The Future of the Antelope Valley Healthcare District

By Michael Patric Rives

To survive in the future, the AV Healthcare District needs to partner with other providers and be a leader in the field of healthcare in the AV.

AV Hospital, the premier hospital in the AV and a trauma center in Los Angeles County, is facing a major financial crisis. Some think it is due to excessive spending and building by using bonds which eventually have to repay the holder with interest and principal. Others think it is due to the fact that this not for profit hospital sees many thousands of patients who cannot or will not pay. Finally, some see the situation due to insurance companies, the State of California, and federal agencies who do promptly reimburse the hospital for services rendered. I think it is all of this.

Presently, we have a new CEO of the hospital with wide experience in managing and building hosptials. We have a leadership team to assist him of highly intelligent and motivated experience. I do not blame the administration for the current 'mess'. I do think that past members of the AV Healthcare District Board of Director (AKA as the Hospital Board) failed to demonstrate vision to not get us into the current situation. They have been content to let the hospital administration run things without overseeing them. In a way, you can't blame them because the Board members are primarily physicians with medical practices which occupy all of their time. There are just so many hours in the day.

The time has come for a full-time Board Member who can work with the CEO to ressolve this crisis. I have worked at County-USC Medical Center and the VA West LA Medical Center ( 13 years) I know about UCLA Medical Center having worked with hundreds of their doctors over the years. I have been exposed to the workings of Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles where my physicians have staff privileges and where I have received quality medical care. I attend all Board of Directors Meetings of AV Hospital and I attended the Finance Committee Meetings of AV Hospital.

We need to also show leadership in overseeing the multiple healthcare providers and charities in the AV. We have many providers and we can provide care for all if it is coordinated by the entity that is charged with overseeing it which is the AV Healthcare District. Currently, everything is fragmented. Let's take control and put things in order.

I hope the voters will allow me to represent them on the AV Healthcare District Board of Directors. I will be a full-time director working to making AV Healthcare better than it is and the best in the future!