How Doctor-Owners Can Benefit Hospitals

Missing from “Doctors’ Hospital Bids Raise Ethical Worries” (April 5) were the following points:

* MDs have as their primary goal quality patient care, not profits, regardless of ownership.

* The turmoil on local communities caused by corporate ownership of hospitals over the last decade is reflected in lack of investment, change of management and closure of emergency rooms, programs and clinics.

* Even nonprofit hospitals must make money to survive.

* Hospitals are struggling to attract MDs to participate in medical oversight; ownership would encourage increased participation by doctors.

* Our MDs take care of indigent and elderly populations; this will not change with doctor ownership.

* MDs have an interest in illness prevention as well as treatment.

Particularly in response to economist Uwe E. Reinhardt’s comment, unlike auto mechanics, physicians have taken an ethical oath to provide only appropriate care, and this will continue regardless of ownership.

Richard Carpe

Irvine

Carpe is an advisor to physicians who made an offer to buy a Tenet hospital.