Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I think that the biggest drain on Howard finacially is the hospital. That is a loss leader almost every year. I know that there is prestige in having a med school and a teaching hospital, but think of the resources that it takes to run a full service hospital with a traditionally low SES patient base.
DC General and Greater Southeast Hospital have closed. So, where else would you have the poor go? Howard Hospital serves those who nobody else will or are reluctant to do so. It has nothing to do with 'prestige' as you put it. Unfortunately, the less prestigious poor can't pay so Howard suffers.
I am aware of all of that. My daughter was born there and I am an alum. But I guess that you would rather see the rest of the University suffer because of the resources that running a hospital takes from other programs - because that is EXACTLY what is happening now. Like it or not, HUH is a serious drain on the school's finances and, although HUH is part of the mission, it needs to be addressed. Especially now that enrollment and other revenue have tapered off and the Howard Town Center project is on ice.
I never suggested that the hospital close. Numerous companies have approached HU about joint ownership of HUH and been rebuffed. Heck, HU could even approach DC about picking up some of the cost since it now takes the patients that would have otherwise gone to DC General and GSEH. Bottlon line is that HU needs to forego some independence with respect to HUH and do waht is best for HU as a WHOLE!