Vandivere, Keith 1998-11-20
Keith Vandivere, a Lubbock, Texas area farmer, talks about his involvement with the Methodist Hospital Board and the merger with St. Mary's to form Covenant Health System.
General Interview Information
Interviewee Name: Keith Vandivere
Additional Parties Recorded: None
Date: November 20, 1998
Location: Brownfield, Texas
Interviewer: Fred Allison
Length: 2 hours
Abstract
Tape 1, Side 1: Keith Vandivere,
Grew up in Dawson County, Texas,
Moved to Brownfield in 1967,
Reasons,
Brownfield, Texas,
Characteristics,
Population,
Farming,
Drought of the 1950s,
Wife,
Retha Stanfield,
Married in 1951,
Farming,
Changes,
De-breaking plow,
Irrigation,
Partnered with son (1982),
Son murdered (1984),
Cut back on the amount of land farmed after son’s death,
Ability to make a profit,
Medicine,
Reasons for involvement,
Nominated to Lubbock Methodist Hospital Board,
Farming (again),
New equipment,
Herbicides,
Harvests,
Peanut farming,
Cotton,
Tractors,
Ogallala Aquifer,
Wagon trail,
Anecdote.
Tape 1, Side 2: Gay Price,
First male born in Terry County, Texas,
Tractors (again),
Ranches,
Medical field,
Methodist Hospital Board (1989),
Issues,
Relationship with rural area hospitals,
Agreements,
Loyalty of Lubbock County citizens,
St. Mary’s Hospital,
Expansion,
Peanut farming (again),
Operation,
Profits,
Brownfield, Texas,
St. Mary’s Hospital Clinic,
Competition with Methodist Hospital in rural areas,
Reasons,
Number of physicians in community,
St. Mary’s Hospital Clinic (again),
Effects on community,
Competition,
Methodist Hospital,
Presence in rural areas,
Reasons.
Tape 2, Side 1: Medical field (again),
Hospital census during Desert Storm War (1991),
Medicare,
Rate cuts,
Reasons,
Indigent care,
Prior to Medicaid,
Present care,
Brownfield Hospital,
Finances,
Assistance from Methodist Hospital,
Heart transplant patient,
Merger between St. Mary’s and Methodist Hospitals,
Opinions,
Effect on Brownfield,
Religion,
William Poteet,
Opposition,
Reasons for Methodist Hospital wanting to merge,
Length of time the merger took,
Stumbling blocks,
Covenant Health System,
Local control of hospital,
Lubbock Methodist Hospital Systems Board,
Duties,
Local control of hospital (again),
Importance,
Influential individuals.
Tape 2, Side 2: Merger (continued),
Reasons,
Covenant Health System,
Charity work,
Competition,
Obstacles,
Competition between hospitals,
Declining revenues,
Sacrifices,
Merger (again),
Role of the physicians,
Loyalty to certain hospitals,
Combining the two operating systems,
Cut backs,
Rev. Cliff Wright,
Combining two religious theologies,
Non-profit vs. profit organization,
Lubbock Medical Community,
Opinions,
Future,
St. Mary’s Hospital Board,
Control by St. Joseph’s of California.
Range Dates: 1951-1998
Bulk Dates: 1898-1998
Access Information
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Recording Format Notes:
Transcript:
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