Readers supports doctor

Dear editor:

Recently I was made aware of an issue that should concern citizens who patronize Trinity Medical Clinic.

As of July 2010 the contracts of two clinic doctors are not to be renewed; herein lies my concerns.

Dr. Scott Baldridge and Dr. Allen Jeffrey, the latter being an internal medicine doctor, are crucial to providing medical services to the citizens of Elmore County.

I would ask the powers that be to explain the decision not to renew the contracts of these two fine medical providers.

It is my understanding that Elmore County Medical Center is willing to expend approximately $50,000 to recruit replacements. Does this make sense?

It is difficult to entice medical personnel to work in rural areas in America, why in the world would anyone using their head release two good doctors?

I know not of any competency problems with any patient care by either doctor aforementioned.

If the doctor group at Trinity Mountain Medical Center have a rock solid case against either of these doctors, we the public should be made aware. Same case for Elmore County Medical Center -- the hospital administrator should provide a case against any doctor if bad medical practices have been discovered and it should be made public for the safety of the patients involved. Sounds reasonable enough to me.

Furthermore, after viewing the Elmore County Medical Center website I was looking at the titles. Dr. Baldridge and Dr. Jeffrey are both D.O., not M.D., as are the other physicians. I was just pondering this situation and a question arises. Are the D.O. titles being discriminated against by the M.D. crowd? Just wondering, hmm?

In closing, I will state that my wife and I are both patients of Dr. Baldridge, we have experienced wonderful care and did not feel as a chunk of meat being hustled through the clinic purely for speed and profit.

Furthermore, my wife is in treatment for an incurable liver cancer and losing our family doctor is disruptive and all care continuity will be lost.

I further believe the people who are involved in the decision to not renew the contracts for these two fine doctors could care less on the impact their decision will make on any and all patients.

Having said that I propose the following -- all patients of Drs. Baldridge and Jeffrey write letters to the Trinity Mountain Medical Clinic questioning the potential release of these doctors, call the hospital administrator's office and ask why the hospital is willing to expend $50,000?

Get cracking folks. This is a serious matter that will affect thousands of citizens!

Ralph Cole