April 25, 2023 – West Bend, WI – Below is a letter which I ask you to publish. Before reading it, I believe it’s important to know some of my credentials. My name is Sister Donna Siegl. I was a Certified Chaplain for some 35 years. Part of my resume included being Director of Pastoral Care for Resurrection Health Care System, and in that capacity, was responsible for two hospitals and one large nursing home in Chicago. I also worked at Swedish Covenant Hospital (Chicago), a hospital and nursing home in Appleton, WI, and hospitals in Green Bay and Sheboygan. Before retiring, I worked as the Chaplain at St. Joseph’s Hospital here in West Bend for about a dozen years. I have been a volunteer at Samaritan about 6-7 years. The following is the letter I wish to have published. Thank you.
Wednesday, Apri 12, a meeting was held to determine the fate of Samaritan Health Care, 4-star (very high) rating. Thirteen wheelchair Samaritan residents were present, plus MANY people from the community, an extra room required for overflow. For 2 hours, I heard strong support from numerous Supervisors, self-signs stating: “I support Samaritan.”
Numbers given in reports validated possibilities for remodeled, smaller sized facility with adequate staff, financially feasible. Only option presented: remodel Samaritan. Closed meeting followed; we had to leave.
Thursday, calling Samaritan, I was stunned to learn the decision: SELL! Where did that come from?
MANY OF US WONDER…Was that planned ahead? Playing games with us? Decision already determined? SELL option was never presented: A connived deception?
Silence a ploy to “control the crowd”? Integrity of communication AND representing the people? Devious way to avoid discussion about SELLING? Why wasn’t “selling” brought up when WE were present? No open mic? Who is being represented? Is honesty out of style? MANY in this community have spoken strongly FOR remodeling Samaritan. As supposed good listeners, how could Supervisors & County Exec miss what the larger community says? It’s a sad commentary when they need to operate in secrecy!
Samaritan residents said they’ve been guaranteed they will be taken care of. What does it mean: “be taken-care-of”? What kind of care would that include? YOU CAN GUARANTEE QUALITY CARE???
Once sold, THAT is totally beyond your control! There are some good private companies. MANY MORE offer poor quality of care. Don’t inflict that on our community!
My family received a letter from U.S. Department of Justice, dated February 3, 2023 regarding a nursing home, Atrium, my brother had been in. Atrium (private company) billed Medicare $189,000,000, received $43,000,000; billed Medicaid $218.000,000, received $93,000,000 U.S. Dept of Justice letter states: “they certified that they would follow all required quality of care standards, but they did not do so and that they would operate their facilities with adequate staffing, supplies, and services, but they did not do so……. . Atrium withheld employees’ health insurance and social security payments. Atrium is presently under criminal investigation for Fraud.
SELLING, to non-profit or for profit, needs to be VERY CLOSELY INVESTIGATED. Supervisors from W.B., and County Exec, will be accountable, at least in one way, for selling Samaritan. Don’t inflict another poor decision on our community.
Sr. Donna Siegl, OSF
West Bend, WI
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