To the editor:
Two "proposals" — both having to do with Cape Ann. One we see advertised everywhere; the other is frightening in its invisibility.
One gives us a chuckling kind of local pride. The other can put our bodies, and, indeed, our very lives, at risk.
I refer, in the first example to the movie, "The Proposal," partly filmed in Rockport. We can close our eyes and see the image of Sandra Bullock perched on stiletto heels pointedly balanced by a chest leaning toward the male co-star.
The second proposal is the one we never got from Northeast Health Systems, a proposal that promises to keep our community hospital, Addison Gilbert, open with the eight services that qualify it as a hospital by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
Not only has the Board of Directors of Northeast ignored a petition by 8,000 Cape Ann residents begging Northeast to disclose its plans and make a commitment in writing. Not only has Northeast ignored a petition by Rockport residents at Town Meeting to be more interactive in commitment to this issue.
Not only has it ignored Rockport selectmen's request to report at regular meetings to which the public could have input.
Not only has it snubbed overtures by state Sen. Bruce Tarr to meet regularly with his Task Force, it has systematically downsized, downsized, downsized Addison Gilbert.
Some of this has been ascribed to the particularly tyrannical nature of former Northeast CEO Stephen Laverty. Yet here is a most recent example that belies Mr. Laverty's personality as the supreme cause of the problems. On July 28, Dr. Henry Ramini, interim replacement for Mr. Laverty, spoke to Rockport selectmen on the status of Addison Gilbert. Did you know Dr. Ramini would be there? Nobody seemed to know.
Even the selectmen — one of whom, I understand, had been on vacation — seemed unprepared to publicize Dr. Ramini's appearance. What I later learned from people who happened to hear Dr. Ramini was that he is a much kinder, gentler appearing person than his predecessor. However, the content of his presentation was not particularly reassuring: He urged the town of Rockport to be nice to any future doctors who might deign to seek employment here.
Since having a surgeon and an anesthesiologist on call 24/7 has been a constant request of Rockport townspeople and a requirement of the state Department of Public Health, Rockporters certainly need no instruction in welcoming such people with open arms. In fact, not having them here has been Northeast's excuse for grabbing surgical patients from Addison Gilbert and transporting them over the questionable bridges to Beverly Hospital. (You don't think, when the newspaper says a patient was brought to Addison Gilbert it means they will necessarily stay there; do you?)
Now we see in recent headlines that the search for a new CEO for Northeast is close to being finalized. I ask, in that case, can we make it known that the new gatekeeper of our health needs has an obligation to meet with all of us, out loud and personal?
Can we, after 16 years of uncertainty and marginalization, have it in writing that Addison Gilbert will continue to exist as more than a cash conduit for Northeast's executives? Exist as the full service hospital it had been until Northeast took it over?!
Now that's a proposal!
Beverly Quint
Drumlin Road, Rockport
