Comments by Doodles

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Written on Editorial: A tax for a 24/7 Marco clinic :

"This is Marco Island taking action because of its own unique geographic reality. It is an island, and health care is not as readily available as it is elsewhere in Southwest Florida."

So you are telling me there are no other places in SW Florida that are a 20-25 minute drive to an ER facility? I find that hard to believe. What is difficult for me to grasp is the single ambulance support system. That is where I see an access to critical care gap - not a lack of a 24hr NON EMERGENCY clinic. A 25 minute ride in the car to get a sprained or a broken arm looked at isn't bad, but to have to wait for a backup ambulance from off island to transport a heart attack or stroke victim - well there's the problem...

If my understanding of this article is correct, why isn't the County being held to the fire to provide more comprehensive critical care care transport services? Or has City Council said no to this in the past?

If the County refuses to step up to the plate, can Marco residents and businesses go about the fundraising needed to purchase a 2nd emergency vehicle? I realize it needs to be staffed etc. but how about a voluntary first aid squad? I have always had access in rural & not so rural sections of the country that have had voluntary first aid squads which provide excellent care and rely on fundraising to keep it all going.

But I guess the real question needs to be put forth to the current fire/first aid squad as to what they have seen as deficient arrival times to requests for care.

My vote would be NO to clinic - Yes to ambulance..but that is not an option on the ballot.

Written on Do Marco residents want 24/7 health care? Question to be answered Aug. 14 :

Agreed that the property owner's should not be propping up any short fall that the 24/7 clinic providers may have. The opportunity for them to open a clinic will go a long way for them to drive business to their other ancillary lines (e.g., diagnostics, lab, specialty providers). Sort of like a 7/11 selling gas - gas is the loss leader - foodstuffs, etc are the profit makers. They already think there might be a deficit of $750k+/- for the clinic to operate an addditional 12 hrs/day/7days a week. Where are their numbers as to their expected profit from the ancillary business and the normal operating hours? Let them figure out how to make those numbers float the 24hr clinic concept.

I am all for profit and let them make it where & while they can. If a profit can only be made by 12hr/day clinic then so be it - but do not steal tax payer dollars to pay for private corporation deficits. That is not what local government does (well it does but it shouldn't).

Yes, it would be nice to have an option to ER visit late at night for non life threatening issues but not via public financing.

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