Citizens mental health unit might close
Psychiatrists request leave, forcing hospital to scramble
Print- •
-
Share
- Share this item
-
Grab the link
Copy and paste the link:
- Blog about it
- Close
- •
-
17 Comments
- •
Favorite- •
-
Report error
-
Thank you for your submission.Error report or correction
- Close
-
- •
The inpatient psychiatric unit at Citizens Medical Center may be forced to shut its doors Thursday.
Three independent psychiatrists have submitted requests for leave of absence, hospital CEO David Brown confirmed.
However, closing the unit is the last step the hospital wants to take, Brown said.
"The reality is, they may close it for us," he said of the psychiatrists.
The hospital has been fighting to keep the unit open, but, so far, all attempts have been unsuccessful, he said.
"There is some wrangling going on between the psychiatrists and Gulf Bend" Mental Health and Mental Retardation Center, he added.
Brown said he did not want to speculate on what the wrangling may be about.
Don Polzin, Gulf Bend executive director, was unavailable for comment.
Two of the psychiatrists, Drs. Robert Lyman, Greg Creager, would not comment on the reason for their leave of absence or about the any problems they might be having with Gulf Bend.
"Yes, they are closing," Lyman said. "The last day will be on the 31st."
Dr. John Bouras, one of the other psychiatrists who helps at the mental health unit, would not comment on the closing of the unit, but did say he is leaving the unit to focus more on his outpatient practice.
"I felt that I would be stretched too thin and burned out if I continued to also do inpatient psychiatric work," he said about working both practices. "I have been very blessed to work together with some dedicated people at the psychiatric unit as well as at other units in the hospital."
County Commissioner Gary Burns, who sits on the Gulf Bend board of trustees, said the unit is important to Victoria's mental health needs.
"We've got a real need for this unit," he said.
A meeting will be held Monday at Gulf Bend to see what else can be done to keep the unit open, he said.
Brown agrees the fight to keep the hospital needs to continue; however, census numbers have shown the patient number to be low.
The unit sees on average four people a day, he said.
"If we don't have a unit, is that going to make much difference?" he asked. "Can those same patients get care else where? I think so. It's just not going to be as close to home.
"We're still working on it. I'm hopeful. I hope it will work out."
-
Print
- •
-
Share
- Share this item
-
Grab the link
Copy and paste the link:
- Blog about it
- Close
- •
-
17 Comments
- •
- Favorite
- •
-
Report error
-
Thank you for your submission.Error report or correction
- Close
-
- •
Comments
Here's a spin off folks, a person with a Mental Health problem goes to the E.R., no local unit to send them to, guess who has to transport them if they can't pay? I hope the county mounties have enough people and cars.
March 30, 2010 at 9:19 a.m.Speechfree, how bout we let the Whataburger employees treat the patients at 1 South?
March 29, 2010 at 9:46 p.m.Speechfree, your comment is ridiculous! How many Whataburger employees are on call? How many years of school & debt has the avaerage Whataburger employee racked up so they could be a Whataburger employee? You come across as a very jealous person, anyone who does well, you must attack.
March 29, 2010 at 9:42 p.m.It is really hard to feel sorry for people who make 160,000 to 200,000 a year. Yes they work a ton of hours and do so around the clock but so does the manager of a Whataburger for tons less money.
March 29, 2010 at 6:10 p.m.Superlift-
March 29, 2010 at 5:14 p.m.You did not read my post accurately. I said if patients go 100+ miles away for care, THEN families would have difficulty visiting. And what is this about missing 1 South if it closes? The only reason I would miss it is if I'd have to travel farther away for inpatient care. While no one WANTS to be on a psych ward, sometimes it is necessary. It's about Victoria losing a resource for those who need it.
Calling someone a crazy person is uncalled for...your whole post was mean-spirited for no reason.
I've been a patient at One South several times. I cannot imagine having to travel at least 100 miles for inpatient care. It's depressing enough being in the hospital and then your family will rarely be able to visit. A city the size of Victoria would never close a unit dedicated to heart or stroke patients. Yet they will for mental health. Citizens should be able to find a way to work this out. Brown asks does it make a difference and yes it does to those with mental illness. The doctors now really are stretched thin. I agree with hiring a full time psychiatrist for the unit.
March 29, 2010 at 1:47 p.m.The problem is money and arrogance. One South must remain open. We need to think of our citizens and THEIR families.
March 29, 2010 at 9:36 a.m.Another thing to remember: there are only 3 psychiatrists in Victoria, and also the same number of dermatologists. When they have this small of a number, they can make their own rules about who they see, what insurance they accept, if they will electronically file your insurance, etc. In other words, if they stick together on major decisions, they can't be dictated by a hospital or insurance company. Not this way in major metropolitan areas.
March 29, 2010 at 9:33 a.m.So now we are up to six doctors who are not happy with Citizens?
familyman1122 is right--hire a psychiatrist for the psych unit. Citizens set the precedent by hiring the cardiologists.
And why doesn't Gulf Bend's psychiatrist provide inpatient services? Most of the folks admitted to the psych unit end up at Gulf Bend for follow up care.
March 29, 2010 at 6:57 a.m.Hire a doctor to be the head the inpatient psychiatric unit at Citizens. There, Problem solved! Citizens Hospital can afford it.
March 29, 2010 at 4:57 a.m.I believe I stated this was happening some time ago but the story is just now being brought to attention. What can be done? The docs for one can get off thier high horse and end thier god complex and the upper people at Gulf Bend can start to actually defend their employees, they brown nose too much with the docs here who do nothing but send people to state hospitals instead of actually trying to be a doctor.
March 29, 2010 at 3:20 a.m.