To the Editor:
    From personal experiences I've had over the last three years with the hospital I wonder about how it is managed. I run a collection business in Madison if it were not for clients in Athens and surrounding areas, I would have to fold. They seem to appreciate us for our personal service and return rates. They don't complain about our fees. We collected more than 1.2 million dollars for Morgan Memorial and have not been able to get but one set of accounts in the past three years, most of the dollar amount was on one person. Our collection percentage was twice as high as the ones being used by the last CFO and our rates matched any outside competitor.
    We had a 17-year track record and we can't even get anyone to return our phone calls when we try to talk to them. I did, however, receive an invitation to contribute to the new hospital and buy something from one of the board members I tried to talk to.
    Three of us in this community signed a note for a very large sum of money and provided some much needed equipment to help Patrick Green turn the finances around. No good deed goes unpunished is as true as it ever was. I was told recently that the hospital was doing "in-house" collections only to find out that they are using yet another outside agency. Something is wrong and assuming we did something to warrant this kind of treatment, I would like to know what it is.
    I remember that Minnie G. was being supplemented at about one-fourth the rate Morgan Memorial was just prior to them selling their hospital.
    It was a tough decision for them to sell, I'm sure, but it worked out with their new association with St. Joseph out of Atlanta. There are people here that think that it will become a regional hospital and as evidenced by the buildup around Lake Oconee. Can we compete with them or do we need to do something different? It all will depend on the leadership going forward.
Jimmy Vance
Madison
Via e-mail