To the editor:

I feel it’s necessary to voice my concerns about the way our local hospital is being run. I am a resident of Southampton County in Courtland. My husband and I have lost three good doctors over the last two years.

Southampton Memorial Hospital board of directors, you need to wake up and realize that the needs of the city and county are falling by the wayside.

It’s time to stop being a for-profit hospital and start taking responsibility for the needs of the people in this area. People in this area should be able to go to a doctor or to the hospital and feel comfortable about this experience, but we don’t.

My husband and I just received a letter from one of our doctors who has been coming to Franklin for a long time.

It stated “due to recent changes implemented by Southampton Memorial Hospital, as of Thursday, Nov. 1, his patients will have to travel to Norfolk for care.”

As I stated earlier, losing three wonderful doctors tells me it is time for Southampton Memorial Hospital to be taken over by Sentara or Bon Secours so that we can obtain a good staff of professional doctors so that we can receive the medical care needed and that we have been used to for many years past.

This area needs some good specialists brought in, and they need to be treated with respect so they will be able to stay in the city or county to handle this area’s health needs.

I know that my husband and I are not alone in our feelings.

I talk with people every day who are unhappy about the way our hospital is being run. Pretty soon Southampton Memorial will have to close its doors because people are fed up and they are already going elsewhere for their medical needs.

What can we as a community and caring citizens do to turn this situation around? Friends and neighbors, let’s all voice our feelings and hopefully something will be done.

Mary Lou and David Bryant

Courtland