physicians who have kept ARH facilities open and serving patients well during a lengthy nurses’ union strike.
As Vice President of Medical Affairs and Chief Medical Officer for ARH, it is my job to oversee the quality of healthcare in our facilities. For more than 33 years, I practiced medicine in my own clinic in Harlan, Kentucky, where I still live today. That is one reason that I agreed to take the position as chief medical officer for ARH. I know the people of this region and care deeply about their healthcare. So it is very disturbing to me when I see outrageous and irresponsible claims such as the ones made by Mr. Hayes printed in the newspaper.
I think it is time for us to clarify just who we are attacking when we attack Appalachian Regional Healthcare. Who is ARH? ARH is a non-profit organization that came into existence in 1962 when the United Mine Workers decided that they could not profitably operate the hospitals that they had established in 10 Appalachian communities in 1955 and 1956. ARH has continued the United Mine Worker’s dedication to making healthcare accessible to all people of Eastern Kentucky and Southern West Virginia. ARH is still a not-for-profit organization led by a volunteer board of directors with volunteer local advisory boards whose members live and work in each community.
We provide a full range of healthcare services in nine rural communities in Eastern Kentucky and Southern West Virginia. Our services range from home health care to clinics and acute care hospitals. Just this year, we formed partnerships with major, well-known heart and cancer centers to continue to expand the advanced services people in our region can access close to home.
We have brought a standard of quality care and up-to-date medical technology to the mountains that would never have been here otherwise. We also provide care to everyone — not just those who can afford it and last year we provided uncompensated care to the tune of nearly $100 million dollars. ARH is one of the largest charity organizations in Kentucky and West Virginia.
Labor disputes occur and all of us in this region understand the negativities associated with a strike. But what endures is the need for affordable, accessible and compassionate quality healthcare. This is what all of us at ARH are committed to whether we work in management, on medical staff, as registered nurses or other clinical and support staff.
When blatant misinformation is published that attempts to erode confidence in the valuable system of healthcare that so many of us in Appalachia have contributed to over a half century, it does everyone a disservice — especially our parents and grandparents who worked so hard to create the modern system that we have today.
I can assure you that the quality of healthcare at ARH facilities has been maintained in spite of a long strike. Quality care will continue when we have our registered nurses back on the job. At the beginning of the strike, the union notified ARH that they would file complaints with accreditation agencies and state licensure offices. The legitimate quality control organizations, such as the Joint Commission, Kentucky Office of Inspector General and West Virginia Office of Health Facility Licensure and Accreditation, which survey all hospitals on a consistent basis, have visited ARH hospitals several times during the strike to investigate complaints. In every case those trusted, independent organizations have ruled that the complaints were not substantiated.
It is important to be factual about serious issues. The healthcare of an entire region depends upon it.
J.D. Miller, M.D.
Harlan, Ky.
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