Kind Acts in Public Hospitals

Re “Deadly Mistake in a Troubled Hospital,” editorial, Dec. 21:

“What else is going on public hospitals that county taxpayers don’t know about?” Thank you for asking!

As a public hospital employee, I cannot disagree with your call for reform. The public hospitals in Los Angeles County have very serious issues to resolve. However, many wonderful and positive things are going on at these same hospitals that the county taxpayers may not know about.

At Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center, we have an employee who presents a rose to every patient who comes in for a radiation treatment. He does this out of his own pocket.

At County-USC Medical Center, we have staff members in the national intensive care unit and on the burn service who host gatherings of “graduates” from their respective units.These gatherings celebrate the lives affected by the care provided at the medical center.

At County-USC Medical Center, we have a dedicated volunteer service that gives Christmas food and gifts to patients and their families. Many employees adopt a family and play Santa to the children of critically ill patients.

There are many more of these acts of kindness along with quality patient care going on at the medical center and the other public hospitals. Unfortunately, they are often overshadowed by the bigger problems and more newsworthy failings of the Department of Health Services. I am proud to work for the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services. I am proud of our many accomplishments and I am committed to support necessary reform. I know that I am not alone in my thoughts; there are many others in the department that share these views.

To all my fellow DHS employees: Happy holidays, and may 1996 bring us positive, productive reform and a greater recognition of the quality services we provide.

BONNIE BILITCH RN, MSN

Nursing Director, Administration

County-USC Medical Center