The following is a Letter to the Editor submitted to the Press & Banner by Abbeville resident, Clayton Swalstad, MSM, CMPE, FHM that ran in the July 12th issue.
I am and have been actively paying taxes in Abbeville County since 2005 and became a full-time resident of Abbeville County in 2013. I am also a 100% VA disabled Viet Nam – Desert Storm veteran that relies on care for myself and family through the AAMC facilities and physicians.
My experiences as a senior healthcare executive since 1993 developing large multi-specialty groups, consultant to health systems on community growth, a senior executive with a national physician staffing company, and as a senior executive in multiple acute hospitals in multiple states affords me a unique perspective on smaller or local hospitals and the impact of the changes in healthcare services and hospitals.
I am strongly supportive of this affiliation to allow for the sustainment and actual growth of our community hospital and supporting staff. My concern is without a strong affiliation with a “friendly partner” such as Self, AAMC will not survive in this declining economic healthcare environment. My experience with the instability and the diminishing reimbursements for services that are covered under federal programs, i.e., Medicare, Medicaid, and Tri-care will ultimately create significant financial hardships for AAMC as it has in hundreds of similar hospitals across the country causing them to close their doors.
If AAMC doesn’t partner with Self Regional and grow value for our community through that partnership, AAMC will not survive, and the community will lose a significant number of well-paying jobs. This doesn’t account for the economic impact of the reduction in our Abbeville County tax base. If a “Predatory” health system moves in, which absent this affiliation, will happen, they will vacuum out the current health services of our community, causing our residents to seek care completely outside of our community, reduce or terminate most staff, and leave Abbeville with a shell.
Respectfully submitted,
Clayton Swalstad, MSM, CMPE, FHM
CEO Integrated Psych Solutions
