Six Years Into an Appalachia Hospital Monopoly, Patients Are Fearful and Furious

Hey, lookie here, my home making the news twice in less than 6 months (remember that hurricane? Erwin TN had a Ballad Health hospital that got washed away).

This article really isn't exaggerating, it's terrible. Johnson City Medical Center used to be respected, with good care and great training programs for local med students. Now, it's one of the worst in the country for staph infections.

We've got one competing group, State of Franklin Healtchare Associates (SoFHA), which largely does women's health and pediatricians. And thank God for them because we'd be FUCKED without them. But there are difficulties facing them they might not make it through, long-term.

We are desperate for Ballad to get broken up. Every medical professional I know absolutely hates it, and our med school is a huge part of the community.

I'm just saying, if an unnamed hero felt like lying in wait for some of the pricks responsible and escape on an e-bike, every single person from Knoxville to Wytheville would celebrate.

[CEO] Levine declined to discuss specific complaints from patients. But he said that each of the complaints referenced in this article took issue with medical decisions made by doctors in Ballad hospitals — not “any policy or practice at Ballad.”

Sure - blame those lazy-ass doctors, not the venture capitalists stripping every nickel out of the place. (/s)