Milwaukee Journal Sentinel editorial regarding the closing of St Michael’s hospital on Milwaukee’s North Side 5/9/06:
St. Michael Hospital will cease to operate as a freestanding hospital starting next month was, sad to say, inevitable. But given the poor patients whom St. Michael has served, the closing of its emergency department and inpatient services is both a sign of the times and a symptom of a health care system that desperately needs major surgery.
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel editorial asking the Waukesha County Board to vote no to the proposed Aurora hospital in western Waukesha County (4/26/05):
As far as the merits of the matter, we believe the choice is clear: The Waukesha County Board should turn down Aurora's request.
Quite simply, Aurora, based in Milwaukee, hasn't made a convincing case that building another hospital only three miles from an existing hospital in Oconomowoc is needed and, consequently, will improve medical care and access to people in the western reaches of the county.
What's more, Aurora officials have failed to deal with the even more pressing question of whether this proposed $85 million hospital will further drive up health care costs in southeastern Wisconsin. Most health care economists contend that competition in health care, unlike competition in other industries, does not reduce costs for consumers.
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel editorial on the expansion of Oconomowoc Memorial Hospital and how it will raise prices and/or kill poor hospitals:
… I’ll let you know when they write it. In the meantime, I'll keep looking for the editorial which explains how the closing of St. Michael's Hospital is good for competition in the long term and will lower the costs of medical care.
