[caption id="attachment_4673" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Natchitoches Memorial Hospital"]
[/caption]Carol Forsloff--A journalist who had just arrived in Natchitoches five years ago was told by someone the Natchitoches Regional Medical Center had generally poor quality medical care. But it pays to be a patient, because that's the real measure of a hospital's measuring up.
A spouse in a hospital can be a stressful event, as anyone who has been in that situation knows. So this reporter labored a bit over the issues and wondered just what might happen, given what had been said about his hospital.
What was found, however, is a hospital the patient rated an "A" as did the spouse who took the fellow there for a day surgery and an overnight at the hospital.
"Treated like royalty," was his remark. "I give this hospital high marks. They were in here all the time, checking my blood pressure and taking vital signs. The doctors and nurses were around all the time. I didn't have to wait for help when I needed it either. The hospital is cheerful, and that counted a lot. My fears were relieved by the care I got at this hospital."
A journalist is sworn to give truth, to give news that's important for the community that needs it; and this is the news for Natchitoches about its flagship hospital in this college town: You don't need to worry if that's where you go to get medical care, for you will likely get quality support, even after an operation where family members may be anxious.
