Back in the early to mid 1990's all over the country, hospital management decided to try and incorporate a business paradigm of management that took on many names; reorganization, restructuring, and so on. In our locale, some of these "retraining" programs, that all persons had to attend, cost in the low millions of dollars. All sorts of touchy-feely games and exercises. No money was saved, the plans didn't work, and here in 2006, we're still paying through the nose for that "redesign" debacle.

You Can't See Your Victims

We're not laying off
We're just redistributing,
You can't see your victims
In a drive-by shooting,
We have an abundance of projects
In a construction based facility;
Victimized by seniority
And not by ability.

Budgetary cuts
In lean fiscal years,
Administrative decisions
Fulfill common fears,
Hysterical restructuring
In an arena of fright,
Cut the ranks, save the salaries
Relinquish the light.

Apologies abound
In administrative meetings,
"We did what we could
Now, please take your beatings",
A community leader?
Clearly setting the tone,
Denying the basic tenet
"Take care of your own".

Fibril_late; 5/94