Friday, July 1, 2011
Happy 4th of July! The July Issue of the Heartbeat Available Online
Click image to link to July Issue of THE HEARTBEAT, Trident's Monthly Newsletter:
Monday, June 27, 2011
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Freseni-opoly and the Latest Acquisition News
Whatever happened to the company formerly known as Fresenius Perfusion? It's been a while since I've blogged about them, but seems like quite a flurry of activity is happening these days. I'm reminded of the classic game of Monopoly - high finances, buying and selling, bankruptcy, taking a "chance" card. So if you don't know by now, the latest acquisition by Specialty Care / HCSG (formerly Fresenius/ Edwards Lifesciences/ Baxter/ Psicor) is Advanced Perfusion Care (APC), a really good company based out of Pinehurst, NC. It certainly caught a lot of people by surprise, especially the employees. We wish them the very best... they now are part of a new monopoly game based out of Wall Street, who join those clinicians who feel like they've passed GO and didn't collect their $200.But that's not the most interesting news. When you look at what's going on you see a deliberate strategy and the folks that NOW have the power are not in Nashville, but in New York City. Back in May, American Securities, a private equity investment firm bought a controlling interest in Specialty Care and now owns the majority share of the this patchwork mosaic of perfusion service companies. You might want to ask, what do private investment equity companies do? Well, they do have a primary focus. They sell Boardwalk and Park Place for profit.
So in the latest move of monopoly pieces, what happens to everyone who worked all their lives in committed service to the patient? Perfusion service is a relationship business whereby people are its hallmarks, not mopheads, widgets, or Pakistani surgical instruments. They are real-live people with abiding interest in the patient and the people for whom they serve.
There's nothing wrong with monopoly. There's nothing wrong with making money. But now... in the case of Specialty Care, perfusion services are part of a profit center that generates revenues for a cost center that benefits a few. Being in a minority position with majority of shares owned by an investment firm means being obligated to outside investors whose focus could be blurred by the requirement of a predetermined return on investment. Jussayin'
Seems like (as Yogi Berra used to say) it's deja-vu all over again.
Your comments are always welcomed.
Ralph E. Jordan
Founder & CEO
Trident Health Resources, Inc.
Friday, June 3, 2011
June Trident Newsletter, The Heartbeat
We're Listening
So What Do You Think?
Every company wants to know what its clients think of its products and services. Few take the time to simply ask. Quick little surveys can be the singlemost important way to glean how one's business is doing. Getting feedback can be a tool for finding ways to improve even the most efficient processes that are currently in place.
READ MORE >>>>
READ MORE >>>>
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Perfusionists - The Heart Whisperers
National Perfusionist Appreciation Week
May 1-7, 2011
May 1-7, 2011
See Trident's monthly newsletter: THE HEARTBEAT. For this special National Perfusionist Appreciation Week issue, we are featuring you, the perfusionists of America
Friday, April 15, 2011
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Thursday, March 17, 2011
New Opportunities with Trident!
California Dreamin’
Staff Perfusionist – Southern California
Outstanding career opportunity for a Staff Perfusionist within a stable adult open heart program. This is an immediate opening for an experienced perfusionist who seeks a long-term and permanent position working with Trident Health Resources, Inc., a leader in perfusion contract services for 23 years. The SoCal living awaits you… Ranked one of the best places to live by Money Magazine! Applicants must be certified with experience. We offer excellent working conditions and an outstanding benefits package. Please send your resume, references, and letters of recommendation to employment@tridenthealth.com or fax to (727) 738-9436. Please reference "SoCal" in the subject of your email or fax.
Enjoy Working in Sunny SW Location –
Outstanding career opportunity for a Staff Perfusionist within a stable adult open heart program. This is an immediate opening for an experienced perfusionist who seeks a long-term and permanent position working with Trident Health Resources, Inc., a leader in perfusion contract services for 23 years. The SoCal living awaits you… Ranked one of the best places to live by Money Magazine! Applicants must be certified with experience. We offer excellent working conditions and an outstanding benefits package. Please send your resume, references, and letters of recommendation to employment@tridenthealth.com or fax to (727) 738-9436. Please reference "SoCal" in the subject of your email or fax.
Enjoy Working in Sunny SW Location –
TWO POSITIONS! First Assist & Anesthesia Techs
Not just a job! Live in a Southwest community of thriving business, where people want to raise a family, where the sun shines 320 days a year over a landscape of flora and fauna. First Assist is needed with open heart surgery experience. Also, Anesthesia Techs are needed with experience in open heart surgery preferred and completion of an anesthesia technician training program approved by the American Society of Anesthesia Technologists and Technicians (ASATT) or a high school diploma or equivalent and 2 years of work experience as an anesthesia technician with certification. These are full time positions. Trident seeks enthusiastic team players for a long term commitment. We offer excellent working conditions and an outstanding benefits package. Please send your resume, references, and letters of recommendation to employment@tridenthealth.com or fax to (727) 738-9436. Please reference "First Assist/SW or Anesthesia Tech/SW" in the subject of your email or fax.
Not just a job! Live in a Southwest community of thriving business, where people want to raise a family, where the sun shines 320 days a year over a landscape of flora and fauna. First Assist is needed with open heart surgery experience. Also, Anesthesia Techs are needed with experience in open heart surgery preferred and completion of an anesthesia technician training program approved by the American Society of Anesthesia Technologists and Technicians (ASATT) or a high school diploma or equivalent and 2 years of work experience as an anesthesia technician with certification. These are full time positions. Trident seeks enthusiastic team players for a long term commitment. We offer excellent working conditions and an outstanding benefits package. Please send your resume, references, and letters of recommendation to employment@tridenthealth.com or fax to (727) 738-9436. Please reference "First Assist/SW or Anesthesia Tech/SW" in the subject of your email or fax.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
March Edition THE HEARTBEAT...
With Trident's recent leadership announcements, see photos and more details at the online newsletter..... CLICK HERE
Pictured below: Ron Bailey, Trident's President & COO and Jeff Poland, Executive VP Clinical Operations
Pictured below: Ron Bailey, Trident's President & COO and Jeff Poland, Executive VP Clinical Operations
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Take Me to Your Leader…
By Ralph E. Jordan, Founder & CEO
Trident Health Resources, Inc.
What makes a good company great?
Trident Health Resources, Inc.
What makes a good company great?
For Trident Health Resources, Inc., the proof is in its people. My most important role as president and CEO has always been in growing and developing a strong team. One thing is certain, the journey was never made alone. And it is in the relationships with others that has led to Trident’s thrust forward over nearly quarter of a century, through changing economies, regulatory environments, and new technologies.
Trident’s corporate culture is grounded on patient-focused care and fosters a servant management premise: That is to say, a servant leader serves the people he/she leads and provides an outcome that employees are an end in themselves rather than a means to an organizational purpose or bottom line. As we grow, our need for additional clinical expertise and strategic business models has also expanded. It is with both gratitude and pride that Trident’s leadership has talented people overseeing key areas of the company to inspire new ideas and drive improvements.
I would like to introduce some of Trident’s key managers who have been recently promoted and appointed to positions of leadership. But before I do that, I mention that as Trident has grown over the years, some have asked me when I would finally step aside and let others run things. I may be “the old man”… I’m still on board (remaining as CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee), but it should be noted that it’s not just me… others have been running things here for a long time. We are a team. So that I can be freed to look at opportunities for Trident and focus a bit more in the marketing arena, it is with much confidence that I promote and appoint key personnel for greater responsibilities.
Ron Bailey, who has served as Trident’s Executive Vice President since 2000, has been promoted to President and COO.
Ron has experience as a hospital administrator and more than 25 years in operations and financial management. His areas of expertise include mergers and acquisitions in the healthcare industry and leadership in strategic planning, P&L management, productivity & cost control programs, accounting systems development, and inventory control. On a personal note, Ron is an integral part of the soul of the company. He and I have worked in sync for many years.
Jeff Poland, BS has recently joined Trident as Executive Vice President of Clinical Operations.
He is responsible for corporate clinical operations and development. I’ve known Jeff professionally for many years. His 32 years industry experience as a perfusionist and reputation as a seasoned manager (most recently president of a well respected perfusion services company) makes him an obvious choice for this new position with Trident. Jeff adds to our team the clinical expertise and leadership we need as we grow.
Julie Small has been appointed as Trident’s Corporate Controller.
She will manage the everyday operations of the company and oversee daily administrative management at the home office headquarters in Dunedin, FL. Julie has worked with us for over a decade, formerly as a third party provider of human resources and accounting services. Trident’s relationship with Julie has been long-term and it is with utmost faith this expansion of her role will make us an even better and more efficient company.
Norman Worcester, CCP, the founder of Apex Perfusion, Inc., is welcomed as part of Trident’s family.
He will continue as Apex’s president and take on additional responsibility as Trident’s Vice President of Clinical Operations. Worcester will lead the company’s expansion on the West Coast. Norm and I have been speaking about this merger for years and it is with great enthusiasm I announce this Association of Excellence.
When I reflect upon Trident’s past and where we are today, I pause with much humble appreciation. We entered the locums side of perfusion staffing and became the preferred choice for over 200 hospitals which sought vacation relief and emergency placement of perfusionists. Over the years, our business has grown into long-term accounts and we still continue to have a presence on the locums side. Our volume and growth grew organically and consistently as we built our company’s reputation. But this was not achieved single-handedly. It is the relationships built with others and the consistency of quality service that has permeated our culture, making all the difference.
What makes a good company great?
Trident’s corporate culture is grounded on patient-focused care and fosters a servant management premise: That is to say, a servant leader serves the people he/she leads and provides an outcome that employees are an end in themselves rather than a means to an organizational purpose or bottom line. As we grow, our need for additional clinical expertise and strategic business models has also expanded. It is with both gratitude and pride that Trident’s leadership has talented people overseeing key areas of the company to inspire new ideas and drive improvements.
I would like to introduce some of Trident’s key managers who have been recently promoted and appointed to positions of leadership. But before I do that, I mention that as Trident has grown over the years, some have asked me when I would finally step aside and let others run things. I may be “the old man”… I’m still on board (remaining as CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee), but it should be noted that it’s not just me… others have been running things here for a long time. We are a team. So that I can be freed to look at opportunities for Trident and focus a bit more in the marketing arena, it is with much confidence that I promote and appoint key personnel for greater responsibilities.
Ron Bailey, who has served as Trident’s Executive Vice President since 2000, has been promoted to President and COO.
Ron has experience as a hospital administrator and more than 25 years in operations and financial management. His areas of expertise include mergers and acquisitions in the healthcare industry and leadership in strategic planning, P&L management, productivity & cost control programs, accounting systems development, and inventory control. On a personal note, Ron is an integral part of the soul of the company. He and I have worked in sync for many years.
Jeff Poland, BS has recently joined Trident as Executive Vice President of Clinical Operations.
He is responsible for corporate clinical operations and development. I’ve known Jeff professionally for many years. His 32 years industry experience as a perfusionist and reputation as a seasoned manager (most recently president of a well respected perfusion services company) makes him an obvious choice for this new position with Trident. Jeff adds to our team the clinical expertise and leadership we need as we grow.
Julie Small has been appointed as Trident’s Corporate Controller.
She will manage the everyday operations of the company and oversee daily administrative management at the home office headquarters in Dunedin, FL. Julie has worked with us for over a decade, formerly as a third party provider of human resources and accounting services. Trident’s relationship with Julie has been long-term and it is with utmost faith this expansion of her role will make us an even better and more efficient company.
Norman Worcester, CCP, the founder of Apex Perfusion, Inc., is welcomed as part of Trident’s family.
He will continue as Apex’s president and take on additional responsibility as Trident’s Vice President of Clinical Operations. Worcester will lead the company’s expansion on the West Coast. Norm and I have been speaking about this merger for years and it is with great enthusiasm I announce this Association of Excellence.
When I reflect upon Trident’s past and where we are today, I pause with much humble appreciation. We entered the locums side of perfusion staffing and became the preferred choice for over 200 hospitals which sought vacation relief and emergency placement of perfusionists. Over the years, our business has grown into long-term accounts and we still continue to have a presence on the locums side. Our volume and growth grew organically and consistently as we built our company’s reputation. But this was not achieved single-handedly. It is the relationships built with others and the consistency of quality service that has permeated our culture, making all the difference.
What makes a good company great?
For Trident, it is its relationship with our people… Success lies in the great leadership and talents of many.
Please join me in welcoming Trident’s team in their new roles.
Ralph
Please join me in welcoming Trident’s team in their new roles.
Ralph
Sunday, January 30, 2011
An Excerpt from the HEARTBEAT Newsletter on Reputation
You take every measure to ensure nothing hits....
But You're Only As Good
as Your Last Pump Case...
& Other Anecdotes about Reputation
By Ralph E. Jordan, CEO & President
Trident Health Resources, Inc.
A few weeks ago, an article in the Houston Business Journal ran about the favorable medical reputation of Houston. This is attributed to the trailblazing research and inventions pioneered by Dr. Michael DeBakey, who among many his achievements devised a roller pump that years later became an essential component of the heart-lung machine DeBakey helped secure Houston's medical reputation and is remembered as one of the 20th century's great pioneers of cardiovascular surgery. He was the chancellor emeritus of Baylor College of Medicine in the hub of Texas, director of The Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center, and senior attending surgeon of The Methodist Hospital, also in Houston.
What can we glean about reputation from DeBakey? First -- that it is far-reaching. It is far-reaching beyond one person's contributions and extends to entire programs, hospitals, and even cities. So precious is professional reputation is that, in the words of Benjamin Franklin, "It takes many good deeds to build a good reputation, and only one bad one to lose it." Perhaps we all know of a person who was fallen from grace by a singular incident. So in knowing this, we recognize the daunting reality of the work performed by a perfusionist.
The pressure to perform with perfection lies within the nature of the perfusionist's work, monitoring the heart and lungs during surgery. Experience matters greatly - even more than clinical expertise and quality education. Repeating success gains reputation - doing what you do best over and over builds confidence and strength in performance
There is little room at the top for aspiring medical professionals who make errors. And yet, I think there must be a dosage of reality... that is, to be humble as a professional. For no matter how great the skills of a perfusionist, he or she truly is only as good as the last pump case. Someone once told me, the bigger the career climb, the harder the fall if one does fall. Mistakes do happen... does that mar a professional's reputation? What do you think?
Another anecdotal line is that "Perfection is the enemy of good." For perfectionists, the slightest err can be paralyzing. But it is important to recover quickly from errors, assume responsibility for the repair and keep going. I have found working with Trident's perfusionists that they are often hardest on themselves. In managing people and being alongside them in their long-term careers over the years, I have found that it is certainly possible to arise above mistakes and retain a favorable reputation.
As a company, Trident isn't perfect. We have been fortunate to have had very few issues in our history. Being forthright and attentive, we address problems immediately and completely. Our corporate culture is people-focused and real. We work with people and through them and, in contrast to what others may do, we do not subscribe to an unyielding top-down approach to management or patient care. We know that the heroes in perfusion have lived through difficult cases. Valuable lessons have been gained through trials and experience. Without myopic eyes but instead through a big picture lens, the leaders of this industry, no doubt, have their share of stories of difficult cases, mistakes they have overcome, and ways they were able to overcome.
The Trident blog welcomes comments and stories to highlight the topics of discussion. Feel free to post here (you may comment anonymously).
Click HERE for MORE articles and news from the February Issue of THE HEARTBEAT, a monthly newsletter by Trident Health Resources, Inc.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
On Perfusion Leadership... An Excerpt
As we ease into the New Year, many of us ponder our current situation and establish resolutions to become better in our approach to living by way of our personal habits and professional goals. I thought I'd share a story that is rich with inspiration in the spirit of this New Year ahead...
Recently a colleague of mine told me about a cable TV show she'd seen (Discovery Channel?) that featured a perfusionist monitoring an ECMO. Over time, the patient's condition declined and it was baffling to all the doctors. The medical team was beginning to feel there was no hope. This patient was fairly young with a strong physique and something gnawed at the perfusionist such that he couldn't give up the faith that the patient could be saved.
READ MORE in the January 2011 Edition of The Heartbeat....
Recently a colleague of mine told me about a cable TV show she'd seen (Discovery Channel?) that featured a perfusionist monitoring an ECMO. Over time, the patient's condition declined and it was baffling to all the doctors. The medical team was beginning to feel there was no hope. This patient was fairly young with a strong physique and something gnawed at the perfusionist such that he couldn't give up the faith that the patient could be saved.
READ MORE in the January 2011 Edition of The Heartbeat....
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Holiday Edition of the HEARTBEAT, Trident's E-Newsletter Now Available!
This month's HEARTBEAT features a summary of results from a national survey of perfusionists and hospital administrators on Locums Perfusionist Staffing.It's the holidays and a hectic time when staff shortages occur due to vacations. Trident is here when you need emergent perfusion staffing! Call us today at (800) 888-8408.
And check out the latest news in the December Issue of the HEARTBEAT!
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
A Thanksgiving thought…
At Thanksgiving more than ever, our thoughts turn gratefully to those who have made our progress possible. It is a pleasure and a real privilege to be associated with you. We deeply appreciate all of your efforts. And in this spirit we say, simply but sincerely
Thank you and Best Wishes For a Joy filled Thanksgiving
Once again, we encourage you to say a special blessing this Thanksgiving for those in need, for a safe return home for our brave men and women in uniform and for our beloved Country.
Sincerely,
Trident Health Resources, Inc.
Ralph E. Jordan
President/CEO
Ron Bailey
Executive Vice-President
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
November THE HEARTBEAT
See the latest Trident E-Newsletter with a feature PLANNING AHEAD FOR 2011. Link Here
Thursday, October 7, 2010
I'm 63 and I'm Tired... An Opinion Piece by Robert A. Hall
I wanted to share with you an outstanding opinion piece by Robert A. Hall, freelance writer, about the political and social issues of which he’s most tired. This was written about two years ago and was corrected at his blog, http://tartanmarine.blogspot.com/2009/02/robert.html , whereby through all the email forwards, he was misidentified as the actor Robert Hall who plays on the TV show, CSI.
At Trident Health Resources, Inc. one thing that is core to our business philosophy is having a strong work ethic. Hall speaks eloquently to this value.
Hall definitely is a conservative and he tackles some controversial issues such as race, religion, world relations, economy, and the president. While some of you may not agree with all his opinions, what he does do well is show hope for an America based on its historical principals, ways he knew in his experience over the decades which sometimes seem lost in a new generation. There is merit in such experience and opinion…. And certainly some good material for discussion and debate.
I hope you enjoy this piece. It’s lengthy, but I found it quite compelling… a good read for all!
Ralph E. Jordan
President & CEO
Trident Health Resources, Inc.
I'm 63 and I'm Tired, by Robert A. Hall
I’ll be 63 soon. Except for one semester in college when jobs were scarce, and a six-month period when I was between jobs, but job-hunting every day, I’ve worked, hard, since I was 18. Despite some health challenges, I still put in 50-hour weeks, and haven’t called in sick in seven or eight years. I make a good salary, but I didn’t inherit my job or my income, and I worked to get where I am. Given the economy, there’s no retirement in sight, and I’m tired. Very tired.
I’m tired of being told that I have to “spread the wealth around” to people who don’t have my work ethic. I’m tired of being told the government will take the money I earned, by force if necessary, and give it to people too lazy or stupid to earn it.
I’m tired of being told that I have to pay more taxes to “keep people in their homes.” Sure, if they lost their jobs or got sick, I’m willing to help. But if they bought McMansions at three times the price of our paid-off, $250,000 condo, on one-third of my salary, then let the leftwing Congresscritters who passed Fannie and Freddie and the Community Reinvestment Act that created the bubble help them—with their own money.
I’m tired of being told how bad America is by leftwing millionaires like Michael Moore, George Soros and Hollywood entertainers who live in luxury because of the opportunities America offers. In thirty years, if they get their way, the United States will have the religious freedom and women’s rights of Saudi Arabia, the economy of Zimbabwe, the freedom of the press of China, the crime and violence of Mexico, the tolerance for Gay people of Iran, and the freedom of speech of Venezuela. Won’t multiculturalism be beautiful?
I’m tired of being told that Islam is a “Religion of Peace,” when every day I can read dozens of stories of Muslim men killing their sisters, wives and daughters for their family “honor;” of Muslims rioting over some slight offense; of Muslims murdering Christian and Jews because they aren’t “believers;” of Muslims burning schools for girls; of Muslims stoning teenage rape victims to death for “adultery;” of Muslims mutilating the genitals of little girls; all in the name of Allah, because the Qur’an and Shari’a law tells them to.
I believe “a man should be judged by the content of his character, not by the color of his skin.” I’m tired of being told that “race doesn’t matter” in the post-racial world of President Obama, when it’s all that matters in affirmative action jobs, lower college admission and graduation standards for minorities (harming them the most), government contract set-asides, tolerance for the ghetto culture of violence and fatherless children that hurts minorities more than anyone, and in the appointment of US Senators from Illinois. I think it’s very cool that we have a black president and that a black child is doing her homework at the desk where Lincoln wrote the emancipation proclamation. I just wish the black president was Condi Rice, or someone who believes more in freedom and the individual and less in an all-knowing government.
I’m tired of a news media that thinks Bush’s fundraising and inaugural expenses were obscene, but that think Obama’s, at triple the cost, were wonderful. That thinks Bush exercising daily was a waste of presidential time, but Obama exercising is a great example for the public to control weight and stress, that picked over every line of Bush’s military records, but never demanded that Kerry release his, that slammed Palin with two years as governor for being too inexperienced for VP, but touted Obama with three years as senator as potentially the best president ever.
Wonder why people are dropping their subscriptions or switching to Fox News? Get a clue. I didn’t vote for Bush in 2000, but the media and Kerry drove me to his camp in 2004.
I’m tired of being told that out of “tolerance for other cultures” we must let Saudi Arabia use our oil money to fund mosques and madrassa Islamic schools to preach hate in America, while no American group is allowed to fund a church, synagogue or religious school in Saudi Arabia to teach love and tolerance.
I’m tired of being told I must lower my living standard to fight global warming, which no one is allowed to debate. My wife and I live in a two-bedroom apartment and carpool together five miles to our jobs. We also own a three-bedroom condo where our daughter and granddaughter live. Our carbon footprint is about 5% of Al Gore’s, and if you’re greener than Gore, you’re green enough.
I’m tired of being told that drug addicts have a disease, and I must help support and treat them, and pay for the damage they do. Did a giant germ rush out of a dark alley, grab them, and stuff white powder up their noses while they tried to fight it off? I don’t think Gay people choose to be Gay, but I damn sure think druggies chose to take drugs. And I’m tired of harassment from cool people treating me like a freak when I tell them I never tried marijuana. Update: People have written to tell me I'd have more sympathy if this was close to me. It is exactly having seen the destruction of alcoholism and heroin addiction in my own family that makes me pretty intolerant of people who are willing to destroy the people around them to indulge themselves.
I’m tired of illegal aliens being called “undocumented workers,” especially the ones who aren’t working, but are living on welfare or crime. What’s next? Calling drug dealers, “Undocumented Pharmacists”? And, no, I’m not against Hispanics. Most of them are Catholic and it’s been a few hundred years since Catholics wanted to kill me for my religion. I’m willing to fast track for citizenship any Hispanic person who can speak English, doesn’t have a criminal record and who is self-supporting without family on welfare, or who serves honorably for three years in our military. Those are the citizens we need. Update: A few people have taken this to indicate some bias against Catholics, based on events 400 years ago. While I think they are either too touchy or fail to understand, I was only trying to say that I have zero problem with Catholics wanting to come to the US, but that I have great concerns about Muslims, as a good % of them do want to kill me, or force their religion and moral code on me.
I’m tired of latte liberals and journalists, who would never wear the uniform of the Republic themselves, or let their entitlement-handicapped kids near a recruiting station, trashing our military. They and their kids can sit at home, never having to make split-second decisions under life and death circumstances, and bad mouth better people then themselves. Do bad things happen in war? You bet. Do our troops sometimes misbehave? Sure. Does this compare with the atrocities that were the policy of our enemies for the last fifty years—and still are? Not even close. So here’s the deal. I’ll let myself be subjected to all the humiliation and abuse that was heaped on terrorists at Abu Ghraib or Gitmo, and the critics can let themselves be subject to captivity by the Muslims who tortured and beheaded Daniel Pearl in Pakistan, or the Muslims who tortured and murdered Marine Lt. Col. William Higgins in Lebanon, or the Muslims who ran the blood-spattered Al Qaeda torture rooms our troops found in Iraq, or the Muslims who cut off the heads of schoolgirls in Indonesia, because the girls were Christian. Then we’ll compare notes. British and American soldiers are the only troops in history that civilians came to for help and handouts, instead of hiding from in fear. UPDATE: It has rightly been pointed out to me, several times, that I should have included Canadian, Australian and New Zealand troops here. My apologies for slighting these gallant allies of freedom.
I’m tired of people telling me that their party has a corner on virtue and the other party has a corner on corruption. Read the papers—bums are bi-partisan. And I’m tired of people telling me we need bi-partisanship. I live in Illinois, where the “Illinois Combine” of Democrats and Republicans has worked together harmoniously to loot the public for years. And I notice that the tax cheats in Obama’s cabinet are bi-partisan as well.
I’m tired of hearing wealthy athletes, entertainers and politicians of both parties talking about innocent mistakes, stupid mistakes or youthful mistakes, when we all know they think their only mistake was getting caught. I’m tired of people with a sense of entitlement, rich or poor.
Speaking of poor, I’m tired of hearing people with air-conditioned homes, color TVs and two cars called poor. The majority of Americans didn’t have that in 1970, but we didn’t know we were “poor.” The poverty pimps have to keep changing the definition of poor to keep the dollars flowing.
I’m real tired of people who don’t take responsibility for their lives and actions. I’m tired of hearing them blame the government, or discrimination, or big-whatever for their problems.
Yes, I’m damn tired. But I’m also glad to be 63. Because, mostly, I’m not going to get to see the world these people are making. I’m just sorry for my granddaughter.
Robert A. Hall is a Marine Vietnam veteran who served five terms in the Massachusetts state senate. He blogs at www.tartanmarine.blogspot.com Update: Someone attached a picture of Robert D. Hall, an actor, to some versions and forwarded it on, saying that I was on CSI. We are two different people, and I am not an actor--unless you count running for public office.
And to the folks who said I'm Old and should die and get out of the way, I have IPF, so will comply soon enough.
About Robert A. Hall
Robert A. Hall, MEd, CAE, has been an association executive since 1982. He was elected to the Massachusetts State Senate in 1972, defeating a Democrat incumbent by 9 votes out of 60,000. He was reelected 4 times by large margins, and was nominated by both parties in 1976, retiring undefeated 1982. Hall holds an AA from Mount Wachusett Community College, a BA in government from the U Mass and an MEd in history from Fitchburg State. He is a Marine Vietnam veteran, having served four years in the regulars and, while a senator, another six in the reserves, finishing with the rank of Staff Sergeant. A frequently-published freelance writer, Hall’s columns, articles, short stories and poetry have appeared in over 75 publications. His book of anecdotes about the Marines and politics, "The Good Bits," was published by www.authorhouse.com. His book on association management, "Chaos for Breakfast: Practical Help and Humor for the Non-profit Executive," is available at www.asaecenter.org. He married his first wife, Bonnie, in 1992. His granddaughter, Britnye, born in 2000, is the light of his life. His blog is at: http://tartanmarine.blogspot.com/2009/02/robert.html
At Trident Health Resources, Inc. one thing that is core to our business philosophy is having a strong work ethic. Hall speaks eloquently to this value.
Hall definitely is a conservative and he tackles some controversial issues such as race, religion, world relations, economy, and the president. While some of you may not agree with all his opinions, what he does do well is show hope for an America based on its historical principals, ways he knew in his experience over the decades which sometimes seem lost in a new generation. There is merit in such experience and opinion…. And certainly some good material for discussion and debate.
I hope you enjoy this piece. It’s lengthy, but I found it quite compelling… a good read for all!
Ralph E. Jordan
President & CEO
Trident Health Resources, Inc.
I'm 63 and I'm Tired, by Robert A. Hall
I’ll be 63 soon. Except for one semester in college when jobs were scarce, and a six-month period when I was between jobs, but job-hunting every day, I’ve worked, hard, since I was 18. Despite some health challenges, I still put in 50-hour weeks, and haven’t called in sick in seven or eight years. I make a good salary, but I didn’t inherit my job or my income, and I worked to get where I am. Given the economy, there’s no retirement in sight, and I’m tired. Very tired.
I’m tired of being told that I have to “spread the wealth around” to people who don’t have my work ethic. I’m tired of being told the government will take the money I earned, by force if necessary, and give it to people too lazy or stupid to earn it.
I’m tired of being told that I have to pay more taxes to “keep people in their homes.” Sure, if they lost their jobs or got sick, I’m willing to help. But if they bought McMansions at three times the price of our paid-off, $250,000 condo, on one-third of my salary, then let the leftwing Congresscritters who passed Fannie and Freddie and the Community Reinvestment Act that created the bubble help them—with their own money.
I’m tired of being told how bad America is by leftwing millionaires like Michael Moore, George Soros and Hollywood entertainers who live in luxury because of the opportunities America offers. In thirty years, if they get their way, the United States will have the religious freedom and women’s rights of Saudi Arabia, the economy of Zimbabwe, the freedom of the press of China, the crime and violence of Mexico, the tolerance for Gay people of Iran, and the freedom of speech of Venezuela. Won’t multiculturalism be beautiful?
I’m tired of being told that Islam is a “Religion of Peace,” when every day I can read dozens of stories of Muslim men killing their sisters, wives and daughters for their family “honor;” of Muslims rioting over some slight offense; of Muslims murdering Christian and Jews because they aren’t “believers;” of Muslims burning schools for girls; of Muslims stoning teenage rape victims to death for “adultery;” of Muslims mutilating the genitals of little girls; all in the name of Allah, because the Qur’an and Shari’a law tells them to.
I believe “a man should be judged by the content of his character, not by the color of his skin.” I’m tired of being told that “race doesn’t matter” in the post-racial world of President Obama, when it’s all that matters in affirmative action jobs, lower college admission and graduation standards for minorities (harming them the most), government contract set-asides, tolerance for the ghetto culture of violence and fatherless children that hurts minorities more than anyone, and in the appointment of US Senators from Illinois. I think it’s very cool that we have a black president and that a black child is doing her homework at the desk where Lincoln wrote the emancipation proclamation. I just wish the black president was Condi Rice, or someone who believes more in freedom and the individual and less in an all-knowing government.
I’m tired of a news media that thinks Bush’s fundraising and inaugural expenses were obscene, but that think Obama’s, at triple the cost, were wonderful. That thinks Bush exercising daily was a waste of presidential time, but Obama exercising is a great example for the public to control weight and stress, that picked over every line of Bush’s military records, but never demanded that Kerry release his, that slammed Palin with two years as governor for being too inexperienced for VP, but touted Obama with three years as senator as potentially the best president ever.
Wonder why people are dropping their subscriptions or switching to Fox News? Get a clue. I didn’t vote for Bush in 2000, but the media and Kerry drove me to his camp in 2004.
I’m tired of being told that out of “tolerance for other cultures” we must let Saudi Arabia use our oil money to fund mosques and madrassa Islamic schools to preach hate in America, while no American group is allowed to fund a church, synagogue or religious school in Saudi Arabia to teach love and tolerance.
I’m tired of being told I must lower my living standard to fight global warming, which no one is allowed to debate. My wife and I live in a two-bedroom apartment and carpool together five miles to our jobs. We also own a three-bedroom condo where our daughter and granddaughter live. Our carbon footprint is about 5% of Al Gore’s, and if you’re greener than Gore, you’re green enough.
I’m tired of being told that drug addicts have a disease, and I must help support and treat them, and pay for the damage they do. Did a giant germ rush out of a dark alley, grab them, and stuff white powder up their noses while they tried to fight it off? I don’t think Gay people choose to be Gay, but I damn sure think druggies chose to take drugs. And I’m tired of harassment from cool people treating me like a freak when I tell them I never tried marijuana. Update: People have written to tell me I'd have more sympathy if this was close to me. It is exactly having seen the destruction of alcoholism and heroin addiction in my own family that makes me pretty intolerant of people who are willing to destroy the people around them to indulge themselves.
I’m tired of illegal aliens being called “undocumented workers,” especially the ones who aren’t working, but are living on welfare or crime. What’s next? Calling drug dealers, “Undocumented Pharmacists”? And, no, I’m not against Hispanics. Most of them are Catholic and it’s been a few hundred years since Catholics wanted to kill me for my religion. I’m willing to fast track for citizenship any Hispanic person who can speak English, doesn’t have a criminal record and who is self-supporting without family on welfare, or who serves honorably for three years in our military. Those are the citizens we need. Update: A few people have taken this to indicate some bias against Catholics, based on events 400 years ago. While I think they are either too touchy or fail to understand, I was only trying to say that I have zero problem with Catholics wanting to come to the US, but that I have great concerns about Muslims, as a good % of them do want to kill me, or force their religion and moral code on me.
I’m tired of latte liberals and journalists, who would never wear the uniform of the Republic themselves, or let their entitlement-handicapped kids near a recruiting station, trashing our military. They and their kids can sit at home, never having to make split-second decisions under life and death circumstances, and bad mouth better people then themselves. Do bad things happen in war? You bet. Do our troops sometimes misbehave? Sure. Does this compare with the atrocities that were the policy of our enemies for the last fifty years—and still are? Not even close. So here’s the deal. I’ll let myself be subjected to all the humiliation and abuse that was heaped on terrorists at Abu Ghraib or Gitmo, and the critics can let themselves be subject to captivity by the Muslims who tortured and beheaded Daniel Pearl in Pakistan, or the Muslims who tortured and murdered Marine Lt. Col. William Higgins in Lebanon, or the Muslims who ran the blood-spattered Al Qaeda torture rooms our troops found in Iraq, or the Muslims who cut off the heads of schoolgirls in Indonesia, because the girls were Christian. Then we’ll compare notes. British and American soldiers are the only troops in history that civilians came to for help and handouts, instead of hiding from in fear. UPDATE: It has rightly been pointed out to me, several times, that I should have included Canadian, Australian and New Zealand troops here. My apologies for slighting these gallant allies of freedom.
I’m tired of people telling me that their party has a corner on virtue and the other party has a corner on corruption. Read the papers—bums are bi-partisan. And I’m tired of people telling me we need bi-partisanship. I live in Illinois, where the “Illinois Combine” of Democrats and Republicans has worked together harmoniously to loot the public for years. And I notice that the tax cheats in Obama’s cabinet are bi-partisan as well.
I’m tired of hearing wealthy athletes, entertainers and politicians of both parties talking about innocent mistakes, stupid mistakes or youthful mistakes, when we all know they think their only mistake was getting caught. I’m tired of people with a sense of entitlement, rich or poor.
Speaking of poor, I’m tired of hearing people with air-conditioned homes, color TVs and two cars called poor. The majority of Americans didn’t have that in 1970, but we didn’t know we were “poor.” The poverty pimps have to keep changing the definition of poor to keep the dollars flowing.
I’m real tired of people who don’t take responsibility for their lives and actions. I’m tired of hearing them blame the government, or discrimination, or big-whatever for their problems.
Yes, I’m damn tired. But I’m also glad to be 63. Because, mostly, I’m not going to get to see the world these people are making. I’m just sorry for my granddaughter.
Robert A. Hall is a Marine Vietnam veteran who served five terms in the Massachusetts state senate. He blogs at www.tartanmarine.blogspot.com Update: Someone attached a picture of Robert D. Hall, an actor, to some versions and forwarded it on, saying that I was on CSI. We are two different people, and I am not an actor--unless you count running for public office.
And to the folks who said I'm Old and should die and get out of the way, I have IPF, so will comply soon enough.
About Robert A. Hall
Robert A. Hall, MEd, CAE, has been an association executive since 1982. He was elected to the Massachusetts State Senate in 1972, defeating a Democrat incumbent by 9 votes out of 60,000. He was reelected 4 times by large margins, and was nominated by both parties in 1976, retiring undefeated 1982. Hall holds an AA from Mount Wachusett Community College, a BA in government from the U Mass and an MEd in history from Fitchburg State. He is a Marine Vietnam veteran, having served four years in the regulars and, while a senator, another six in the reserves, finishing with the rank of Staff Sergeant. A frequently-published freelance writer, Hall’s columns, articles, short stories and poetry have appeared in over 75 publications. His book of anecdotes about the Marines and politics, "The Good Bits," was published by www.authorhouse.com. His book on association management, "Chaos for Breakfast: Practical Help and Humor for the Non-profit Executive," is available at www.asaecenter.org. He married his first wife, Bonnie, in 1992. His granddaughter, Britnye, born in 2000, is the light of his life. His blog is at: http://tartanmarine.blogspot.com/2009/02/robert.html
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Feature Article: Behind Closed Doors... When Hospitals Need to Ask Hard Questions
The October Issue of Trident's HEARTBEAT newsletter is now available online.
Excerpt...
Third quarter. Coffee and donuts... a hospital conference room with each seat taken...calendars and reports stacked neatly on a table. Behind closed doors, discussions about the biggest challenges for hospital administrators may certainly include topics such as regulatory compliance, internal efficiencies, patient care and clinical outcomes. But let's talk turkey... it's also about how to ....
Excerpt...
Third quarter. Coffee and donuts... a hospital conference room with each seat taken...calendars and reports stacked neatly on a table. Behind closed doors, discussions about the biggest challenges for hospital administrators may certainly include topics such as regulatory compliance, internal efficiencies, patient care and clinical outcomes. But let's talk turkey... it's also about how to ....
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Research Finds Heart Patients are Getting Wrong Procedure
In Print: Monday, September 13, 2010
Tens or even hundreds of thousands of Americans are having coronary artery angioplasty and stenting every year when they should be having bypass grafts, and the result is an extra 5,000 or more deaths annually, researchers said Sunday.
Patients and cardiologists frequently prefer angioplasty and the insertion of a stent to keep arteries open because it is quicker and easier, and patients go home sooner and return to work more quickly.
But new data from a major European-American study on more than 1,800 patients show that three years after the procedure, those who got stents were 28 percent more likely to suffer a major event, such as a heart attack or stroke, and 46 percent more likely to need a repeat procedure to reopen arteries. They were 22 percent more likely to die.
Coronary-artery bypass grafts, commonly called CABG (pronounced cabbage), were the first treatment for blocked arteries. In the procedure, a blood vessel removed from elsewhere in the body, most often the chest or the leg, is used to bypass the blocked area, providing a new channel for blood to flow to the heart.
Hospital stays generally last five or six days, and the patient can return to work after a few weeks.
In recent years, however, cardiologists have turned more and more to balloon angioplasty, in which a catheter is threaded through a blood vessel in the groin to reach the blockage and a balloon is inflated at the site to compress the plaque. Originally, that was all that was done. Then physicians began inserting bare-metal stents, spring-like devices that hold the artery open.
Hospital stays are typically overnight, and the patient can return to work after a couple of days.
More than 1.3 million Americans now undergo angioplasty every year, compared with 448,000 who undergo bypass, according to the National Center for Health Statistics.
The new study, reported Sunday at a Geneva meeting of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, is the first large trial to compare stenting and CABG directly. Called SYNTAX (Synergy between Percutaneous Coronary Intervention with Taxus and Cardiac Surgery), the trial enrolled 1,800 patients at 85 centers in Europe and the United States.
[Last modified: Sep 12, 2010 10:12 PM]
Source: http://www.tampabay.com/incoming/heart-bypass-surgery-underused-study-says/1121233
Tens or even hundreds of thousands of Americans are having coronary artery angioplasty and stenting every year when they should be having bypass grafts, and the result is an extra 5,000 or more deaths annually, researchers said Sunday.
Patients and cardiologists frequently prefer angioplasty and the insertion of a stent to keep arteries open because it is quicker and easier, and patients go home sooner and return to work more quickly.
But new data from a major European-American study on more than 1,800 patients show that three years after the procedure, those who got stents were 28 percent more likely to suffer a major event, such as a heart attack or stroke, and 46 percent more likely to need a repeat procedure to reopen arteries. They were 22 percent more likely to die.
Coronary-artery bypass grafts, commonly called CABG (pronounced cabbage), were the first treatment for blocked arteries. In the procedure, a blood vessel removed from elsewhere in the body, most often the chest or the leg, is used to bypass the blocked area, providing a new channel for blood to flow to the heart.
Hospital stays generally last five or six days, and the patient can return to work after a few weeks.
In recent years, however, cardiologists have turned more and more to balloon angioplasty, in which a catheter is threaded through a blood vessel in the groin to reach the blockage and a balloon is inflated at the site to compress the plaque. Originally, that was all that was done. Then physicians began inserting bare-metal stents, spring-like devices that hold the artery open.
Hospital stays are typically overnight, and the patient can return to work after a couple of days.
More than 1.3 million Americans now undergo angioplasty every year, compared with 448,000 who undergo bypass, according to the National Center for Health Statistics.
The new study, reported Sunday at a Geneva meeting of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, is the first large trial to compare stenting and CABG directly. Called SYNTAX (Synergy between Percutaneous Coronary Intervention with Taxus and Cardiac Surgery), the trial enrolled 1,800 patients at 85 centers in Europe and the United States.
[Last modified: Sep 12, 2010 10:12 PM]
Source: http://www.tampabay.com/incoming/heart-bypass-surgery-underused-study-says/1121233
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Pitfalls & Top Secrets Hospitals Should Know for Successful Perfusion Staffing Outsourcing.
Hospitals gain many benefits by outsourcing perfusion staffing and management services but it's important to know some common pitfalls before signing any contract. These days, the economic and health care regulatory environments present little room for costly mistakes. Knowing potential areas for risk may help hospitals find confidence in their decision to outsource.
Read the rest of this article in the NEW September HEARTBEAT Newsletter.
Read the rest of this article in the NEW September HEARTBEAT Newsletter.
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