Do we need a UPMC Watch blog?

I have toyed with starting a UPMC watch blog. Here is another interesting story today of how these assholes continue to make more and more money, yet provide shitty service with 50% bitchy nurses (and to be fair 50% wonderful nurses who can't stand their employer), expensive parking for family and patients, and slow and unorganized discharge plans, where people just sit...and wait...to get out, and the insurance companies and families get stuck with the extended bill. Who is watching UPMC? They never have to pay taxes, they have no one to answer to because they run 90% of the area hospitals, and they whine about their costs like a corporation, while they have two loaves of bread under their arms.

Look at this article about the revenues and profits UPMC has made in a half of its fiscal year. Sick.

Who is asking the questions? How does a hospital make so much money yet provide such shit service? I am not talking about the amazing doctors. I am not talking about that portion of compassionate nurses. Visit a close family member there for a few days and understand what I mean. Why can't they provide parking for families of terminal patients? Why can't they provide TV for free? Why can't they charge store cost for pills and meds? A tylenol can cost the price of a bottle.

Stop being jagoffs and blaming the insurance companies. No wonder they don't want to pay for shit because they are getting ripped off too! Why can't UPMC sell shares like a public company, because I would love to be in on some of this cash.

I can diss Romoff all day, but that jerkoff and his minions are sharp, and while making that kind of money he will never leave that unaccountable position.

Hey Ravelchild, this is your chance to be a real mayor and ask some questions, instead of an overgrown frat boy tough guy.

UPMC St. Margaret's-Big Insult to Injury

So I head to UPMC St. Margaret's Hospital today to visit a pal of mine who has a chronic illness. He frequently has to be admitted due to pain, where subsequently they dope him up since there is no cure, and he lays there zombified until his pain goes away. But I digress.

Upon arrival to the suburban hospital, I find that for a half an hour visit I must pay THREE DOLLARS to park in their lot. There are 3 lots, none of which are being used except the one I am parked in, and the one I am using barely has any cars in it.

Now this hospital isn't run by the Shriners, where you may expect them to ask for handouts since they dish out all the cash themselves, and may ask for the 3 bucks to help pay for property. This isn't a hospital run by the Sisters of Mercy where they may ask you to toss in a buck or two to help out. This is UPMC, the KING of hospitals in the western PA area, not to mention a hospital basically in Fox Chapel where Pittsburgh's richest live!

The Hospital also expects my friend to dish out 5 bucks a day for TV service. Can he bring his own in? No. But he has to use their piece of shit service with 5 fuckin channels on it.

Just for your info, UPMC made a record $523 million in their '06 fiscal year (they have been trending up.) There are companies that would give their arms for 1/10th of that. They brag about their $60 million in charitable care. Don't believe this shit. If it wasn't for the bad press for refusing someone, I just can't see these dickheads handing a dime to anyone. If people still can't afford it, where is all my medicare money going???

If you expect me to pay even a DIME for my parking, then I expect you to provide full security to my car. WHAT THE FUCK AM I PAYING THREE BUCKS FOR?? If my car gets fucked up, or busted into, you should be liable. Don't put those jerkoffish "Park at your own risk" signs. If you are taking my money, I want a service.

The ironic thing is, if I weren't a member of the interminably stupid as well, I would park on one of those fancy streets a block or two away and not pay a dime. But silly me.

Hey Jeff Romoff, CEO of UPMC, maybe you can give back some of that 2.4 mil you earned in 2005 so that you don't have to ask people with friends and families with cancer to begin our agony 1000 steps earlier into the hospital by paying your redicuous parking fee. Fuck yourself, Romoff, you asshole.