Quincy M.E. (1976–1983): Season 5, Episode 10 - For the Benefit of My Patients - full transcript

After two patients with low income die unnecessarily, Quincy is driven to change the policy of a private hospital that does not treat patients who cannot pay for the services provided.

I've got a critical
stab wound here.

- This is a County case.
- He's critical.

Just get him out of here.

He's dead, Mando!

The policy of this place
is to admit only patients

who can demonstrate
an ability to pay.

The law requires at
least minimal treatment.

Luis is dead and something
has gotta be done, huh?

I say we get the doctor.

His heart isn't contracting.

Doctor Varney is my patient.



Not anymore he isn't.
I'm taking over his case!

Gentlemen, you
are about to enter

the most fascinating
sphere of police work,

the world of forensic medicine.

You got any ID on him, yet?

Not a thing in any of these
pockets, but a couple of dimes.

But this smell tells me
his address is Skid Row.

Yeah, forget about that for now
and get me a set up for an arterial line.

He is in rough shape. That
must've been some fall he took.

Yeah, right in front
of an oncoming car.

BP is 120 over 80,
pulse is 80 and regular.

- He's stabilized, Dan.
- For how long?

See this, right here, this
discoloration, he's bleeding internally.

He's got to be admitted to ICU.



- Keep an eye on him, will you?
- Sure.

Doctor Rawlins, Dan Varney.

I've got a trauma victim
here, internal bleeding.

I think he should be admitted.

Oh, what kind of insurance
does he have, Danny?

Well, the only premium this guy's
ever paid is for a bottle of whiskey.

You know the policy,
Danny. Send him to County.

Well, I thought given his condition, you
wanna just come down and look at him?

What for? I said
send him to County!

His pressure has
dropped to 110 over 60.

Transfer him.

We're losing him!

Make him hang on, Hal!

Come on, man, just a little more
time. They should never have sent him!

- Sam, you know that
formic acid we lost?
- Yeah.

- I think I just found it.
- That's the one.

Good morning to you, too, sir.

What's he doing?

- It's got to go, Quincy.
- He's taking our machine.

Recent cutbacks
from that new tax law.

- Sam, he's taking our machine!
- It's expensive to maintain

a coffee machine
in every office.

What are we going
to do without it?

You do what everybody else does.

I'm installing vending machines.

Now I've got to worry
about the correct change.

- On every other floor.
- What do you mean
on every other floor?

So if I want a cup of coffee, I've
gotta go upstairs or downstairs.

Why don't you think of the positive
side. You could use the exercise.

Oh, I'm not going to
exercise for a cup of coffee.

Then the drop in caffeine intake
will do your heart a world of good.

- You should thank me for this.
- Thank you!

You're the kind of guy that would
give vinegar to a man dying of thirst.

One of these days,
right to the moon!

I mean it!

You know, you never appreciate
something till you don't have it anymore.

Thank you, Confucius.

What have we got?

A forty four year old victim.
Pedestrian versus auto.

Take a look at this, Sam.

The effects of chronic alcohol
abuse shows on all the major organs.

The liver is nodular,
firm and yellow.

The spleen is enlarged
three times its normal size.

The heart muscle
is flabby and pale.

With all this tissue damage, it's
a wonder he survived this long.

When will people learn what
a harmful drug that booze is?

This was a County case, huh?

They've got some
good doctors there.

Look at this subclavian puncture
for the central venous catheter.

Wow! There's no
tissue damage around it.

It hit the vein in one shot.

The best I've ever seen. It really
takes skill to get it the first time.

It wasn't done by
anyone at County.

He was dead on arrival.

DOA?

This work was done last night! A
paramedic can't do a subclavian puncture.

A doctor treated him
and a really good one.

He was transferred from
Terrace Heights Hospital.

You know who the doctor was?

Doctor Daniel Varney.

Start the tox screen,
will you, Sam?

I'm going out to Terrace
Heights and talk to that guy.

I felt the pain right here in my
guts, so I came right over, Dr. Varney.

I'm glad you did. Does this
hurt you right there, Mr. Kenley?

- No.
- What about right there?

- Yeah, that's it.
- Okay, I want to admit you.

What, today?

Well, we may be dealing with a bleeding
ulcer and I don't think we should wait.

It doesn't hurt that bad.

Couldn't I come back next week?
I've got this golf tournament tomorrow.

Well, I'm afraid you're
going to have to cancel it.

You want to be around to play in
next year's tournament, don't you?

Okay. Trudie, I want you to
take Mr. Kenley to admitting.

Yes, Doctor. This way.

Just like that, you admit him?

You didn't even ask him if he
showed any signs of bleeding.

The pain was in the upper gastric
area. What business is it of yours?

I'm Doctor Quincy. I'm
from the Coroner's office.

- You Doctor Varney?
- That's right.

I'd like you to explain your treatment of
the trauma victim you had here last night.

We get a lot of trauma victims.
Which one are you talking about?

The one you sent over to County.

Well, you're going to have to ask the
people at County about that, Doctor.

I'm here, Doctor. Doesn't
that tell you he didn't make it?

I'm sorry.

I'm going to have a cup
of coffee, you want one?

Okay.

You know, I did everything
I could to stabilize him.

I put in an arterial line
and I started a central line.

I saw your work and it was
very good as far as you went,

but you must have seen

what was needed was admission
to intensive care, not an ambulance.

I tried to prepare
him for the transfer!

Why prepare a man for a death
ride? Why didn't you just admit him?

We have a small hospital here,
our patient load is very limited.

Oh, come on, don't talk to
me about your patient loads.

Hospitals like this are never
more than sixty percent occupied!

Occupied with paying patients!

Oh.

- You mean like our
Sunday golfer out there!
- That's right!

And our man last night,
he couldn't afford your help!

Would you get off my back!

There are hospitals in this County
who refuse treatment to indigents entirely.

They won't even let them
through the front door.

Then what they're doing is illegal. The
law requires at least minimal treatment.

Yeah, that's absolutely right.

But who polices those
hospitals, Doctor? Nobody!

The policy of this place
is to admit only patients

who can demonstrate
an ability to pay.

That means an insurance
card or cash up front!

What are you? A
doctor or a toll collector?

I do the best job I can!

You want to see somebody?
Talk to Chet Rawlins.

He's the chief of staff
here. He decides the policy.

Yeah. Emergency!

Trudie, get his vital signs.

Gang war victim, Doctor.
You ever seen one?

Yeah, but usually
after the fact.

Okay, Trudie, what do you have?

- He needs surgery.
- What are you going to do?

You know he doesn't
have insurance.

Okay, Trudie, admit him, stat.

I'm going to take him to pre-op and
have Doctor Solomon meet me there.

Let's go, guys.

- Is he a friend of yours?
- Yeah, he's my friend.

He's in good hands.

- Hold it, Dan.
- I've got
a critical stab wound here.

What kind of insurance does
he have? The line is blank.

Well, I don't think he has any.

- This is a County case.
- He's critical.

Did you hear what I said? Now
I'm getting tired of this. Send him!

Just get him out of here.

Hey! Hey, man,
where are you going?

- County Hospital!
- County Hospital?

You must be making a mistake.

The other doctor wanted
to keep him here. My

friend needs an
operation right away, man!

Yeah well, the doctor
changed his mind.

So, come on, fellows, get outta
the way. We got to get him there fast!

Garcia? What happened here?

Type and cross-match him. Get
the whole blood down here, stat.

Move it! Get him in.

Get his pulse.

I've lost it!

Board.

No, ventilate.

He's gone.

- Ventilate!
- Toni, he's gone.

- I'm worried about Luis.
- He'll be fine, man.

Excuse me, Dr. Nunez? My
friend Luis, is he going to be alright?

No, he's not going
to be alright, Mando.

What are you talking about?

I want you to know, Doctor,
we didn't start this one.

Nobody ever starts it!

Tell me, is he going
to be all right or not?

He's not!

He's dead, Mando!

Dead!

- Cause of death?
- Multiple stab wounds.

Luis Garcia.

Just a kid! He didn't
make it after all.

You know him?

Yeah, when I was at Terrace
Heights yesterday, he came in.

Varney's a good doctor, I
thought he was going to make it.

There must be some confusion,
Quince. It says here he died at County's.

That can't be! Let
me see that, Sam.

Varney transferred him!

After I finish here, I'm going
to pay that cutie a little visit.

You did that yesterday, Quince.
Look at all the good it did you.

That's because I only
showed him my nice side.

We have here the
body of a male Hispanic.

- Approximate age...
- Eighteen!

Eighteen.

That was some kind of command
performance you put on for me yesterday.

What are you talking about?

That boy, Garcia. The one
that was stabbed. He's dead!

That was no show I put
on. Rawlins transferred him.

There was nothing
I could do about it.

- Famous last words.
- I hoped that
he could make it.

Hope is okay, if there
is no doctor around.

Why didn't you ignore Rawlins?
You knew you were right!

Look, beyond the fact that Chet Rawlins is
Chief of Staff here is the cold, neat fact

that he owns this place,
lock, stock and barrel.

- So he says jump
and you ask how high?
- Yeah, that's right!

How could you live like that? How
could you work under that kind of a sword?

Oh, look, I can't afford your
ideals, I've got to be more practical.

My parents sacrificed their
lives to make me a doctor.

They're still in hock for
putting me in this profession.

I promised myself I'd give
them something in return.

And I'm going to do that!

- Where's your boss' office?
- Down the hall to your right.

Wow!

Welcome to the west
wing of Taj Mahal.

- Doctor Rawlins!
- Yes, may I help you?

Yes, I would like to
talk to you if I may.

I'm terribly sorry but I have
a luncheon appointment.

It's very important. I'm Doctor Quincy.
I'm with the Medical Examiner's office.

Quincy? Yes,
Dr. Varney mentioned you.

You were here about
another matter yesterday.

Well, it is another case
but the same matter.

It's about your transfer policy.

Oh? What about my
transfer policy, Doctor?

Well, I'm sure you
haven't even noticed

but in the past couple of
days, it has killed two people.

That's a harsh
statement, Doctor.

Oh, that's not a statement,
that's an accusation.

Those people might have lived
if they hadn't been transferred.

Can you prove that? Can you definitely
prove that those people would have lived?

Not in a court of law.

Well, that's where it counts.

You know that us
doctors have to make

decisions that affect
people's lives every day.

Decisions based on monetary concerns,
not on proper medical procedure?

Just one moment, please, Doctor.

Now we're talking about the
administration of a hospital here.

One that has to serve
the whole community.

Well now, sometimes you've
just got to take measures

that affect a few
of them adversely,

in order to serve the
majority, which we do.

Hospital care is no
longer the cottage industry

that we learned in medical
school. No, it's grown up.

This is 20th century
corporate management.

This is business!

Do you know what we
grossed here last year?

Thanks for the
course in economics.

We give the best treatment
to all, within certain limits.

Then those limits
have to be expanded!

You're running a hospital here,
not some exclusive health spa

where help is doled out only
to those who are able to pay!

What I run here, I own.
And I run it as I see fit.

Start your afternoon
off proper, Doctor!

Excuse me, please.

That's not the way to get
attention around here, buster.

But grab me again and you'll be needing
more attention than you walked in for.

I'm sorry. I'm not a patient. I'm
looking for a Doctor Toni Nunez.

Can you tell me where
I can find him, please?

She. Toni's a she, sexist.

Well, where is she?

- See that nice back?
- Yeah, thank you.

- Doctor Nunez.
- Yes.

I'd like to talk to
you, if it's all right.

Sure. Things should slow
down around here by 1981.

How about a chat in early fall?

I'm Doctor Quincy. I'm with
the medical examiner's office.

I'd like to talk to you about Luis
Garcia, the boy you treated yesterday.

Sure, go ahead.

I must have been misinformed. I was told
that you were chief resident in surgery.

Well, we're short-staffed
and we're under-funded.

That adds up to a chief
surgical resident filling out

her days in the emergency room.

What do you want
to know about Luis?

What I want to know about
every case that comes on my table.

Why he died.

He died because he was poor.

It's a very common affliction
in our affluent society.

If he had money, Luis
would still be alive.

But he was cut pretty bad.

It looked a lot
worse than it was.

If I could have gotten to him in
time, he could have had a chance.

Doctor, you're
wanted in room seven.

Okay, I'm on my way.

Randy, take this blood up
to the lab for drug screen.

Take him to number 5.

Would you care to walk
and talk, Doctor Quincy?

Sure.

Frenchie, this is Doctor Quincy.
He's from the Coroner's office.

He's investigating
Luis Garcia's death.

I've already had the pleasure.

Watch it Doctor,
we're still not friends.

- She's the best nurse
we have in the county.
- The state!

- I don't mean to intrude.
- I'm sure.

But if you're investigating Garcia's
death, shouldn't you be in the streets?

That's where this
whole mess started.

I'm afraid I can't do anything about that.
But I might be able to do something about

what happened after the fight,
when he got into medical hands.

- At Terrace Heights?
- How did you know?

She's been here a long time.
She's seen and heard a lot.

You know, gossip is
the mainstay of medicine.

And what does the grapevine say?

Well, my best friend, Trudie,
works at Terrace Heights.

Bad news! I wouldn't touch
that place with a geranium!

What have you heard?

That the water over there gets a
lot muddier the deeper in you look.

Abuses, unnecessary
surgery, it's a real cesspool.

Can you prove that?

Listen snooks, if I could, I
would tell a judge, not a coroner.

And it's going to
get a lot worse.

Why?

Because Rawlins has a bid in to buy
and add beds to Baldwin Doctors Hospital.

But that's the only other
hospital in this area.

Wait till we get the
turn ways from there.

We can't let him do that.
We've got to stop him.

How? Rawlins has
money and power.

How are you going to
fight that, sweetums?

Well, I'm going to take a
chance and give it a good try.

I'll tell you that, sweetheart.

- Well,
I want to wish you luck.
- Thank you.

Doctor, for whatever it's worth,

that proposal to
expand to add beds,

he has to get approval from the
County Health Planning Board.

Now that would be a
good place for you to start.

Okay.

I don't want to discourage
you but though they mean well,

they can be
terribly frustrating.

The County Health Planning
Board can't stop anyone.

- It's not our mandate.
- Then what can you do?

All we're permitted to do is
to make a recommendation

whether or not Rawlins can make
changes in the hospital he buys.

How do you decide that?

It's not a decision,
it's a recommendation.

On what do you base the recommendation
on whether or not he can buy the hospital?

Oh, we have no say over
who buys an existing hospital.

- Anyone can do that.
- You have no say? Anyone?

If he has enough money.

You see, Doctor Quincy, all we can do
is approve changes in medical service.

After Rawlins buys Baldwin Doctors
Hospital, he's planning on enlarging.

That needs our
recommendation to happen.

And that decision is based on an
assessment of neighborhood needs.

I'll tell you one thing,
that neighborhood

doesn't need another
Chet Rawlins hospital.

We never get involved
with personalities.

Suppose Dracula wants to buy
a hospital and start a blood bank?

- We're only
interested in services.
- I don't believe it.

And frankly, our
preliminary analysis shows

that beds are needed
in that part of town.

Of course beds are needed there but
for everybody, not just the chosen few.

I don't believe that Rawlins
is going to get away with this.

Doesn't the community
have anything to say?

Of course, next Tuesday there'll
be a public meeting on the issue.

Members of the community, both
pro and con, will have their say.

And rest assured, Doctor,

that whether it's the opinion of a
bank president or a welfare mother

they will carry equal credence.

Next Tuesday? That's five days.

Five days to prevent a disease that's
going to hurt the community for 25 years.

Tell me, do you think
it's going to rain today?

That's what the
weather report says.

But on the other
hand, I know, I know.

Luis is dead and something
has gotta be done, huh?

I know that, we all know that,
that's what we're here for, man.

We're going to decide
what we're going to do.

A payback on the
Coyotes. They killed him.

Hey, the Coyotes
didn't kill Luis.

That was war.
The fight was fair.

Oh, man, how you sound?
I saw the dude stab him.

But he didn't die there,
right? He died at the hospital.

I say we get the doctor.

Nunez?

No, not Nunez, man. The
white dude at the first hospital.

He sent Luis
away. He killed him.

Thanks for the call, Lieutenant.

-You got that report
on Luis Garcia?

- How're you feeling?
- Oh, pretty good.

I had to cancel my brain
surgery schedule for today.

And my tennis match for
tonight but other than that...

At least you managed
to get into the hospital.

Yeah, something about having
the right kind of insurance.

You feel up to identifying
those punks who put you in here?

Yeah, okay.

Those the kids I
saw with Brill outside?

That's right, we picked
'em right up away.

The description the doc here
gave the cops, fit them to a tee.

What's with the
dialysis machine?

Oh, they're going to put me on that thing
if my kidneys don't open up in 24 hours.

Transient renal failure is pretty
common with trauma cases.

- They really worked
you over, didn't they?
- Yeah.

You okay? You look rough.

You're starting to
sound like my mother.

I'm going to be tripping the light
fantastic here in a couple of days.

You know, Doctor
Quincy, I can't blame them.

- Who?
- The guys who leaned on me.

It was my responsibility
that their friend died.

It wasn't your fault.
It was Rawlins' fault.

He's the one that wouldn't
admit him into the hospital.

Yeah, but he didn't put
a gun up to my head.

Besides, there are a lot of
other hospitals I could work at.

Okay, Brill, bring them in here.

All right Doc, are
these the guys?

No.

What?

They're not the ones.

Look again, real close.
They fit the description.

I said they're not the ones!

What are you pulling? They
were Garcia's lieutenants.

They're responsible!

I'm telling you
they're not the ones.

- Alright! Get 'em outta here!
- Listen!

If you do know who did this,
tell them they hurt the wrong guy.

He tried to help Luis.
He's not responsible.

- Sure.
- Let's go.

They're not responsible!

He's not responsible!
You're not responsible!

I know, maybe my
grandmother's responsible!

You know, they don't
pay me enough for this job!

Doctor Quincy, would
you raise my leg a little.

Sure.

You know, I've had a lot of
time to think just lying here.

- Come to any conclusions?
- Yeah. One!

You're right. He's
gotta be stopped.

So do earthquakes, but nobody
has figured out how to do it yet.

There is a way. Get somebody
else to buy Baldwin Doctors Hospital.

He's got the last bid. It was
fourteen and a half million.

Dollars?

What do they got
there, gold plumbing?

It's a lot of money.
But it's a good buy.

How do you go about
buying a hospital?

It's pretty much
like buying a house.

Yeah, if you're interested in
something as big as a palace.

It's really not that hard.

What you got to do is set up a corporation,
you know, with a board of directors.

Now the chairman of the board has to
be a man who's got a good business mind.

You know, an
administrator, an economist

and somebody who really
understands the bureaucratic system.

If he's a doctor,
that's even better.

In other words, a doctor
who's smart and stingy.

Yeah, that's right.

- You know what
you've just done?
- What?

Described my boss to a tee.

- Listen, if you need anything,
let me know.
- Yeah, okay.

- Take it easy and
I'll see you soon.
- Thank you.

Hey, mister!

What are you guys going
to do? Beat me up too?

Hey, we didn't beat anybody
up. You heard the guy.

What do you want?

Well, we want to ask you a
couple of questions, that's all.

Yeah, about what you said in there.
About Varney being the wrong guy.

That right?

Whoever hit him should have
checked out their facts first.

He was trying to help Garcia.

Oh yeah? Then why didn't he?

Because somebody transferred
Luis before he could help him.

And who was that?

Why do you want to know?

Just askin' you a
question, that's all.

Hey, somebody deserves to
pay for what happened to Luis.

Deserves, deserves!

Your friend is dead!

There's a man in there
beaten within an inch of his life.

And you still talk about
the need for violence.

No, you got the
wrong word, Mister!

It's payback!
Payback is justice!

You want justice?
You're looking for justice?

Then why don't you hit him
where he lives? In his bank account.

Find a legal way to hurt him.

Oh, come on! You are not
going to lay that garbage on me

about working within the law,
because I'm not going to buy it anymore.

You see, Mister, I tried
that. Oh yeah, I did try.

It didn't work for me!

I just don't want the
hassle of Anglo ways, okay?

That's the only way I can stop this
hospital from doing to anybody else

what they did to Luis
and could use your help.

He's an Anglo, he
can't understand.

- Let's split.
- Okay!

What's in it for you, man?

I'm just trying to
do the right thing.

How do you know what's
the right thing for me, huh?

Let's get out of here.

Fifteen million dollars? You want me to
buy a hospital for fifteen million dollars?

Will you get out of here.

You see I'm in the middle of
the biggest departmental cutbacks

ever forced on this department.

I thought it was a garage sale.

Look, you've got all those
friends, philanthropists,

that one guy who gave a
million dollars to the university.

You want me to call
Charlie Emerson for money?

- Why not?
- What do I say?

Hi, Charlie! How are you? Richer?
You want to lend me couple of million?

- That's ridiculous! Ludicrous!
- No!

It sounds ludicrous at first
but it's only ten percent down.

- Ten percent? Ten percent of what?
- That's right.

Fifteen million? That's one
and a half million dollars. Million!

Yeah, but the guy can't
lose, they just hold his money.

If you invest 1.5
million dollars,

you take back a mortgage of 13.5
million dollars over a forty-year period

with a seventeen
percent appreciation.

Your investment in one year
brings back over a million dollars,

that's tax free because we're
running a non-profit organization,

that's not including the money for
medical fees, the funding from that.

- You really know your
research, don't you?
- It's all right here.

- You must really
love this project?
- I do, I really do.

Wait a minute! I thought you
weren't very good at figures.

Oh, I don't know the price of coffee. 1
percent ten days, 2 percent thirty days.

If you spend a little of
that business aptitude here,

we would win an
award for economy.

Yes, sir.

I think that's what you
should do in your spare time.

You're not going to call Charlie,
you're not going to help me?

Quincy, I can't, I
just can't do that.

I was going to make you
chairman of the board.

A hospital could use your medical
experience, your administrative know-how.

- You mean that?
- Yes, I do.

And think of the good we
could do for the community.

We could give inexpensive
health care, we could set an

example for the entire country.

That would be nice, wouldn't it?

To be part of that
would really be nice.

Sure will be.

- Well,
I'll try but no promises.
- No promises.

- Don't you point your
finger at me if I fail.
- Oh, not at all.

- I don't want
any recriminations.
- Only gratitude.

All right, you get out of here,
if I'm going to raise money.

I don't want you to hear me
schmaltzing on the phone.

Schmaltzing?

You know, it's
just like I thought.

I thought it would be like the old
days in school at the Bell House.

Remember how we used to get
behind a project and push it through.

Bob, I'd like to help you out,

but I just sank a bundle into that
Palm Springs acreage and it's...

Palm Springs, well that's...

Paul, what about you?
It's just not the money,

we could use your
services on a hospital board.

Well, the way the market's
been haywire these days,

that won't give me anything to
really invest in or play around with.

Well, I wouldn't...

Marv?

Well, with inflation as it is,
I'd like to maintain fluidity.

Maybe in a year or two.

What are your reasons, Charlie?

All of the above!

Look, Bob, I'd like to be able
to help you get what you want.

I'd like to be able to pay you back
for some of the favors I owe you.

You owe me? You
think I'm asking for me?

I think you guys
missed the whole point.

I don't think you're listening. What's
the matter with you? Good grief!

I'm not asking for me, Charlie.
I'm asking for the people of this city.

Listen, let's cut the bull
and talk about self interest.

Palm Springs property,
inflation, bear market!

Now what are you
going to get out of that?

I'm not just asking you to
give money for a hospital,

I'm asking you to give
money and get involved.

A chance to say, 'Hey, that's my hospital,
I own part of that and I give time there.'

And as a doctor, I'll
tell you that feeling,

that feeling of giving to the future
would pay you a higher return

than any pill you could
ever buy with all your money.

Listen, I'm sorry. I shouldn't
pressure you like that.

It's your money, you
guys work hard for it.

You slave for it, you kill yourselves for
it, why should I take away your anxieties.

In fact, I'm going to pick up
the check for this whole lunch.

Hey, Danny!

Hey, Bob, come on Bob, now sit,
sit down, sit down, just take it easy.

You're still the same old
hot-head that you were in college.

Look, you're talking
about a lot of money.

I haven't even had a chance
to check with my lawyer yet.

I am your lawyer.

Oh yeah, I forgot. Well,
what do you think, Paul?

Well, as Bob said, it is a
good piece of real estate.

Of course, I don't know
what kind of return you'd get.

Look, I'm not looking to
make a profit on the deal.

It would be a non-profit
organization, Charlie.

We'll put everything right back

and we would do what Chet Rawlins
and other corporate hospitals don't do.

We admit anybody that's ill that's
the only health insurance they need.

Charlie, it would
be a good tax break.

Well, Charlie, since you're the
man with the money bags here,

Marv and I will pool our
contribution and we'll match you.

I never opened my mouth.
What are you, Edgar Bergen?

Now look, it looks like
maybe this could work out.

I'll tell you what, let's all meet
here tomorrow again for lunch, huh?

And I'll pick up the
tab for today's lunch.

Terrific! Listen, let's
have a last drink on it.

Oh yeah, sure. And I'm
going to pick up the tab?

Let's have one more drink.

- I did it.
- I know.

- You heard?
- Everybody in the joint heard.

You were Quincy before
Quincy was Quincy, right?

Now these pledges are
as good as the country.

- They certainly are.
- And those
proposed board members

are gentlemen of impeccable
taste and reputation.

- That is true.
- Their financial
statements are right there.

- This is very impressive.
- Thank you.

Very impressive, Dr. Astin.

As is your bid of fifteen million
dollars. Very impressive. Unfortunately.

What do you mean unfortunately?

Oh, not the offer, Dr. Quincy. Fifteen
million is the highest bid we received.

But, you see, you're too late.

How can it be too late?

As late as last night you
were still entertaining bids.

The bids were closed at ten this morning.
That's the term my clients imposed.

They are very eager to sell.

I was forced to sell to the
highest bid offered at that time.

- Can't you find a loophole?
- I wish I could, Dr. Quincy.

It would mean a lot more
money for my clients.

It's going to mean a lot less
medical services for the community.

One small gain for Rawlins, one
giant step backwards for medical care.

You said it.

Hey, Peggy, why don't you
run away with me to Tahiti?

I'd love to, Doctor Quincy, but what
about my husband and three kids?

- Goodnight, Dr. Quincy.
- Goodnight.

- Well, you can't win them all.
- You got it,
I can't win any of them.

Now wait a minute.

- Wait a minute,
I want to make a toast.
- To what?

I want to drink to
Dr. Quincy, ME,

for the magnificent effort
he made on this hospital.

What about Dr. Astin and
the magnificent, come on.

No, no, no, I want
to drink to you.

I want to drink to you. Without the money,
you were the one who raised the money!

- No, don't you know
what you did for me?
- No, what?

All, all those young
feelings came back again.

- You know,
Joan of Arc, Zola, Pasteur.
- You know you fit them all.

Yeah? Thank you very much.

It was exhilarating to be involved
directly with people, you know.

- I mean not just machines or budgets.
- Oh, come now, don't knock the machines.

They also save lives, whether
it's to help us catch murderers

or to help us stop an epidemic
before it gets out of hand.

You know, we're going to sprain our
arms patting ourselves on the back.

Let's drink to both of us.

Listen, did I ever tell you
how I became a pathologist?

No, you didn't.

- Oh,
I can't put you through that.
- I want to hear it.

- No,
you don't want to hear it.
- Yes, I do. Don't do that.

You gonna start something
and then don't finish.

- You sure?
- Yeah, I do.

Well, alright, I'll tell you.

I was in medical school and I
couldn't decide what to specialize in

and suddenly my father died.

Now he was a terrific guy.

I mean, he was a great outdoorsman,
he was a rough and tumble guy and...

- You would have liked him.
- Yeah?

And he went fishing one day and he
had some contaminated water and he died.

Now I found out that a week earlier two
other men had the same water and they died.

And that the idiot
who did the autopsy

was so inept, he couldn't
determine the cause of death.

Can you believe that? My
father died for nothing, Quincy.

I mean, it was just a waste.

Anyway, I made a vow that
I would devote my career

to never letting
that happen again.

Now how's that for
unrealistic idealism?

Come on, don't knock it, you've
got a great batting average.

Well, at least we're patting
each other on the back again.

I'll drink to that,

but instead of patting
yourselves on the back,

why don't you two guys
pitter-pat yourselves home.

It's closing time.

- Well, let's drink to that.
- Alright!

Well, we tried, Danny. But
Rawlins' bid was already accepted.

So Baldwin Doctors is his, huh?

Anyway, the meeting on his
proposal is tomorrow night.

Tomorrow? Boy, he
didn't waste a second.

His letter of intent must have gone up to
Sacramento before he entered his final bid.

Letter of intent?

Sure, he had to file one with the
state declaring his proposed changes.

But it's not orthodox for the state
to act on any of this until he owns it.

You see, he plans to add
ninety beds to the hospital

but unless he can get the approval
of the Health Planning Board,

then he's stuck
with a white elephant

because he doesn't know what to do with
real estate unless he can turn a profit.

Well, is there any
way we can stop him?

We can try. Tomorrow
morning, you come and

get me out of here in
time for that meeting

and I'll have more records, evidence, on
this place than the President has peanuts!

With a promise like that, I'd
break you out of Sing Sing.

I also want you to get in
contact with the following people.

They're patients, former patients
of Rawlins. They should testify.

You know what this could
do to your career, don't you?

Yeah, I know.

I regret that I have but one
residency to give to my parents.

- Here you go.
- You okay?

Yeah, I'm great. I'm
just a slow healer.

Tomorrow, I'm going to be ready to
tangle with Dr. Rawlins, that's a vow!

Look at the prima donna sleeping
all morning. Get up, will you, Danny?

Danny?

Ventricular tachycardia!

- When did you take
him off the dialysis?
- An hour ago.

When was the last time
you checked on him?

Twenty minutes ago, he
appeared to be sleeping.

Hey, wait a minute,
what are you doing here?

- He's not sleeping,
he's comatose.
- He's okay.

Now, please leave until visiting
hours or I'm going to get security.

The only thing you're going to
get is 100 milligrams of lidocaine.

- Are you a physician?
- There's no time for history. Look!

He's in hypocalcemic tetany!

Somebody made a mistake
in the dialysis solution!

It's depleted his calcium level.

Now I need 10 milligrams
of calcium gluconate!

- And I need it now!
- Yes, Doctor.

Ventricular fibrillation!

His heart isn't contracting.
I'd better call a resident!

Forget about that! Call a
code blue and ventilate him.

C'mon, bring the
paddles! C'mon, move!

Clear, clear!

Still fibrillating.

Intracardiac epinephrine. Stat!
You give him one-half of bicarb.

Clear, clear! C'mon back.

Everything's okay.

The pulse is okay.

That was close, too close.

- Start him on
lidocaine as soon as possible.
- You've got it!

Keep him on it until we
transfer him to County.

- Doctor Varney is my patient.
- Not anymore he isn't.

I'm taking over his case!

Doctor Quincy, this is
outrageous behavior.

Behavior I might add that
would not be sanctioned

by any member of
the medical profession.

The medical attention that man received
couldn't get the sanction of a dog catcher!

Interference with
a physician's plan

of treatment by another
physician is a serious charge.

The Board of Medical Quality
Assurance will tear you to shreds

- and that's just
where I'm going!
- Good, you do that.

It will give me a chance to tell
them about the medical attention

this hospital gave
to one of our own,

not to mention the hundreds of
people who walk through those doors.

What's the matter?

You mad because I took
away a paying customer?

- What do you think?
- Right on.

Why don't you learn
how to speak English?

- You will come to the meeting?
- Yes, I will.

Thank you, thank
you, we'll see you then.

So will you come?

Mando, Mando!

- She's coming.
- Oh, terrific. Thank you.

- What did she say?
- She wants to know
if you're single.

I can't tell you how much I appreciate
your coming down to help us.

What changed your mind?

Hey, Doctor, you're
an honest man.

You know what you said back there,
about doing the right thing, I like that.

You touched me. Besides, we don't want to
hurt anybody who doesn't want to hurt us.

You see, we got a
saying in the streets.

Everything that goes
around, comes around.

Is that like, "Do unto
others as you...", you know?

Yeah, something like that, but this
is a different version, more cool-like.

Thanks for the help.

Are you kidding me? They love it!
Hey, Juano, move it, move it, move it!

What are you trying
to pull, Quincy?

The rug, right out
from under you.

Ladies and gentlemen, may
I have your attention, please.

This is the time and place recommended
by the County Health Planning Board

for the recommendation of the expansion
of services at Baldwin Doctors Hospital.

Are both parties represented?

Mr. Chairman, I would like
to request a postponement.

This hearing would be prejudicial
by sheer weight of numbers.

Doctor Rawlins,

any request for postponement should
have been made prior to this hearing.

Request denied.

We will proceed with
the hearing at this time.

Your name and occupation.

My name is Trudie Adler.

I was a registered nurse
at Terrace Heights Hospital.

I understand you don't
work there anymore.

- That's right.
- What happened?

Doctor Rawlins found out I was
planning on coming here tonight to testify.

He fired me this morning.

What was he afraid
you were going to say?

Well, there is a
type of heart monitor

about the size of a transistor radio
that is used for cardiac patients.

When we send them
home, we put this on them.

It monitors the heartbeat
over a twenty-four hour period.

But the one we used at Terrace Heights
worked only if the patient pushed a button,

like when they felt discomfort.

The good model costs
thirty-seven thousand dollars.

- The one we use
cost two-thousand.
- Saving money is not a crime.

But the one we
used didn't give a true

picture of what was
happening to the patient.

It was not an accurate
indication of heart activity.

But, they still charged
for the expensive monitor.

- So the savings
could have cost a life?
- Yes.

They told me my mother was
terminal and there was no hope.

But they didn't want to
keep her at the nursing home.

So they sent her
to Terrace Heights.

Even though they knew she
only had a few weeks left at most,

they kept on doing all kinds of tests
and giving her treatments that didn't help.

If anything could have saved her, I would
have moved the earth to give it to her.

But all she wanted to do was die peacefully
and they wouldn't leave her alone.

She died after thirteen days

and the hospital bill was
eleven thousand dollars.

Mrs. Johnson, after your admission
to Terrace Heights, what happened?

Well, I told them that I
had these bad headaches.

I went in to find out
why I got the headaches.

And they examined you for that?

Yes, but that wasn't all.
They kept me for sixteen days.

And before I was released the
doctor had performed a D&C,

a cervical biopsy, a uterine
suspension and an appendectomy.

Why did you let them do it?

They said it was
necessary. They're doctors.

They're supposed to
do what's good for you.

I trusted them.

- Because they were doctors.
- Yes.

I have an affidavit from a Doctor Daniel
Varney who worked at Terrace Heights.

He states that all of
this was unnecessary.

Ladies and gentlemen,
please, please.

Thank you.

- Did anyone else
wish to be heard?
- I do.

As you can see,

Dr. Rawlins and the Terrace
Heights Hospital are not prejudiced.

Anyone can get in regardless
of race, color or creed.

You just have to be able to pay.

Their admission does not depend
on the degree of their illness,

but on whether or not they're
carrying the right insurance card.

That's a far cry from the sign in front
of Albert Schweitzer's jungle hospital

which reads, "Here, at
whatever hour you come,

"you will find light and
help and human kindness."

What a rotten businessman
Schweitzer must have been.

But what a magnificent doctor
and humanitarian he was.

When the only consideration of a
hospital is concern with a profit margin,

humanity goes out the
window and without humanity,

you cannot have good medicine.

And you, and you, and you and all
of us in our community are to blame.

We have the power to dictate
what kind of hospital should serve us

but we have to speak
up, we have to be heard

and believe me, Mr. Weiss and the
County Health Planning Board will listen.

They have to!

But if we don't raise our voices,
if we allow people like Dr. Rawlins

to spread out and gobble up our
hospitals, then we deserve what we get.

So what do we say to Mr. Weiss?

Do we want to let
Dr. Rawlins get his extra beds?

No!

Are we going to see that
he cleans up his operations?

Yes!

Are we going to demand
that at whatever hour we come,

we will find light and
health and human kindness?

Yes!

For he's a jolly good doctor
For he's a jolly good doctor

For he's a jolly good doctor

That nobody can deny

Danny, are we suppose
to eat it with our hands?

Not unless you're four years
old. The plates are coming.

Three weeks already,
what's happening?

Well, because of all the trouble,
Rawlins has to get rid of the hospital

or lose his shirt. We're going
to pick it up for eleven million.

We're going to have the finest
health service in this community.

The Medical Quality Assurance
Board is going after Rawlins themselves.

Listen, Danny, they want you
to be chief resident, if you want it.

Want it? I'd go through this whole
thing over again for the chance.

My friends, I would
like to make a toast.

Here, here!

To the Robert J. Astin and
Associates Community Hospital.