Questions for Northampton Planning Commission regarding Rural Health application. Please provide written answers with the assistance of Rural Health. Until these questions are answered satisfactorily I cannot support this application.
1. How will this application improve the medical services for the citizens of Northampton significantly above what exists today?
2. Do the benefits of consolidation in one location through providing more and better medical services outweigh the obvious fact that citizens at both ends of the County will have to travel further to obtain those services?
3. What plans are part of this application for use/sale of the existing buildings in Franktown and Bayview? Could those facilities be enhanced for less money and services increased with new equipment and more staff?
4. Why has Rural Health not considered consolidating their proposal to include existing ambulance service operations into a joint operation that could be considered an Eastville Medical Center?
5. What guarantee would be provided with this application that the Rural Health proposed relocations would NOT prevent, in any way, another independent medical provider or medical provider associated with a hospital system NOT connected with Riverside from operating at or south of the Eastville location?
6. With the aversion of Riverside Hospital System for operating its own sewage and well facilities, why is it that Rural Health is willing to do so?
7. Will Rural Health provide a 25 year guarantee that they will not request public sewage and water service from either Northampton County or the Town of Eastville?
8. With this application, please provide a written justification that this proposal complies with the current Comprehensive Plan on all aspects regarding the site selection?
9. Access to the proposed location has no vehicle turn protection. Citizens using the facility will generally be ill and will not be as attentive to driving safety as a healthy person. VDOT standards are NOT to approve left turns onto a highway such as US13 without turn signals. If Rural Health is adamant about this location, any permit should require an acknowledgement that ingress and egress to the facility from the east lane of US13 will be only by Willow Oak Rd & Stumptown Rd. It should be acknowledged that the unprotected crossover 2100 feet north of Stumptown Rd will not be used and Rural health will support its closing.
Submitted by RH Meyers, 7615 Prettyman Cir Exmore, VA
Some excellent questions Bob. This county needs badly to stop trying to pander to special interests and to fix our core problems. Selling out to developers thru the new Comp plan will accomplish nothing to help an area with failing schools and medical services. Let’s get our essential services up to speed with the limited funds we have.
Concerning the statement by RH Meyers in his item #9:
Citizens using the facility will generally be ill and will not be as attentive to driving safety as a healthy person.
The good news is this is not the case. If it were true there would likely be evidence from all around our country that medical centers, hospitals and doctors offices are accident magnets.
Who will be visiting this center? If half of the visits are babies and children it is unlikely they will be driving. Perhaps a tricycle here or there or maybe a hoverboard but no drivers. A large portion of all visits are by healthy people for a many reasons. Even when there are visits by adults who are not well, evidence would suggest they seek out a designated driver when they might be impaired by illness.
To assume that citizens using the medical center will be ill and impaired drivers would be like assuming citizens driving to Peebles for clothes are naked. I’m sure it could happen but it is not likely worth watching to see if it will.
Regards,
Richard Hatch
Note: I do not represent Eastern Shore Rural Health.