Our Montville

Board member's arrogance to cost us

To the Editor:

The Roxbury Board of Education recently voted to give its teachers a nearly 20 percent raise over four years. No one begrudges teachers a reasonable living wage but in this plummeting economy where many people are taking pay cuts and even more are losing their jobs, I find this an astounding gesture of generosity.

At the center of the controversy surrounding this pay raise is Roxbury board member Greg Somjen, who was quoted as telling critics at an open meeting that if they didn't like it, they could find a town elsewhere!"

Such arrogance might be explained by the confident assurance of affluence afforded by his architectural firm. This same firm was very successful at convincing a rather naïve Denville Board of Education that it was first necessary to spend $70 million on a new middle school (state average less than half this amount) and when that failed, it managed to convince the same board that architectural fees of $1 million are needed to oversee repairs of the existing school buildings. This certainly confirms my admittedly personal perception that architects love to spend other people's money. When was the last time anyone required the services of an architect to repair or replace a leaky roof or heating system? Do our schools really need his services?

GEORDIE GRANT, Denville

Gregory Somjen is architect for Montville's Board of Education.

Cheers to Montville!

CHEER: To Pixie, a bichon frise owned by a Montville family, for being judged first in her breed and fourth overall in the non-sporting group at this week's Westminster Kennel Club dog show.

CHEER: To pole vaulter Chrissy Finkel of Montville who this week signed a letter of intent to attend Notre Dame university.  See Daily Record.

Morris doctors are going digital

E-records seen as cutting costs, errors

By Michael Daigle • Daily Record • February 3, 2009

Electronic medical records can enhance the safety of patients' records, help reduce potential errors and result in lower medical costs, medical personnel said.

Dr. Arnold Pallay said the electronic records at his family practice, Changebridge Medical Association of Montville, are safe and the data is well-protected. The system is encrypted, and doctor and staff access is limited to the level of the job and the need for information.

For example, Billing clerks have no access to medical records or the notes he made during a patient's visit, he said. Even nurses and physician's assistants have limits placed on their access to the data, he said.

And, Pallay said, he no longer has a situation at his practice called "lost files."

"There were too many files, too many charts," Pallay said. "Paper charts get lost. Patients need answers. All that paper affected billing. At the end of the day I had a big pile of charts."

Fewer paper charts also means better records are kept, and better records mean fewer mistakes, area medical officials said.

Morris County's three hospitals -- Morristown Memorial, St. Clare's and Chilton Memorial -- also have installed electronic medical record systems that allow the facilities to manage their own patient records and permit affiliated doctors access to necessary medical information.

 

http://www.dailyrecord.com/article/20090203/COMMUNITIES/902030337/1203