(from danvillenewsandviews.com)
"DRMC is not closing its lab. It is a requisite for Joint Commission accreditation and state licensure that all hospitals maintain a laboratory for its patients.
To clarify, there are several separate components to the hospital’s laboratory program. DRMC currently operates a main laboratory that services in-patients, out-patients and reference testing for physician office collected specimens and employment related testing for businesses. The reference lab portion of the lab is the most competitive and has experienced declining volumes in recent years.
The ultimate goal is to maintain the in-house DRMC laboratory that is providing all of the needed services for the hospital’s in-patients, as well as out-patients. At the same time we want to assure the continued provision of reference laboratory services for physician offices in the most cost effective and efficient manner possible.
DRMC is currently going through a review process involving physicians and administrators. The hospital is constantly looking at all aspects of services it provides and will continue to do so. We are a quality health care provider first and foremost; however, we also have a fiscal responsibility to provide quality health care in the most cost effective manner for the patients who expect that. "
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59 comments:
I wonder if the "review process" involved those unnamed folks wandering through the lab a couple months ago with clipboards.
Run for the hills folks, knifepoint is at it again:
Biomed - RIP
Lab - RIP
Food service - long gone
Just a matter of time before anything that can be outsourced is.
Wait a minute...if all wer'e talking about is reference lab, its truly not a big deal. Quest and others serve communities all over the nation and no ones complians that the hospital doesn't privide the service. All teh previous posters made it sound like the whole lab was being sold or outsourced.
Wake up...its 2008, not 1978.
Just tough for this crowd of bloggers to swallow the fact that there some that actually ARE working hard to improve things and get on down the road. Are we perfect? NO Are we going to be back to pre-2005 tomorrow? NO, but we're working damn harder than someone who has nothing better to do than piss and whine with this blog.
You just did. Welcome
Read between the lines...they are not closing the lab they will be outsourcing much of the services. For three years our treasure in this community...Peggy Simpson has been trying to explain how to make this lab run profitably. They did not listen and have sent team after team of consultants. All who now don't know what to do but take the easy way out..out source.
Take one step back and look at the big picture -- the community, our patients will pay the price.
Do your research according to the Washington G-2 reports -- survey of hospital professionals, lab outreach programs were identified as a critical source of revenue and profit for hospitals, with 30% of respondents indicating that their annual revenue from lab outreach was $5 mill.or more...
The lab provides a service more valuable to the community than you may realize. Your tests are handled by techs who take pride in this community and their professions. Techs who know your clinician and can speak directly with the clinician to provide you with the best healthcare possible. something you just can't get with private large labs.
Today, lab outreach is considered a fiscally responsible strategy for hospitals of all bed sizes. 80% of hospitals with 150+ beds now have such programs and survey responses indicate that more than half of them are profitable.
So why are we going backwards?
Selling the reference lab portion is a big deal. If the work load is cut in half, there will be less test to run, needing fewer employees, which will give more reason to cut corners and cost along with quality. I perfer to have "my neighbors" looking out for my well being. For those of you who don't mind having your lab test sent to a factory setting, then ask your doctor to send it China, I'm sure it'll cost less!
I interviewed with several large hospital systems (for profit and non-profit) before leaving DRMC. I never made negative comments about DRMC or LPNT during interviews, but the people that I interviewed with did. One comment from a VP was, "Oh, we are quite familiar with the way LPNT operates."... and it wasn't said in a flattering manner.
They could save some money by removing those ads and billboards. No one believes them, especially with some of the folks that were chosen to represent DRMC.
They need to convince the employees and potential employees that DRMC is an employer of choice before trying to convince the community to go there for treatment.
RE: "Just tough for this crowd of bloggers to swallow the fact that there some that actually ARE working hard to improve things and get on down the road. "
Just an FYI - DRMC is not the only LPNT facility with employees that are extremely unhappy. Go to www.topix.net and search for LifePoint Hospitals. There are comments from many employees and community members of other communities stating very similar concerns regarding their own LPNT hospitals.
Geez, you think the yokuls running this company might want to take a buisness ethics class. Running a community hospital should not be all about profits.
"Running a community hospital should not be all about profits."
No, but running a for-profit hospital system is.
So just saying for profit makes it right?
Losing labwork to another facility outside of Danville will have a ripple effect. Keeping minimal services at the hospital will result in a reduction in staff. These people will be out looking in the job market. There are not alot of places in Danville where lab technicians can work. They will have to commute or move or take perhaps a lower paying job as their skills are limited outside of the lab. Not that there are alot of skilled jobs in Danville anywhere. Guess they could wait tables or flip burgers. Less spending money they will have to make purchases in Danville. Less revenue for all of us. Testing that could be done here quickly will no longer be available to physicians who need to make decisions on how to treat patients. Patients will have to stay in the hospital longer waiting for those results. Many patients have insurance that pays a flat fee for a hospital visit. No matter how much money it costs for a lab test to be run at DRMC, the pay is the same. I wonder if the people who buy the lab will adjust their price just because Medicare cut their reimbursement. So DRMC will pay more money for lab services that they cannot control rather than keeping it here where they can help control expenses and with people who know the community and the physicians. Just a couple of good reasons to raise a fuss from the community. We lost an opportunity when it was first announced that the hospital board was looking to sell the hospital. We can make it up now.
The only way to make it up is become NOT-for-profit and teaching hospital affiliated under the new law to be (Marshall's proposed one)
http://finance.google.com/
finance?client=ob&q=LPNT
LPNT stock is hovering around its 52-week low (26.8)
taking a step back to look at the big picture is an excellent idea
START WITH WHO GAINS $$$ FROM THE SALE - which exec. officer is "for" the sale?
Who's back pocket gets fat at our expense?????
I have worked at other Non-profit hospitals which made millions and also at some For profits...a for profit hospital can make a hefty profit without ripping off arms and legs and destroying the "community" hospital.
Exactly, a great point. A for profit hospital should not come with a negative connotation unless it's Lifepoint
True, but you would have to have extremly ethical people running them, and what is the chance of finding and keeping an ethical hoptital administrator?
Please help me here. I read Sundays paper and the CEO makes it sound like the changes in dietary services were wonderufl for all concerned. I closed my eyes and pictured them holding hands and singing kumbya. From what I hear on the outside this is not exactly right...many were invited not to return? Are they truly hospital employees or is there a contract company in the middle. What changes have happened. I find it hard to believe it was that perfect when I have spoken to an individual who stated the last few weeks in that department have been emotional hell.
By the looks on their facees, it does make me believe they are an emotional wreck. I'm not sure how many lost their jobs if any, or if some really were asked to retire. I do feel it is a better move for them leaving the company they where with, it's known not to be a good one to work for. Dietary will now vaction, insurance, and retirement like the rest of the employees, that's a plus. The lab on the other hand, some of them are about to lose their jobs and I never seen a more positive group of people.
And how's CONE doing with it's outsourced reference lab? After almost 10 yrs, just fine. The stat labs in house manage everything just fine.Doubt it couldn't be handled the same in Danville..............
Can someone please explain how outsourcing services is profitable in the long run. Seems to be that the goals of the company and the service group are at odds with each other. Company to make as much profit as possiable then service group to take as much or that profit as it can. Just seems like having everyone on the same team is a better way to go.
It is easy to move from one lab setting to another IF IT"S IN THE SAME TOWN!!!!Moses Cone has that blessing as it's core lab is out at the airport. Will DRMC save lots of money by selling the lab?? Probably not. But they will make ALOT of cash today. So the books will look today. Who cares about tomorrow?? That another's CFO's responsibility.
Usually outsourcing shows a savings by eliminating a lot of overhead. Could our lab run tests cheaper? Probably, however when you outsource you only pay for each test, you don't have the expense of payroll, benefits, taxes etc. If you only run a few tests a day and divide that into the total expense of the lab for the day, then each test costs quite a bit. If those few tests were paid for on an "each occurance" basis, then on days when things were slow, each test would be quite a bit cheaper.
Since the patient, or insurance is paying for each test, you will probably save a lot of money since you are not paying for the personnell, electricity, equipment, and supplies that are sitting around when tests aren't being done.
BTW, we will have a stat lab so patient care shouldn't suffer. No more than it does for routine x-rays etc. that are read 2-3 days later.
This is a prime example of for-profit vs. non-profit. Having a full lab was a perk because excess profits were used to provide excess benefits. Doctors, nurses, staff, and patients were used to these perks. These perks were available because profits were turned back into the facility instead of being used to pay investors, CEO's etc.
It doesn't necessarily make us worse, just not as fortunate as we once were.
Excess profits were once used for excess benefits, now excess profits are used for excess overhead (investors and "o"'s).
Why do you think we looked so appealing to LifePoint? They were able to see the profits and identify the "excess benefits" they knew they could operate without.
What's happened doesn't necessarily make us a worse hospital, just a worse place to work.
Mark, along with RUTHless, were responsible for newly created Director positions. These positions provide no added value (financial or otherwise). It only allowed some very incompetent persons to be promoted..........
who do a wonderful job of promoting themselves and little promoting better unit management.
Tests will cost more since lower volumes of supplies are needed for a STAT lab. Instruments will cost more. Manufacturers cut a deal for their best customers just like in other industries. The same piece of equipment that could run hundreds of tests per shift will be running a fraction of that in a STAT lab. And you still have to have someone working whether they run 500 tests or 50 on their shift. Savings??...not really...
Some are missing the point. It's not about saving money for the patients. Lifepoint wants the money they can make in a lump sum by SELLING now rather than support this community and the people who work at DRMC by EARNING the money that can be made over time. I guess they fit right in with the boys at the bank. Get the money and forget supporting the community.
Tests will cost more since lower volumes of supplies are needed for a STAT lab. Instruments will cost more. The same piece of equipment that could run hundreds of tests per shift will be running a fraction of that in a STAT lab. And you still have to have someone working whether they run 500 tests or 50 on their shift. Savings??...not really...
Some are missing the point. Lifepoint wants the money they can make in a lump sum by SELLING now rather than support this community and the people who work at DRMC by EARNING the money that can be made over time. I guess they fit right in with the boys at the bank.
Fewer test typically will require fewer people. Lower staff levels will result in less expense. I would assume the equipment is paid for so take that out of the equation. Also since the costs of tests will be based on the cost of supplies, and since the cost of the test is passed on to the patient/insurance, Lfpt should see a reduction in overhead.
If in fact there is money to be made in the long haul, then here is an opportunity for someone to open an offsite lab to service the community. If it is not a moneymaker, then LFPT is making a sound business decision.
From today's Register & Bee
Earning our trust
Danville Register and Bee
January 25, 2008
Ronald Reagan liked to repeat the Russian proverb, “Trust but verify,” to describe his position on relations with the Soviet Union. Reagan could even say it in Russian.
That old proverb certainly applies to Jerel Humphrey, the latest CEO of Danville Regional Medical Center. We want to trust that Humphrey will work to make the hospital better, but we need to keep a careful watch on what happens, not what’s said.
“In the past, we haven’t done things (openly), and there is a healthy amount of skepticism, so (it) will take time to build trust,” Humphrey said recently. “That is my overall theme, and that takes time.”
After 90 days on the job, Humphrey has taken one step his immediate predecessor never did: He moved to Danville and bought a house.
The fact that such a minor matter like the hospital’s CEO moving to Danville is one indication of how strained relations are between the community and Danville Regional Medical Center and its corporate parent, LifePoint Hospitals Inc.
While LifePoint had no role in the controversial sale of Danville Regional in July 2005, the Tennessee-based company bears responsibility for what has happened since then.
To win back community support, Humphrey will have to continue to work with the Healthcare Leadership Council, the group set up to provide communication between the hospital and the community. Its members have been appointed by the local governments in Danville, Pittsylvania County and Caswell County, N.C. - Danville Regional’s core market.
The hospital will have to avoid embarrassments like the preliminary denial of accreditation that dogged the last CEO. Danville Regional will have to win the hearts, minds and support of doctors, nurses and patients.
In his first 90 days, Humphrey has overseen a transition in the hospital’s food service and selected a local firm for the hospital’s copier contract. Humphrey said Danville Regional may offer all private rooms, the Heart Center of the Piedmont will continue to be affiliated with Duke University Medical Center and Danville Regional has hired a nurse recruiter.
“I challenge people to not say ‘LifePoint’ but to say ‘Danville Regional Medical Center,’” Humphrey said. “Think of this as the community’s hospital and not LifePoint. The issue I’m trying to put in front is that we are making decisions locally.”
It’s all right to trust Danville Regional’s new CEO, but the community has to closely watch what happens there. A strong local hospital is too important to leave to chance.
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Editorials are the consensus view of the Danville Register & Bee's editorial board -
These instruments require replacing every few years. You get better deals the higher the test volume. So replacing will cost more. There are certain tasks that must be done each day on each shift no matter how much the volume of testing. That's a fixed cost. These instruments have a wide menu of testing available. If only STAT testing is done, you have wasted the capability of the instrument and the technician who must be scheduled to work to handle the test volume. Wouldn't more test volumes be more cost effective to pay the salary and the overhead of the instrument? Have you ever taken a tour of a lab? Perhaps you need to spend some time in person to truly understand what all is involved in providing patient care. Looking at numbers alone does not tell the whole story. Numbers can be manipulated to say whatever someone wants to. But hey, let's lose the lab, then we can go to Radiology and only perform STAT procedures, then eliminate elective surgeries and only do emergency surgery, then send mothers in labor to other facilities unless the birth is too close, then stabilize heart attack patients and airlift them to Duke, well, the list can go on until we are left with a "get them stable and get them out of here" treatment facility. But, hey, fewer nurses, fewer techs, less housekeeping, less maintenance, less supplies, less equipment,...I guess they will spend less money! And earn ALOT less and continue to abandon this community in the process. Maps to NC hospitals anyone??
"If in fact there is money to be made in the long haul, then here is an opportunity for someone to open an offsite lab to service the community. If it is not a moneymaker, then LFPT is making a sound business decision."
Have you got the money for the initial startup of a lab? Do you know how much equipment costs? Why start over when there is already a great lab here? Yes, volumes have gone down the past two years. Why? Many physician offices began boycotting DRMC and the lab took a hit because of it. Lifepoint did not support the outpatient services to allow competition with the likes of LabCorp and Quest like DRMC did prior to the takeover. There have been many victims in the past two years. We have lost great physicians, nurses and other staff and have seen our services diminish (like the heart program). When will it all stop? When Danville is left with a 50 bed hospital that Lifepoint can manage??
That was the plan the whole time. Not to learn how to run a 350 bed self contained facility, but to turn it into a 100 bed model like the rest of thier hospitals.
Many of the physicians said that " It'll be a 50 bed nursing home that supports millionaires by insurance and medicaire(caid)" from the start...we're almost there.
....... maps to Annie Penn and Morehead are on standby.
Fact, fact,fact...the goal is to reduce beds to around 100-120.
Type-O blood desperately needed!
Danville Register and Bee
January 23, 2008
Danville Regional Medical Center's Blood Donor Center is in critical need of Type-O blood.
lifepoint should've thought about that before they destroyed what was DRMC. Let them buy it since they're such "great forward looking" businessmen.
Can't by it, no one will sell it to us anymore!
Sweet deal for lfpt. We give blood for free and they charge the pt. for it.
Here's an interesting thing that happened to a friend of mine in the ER yesterday. He was brought in by the DLSC with vomiting and chest pain. He had been sick for 4or 5 hrs. and he did tell the crew members that. When he got to ER they took vital signs and EKG. They told him they needed to "watch him" for a few hours but did not have a bed. So guess where they put him for the next 2 hrs? The waiting room! After of 2hrs. of vomiting and laying across 2 chairs, they came and got him. Then they did another EKG and drew enzymes. Thank goodness those were negative. They then started an IV and gave him fluids and potassium. He was then sent home after a total stay of 10 hrs. I don't even know what to say about this except you can GET TO Morehead in Eden in about 20 minutes and Annie Penn in about 25 minutes, same for South Boston. I had rather throw up in my car than in a waiting full of strangers. Everyone reading this should make a plan with their families on where to take them for emergency care.
The blood has to be tested for HIV and Hepatitis and other things. Ask the people at the Donor Center. There is that cost. Then when the patient gets the blood all the supplies used are charged as well as paying the nurses to give it. Red Cross charges alot of money for their blood that they sell to hospitals. I know as a member of my family had surgery at a NC hospital. They charged ALOT more than they do at DRMC.
They do charge more than DRMC , but it's not DRMC anymore. That above price was for DRMC (a NON profit) lifepoint's price is MUCH higher gotta feed those CEO's.)
And as for the chest pain pt above you should go to one of the other hospitals , The "golden time" for chest pain/MI treatment is within the first hour.(Enzymes are the definitive diagnostic for MI not EKG)If DRMC had him sitting in the Er waiting room without doing 12 lead EKG and CPK's and Troponins they could cost him his life . Go to the other facilities be TREATED in the ER ( they CAN start treatment in the ER, lifepoint doesn't know that. lifepoint has created a standard to send patients to ICU and telemetry with little or no treatment, which delays it.NOT the ER nurses faults , that's the pathetic environment that has been created by lifepoint and one reason 100+ RN's and 15 MD's have left.By the way that's alot of lost revenue for danville.
What's going on in Danville is happening at lifepoint in general. I've spoken with some of the employees and lifepoint is generally pitiful and community destructive in fact the 2nd hospitals in the same communities are generally NON profit and the lifepoint facility struggles until it's sold back to a non profit that recovers or another profit that's worse.
They are a pitiful ,greedy, self-serving corporation and until they are gone this area WILL suffer , as it always has at the hands of the few greedy thieves( and now their children) that have dominated danville for decades.
will the changes in the lab affect the blood bank?
Hmm.. Have you heard the term "hearsay"?? The definition is - "rumor:gossip(usually a mixture of truth and untruth) passed around by word of mouth." It seems like much of this blog is someone who "knows" someone who experienced some horrible event at DRMC. Too bad the people actually involved don't submit, and I'm speaking about both sides, not just the "wronged" party. Come on people get the "facts", or maybe you really don't want "all" the facts, just the "negative" ones! Of course lets not look at anything "positive" that has or is happening lets just moan about how "bad" it is!
My friend's experience was true, I was there as the support person. It is NOT hearsay, it is the truth. I suggested that he go to this hospital because I try not to believe rumors. I am glad my eyes were opened up by lifepoint. I am keeping my car's gas tank full all the time and I have the 3 other hosp. phone numbers at the telephone.
"It seems like much of this blog is someone who "knows" someone who experienced some horrible event at DRMC."
I work there and it is that bad ,I have seen both sides although both sides are not equal . On one side the greedy corporate giant , on the other the seemingly helpless public sold out by 5 "business men". People are speaking with their wallets and not going to lifepoint. lifepoint is dangerous and disgracefull. Staff continues to leave. Just as DRMC was starting to acheive it was cut down. The staff and MD's that are still here, continue to beat their heads against the wall with these idiots and it is sad. "Too bad the people actually involved don't submit,"
They do but you can only take so much. There are far too many NON profit teaching hospitals around to patronize a disgrace.
I recently dropped my "employee" insurance ( the joke known as Gateway and got a private Anthem policy, costs a little more but is accepted EVERYWHERE which gives me access to the TOP Quality facilities around danville, NOT lifepoint.
More things are turning down anything that represents lifepoint.
"Danville Regional Medical Center's Blood Donor Center is in critical need of Type-O blood.
lifepoint should've thought about that before they destroyed what was DRMC. Let them buy it since they're such "great forward looking" businessmen."
Uh..."let them buy it"???
Who do you think is going to pay for it? The cost is going to be passed through to you, the customer...with markup of course.
"They" aren't going to pay anything.
Well, I'll be damn....the nonsensical shit has made it's way BACK onto the BLOG.
The cost won't be passed on to the customer if the customer goes to a non-profit and then family members donate in return.
Non profits can and do donate services , especially to the lesser priveliged, I know someone that had a cath recently ,no insurance, it was emergent, and all he paid was for the physician ,about 5% of the bill, liepoint would NEVER do that because they are NOT in it for the benefit of the community only the CEO's.
And you're correct the cost Would be passed on to the consumer, that's the thing , DRMC and NON-PROFIT facilities generally only "worry" about covering the cost and helping the community NOT feeding million dollar salaries and other comparable nonproducing leeches .
RE "I recently dropped my "employee" insurance ( the joke known as Gateway..."
Martinsville's insurance rates are cheaper than DRMC's, but Corporate was not willing to push Gateway into providing better rates for DMRC employees.
Our rates are too high and demand that our services are provided by the substandard LPNT facilities.
They should drop gateway and get a corporation wide BCBS/ Anthem Policy for the whole of lifepoint, or better yet Danville drop lifepoint and get a better credible facility.
"Well, I'll be ...." your command of 4-letter babble is impressive , boring and useless , but impressive.
Speaking of nonsensical, the correct phrase is "Well, I'll be 'damned'..."
If you're going to insult the intelligence of those who post here, get it right.
Signed,
Webster
Why don’t we stop the insults and state the “FACTS”.
DRMC Lab employees, it’s time we speak out!
We’re told Spectrum wants to buy our reference lab, aka “LABCARE”. The hospital lab is intended to stay, but of course if we lose business we’ll have to lose employees. We not told exactly what will happen because our superiors that be don’t even know.
The Blood Bank remain intact for now and it is cheaper to have our own Donor Center. Another benefit of it is that you can donate credits to family and friends.
This lab is ran and staffed by good quality people who do care about this hospital and each other. If we are to keep our lab family intact we are going to need everyone’s help. This community needs to support us, our doctors need to support us. You’re not going to get this dedication from a reference lab somewhere else. We do what we can to help the doctors better serve the patients. We “used to “ enjoy our jobs!
Lab 1
We love the lab we hate lifepoint......
Lab people and all insiders we can only help you if you speak up and out.
Many of us have spoken out since this blog began. People authorized to make a difference only made things worse for DRMC. If the LabCare is lost to Spectrum, we lose ALOT of flexibility and variety in what the lab can provide to inpatients and ER patients. More testing will be referenced out because staff will be cut and the volume discounts once enjoyed by a thriving and growing lab will be lost.
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