Attention UPMC nurses, NOW is the time to get those raises

[oramar]

http://www.post-gazette.com/businessnews/20020430upmc0430bnp2.asp

[LaurieCRNP2002, MSN, RN, APRN]

I'm curious as to two things here. First, a quote from the spokesperson mentioned in the article:

"The reason our figures are so good ... is the people in the region recognize quality, so we have high patient volumes" (from Jane Duffield)

I don't know the Pittsburgh area and what hospitals are good, mediocre, etc. How do the people working there feel, for real?

Second item (also a quote)

"UPMC's Duffield, however, said, "When UPMC does well the community does well because we pour back everything we make into the community."

So, Pittsburgh people (esp UPMC employees)....are these claims fact or fiction? I congratulate you all if it's for real; in that case, it sounds like it would be a good place to work. But as we all know, there are two sides to every story.....I'm eager to hear the story from the perspective of the employees

Laurie

[thisnurse]

i dont work for upmc but i can tell you why they make a profit....THEY OWN ALMOST EVERY HOSPITAL IN PITTSBURGH!

if you dont want to go to a upmc hospital your choices are slim.

upmc owns all of the larger hospitals including our childrens hospital and western psych.

its "managed" care at its "finest"

can anyone tell me how a corporation like upmc can buy out so many hospitals? isnt that a monopoly?

[Zee_RN, BSN, RN]

OMG, don't get me going on UPMC. What a racket!!! They run their nurses to death. If you are an employee you only have access to their own insurance plan and can only go to their hospitals and doctors. And their insurance is not cheap--it costs more per paycheck than I pay at my small community hospital.

The best thing UPMC has going for it is their ADVERTISING campaign and having the newspapers in their back pocket.

Yes, they own a ton of hospitals. Yet when another system tried to form in the area--comprised of SIX hospitals (two tertiary and 4 small community hospitals) UPMC screamed, "NO, NO! That's a monopoly!" and tried to block the merger.

When my sister was diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism and an occluded subclavian from a central line, they diagnosed her at 1PM--they didn't start heparin or any treatment at all until 9:30 PM!!!

OH, don't get me going....I could go on and on....

[oramar]

Yes they are toooo big. The reason they are not accused of being a monopoly more often is that WPAGHS is supposed to be their competion. I think total picture wise WPAGHS is distant second. Mercy Corporation is so far behind they don't even come into the picture. I know they work their nurses to death cause I worked there for two years. If they ever start talking to WPAGHS about a merger, run for the hills, total power to set wages then.

[kaycee]

One of the reason UPMC is doing so well is they reimburse themselves at a higher rate, That's why they are fighting with Highmark. Sooner or later that insurance money is going to run out. Beware of UPMC their time will come!!