The Elephant in the Ambulance

which he wrote the first in what was to be a three-part series: “Otsego county EMS Reaches crossroads Part I: The county Service.” That first article focused on the 24hour, county-based advanced life support paid ambulance service instituted in December of 2021 in response to the number of squad captains, according to Wilber, who told him they “couldn’t handle the load anymore.”

Previously, Mebust wrote, prehospital emergency medical services in Otsego county had been largely carried out by the 17 volunteer-based EMS agencies serving the county, most associated with local fire departments. “These first responders had reached a breaking point and were the first to sound an alarm,” according to Wilber.

“With both county and volunteer crews responding to calls, we’re starting care sooner,” O’Brien told Mebust.

In his discussions with county officials, Mebust was directed to two recently released reports: the New York State Emergency Services council’s “2023 EMS Agenda for Future” (EMS Sustainability Technical Advisory Group NYS 2023 Evidence Based EMS Agenda for Future) and the center for Public Safety Management’s “EMS Services Delivery Report,” (https://www.cpsm. us/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Otsegocounty-EMS-Report-Final.pdf). Article two of Mebust’s series, “Otsego county EMS Reaches crossroads Part II: Recent Reports,” disclosed that both reports highlighted concerns about uncertain funding systems and the declining rate of volunteerism in communities statewide. The cPSM report further revealed that Otsego county’s ALS ambulance division — originally funded through the American Rescue Plan Act — is projected to “run an average deficit of $639,847.00 over the next four years.”

Matt Zavadsky, an EMS subject-matter expert hired with grant funds to analyze

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR … IN THEIR OPINION

FoxCare Fitness

Should Remain

I am a 72-year-old woman who has had several major surgeries because I have arthritis throughout my body. Both knees were replaced at Bassett and I have had three spine surgeries at Wilson Hospital. I went to physical therapy at different local locations and after it was over I tried to continue to do the exercises.

After my second upper spine surgery in 2021, I learned about the therapy pool at Foxcare. I chose to do my PT at the Foxcare facility because of that warm therapy pool! I joined the gym right after finishing my PT. On November 15, 2022, I finally had my third spine surgery. This was on my lower spine and my surgeon warned me that the recovery this time would be six-eight months to a full year to get back to normal. I knew that I could rejoin the gym again after I was finished with the month of land PT and then

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY the county service’s effect and determine sustainability options, also spoke to volunteer agencies around the county, who said they were struggling but remain committed to the communities they serve. Following a year-long observation period, Zavadsky concluded that the county service was “working as designed.” Average response times and activation times, he reported, had both decreased. Despite this, Mebust went on to point out, the county’s paid service had, at times, caused friction with existing EMS services.

“The Freeman’s Journal” welcomes letters to the editor that reflect the writer’s thoughts on an article or other item appearing in the paper. They must include the writer’s name, address, e-mail and telephone/ mobile number; the opinions expressed must be the writer’s own. Hostile, offensive, factually incorrect or excessively inflammatory content will not be published. The length must be no more than 250 words. The editors reserve the right to accept, reject or edit letters for clarity and space. Please send letters to: info@allotsego.com.

Which brings us full circle to Part III of the series, intended to examine the perspective of volunteer EMS providers in relation to the current state of services—an article that cannot now be written because suddenly no one will talk. Mebust has since left Iron String Press, having accepted a job overseas (congratulations and good luck, Ted; you will be missed). With one notable exception, sources who seemed interested in sharing their perspectives at the start of the series of articles have since dried up.

When questioned about possible conflict with the county paid service, one EMS volunteer replied, “I can’t talk about that. I’m not allowed to.” Another source, wishing to remain anonymous, wrote in an e-mail, “I prefer to keep my identity…confidential. I fear retaliation from those in EMS opposed to paid EMS providers/paid emergency services,” and referred to an aggressive social media campaign underway to “squash the county’s paid EMS program.”

Other volunteers said they could not go on record for fear they would lose their jobs— many are employed by Otsego county in roles not related to emergency services, or by the Bassett Healthcare Network, for instance. Reports have also surfaced, and been confirmed, that things got a little heated recently between the county’s paid EMS providers and EMS volunteers from Fly creek as they responded to the same call.

Volunteers have closed ranks and refuse now to speak on this issue—whether for fear of reprisal or under some sort of unofficial “gag” order, real or imagined—where once they seemed eager to do so. And, last Friday, a county official rescheduled a meeting with one of our reporters in order to ensure that county Administrator Wilson could also be in attendance. Needless to say, the third and final article in the EMS crossroads series may not be written any time soon.

That third article may never run. But the bigger issue here—the elephant in the ambulance which really must be addressed—is that regardless of what is happening behind the scenes, there needs to be a day of reckoning and reconciliation between the county’s paid EMS service and its volunteers, all of whom are delivering essential services to the residents of Otsego county, and all of whom deserve to be praised for their long hours, selflessness, and dedication.

Those providers, coming face to face at a call, must put aside their differences for the greater good. They must learn to work together, respect each other and turn their combined attention to the job at hand. They must stop sniping at each other via social media, where name-calling and fingerpointing have become the order of the day.

And, regardless of what the coming months hold for the future of EMS both in Otsego county and statewide, our paid and unpaid EMS workers must resolve to come together as one in service, before someone in their care suffers further as a result of the divide or the unthinkable happens, and someone dies.

In the oft-quoted words of “Project Runway” mentor Tim Gunn, “Make it work, people.” Otsego county’s residents are trusting you with their lives.

Richard deRosa, caspar Ewig, Daniel Francis, Joel J. Plue, Ian Kenyon, Tom Shelby, Dr. Richard Sternberg, Dan Sullivan, T. Stephen Wager, Teresa Winchester and Jamie Zvirzdin

Web Architect Ivan Potocnik Historian Tom Heitz/Sharon Stuart Legal Counsel Jill Ann Poulson

Editorial Board

Tara Barnwell, Faith Gay, Michael Moffat, Elinor Vincent, Darla M. Youngs the 10 pool PT sessions that I was allowed by Medicare. I rejoined on March 1, and then found out about the gym closing. I need to use the therapy pool because I am not able to use the regular gym equipment. I was an athlete in high school back in the 1960s and had a very active life, hiking, downhill and crosscountry skiing, and camping and kayaking and golfing. However, I inherited arthritis from my mom and I refuse to move to Florida like she did to cope with her arthritis.

The therapy pool allows me to continue my recovery from my surgery and to meet new people who understand what it is like to live with almost constant pain. Most gyms are geared toward younger people who want to build muscles and compete in athletic events. Those of us who are older, as I am at 72, want to improve our health and keep moving. We need the Foxcare Fitness pools to do this.

Kathryn Fisher Unadilla

LIfE IN THE TIME Of COvID

Bassett Making Wrong Decision

The decision by Bassett Healthcare Network to close Foxcare Fitness center by the end of May is a travesty for the community and the over 700-plus current members of the healthcare facility. Bassett’s mission is, and should always remain as, to support wellness and fitness programs designed to encourage nutrition, exercise, and preventative health measures which ensure the health and well-being of people of all ages—this is especially important for adults living in our rural community. Adults who are physically active and at a healthy weight live about seven years longer than those who are not active and are obese. And the important part is that those extra years are generally healthier years! Staying active helps delay or prevent chronic illnesses and diseases associated with

Continued on page 9

DR. RICHARD STERNBERG

Foxcare Fitness closing Makes Sense

First and foremost, let me say that the views in this column are mine and mine alone. They do not necessarily represent the views of this newspaper and information service.

Two weeks ago, I was away at the annual meeting of my medical specialty society. I suppose I was just trying to keep my hand in, even though I have been retired for eight years. Things have changed dramatically, and not just in surgical techniques. Medicine is a completely different business than 20 years ago when I had a solo independent practice.

I came back to town and read in this paper several letters to the editor regarding the closing of Foxcare Fitness. I assume the announcement was made the week I was away. I actually felt bad for Bassett Healthcare for having to deal with the brunt of these complaints.

The hospital and healthcare business is a severely threatened industry. It doesn’t seem to matter whether you’re dealing with small practices or one of the biggest healthcare operations in the country. Everybody’s feeling the pain. It’s a national phenomenon. I read that cleveland clinic lost approximately $1 billion last year. I’ve heard the figure of an

$80 million loss being associated with Bassett Healthcare. The actual numbers are not important. What is important is that healthcare facilities have watched their revenue decrease while their expenses markedly increase to the point that their endowments, if they have them, will not be able to keep pace with the red ink. We have been very fortunate in central New York and especially Otsego county. Essentially, our local healthcare system has been subsidized for more than 100 years by the clark family, and this continues to be the case. There are amazing benefits to the health status of the people of our community, not just directly related to the hospital, but in ancillary services. Nevertheless, the ability to sustain increasing losses will quickly become exhausted.

I worked at the Foxcare building. I thought Foxcare Fitness was great. As a business, though, it was unsustainable. Seven hundred fifty members cannot generate enough income to keep an operation like that going.

To the people who are upset about a closing and feel that in some way it is unfair, I commiserate with you, but if, indeed, an organization is losing about $1.5 million a week anything that is not specifically core mission has to be jettisoned. At least Oneonta still has the

YMcA and, as I understand it, the Y may be willing to take over Foxcare Fitness. Yes, the losses there are a drop in the bucket compared to the rumored $80 million a year, but losses that can be eliminated unfortunately have to be, in order to protect the core mission, which is to deliver medical care to a very large area of central New York. Bassett, having created almost a monopoly of healthcare in the Leatherstocking Region, has a moral obligation to support its prime mission of which it is well aware. Officials are endeavoring to do so now and will keep doing so for the future.

To stay alive, in order to keep us alive, hospital organizations are just going to have to cut everything they possibly can—at least until other units, including the government, give reasonable compensation for the services performed.

So, in summary, don’t blame our local healthcare system for the tough decisions it has to make. Don’t misunderstand me. I have plenty of criticisms, for plenty of things that Bassett does or doesn’t do, but closing unprofitable cost centers that don’t directly contribute to the core mission is inevitable.

Dr. Richard Sternberg is a retired Bassett Healthcare orthopedic surgeon.

210 Years Ago

Improved Scalping Knives – A person not long since, who was permitted to proceed to Montreal on domestic business, and back to the United States, reports that he passed through one of the Indian encampments and that he saw their scalping knives, the handles of which were richly studded with Mother of Pearl, & silver mounted. They were lately imported from England and no doubt exhibited at the Tower as an improvement in the style of warlike implements put into the hands of savages to defend the bulwark of our religion.

March 27, 1813

185 Years Ago

Excerpts from an editorial: Mr. cambreleng’s Report—This succinct, lucid, and ably reasoned document, embodied in our columns this week, will be read with high satisfaction by all who anxiously regard the entire separation of the fiscal operations of the general government from those of banks of every description as essential to the well-being of the business interests and political welfare of the nation. So simple, yet effective, is its presentation of the principal points of argument and objection that a careful perusal will hardly fail, we think, to carry an entire conviction of the truth and reasonableness of the positions of the report to every unprejudiced mind. And it will have this happy effect: it will increase the estimate of the manly integrity of the President, and the wisdom of his patriotic recommendations, in the minds of those who were before prompt to accord to both a high share of praise. Its important and interesting facts are undeniable; and being so, its conclusions will be ratified by the emphatic affirmative voice of the nation. William Lusk

crandal, Editor Pro

160 Years Ago

Tem.

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