LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: HAS HOSPITAL GROWTH BECOME MALIGNANT?

Dear Editor,

My father, for a great many years, was a pediatrician in our community. When I was a small boy, about 50 years ago, I frequently accompanied him when he made his rounds at both hospitals. I distinctly remember hearing discussions between my father and floor nurses and supervisors. In those conversations, each hospital employee referred to the other hospital as "the other hospital"; in other words, brand X. Even that long ago, they did not want to use their competition's proper name.

This competition, so very ingrained, has apparently achieved a life of its own, and is becoming (or has become) destructive to the community.

It has appeared to me that over the years each hospital seems to grow with a cancer-like relentless. At what point do these tumors change from benign to malignant? At what point should the patient (our community) become aware of this and seek treatment? Who is our physician in all of this? I don't know. It seems to me that some form of community discussion is in order.

Perhaps the Southeast Missourian should be our forum. I would hope to read and hear more on this.

CHARLES T. HERBERT, Jr. DDS

Cape Girardeau