Walter Reed Army Medical Center to close, was lazy staff a factor in the decision?

Washington DC’s infamous Walter Reed Army Medical Center is set to close in 2010.

In an effort to subsidize the city’s subway system, the medical center purposely limited the number of parking spots, forcing staff to use public transportation.

Combined with the fact that buildings are subject to a height restriction in DC, the campus became increasingly sprawled as it expanded, forcing staff to walk longer distances.

Val Jones wonders if staff complaints about the long walks played some sort of role, as she’s seen fierce competition for the scarce parking spots, “consistent with Americans’ general unwillingness to adopt an active lifestyle.”

Assuming that the closure will likely cost upwards of hundreds of millions of dollars, is this sedentary attitude “costing us all so much more than we realize?”

Comments

Joseph Sucher, MD FACS
Kevin,
Please. No hospital is going to close because the staff complains. If that were the criteria to close, then we would close 90% of our existing healthcare facilities. The closure is an economic (and maybe political) one.
Additionally. Calling these people sedentary because they complain about the long walking distances sais to me that you may not appreciate that, in fact, it is a challenge to deal with a sprawling campus. I work in the largest medical center in the world. It can take me upwards of 20 minutes to get to my next patient (surgical walking speed). That is not without its true challenges. I have been to UCLA and can attest to the constant ongoing pedestrian lifestyle that they practice. Let me tell you, the time that they rack up just going to see all their patients is significant.
So my bottom line. Your headline and punchline are sensational (it made me read. Bravo). But I don’t believe that your story holds any merit.
JFS
Throckmorton
Becuase of its location, it has been more dangerous to walk around the perimeter of Walter Reed than to do the same in Bagdad!
Anonymous
This is a bunch of BS.
The facilities at Walter Reed in DC are OLD. Consider the increased demand for electricity and connectivity that has occured within the past 20 years. Hospitals have complicated demands for HVAC. Our servicemen deserve decent conditions for their care.
Anyone who read the newspaper series about the shameful circumstances Iraq vets were living in would realize that the facilities there are run down and past their lifespan.
While it may be a 20 minute walk from the Takoma metro station, it is not a walk that most people would be comfortable taking in the dark.
Having been hit over the head and robbed in that very neighborhood I would not begrudge any hospital employee the desire to commute at odd hours in their car!
The parking situation at Bethesda Naval is not likely to be much better. There are already long walks to and from lots at that facility.
Given that health professionals are on their feet a great deal of the time I think calling them lazy because they don’t want a long walk to their car is wrong.
Mike
Dr. Pho,
The 3 comments above are spot on. The point is that the building restrictions and distances between buildings (not to mention crumbling infrastructure) affect the patients disproportionally more than staff.
The dangerous neighborhood that the facility is situated in is another issue in itself.
I enjoy your work on your blog, I think you missed the boat on this one.
Mike Moore
John
The walk from Medical Center Metro Station to Bethesda Naval Hospital is about a quarter mile. The Metro is right on Rockville Pike in front of NIH and the National Library of Medicine, and directly across the street from the Naval Hospital and Uniformed Services University. Most of the walk is inside the Bethesda Naval Hospital grounds. It is a very safe, upscale and very well patrolled area that couldn’t be more different than the neighborhood around Walter Reed, which is not safe, not well patrolled and not immediately served by the Metro.
As for coming and going by car, anyone who knows D.C. will realize that one ought to at least consider a commuting strategy there that minimizes the need for a car.
Anonymous
Dr. Kevin,
The Walter Reed main hospital is over 30 years old and needs replacement. THe new Walter Reed National Naval Medical Center will be built on the Bethesda campus. It does not make sense to have two military medical centers within 10 minutes of each other competing for the same patients.
This move was economic and political. You are way off base.
Anonymous
Hey, Kev — MESSIAH say, “SPEND, SPEND, SPEND!!” Well — they spending, bro.
Also — any land near the Metro subway is valuable. That’s a factor. And the building is very old.
Also — note v’bility in quality performance of VA facilities, despite attempts at uniformity.
Why is that? Could it be .. the staffs?
IMHO — that VA v’bility puts the FATAL FLAW in the single-payer position.
If VA cannot be consistent — how could any other? And one payer would be like having only Bernie Madoff managing your money.
Kevin K
I work at WRAMC and can attest to the truth to all the comments here. I personally drive now, but I will take the Metro once we move to Naval. Can’t wait.
Anonymous
If the buildings at Walter Reed are in need of repair,
why not get a budget that would enable them to be repaired?
Our country does alot of wasting of buildings and places that hold or should hold a place in the heart of its National Pride.

Walter Reed Army Medical Center to close, was lazy staff a factor in the decision?

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