Mary isn't adding any additional value, but is adding value.
Mary may add value by her attention to detail. Bob may add value by his marketing skills. Mary is adding 5 units to Bob's 5 units for a total of 10 units, assuming that Mary and Bob are part of the same entity. If they are associated with different entities, the two entities have equal total value, albeit different flavors of value.
The same applies to church hospitals. They perform a useful service, doing so is adding value even if they don't add any more value than a secular hospital, or a hospital connected to a different religion would add.
I am assuming that all hospitals, regardless of ownership, are equal in that any one will remove your appendix, give you hospital socks, and provide lousy food. Functionally, they all do the same thing. What I was looking for was what Catholic ownership would add to that. Would it add more attention to detail? Would it add better marketing? What is unique and special about Catholic ownership that makes their hospitals more desirable in our society?
Also I'm not supporting them, in the sense of cheering them on, let alone in the sense of pushing for secular hospitals to be replaced by religious ones. I'm opposing opposition to them.
I can understand that. Sticking up for the underdog is fine. Very American. If the Catholic hospitals are engaged in an initiative to take over and crowd out secular hospitals, though, are you neutral or are you sticking up for the underdog secular hospitals? |
