美国国家公共电台 NPR Economic Ripples: Hospital Closure Hurts A Town's Ability To Attract Retirees

 

LULU GARCIA-NAVARRO, HOST:

When a hospital closes in a rural area, the economic shockwaves go beyond lost health care jobs. A closure may scare off heavy industries that need to be near an emergency room. And it makes it harder for rural towns to attract another valuable economic resource - retirees. Blake Farmer of member station WPLN explains.

BLAKE FARMER, BYLINE¹: It's pretty obvious where the priorities lie in Celina, Tenn., by looking at the humble² government complex. Half the building is used as a senior center.

SUSAN SCOVEL: This is part of our retirement³ committee coming in. We're planning a murder mystery weekend and trying to get people up here and see this gorgeous area.

FARMER: Susan Scovel is a Seattle transplant who leads a Chamber⁴ of Commerce effort to bring in retirees like herself. She relocated in 2015 with her husband, who had Parkinson's. They were drawn⁵ by a serene⁶ lake surrounded by secluded⁷ hills two hours from Nashville. While they wanted an escape, they also made sure to scope out the 25-bed hospital near the sleepy town square. Scovel rushed there four times.

SCOVEL: I have very high blood pressure. And they're able to do the IVs to get it down. And this is an anxiety thing since my husband died, so now I don't know.

FARMER: Many towns in the region have pinned their economic futures⁸ on retirees to replace dwindling⁹ industries. But Scovel says she can't, in good conscience, suggest a senior with health problems come join her in Celina.

SCOVEL: I'd say look elsewhere.

FARMER: Celina's hospital Cumberland River was kept alive as part of a neighboring city-owned medical center. But officials finally decided¹⁰ to shut it down March 1. They blame the same factors that have put one in five rural hospitals at risk of closing - fewer patients and more who can't pay. The closure trend has hit hardest in states like Tennessee that didn't expand Medicaid to cover the working poor. The closest emergency room is now 18 miles away. That adds 30 minutes over mountain roads, which will be annoying for those who need an X-ray or bloodwork. But it could mean life or death in the back of an ambulance. Natalie Boone oversees¹¹ emergency response in Celina.

NATALIE BOONE: We have the capability¹² of doing a lot of advanced life support, but we're not a hospital.

FARMER: She says the area is already limited in its ambulance service, with half its trucks down because of a tight budget.

BOONE: You know, what happens when you have that patient that doesn't have that extra time?

SUSAN BAILEY: People say, won't - you probably just need to move, or...

FARMER: Susan Bailey hasn't retired¹³ yet, but she's close. She's spent nearly 40 years as a registered nurse, including at her hometown hospital. She and others are concerned that the three remaining physicians in town might leave. But even if they stay until retirement, there's little hope of attracting new doctors without a hospital.

BAILEY: That's a big problem. The doctors aren't going to want to come in and open an office and have to drive 20 or 30 miles to see their patients every single day.

FARMER: The cascading¹⁴ effects have residents in a somber¹⁵ mood. One hundred forty-two people lost their hospital jobs, including Dr. John McMichen. He would drive in to work weekends at the ER and give the local physicians a break.

JOHN MCMICHEN: I thought of Celina as maybe "The Andy Griffith Show" of health care.

FARMER: He says the staff knew just about anyone who'd walk through the door. That's why it was attractive to retirees.

MCMICHEN: It reminded me of a time long ago that has seemingly passed. I can't say that it will ever come back. You know, I have hopes that there is still some hope for small hospitals in that type of community.

FARMER: But the chances, McMichen says, are becoming less and less. For NPR News, I'm Blake Farmer in Celina, Tenn.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: This story is part of a reporting partnership¹⁶ with NPR, WPLN and Kaiser Health News.

1 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

2 humble   

adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低

参考例句：

• In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见，他将在选举中获胜。
• Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。

3 retirement   

n.退休，退职

参考例句：

• She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
• I have to put everything away for my retirement.我必须把一切都积蓄起来以便退休后用。

4 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

5 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

6 serene   

adj. 安详的，宁静的，平静的

参考例句：

• He has entered the serene autumn of his life.他已进入了美好的中年时期。
• He didn't speak much,he just smiled with that serene smile of his.他话不多，只是脸上露出他招牌式的淡定的微笑。

7 secluded   

adj.与世隔绝的；隐退的；偏僻的v.使隔开，使隐退( seclude的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• Some people like to strip themselves naked while they have a swim in a secluded place. 一些人当他们在隐蔽的地方游泳时，喜欢把衣服脱光。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• This charming cottage dates back to the 15th century and is as pretty as a picture, with its thatched roof and secluded garden. 这所美丽的村舍是15世纪时的建筑，有茅草房顶和宁静的花园，漂亮极了，简直和画上一样。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 futures   

n.期货，期货交易

参考例句：

• He continued his operations in cotton futures.他继续进行棉花期货交易。
• Cotton futures are selling at high prices.棉花期货交易的卖价是很高的。

9 dwindling   

adj.逐渐减少的v.逐渐变少或变小( dwindle的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The number of wild animals on the earth is dwindling. 地球上野生动物的数量正日渐减少。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He is struggling to come to terms with his dwindling authority. 他正努力适应自己权力被削弱这一局面。 来自辞典例句

10 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

11 oversees   

v.监督，监视( oversee的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• She oversees both the research and the manufacturing departments. 她既监督研究部门又监督生产部门。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Department of Education oversees the federal programs dealing with education. 教育部监管处理教育的联邦程序。 来自互联网

12 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。

13 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

14 cascading   

流注( cascade的现在分词 )； 大量落下； 大量垂悬； 梯流

参考例句：

• First of all, cascading menus are to be avoided at all costs. 首先，无论如何都要避免使用级联菜单。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
• Her sounds began cascading gently. 他的声音开始缓缓地低落下来。

15 somber   

adj.昏暗的，阴天的，阴森的，忧郁的

参考例句：

• He had a somber expression on his face.他面容忧郁。
• His coat was a somber brown.他的衣服是暗棕色的。

16 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。