rotanofsinger: Thanks! Yes!
The "incontinence" issue connection is in this.
This state's law says you have to have a handicap license plate or hanging sticker to use a handicap space. Ticket is pricey. Neither here nor in Seattle, does that get you out of Parking Meter fees. Each state has the "freedom" to do more than required by the ADA, and other local gov't entities. Sounds like Albuquerque went above and beyond.
Also, I'll check out that Becker's Hospital Review, and thank you for pointing it out. Virginia Mason Franciscan Health (VMFH) is the new name if you started with VM. And they all come under an bigger umbrella, maybe called "Common Health". I just learned that. They cover ~37 states, and I've no idea what the "corporate structure" is, yet.
Regarding the merger. I'm a volunteer on VM's Patient Family Partners program. Currently, only able to participate by Zoom. Just did one. We had multiple meetings about the merger. What scared me - and others - was the Franciscans are under "The Catholic Bishops' Directive". I studied it the same way I did such things in College. A couple of days ago, we were assured that VM remains a secular organization.
But my study of the CBD found some very worrisome things. It involves more than just "religion". Medical conditions and care are, in my opinion, non-denominational. Strictly leaving out the hot religious items, I found some very very good concepts. Humanitarian. Approaching the ideal. Most of it was that way. I also found some contradictions, and some items that dismayed me (I'm trying to avoid loaded language). 2 primary examples were "pallitive care" and "end of life/hospice". In no way should those be politicized or become a religious issue. I am NOT insinuating a different issue. As a senior couple with plenty of medical issues, we have had to think about those, and nursing homes and assisted living.
The other concern was, even though we were assured that VM units would not be under the CBD for most things, studying the CBD showed the intended progression of a progressive "absorption". Maybe not quite a "takeover". Note I said "Most Things"?
The Medical System in this country accounts for the desperation and adherence to the "profit margin" motive, and the "competition" issue falls under that. VM is one of the top 10 in the country, don't know about the Franciscans, but to stay financially viable should not sacrifice the patients, darn it.
The merger was partly pushed by the monetary issues: economy of scale, for example. Also, making more medical clinics & hospitals available for members of both groups. At the latest Zoom, however, we were informed that medical records probably won't be merged or immediately available across platforms, any time soon, that Insurance issues may be different (Some of the Catholic facilities may not be "in-network", and may have different conditions & limitations for Insurance purposes.)
How about physicians at one group not knowing much about the other group? A referral, say to a Urologist in the other system, now becomes "problematic". VM uses the "Team" approach, and Docs and Nurses know each other or know of each other. They can suggest a compatible specialist, and know which of the 11 have the particular expertise for your particular issue.
In urology, for all sexes, just getting a Urologist whose answer isn't an automatic "over-active-bladder" (Greek for "I Don't Know".) Then there are UTIs.
Staff reaction at VM units? Sorry, I haven't been down from Alaska since before the Pandemic, so....
Okay: the direct relation of all this to Incontinence? I'll highlight only two (3?): pallative care & end-of-life. For males, Prostate cancer is deadly. This can involve Hospice.
Assume it is "cured", and it still is life-altering, and that collides with certain issues with the U.S. Bishops.
I was unable to determine the stances on DNR (Do Not Rescusitate), organ donor, and extended life support after brain death. I didn't get answers, except a laywoman told me organ donation is approved. I decided to spend time on other things.
And now my state government announced they got hacked - and the hack was of "databases containing resident's protected information" = our medical insurances files. We get "free" credit monitoring, time span unknown, emails will have the applications if you got the PFD (Permanent Fund Dividend), and then you have to go to a toll-free number to get help filling it out, hours limited. With our luck, this will be just as efficient and well planned and organized as the Covid vaccination program.... Hell, it's been decades since we've had to pay for credit monitoring. I'm serious. That how long and often the state has allowed itself to be hacked or "lost" our data. Mostly we got 3-years free monitoring, lately only 1 year. They lost not just our Insurance files, but our entire Medical files, once. That's not your doctors files, but it has a lot of protected info.
Oh joy.
