While it is sad to see that UPMC wants to close its hospital in Braddock, UPMC should not be vilified for taking the necessary steps to ensure the long-term stability of one of our country's leading health care innovators.
Tax-exempt charitable organizations -- which Joseph Sabino Mistick mischaracterizes as nonprofits in his column "Nonprofits, start acting like nonprofits" (Oct. 25 and TribLIVE.com) -- exist to serve the public good but do indeed need to make a "profit." As charitable organizations, they are morally and legally restricted as to what they can do with their "profits."
For example, they may not pay cash dividends to shareholders.
The notion that UPMC should "continue to operate ... without regard to the bottom line" is not only dangerously shortsighted but a violation of its fiduciary responsibility. Any organization (for-profit or not-for-profit) that does not watch its bottom line will eventually cease to exist, all the while reducing the services it provides during the slide to inevitable extinction.
Our region takes great pride in the fact that UPMC is renowned nationally and around the world in the health care industry.
Many advances in medicine have been pioneered right here in Pittsburgh.
I have no connection whatsoever to UPMC, but to force UPMC to operate at a loss would significantly reduce the ability of UPMC to remain at the forefront of medicine -- unless, as Mr. Mistick might propose, another government bailout is on the horizon.
John Atkinson
Highland Park
