A $57.5 million expansion at Jordan Hospital in Plymouth, MA, in 2006, followed by drop-off in admissions has forced the CEO to cut to the bone. Admissions are off about 9% from last year, and revenue had returned to 2005 levels. To cut costs, the hospital has eliminated the equivalent of 45 full-time jobs, or about 3% of the staff, about half by attrition.
The crisis on Wall Street is affecting many New York hospitals whose boards and donor lists include some of the financial executives from the investment banking industry. New York-Presbyterian Hospital's board, for example, includes executives from Morgan Stanley, Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch, and AIG.
An annual "report card" by the Maryland Health Care Commission ranks Kaiser Permanente and Mid Atlantic Medical Services Inc. the highest of managed-care insurers. The report aims to guide consumers through the region's numerous insurers, offering rankings on breast cancer screening, diabetes care, and the quality of other services.
A Coeur D'alene, ID, hospital has introduced "smart beds," a new technology that is assisting the facility's intensive care nursing staff. The beds, which are programmed to say various things based on the patient's needs and care instructions, say things like "Please stay in bed," and "Do not pull on your tubes." The beds also can offer such instructions in 14 different languages.
Troubled physicians are now being referred to the Professionals Program at Elmhurst Memorial Healthcare in Elmhurst, IL. It is one of several programs in the country that helps doctors with substance abuse, mood and personality disorders, and anxiety. While the program has also served airline pilots, attorneys, and other business executives, it has been utilized primarily by physicians.
An infection spread by IV treatment led to the deaths of 13 premature newborns at a hospital in western Turkey, according to a doctor investigating the incident. In a similar case in the capital, Ankara, in July that led to 27 newborn fatalities, government-appointed doctors investigating the deaths said a staff shortage had increased the risk of infection.
Researchers for the Archives of Internal Medicine have found that some physicians, namely cancer specialists and surgeons, lack empathy when dealing with patient concerns. Previous studies show that doctors who display more empathy have more satisfied patients, leading to lower anxiety and a better understanding of their condition.
San Francisco voters will head to the polls in November to decide whether to use a new state bond to fund construction and remodeling of children's hospitals. This would authorize $980 million in bonds that would be repaid from California's general fund. It would allow for expansion of the hospitals as well as improvement of existing facilities and purchasing of new medical equipment.
The American College of Physician Executives has chosen Barry R. Silbaugh, MD, as CEO. Silbaugh, 60, replaces Roger Schenke, who established the College more than 30 years ago.
James R. Thomas has been appointed President of HCA's South Atlantic Division in Charleston, S.C., effective Sept. 1. As president of the newly-formed division, Thomas, 56, is responsible for HCA's seven hospitals and seven ambulatory surgery centers in Charleston, Myrtle Beach and Jacksonville, FL. These hospitals had previously been part of HCA's Carolina Market and Jacksonville Market.
