Bill Clinton

Well, there's all kinds of economic--well, no, we haven't imposed economic sanctions yet. Ms. Hindrew. No, we haven't imposed economic sanctions, but most analysts say that economic sanctions won't help.

Let me just say this, I was elected Governor of my State five times. No one ever, even my roughest enemies, my strongest opponents, never suggested that there was a hint of scandal in my administration, that anything--and no one has…

I was very proud of them. But it was a great game, too. I almost had a heart attack. I thought you all would have to visit me in the hospital tonight if we had lost that game. [Laughter] Whitewater

Bristol, Tennessee---- Mr. Donovan. I'm sorry, Bristol, Tennessee. Mr. President. ----or Virginia, depending on which side of the line you're standing on, right? [Laughter] Education [Steve Hawkins of WCYB, Bristol, TN, introduced a…

Thank you. I'm hooked up. Tom Donovan. Right. We will be getting to our first question for President Clinton, but first he would like to begin with some opening remarks. Mr. President.

Thank you all. Dr. Townsend, I'm glad to see you. Your father has been educating me about these things for years and years. Dr. Tom Townsend. He's tried to figure it out. Health Care

----to pay the nurses more, to pay other people--to offer incentives to doctors to come directly if you had compensated care. And you'd have a--if you had a better array of services then because it was compensated, you could take better…

So that goes back to the first point you made, that universal coverage is a big deal and if people want medical care to continue in rural America and forget about the taxpayers and anything else, this hospital could pay more---- Mr. Scott…

How much uncompensated care do you do here every year, do you know--just people who show up at the emergency room that are uninsured? Ms. Howell. Fifty percent. Dr. McRoberts. I would say it would be about 50 percent in the emergency room…

I'm having a good time. [Mr. Scott thanked the President for visiting and reiterated the hospital's commitment to the community and the need for health care reform to resolve the problems it faces.]

That's what I tell all of the young people at the White House with their boundless energy. At some point, you stop working smart and you start working stupid. When you work hard, you just can't-- there's a limit to how much anybody can do…

I mean, nobody can work 80 hours or 100 hours a week forever. You burn out. You can't do it. Dr. McRoberts. That's right. [Laughter]

I'd be interested in your feedback on this. The only thing that I know of that's in our bill that would help is there's also--as I say, we felt that the quickest way we could deal with the income disparity--I mean, we can't go in and sort…

So that's not a real problem--[inaudible]. Ms. Howell. Right. Dr. McRoberts. Retention is the problem. The nursing staff turns over a lot, just like she was saying.

And is there one--where's the nearest one? Ms. Howell. We actually have two that are within 20 miles and another one that's within 40 miles.

How many more nurses do you need? I mean, just for example. Beth Howell. I would like to have five additional registered nurses.

It doesn't take long to get that way. Mr. Bernstein. This sounds a little trite, because it's a big question. But for 30 years we've rewarded high-tech people and health professional people and basically didn't pay primary care people. And…

And what would be more likely than anything else to generate more doctors in this area? What could be done by the county or by---- Dr. McRoberts. I don't know. That's the big question mark. What will it take to get doctors to come here? I…

What's the most important thing that could be done to make your life easier? More doctors? Dr. McRoberts. More doctors. I mean, definitely. We are at such a critical shortage of doctors right now, with only three family practitioners. And…

When was the last time you slept? [Dr. McRoberts described working an average of 100 to 110 hours a week during flu season and 80 hours a week normally while always facing unfinished paperwork, but affirmed her dedication to practicing…

One to 2,000 is what you should have, right? Dr. Hugh Craft. Yes. Dr. McRoberts. What we should have. And I have 8,000 active patients in my practice right now.

One to 8,000, and what's the recommended ratio? Dr. Deborah McRoberts. Well, to qualify as a health profession shortage area, it would have to be about one to 3,000, correct? Mr. Bernstein. But you want to be at one to 2,000.

Thank you very much. I also think--I was reminded on the tour that North Carolina actually has a program to provide subsidies for the malpractice premiums of practitioners who deliver babies and do things in rural areas that they normally…

I think it would help for the press that are here, just the first time you speak, if you would say your name and why you're here. [At this point, Jim Bernstein, director, North Carolina Office of Rural Health, and president-elect, National…

This country works well when people in Washington treat each other the way they would have to treat each other if they were living in Bowling Green.