The Middle Neck News article Bon Secours Officials Hold Meeting To Explain Changes describes the June 6 town hall on radical changes at the hospital as "lively, and sometimes contentious." The article also reports that Bon Secours Richmond East CEO Mark Gordon and others "tried to calm community fears about the future of the RGH."
If the explanations verbalized at the meeting were anything like the fact sheets (below) handed out at the meeting, it's no wonder Gordon had to repeat the message. For example,
Versus, well, something that makes sense to non-health professionals. Something in the tradition of plain language.
Full disclosure: I did not attend the town hall but I've been told that what is reported by Middle Neck News accurately reflects what took place. This reminds me of one episode of the Australian television program Rake. From the episode R v Fenton:
I'm told the RGH leadership will hold additional meetings to explain the changes.
If the explanations verbalized at the meeting were anything like the fact sheets (below) handed out at the meeting, it's no wonder Gordon had to repeat the message. For example,
Q. Why are you suspending the Intensive Care Unit (ICU)?
A: Over the past few years, Bon Secours has seen a shift to larger centers with available specialty care for many intensive care level patients.
Versus, well, something that makes sense to non-health professionals. Something in the tradition of plain language.
Full disclosure: I did not attend the town hall but I've been told that what is reported by Middle Neck News accurately reflects what took place. This reminds me of one episode of the Australian television program Rake. From the episode R v Fenton:
[Scene set-up: In conference room at Omnico for board meeting. Chairman addressing the board.]
Ladies and gentlemen of the Board, doubtless you would agree that it is vitally important that we confront the variables of our current economic landscape and recalibrate our thinking in terms of our client base moving forward.
…
[Scene set-up: In court where the arrested Mr. Fenton speaking to problems as he sees them.]
What these so-called important people are doing with words, the way they use language to actually hide what they mean.
It's a form of corruption.
The writer Don Watson calls them 'weasel words', where corporations and governments complicate what they say so much that there is no longer any accountability or integrity. Once we stop believing in what is being said, once language loses its power to connect us, civilisation is finished. (Rake (2010) Episode Scripts, N/A - R v Fenton)
I'm told the RGH leadership will hold additional meetings to explain the changes.