I recently read an article in the Antigo Daily Journal about the new Langlade Hospital. It will have beds for only 23 inpatients. I am assuming that 4 beds will be for the special care unit, 4 will be for OB and the remaining 15 will be for medical/surgical patients.
This new hospital is supposedly being built to attract doctors to practice here. I think it might have the opposite affect. When these 15 beds are filled…patients will be sent to Wausau hospitals. They will be treated by Wausau doctors and might just decide to stick with them.
If I (or a family member) have to be hospitalized…I want my family doctor to treat me and I want to stay in this area. I do not want to have to drive to Wausau daily (especially in winter) to visit a loved one.
Will this new hospital be a benefit to our community. I think not. What do you think?
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***Other AntigoBuzz Blogs about Langlade Hospital:
LCMH – Trade offs to consider…
Doctors in Antigo Helping or Hurting the Community
Langlade Hospital – Walk In Complaint
AntigoBuzz Ratings/Reviews for Langlade Hospital
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I want to start by saying that I read about half of everyone’s opinions, and then couldn’t read any further. I am a very proud employee at Langlade Hospital, and though, no facility is perfect, that’s our goal. We have SEVERAL reasons for building a new hospital, and the community’s advancement in care is the biggest reason. Firstly, our hospital was built back in the Hoover era and Great Depression, it was built for over 100 patients whose care required stays up to or greater than 4 days. And like someone previously stated, everything we can is done on an outpatient basis now days, with all of the medical advancements. Another reason for the new hospital, is that a majority of our patients that we see on a regular basis are elderly. Our building has had several remodels and add-ons throughout the years, and it makes it difficult while navigating the facility.
The new hospital will be built with confidentiality of patients in mind. Currently, there are some areas of the hospital, where patients (and employees) feel that too much of their information can be “over-heard” by others around them. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want the guy coming in for lab work over-hearing the patient checking in for a colonoscopy. I also don’t want someone going into the Walk-In Clinic for a common cold, while having to see two parents bringing in their dead baby that has died of SIDS at their home. Granted, these encounters don’t happen frequently, thank god, but..they can happen. And have at times. A VERY important reason to rebuild.
Also, our building is not environmentally friendly. Due to the deteriorating building and windows needing to be replaced, our energy bills are increasingly high. In addition to the deteriorating building, our water heaters and boilers have expanded their life expectancy, and often times, new parts are not available due to their age.
In addition to the other reasons, we have exceeded capacity limitations for our air handling units and our electrical system. With all of the previous issues in our new hospital, building a new hospital, not only will be better for staff, but will ESPECIALLY be best for those of the community that do have faith in the Langlade Hospital care. I not only have been an employee there for 2 years and counting, but I have been a patient there, as well. People sometimes expect Langlade Hospital to be one of the best hospitals when it comes to severity of treatment, such as: brain surgery, heart surgery, etc. Langlade Hospital isn’t that type of hospital. Our focus has turned a great deal towards outpatient care. And generally, the transferring of patients to another facility, is done WITH THE PATIENTS CARE IN MIND! Because the staff at Langlade Hospital will not treat something that they know another facility could treat more efficiently. I am not here to argue, but I think that as previously stated, this community needs to look at changes in an optimistic light. So many of you think you have everything figured out, yet, I have yet to see many community faces at our frequent “new hospital” meetings, which are held at times. I agree, this hospital is already being built, and instead of trying to bash it, or it’s cost, look at the positive that building it could bring to this community. On a daily basis, in simply my department, I have contact with AT LEAST 50 patients, if not many more. Those patients come frequently, and trust in the employees at our facility and what we can do for them. Instead of bashing the idea of a new hospital behind a computer screen, get out, attend meetings, research the reasons of the new hospital. It’s not “to try attracting more patients.” That’s wrong. All of the reasons I’ve previously stated are the EXACT reasons for the new hospital being built. Attracting new patients and physicians is just an added bonus to all of those previously stated reasons.
Very well put Shlivo!! I would like to say I saw it with my own eyes. I was fortunate enough to be in the ER at the time they had all of the ER personnel, Dr.s’ and about 8 other staff plus 3 ambulance members working on a patient. It was some thing to see!!! How they worked as a team was awesome, they were very professional and knew what they were doing—and did it well !!!!!!!
Yes, the pt was stabilized and transported to another hospital for more advanced care, just like Shlivo said. I do trust in 99% of the
employees! (with that many employees one bad apple don’t spoil the hole bunch) My opinion is that the community is fortunate to have the level of care and dedicated personnel that this facility offers. (again this is my opinion) GOOD JOB LH ER
Very well put Shlivo. I have been impressed with the hospital staff. I have had a very different experience in the ER that saw it with my own eyes. I have seen them misread Xrays and send a person how with a broken back , do nothing other than give valium when a person had a seizure for over a half hour (the didn’t even consult a neurologist) and many wrong diagnoses. I personally had a bad experience with my baby who was having seizures. The first thing the doctor asked was if we wanted him transfered. Then when he had another seizure and stopped breathing the doctor did nothing and the nurse had to step in. That kind of service is unacceptable. I have had bad experiences 95% of the time and no longer will go to the ER and most people I know have had the same experience. It is too bad because overall I really like the rest of the hospital staff. The ER is the main reason our current hospital has gotten a bad wrap. Hopefully that will change with the new hospital.
Hmmm. I guess all this glitter and glamour will heal the patients…kind of reminds me how that sparkling new school will produce smarter students.
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The bright and airy entryway, which will eventually also be the entrance to the adjoining General Clinic, has a soaring two-story stone fireplace….The main level also includes an interior courtyard, conceived as an oasis of green for employees and visitors. There’s a secondary purpose as well, allowing natural light to flood what would otherwise be interior spaces…There will also be a gift shop, cafe for patients, guests and employees and concierge service.
http://www.antigodailyjournal.com/full.php?id=14205
@ Meezer. You hit the nail so hard on the head that I it will never come out. Of course if we replace the nail with a new one it will do some magical thing and things would be better lol.
What I think when I read some of the reasons.
Increasing cost to heat the building: How much is that VS the cost of this new hospital? I bet you could heat the old one for many, many, many years for what it is costing to build this new one?
Privacy concerns: I bet dividers and sound proof walls are not that expensive and way cheaper than a new building just to segregate patients?
Better treatment for patients: The care will always only be as good as the employees and their skills can offer. I have had both good and bad care there. The building I was in does not make a difference. Military Dr’s treat some of the most serious injury’s imaginable and they do it in tents and mobile ER’s on the battle field.