Danville Register and Bee
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
DANVILLE – Danville Regional Medical Center has just announced that Jerel Humphrey has been named chief executive officer of the hospital effective October 29.
Humphrey, 52, has most recently headed a 72-bed, physician-owned, acute care hospital in Houston from its initial development to construction and through the accreditation process by the Joint Commission and the Texas health department, according to a hospital press release.
He has served in a variety of executive roles within the Memorial Hermann Healthcare System in Houston, Texas, during the last 20 years, including as CEO of 600-bed Memorial Hermann Southwest and 520-bed Memorial Hermann City Hospital.
In the press release, Humphrey states that his wife, Linda, and daughter, Rachel, will move to Danville during Christmas break.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Monday, October 1, 2007
"Head of nursing drawn to city"
Danville Register & Bee
Saturday, September 29, 2007
DANVILLE - A new chief nursing officer is now in place at Danville Regional Medical Center.
Rebekah “Becky” Logan has been at work for about a week and is adjusting to a new community and her responsibilities of being in charge of more than 600 nurses at the hospital. She brings 12 years of health care leadership experience to her new position, including chief operating officer and chief nurse executive roles in Georgia and South Carolina hospitals. Logan is the mother of two grown sons, an 18-year-old who is in culinary school in Atlanta and a 23-year-old who is a professional photographer in Dallas. After only a few days at her job, Logan sat down and answered a few questions so that the community might get to know her better.
Question: Had you ever heard of Danville?
Answer: Yes, I had. I have an uncle who lives in North Carolina, and I remember him talking about Danville and what a pretty area it is.
Q: How did Danville Regional Medical Center find you?
A: A recruiter came to me. I wasn’t looking for a job, but I got a phone call out of the blue. Then, the more I learned about Danville, the more I liked it.
Q: What appealed to you about this job?
A: The location. I was born and raised in Alabama and had lived in Georgia for 18 years. Danville and the community here seemed like a place I would fit in. When I talked to the people at the hospital, the jobbecame more attractive because they care about the patient care and the employees.
Q: What are the responsibilities of your job?
A: I have oversight of all the nursing care delivered within the organization. I make sure the care is delivered by competent and proficient nurses.
Q: What is the nursing staff situation at Danville Regional?
A: I have only been here a week, so I am in the process of assessing the staffing needs. If it is like any hospital in the nation, we need nurses, and (the shortage) is expecting to get worse nationwide.
Q: What’s the first issue you will be dealing with?
A: What I want to do now is to get to know the nursing and medical staff, and have them tell me what the issues are. I am attending staff meetings - I have already been to 50 percent of them. And I am trying to make appointments with the physicians and talk to them about what’s going well with them and what they would like to see changed.
Q: Since all of the nurses who graduated from the hospital’s nursing school last year are now working there, what are the challenges of working with inexperienced nurses?
A: The transition from academia to real practice at the bedside is scary. I remember those days. You need to partner with them until you can release them. My philosophy is to pay a lot of attention to the new graduates because the time you invest will be paid back in commitment and retention.
Q: How did you get into health care administration?
A: I found I had a talent with a team of people. It is very rewarding to have a group of people who come together and accomplish together.
Q: Why did you choose to get into nursing again?
A: Because that’s where my heart is and where we make the difference.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
DANVILLE - A new chief nursing officer is now in place at Danville Regional Medical Center.
Rebekah “Becky” Logan has been at work for about a week and is adjusting to a new community and her responsibilities of being in charge of more than 600 nurses at the hospital. She brings 12 years of health care leadership experience to her new position, including chief operating officer and chief nurse executive roles in Georgia and South Carolina hospitals. Logan is the mother of two grown sons, an 18-year-old who is in culinary school in Atlanta and a 23-year-old who is a professional photographer in Dallas. After only a few days at her job, Logan sat down and answered a few questions so that the community might get to know her better.
Question: Had you ever heard of Danville?
Answer: Yes, I had. I have an uncle who lives in North Carolina, and I remember him talking about Danville and what a pretty area it is.
Q: How did Danville Regional Medical Center find you?
A: A recruiter came to me. I wasn’t looking for a job, but I got a phone call out of the blue. Then, the more I learned about Danville, the more I liked it.
Q: What appealed to you about this job?
A: The location. I was born and raised in Alabama and had lived in Georgia for 18 years. Danville and the community here seemed like a place I would fit in. When I talked to the people at the hospital, the jobbecame more attractive because they care about the patient care and the employees.
Q: What are the responsibilities of your job?
A: I have oversight of all the nursing care delivered within the organization. I make sure the care is delivered by competent and proficient nurses.
Q: What is the nursing staff situation at Danville Regional?
A: I have only been here a week, so I am in the process of assessing the staffing needs. If it is like any hospital in the nation, we need nurses, and (the shortage) is expecting to get worse nationwide.
Q: What’s the first issue you will be dealing with?
A: What I want to do now is to get to know the nursing and medical staff, and have them tell me what the issues are. I am attending staff meetings - I have already been to 50 percent of them. And I am trying to make appointments with the physicians and talk to them about what’s going well with them and what they would like to see changed.
Q: Since all of the nurses who graduated from the hospital’s nursing school last year are now working there, what are the challenges of working with inexperienced nurses?
A: The transition from academia to real practice at the bedside is scary. I remember those days. You need to partner with them until you can release them. My philosophy is to pay a lot of attention to the new graduates because the time you invest will be paid back in commitment and retention.
Q: How did you get into health care administration?
A: I found I had a talent with a team of people. It is very rewarding to have a group of people who come together and accomplish together.
Q: Why did you choose to get into nursing again?
A: Because that’s where my heart is and where we make the difference.
Foundation set to make allocations
Danville Register & Bee
Saturday, September 29, 2007
DANVILLE - Decisions on disbursement of a portion of the $200 million in assets held by the Danville Regional Foundation will be reached by the end of this year, according to the group’s new leader.
After the Danville Regional Foundation’s assessments of the area’s health, education and economic prosperity are completed in the next few months, it will make a decision on how best to invest in the long-term well-being of the community, the foundation’s president and CEO Karl N. Stauber said on Wednesday.
The $200 million endowment is earmarked for distribution at a rate of 5 percent per year - $10 million annually - and must be used to make a positive change in the lives of the residents of Danville, Pittsylvania County and Caswell County, N.C. The bulk of the money remains invested so the fund becomes self-sustaining, and can earn back at least $10 million each year.
“The biggest part of my job is to focus on how to take $10 million and make the biggest impact on the revitalization of the region,” Stauber said. “What we’re looking for is where the greatest opportunities to make a difference are in this one-city and two-county region.”
He stressed that it is very important to the foundation to make a long-term impact in the region, and plans to have very strict guidelines for those who wish to apply for a grant in place by the first of the year.
Essentially, the foundation is looking for area-wide, large-scale problems it can solve, rather than funding a series of small projects that will not impact everyone in the target area.
The first assessment the foundation completed was on the general health of the region and was conducted by a team from East Tennessee State University, which looked at the data on the health of the region, did one-on-one interviews with area health care workers and met about 300 people in small groups to determine what some of the biggest problems are.
Stauber said he was surprised at one statistic the team discovered during the course of this study.
“This area has three times the national rate of deaths due to heart attack,” he said. Exploring the reason for that and finding a solution may be a project on the foundation’s plate in the future.
The current assessment, which is taking a look at the economic prosperity of the region, should be completed in approximately a month, Stauber said, and then the foundation will begin its assessment of the area’s education and work force development issues.
Since its inception in May 2006, the foundation has announced grants totaling approximately $17.5 million to five agencies and organizations in the region, which leaves approximately $2.5 million that can still be disbursed in 2007 - but doesn’t have to be.
Stauber said an important thing to note is that the foundation actually has two calendar years to disburse each year’s allotment - any funds left at the end of a year can be added to the following year’s payout.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
DANVILLE - Decisions on disbursement of a portion of the $200 million in assets held by the Danville Regional Foundation will be reached by the end of this year, according to the group’s new leader.
After the Danville Regional Foundation’s assessments of the area’s health, education and economic prosperity are completed in the next few months, it will make a decision on how best to invest in the long-term well-being of the community, the foundation’s president and CEO Karl N. Stauber said on Wednesday.
The $200 million endowment is earmarked for distribution at a rate of 5 percent per year - $10 million annually - and must be used to make a positive change in the lives of the residents of Danville, Pittsylvania County and Caswell County, N.C. The bulk of the money remains invested so the fund becomes self-sustaining, and can earn back at least $10 million each year.
“The biggest part of my job is to focus on how to take $10 million and make the biggest impact on the revitalization of the region,” Stauber said. “What we’re looking for is where the greatest opportunities to make a difference are in this one-city and two-county region.”
He stressed that it is very important to the foundation to make a long-term impact in the region, and plans to have very strict guidelines for those who wish to apply for a grant in place by the first of the year.
Essentially, the foundation is looking for area-wide, large-scale problems it can solve, rather than funding a series of small projects that will not impact everyone in the target area.
The first assessment the foundation completed was on the general health of the region and was conducted by a team from East Tennessee State University, which looked at the data on the health of the region, did one-on-one interviews with area health care workers and met about 300 people in small groups to determine what some of the biggest problems are.
Stauber said he was surprised at one statistic the team discovered during the course of this study.
“This area has three times the national rate of deaths due to heart attack,” he said. Exploring the reason for that and finding a solution may be a project on the foundation’s plate in the future.
The current assessment, which is taking a look at the economic prosperity of the region, should be completed in approximately a month, Stauber said, and then the foundation will begin its assessment of the area’s education and work force development issues.
Since its inception in May 2006, the foundation has announced grants totaling approximately $17.5 million to five agencies and organizations in the region, which leaves approximately $2.5 million that can still be disbursed in 2007 - but doesn’t have to be.
Stauber said an important thing to note is that the foundation actually has two calendar years to disburse each year’s allotment - any funds left at the end of a year can be added to the following year’s payout.
Friday, September 14, 2007
Did you know...
...that the Healthcare Leadership Council met last night?
I now bring you all of the media coverage of that meeting that I have been able to find this morning:
Hmmm...something seems to be missing here.
I now bring you all of the media coverage of that meeting that I have been able to find this morning:
Hmmm...something seems to be missing here.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture
The newly formed patient safety committee at DRMC has issued a survey for all associates to fill out related to patient safety issues in the hospital.
It is IMPERATIVE that every associate complete one of these surveys. This is an opportunity to anonymously indicate your exact working conditions.
Several questions that I feel are important:
"We have enough staff to handle the workload"
"Staff in this unit work longer hours than is best for patient care"
"We work in 'crisis mode' trying to do too much, too quickly"
"Hospital administration provides a work climate that promotes patient safety"
" The actions of hospital administration show that patient safety is a top priority"
There is a stack of surveys located on the table outside the cafeteria along with a box to place the completed survey. The committee is accepting these thru Sept. 17th.
Let your concerns be heard!
It is IMPERATIVE that every associate complete one of these surveys. This is an opportunity to anonymously indicate your exact working conditions.
Several questions that I feel are important:
"We have enough staff to handle the workload"
"Staff in this unit work longer hours than is best for patient care"
"We work in 'crisis mode' trying to do too much, too quickly"
"Hospital administration provides a work climate that promotes patient safety"
" The actions of hospital administration show that patient safety is a top priority"
There is a stack of surveys located on the table outside the cafeteria along with a box to place the completed survey. The committee is accepting these thru Sept. 17th.
Let your concerns be heard!
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Why ‘skeleton crews?’
Danville Register and Bee
September 12, 2007
I have heard and read so much about how the public’s opinion of Danville Regional Medical Center is in jeopardy and how it is working so hard to repair the damage that has been done in the past. Here are my recent experiences.
My 85-year-old grandfather fell and broke his hip - a serious injury. EMS transported him to the hospital, where he was cared for very quickly and with great care. Surgery was done immediately to repair the break. It went great and he was well on his way.
As expected, he had an undetermined amount of time to spend in the hospital for recovery. Unfortunately, he is a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patient and pneumonia is always a concern. As his time in the hospital lengthened, the danger of pneumonia or other lung-related illnesses became more imminent.
The weekend rolled around and talk of “skeleton crews” started. Over the weekend, a chest X-ray was taken due to the respiratory problems that he was having. That comforted the family. Then the report that the X-ray may not be read for a couple of days due to the Labor Day weekend became a great burden. See, they were operating on “skeleton crews.” Yes, he is an 85-year-old man with a history of COPD (he was hospitalized for it for five days last month) that just had emergency surgery and was currently facing the fear of pneumonia, but he will just have to wait for his X-ray results. But that’s OK, because they only had “skeleton crews.”
I must say that my grandfather - as well as his children - seemed to be happy with the caregivers that were attending to him. In no way am I trying to take away from those people that gave him aid when needed.
My 75-year-old grandmother is as stubborn as a mule. It’s hard to make her sit down and take care of herself sometimes. She lives alone, cleans several homes, mows her own grass, sits with her 94-year-old mother … get the picture? She also has had a horrible time with her knees.
After years of trying to convince her to have them replaced, she has finally given in. Her appointment was set. She had her consultation at the doctor’s office and do you want to guess what they told her to expect? “Skeleton crews.” They actually told her to try to provide someone to sit with her around the clock while she was in the hospital because of the nursing shortage.
Now she has even more to worry about than the original issue with her knees. She has to worry about inadequate care, not because of an angry person’s rumor, but because her care provider has actually showed a concern about the ability of the hospital to provide care for her. How’s that for patient confidence?
Recently my father, also a COPD patient, was taken by ambulance to the Emergency Department for difficulty breathing. When I got there, I was concerned because of the condition that I found him in - in a room by himself, coughing to the point of gasping for air and definitely unable to tell me what he needed. Two nurses came in and showed genuine concern. His cough subsided and he caught his breath and was able to speak clearly. The nurses assured him they would get him another breathing treatment and we felt a little relief.
His condition seemed important at the time. So after about 20 minutes and several more coughing episodes, I began to wonder what had happened to the staff. I walked into the hallway and thought to myself, this must be what they mean by “skeleton crews.” It was like ghost town - no nurses, no doctors, not even a custodian. I had to go looking for someone to ask help from. I eventually found our two nurses hugged up to a security guard, laughing and joking. Evidently, they didn’t want to share the subject of humor with me because they quickly gained their distance and the smiles and laughter went away. They assured me help was on the way. Another 20 minutes passed and he got his treatment.
I know I’ve said a lot and maybe some things that should not have been said. I can only imagine other stories that are being told. The sad thing is that Danville and Pittsylvania County residents just don’t have a great deal of choices. They have to rely on the only hospital that we have. So, they take it. That’s all they can do.
The statements I just made do not reflect the feelings of the patients I mentioned, or my family. Just me. My insurance requires that I go to Centra-Health in Lynchburg for treatment. I used to think that was an inconvenience, but now I think it’s a blessing.
I know there are a lot of hard workers at Danville Regional - people who really care about others and do their best to help people heal. My hat is off to them. Don’t take it personally; we know it’s not your fault. For those of you who would rather goof off and play games while others lie in pain or suffering, get another job.
In closing, for those of you who are responsible for putting our loves ones in the hands of “skeleton crews,” shame on you - you are in the wrong business. Oh, one more thing. Since patients are getting skeleton crew-care, are they being charged skeleton-crew bills?
CHRIS ANDERSON
Chatham
September 12, 2007
I have heard and read so much about how the public’s opinion of Danville Regional Medical Center is in jeopardy and how it is working so hard to repair the damage that has been done in the past. Here are my recent experiences.
My 85-year-old grandfather fell and broke his hip - a serious injury. EMS transported him to the hospital, where he was cared for very quickly and with great care. Surgery was done immediately to repair the break. It went great and he was well on his way.
As expected, he had an undetermined amount of time to spend in the hospital for recovery. Unfortunately, he is a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patient and pneumonia is always a concern. As his time in the hospital lengthened, the danger of pneumonia or other lung-related illnesses became more imminent.
The weekend rolled around and talk of “skeleton crews” started. Over the weekend, a chest X-ray was taken due to the respiratory problems that he was having. That comforted the family. Then the report that the X-ray may not be read for a couple of days due to the Labor Day weekend became a great burden. See, they were operating on “skeleton crews.” Yes, he is an 85-year-old man with a history of COPD (he was hospitalized for it for five days last month) that just had emergency surgery and was currently facing the fear of pneumonia, but he will just have to wait for his X-ray results. But that’s OK, because they only had “skeleton crews.”
I must say that my grandfather - as well as his children - seemed to be happy with the caregivers that were attending to him. In no way am I trying to take away from those people that gave him aid when needed.
My 75-year-old grandmother is as stubborn as a mule. It’s hard to make her sit down and take care of herself sometimes. She lives alone, cleans several homes, mows her own grass, sits with her 94-year-old mother … get the picture? She also has had a horrible time with her knees.
After years of trying to convince her to have them replaced, she has finally given in. Her appointment was set. She had her consultation at the doctor’s office and do you want to guess what they told her to expect? “Skeleton crews.” They actually told her to try to provide someone to sit with her around the clock while she was in the hospital because of the nursing shortage.
Now she has even more to worry about than the original issue with her knees. She has to worry about inadequate care, not because of an angry person’s rumor, but because her care provider has actually showed a concern about the ability of the hospital to provide care for her. How’s that for patient confidence?
Recently my father, also a COPD patient, was taken by ambulance to the Emergency Department for difficulty breathing. When I got there, I was concerned because of the condition that I found him in - in a room by himself, coughing to the point of gasping for air and definitely unable to tell me what he needed. Two nurses came in and showed genuine concern. His cough subsided and he caught his breath and was able to speak clearly. The nurses assured him they would get him another breathing treatment and we felt a little relief.
His condition seemed important at the time. So after about 20 minutes and several more coughing episodes, I began to wonder what had happened to the staff. I walked into the hallway and thought to myself, this must be what they mean by “skeleton crews.” It was like ghost town - no nurses, no doctors, not even a custodian. I had to go looking for someone to ask help from. I eventually found our two nurses hugged up to a security guard, laughing and joking. Evidently, they didn’t want to share the subject of humor with me because they quickly gained their distance and the smiles and laughter went away. They assured me help was on the way. Another 20 minutes passed and he got his treatment.
I know I’ve said a lot and maybe some things that should not have been said. I can only imagine other stories that are being told. The sad thing is that Danville and Pittsylvania County residents just don’t have a great deal of choices. They have to rely on the only hospital that we have. So, they take it. That’s all they can do.
The statements I just made do not reflect the feelings of the patients I mentioned, or my family. Just me. My insurance requires that I go to Centra-Health in Lynchburg for treatment. I used to think that was an inconvenience, but now I think it’s a blessing.
I know there are a lot of hard workers at Danville Regional - people who really care about others and do their best to help people heal. My hat is off to them. Don’t take it personally; we know it’s not your fault. For those of you who would rather goof off and play games while others lie in pain or suffering, get another job.
In closing, for those of you who are responsible for putting our loves ones in the hands of “skeleton crews,” shame on you - you are in the wrong business. Oh, one more thing. Since patients are getting skeleton crew-care, are they being charged skeleton-crew bills?
CHRIS ANDERSON
Chatham
Friday, September 7, 2007
"The next step"
Danville Register and Bee
Friday, September 7, 2007
The Healthcare Leadership Council is a newly appointed local group designed to track the progress - or lack thereof - at Danville Regional Medical Center.
The Council is the successor to the Citizens Commission, a seven-member body that was appointed earlier this year by local doctor and Danville Mayor Wayne Williams to hear complaints about Danville Regional. Just one Citizens Commission member - Arlene Creasy of Pittsylvania County - is on the new group.
“I know, I see, and I hear from a lot of the people in the city and the county,” she said. “I can be a voice for the people and I am accessible for them. I bring the voice from the northern end of the county. We have medical options (Danville or Lynchburg) and we need to be sure this voice is heard.”
Creasy and other Citizens Commission members heard plenty of complaints about the quality of care at Danville Regional after it was purchased by LifePoint Hospitals Inc. in July 2005. The expectation is the new group will keep the lines of communication open with the hospital’s management.
“It is a group of trusted citizens separate from groups related to the hospital; therefore, they can offer an unbiased evaluation of what is happening at the hospital both good and bad,” Williams said.
Unlike the Citizens Commission, the Healthcare Leadership Council includes residents of Caswell County, N.C., and its members have been appointed by the local governments in Danville, Pittsylvania and Caswell.
While the hospital sale and LifePoint’s management since it bought Danville Regional is still a controversial topic, the hospital has maintained full accreditation from the Joint Commission this year after several months of operating under a “preliminary denial of accreditation.”
The Healthcare Leadership Council will give local people another way to express concerns about and problems with the hospital. Local residents should use the new Healthcare Leadership Council to keep Danville Regional honest - and improving.
The real test of hospital-community relations won’t be the number of complaints the new Healthcare Leadership Council receives, but the number of local people and physicians that put their trust in Danville Regional. If the worst for the hospital is really over, word will get out to the people who have had their confidence in Danville Regional shaken by the events of the past two years.
Friday, September 7, 2007
The Healthcare Leadership Council is a newly appointed local group designed to track the progress - or lack thereof - at Danville Regional Medical Center.
The Council is the successor to the Citizens Commission, a seven-member body that was appointed earlier this year by local doctor and Danville Mayor Wayne Williams to hear complaints about Danville Regional. Just one Citizens Commission member - Arlene Creasy of Pittsylvania County - is on the new group.
“I know, I see, and I hear from a lot of the people in the city and the county,” she said. “I can be a voice for the people and I am accessible for them. I bring the voice from the northern end of the county. We have medical options (Danville or Lynchburg) and we need to be sure this voice is heard.”
Creasy and other Citizens Commission members heard plenty of complaints about the quality of care at Danville Regional after it was purchased by LifePoint Hospitals Inc. in July 2005. The expectation is the new group will keep the lines of communication open with the hospital’s management.
“It is a group of trusted citizens separate from groups related to the hospital; therefore, they can offer an unbiased evaluation of what is happening at the hospital both good and bad,” Williams said.
Unlike the Citizens Commission, the Healthcare Leadership Council includes residents of Caswell County, N.C., and its members have been appointed by the local governments in Danville, Pittsylvania and Caswell.
While the hospital sale and LifePoint’s management since it bought Danville Regional is still a controversial topic, the hospital has maintained full accreditation from the Joint Commission this year after several months of operating under a “preliminary denial of accreditation.”
The Healthcare Leadership Council will give local people another way to express concerns about and problems with the hospital. Local residents should use the new Healthcare Leadership Council to keep Danville Regional honest - and improving.
The real test of hospital-community relations won’t be the number of complaints the new Healthcare Leadership Council receives, but the number of local people and physicians that put their trust in Danville Regional. If the worst for the hospital is really over, word will get out to the people who have had their confidence in Danville Regional shaken by the events of the past two years.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
"Lifepoint revamps leadership roles to boost performance"
[This article was posted last month in the Nashville Biz Journal, but just recently became available to non-print subscribers. Thought you might find it interesting reading...]
Nashville Business Journal - August 3, 2007
Following a poor second quarter showing that stunned Wall Street, LifePoint Hospitals Inc. is planning a handful of corporate changes to whip its performance back into shape.
Brentwood-based LifePoint (NASDAQ: LPNT) reported earnings 38 cents per share below analyst expectations on July 23, bringing in net income of $13.4 million, or 23 cents per diluted share - down 62 percent from the second quarter of 2006. An average of analysts' estimates projected the company would earn 61 cents per share.
"This caught everyone by surprise," says Robert Hawkins, analyst with Stifel Nicolaus & Co. "It just made people kind-of shake their heads in disbelief and make them wonder can these guys operate these hospitals."
William Carpenter, LifePoint president and CEO, says the company isn't satisfied with its second quarter results, either - which were hurt by bad debt, higher medical malpractice insurance expenses and contract labor costs and professional fees - and it is "executing strategies that we know will improve our performance."
The company has given three of its most senior executives - Joné Koford, Scott Raplee and Mike Weichart - the responsibilities of heading up initiatives to focus on growth, improving operational performance and levering up a value-added corporate center, Carpenter says.
"These are things we've always been focused on, but they're things we recognize needed additional attention in order to be very successful over the long term," Carpenter says. "So we are devoting additional resources to those areas in order to deal with the industry trends we've been seeing."
Koford is president of LifePoint's American division, Raplee is senior vice president, operations CFO and Weichart is president, national division.
Each of the three executives will get a chief operating officer to assist his efforts, and LifePoint will add a chief medical officer to focus on clinical quality.
The company will continue to work on other initiatives to improve results - including comprehensive risk management assessments at hospitals with the highest frequency and severity claims, a premium credit risk reduction program for all hospitals, and targeted programs to minimize incidents and claims in the most frequent risk areas, the company said on the earnings call.
Whit Mayo, analyst with Stephens Inc., says he expects these changes to take longer than a quarter to have an impact.
LifePoint lowered its earnings guidance following the announcement. It expects to report $21.5 to $2.25 per share for the year on revenue of $2.63 billion to $2.65 billion. The company previously predicted earnings of $2.42 to $2.52 per share on revenue of $2.68 billion to $2.69 billion.
Nashville Business Journal - August 3, 2007
Following a poor second quarter showing that stunned Wall Street, LifePoint Hospitals Inc. is planning a handful of corporate changes to whip its performance back into shape.
Brentwood-based LifePoint (NASDAQ: LPNT) reported earnings 38 cents per share below analyst expectations on July 23, bringing in net income of $13.4 million, or 23 cents per diluted share - down 62 percent from the second quarter of 2006. An average of analysts' estimates projected the company would earn 61 cents per share.
"This caught everyone by surprise," says Robert Hawkins, analyst with Stifel Nicolaus & Co. "It just made people kind-of shake their heads in disbelief and make them wonder can these guys operate these hospitals."
William Carpenter, LifePoint president and CEO, says the company isn't satisfied with its second quarter results, either - which were hurt by bad debt, higher medical malpractice insurance expenses and contract labor costs and professional fees - and it is "executing strategies that we know will improve our performance."
The company has given three of its most senior executives - Joné Koford, Scott Raplee and Mike Weichart - the responsibilities of heading up initiatives to focus on growth, improving operational performance and levering up a value-added corporate center, Carpenter says.
"These are things we've always been focused on, but they're things we recognize needed additional attention in order to be very successful over the long term," Carpenter says. "So we are devoting additional resources to those areas in order to deal with the industry trends we've been seeing."
Koford is president of LifePoint's American division, Raplee is senior vice president, operations CFO and Weichart is president, national division.
Each of the three executives will get a chief operating officer to assist his efforts, and LifePoint will add a chief medical officer to focus on clinical quality.
The company will continue to work on other initiatives to improve results - including comprehensive risk management assessments at hospitals with the highest frequency and severity claims, a premium credit risk reduction program for all hospitals, and targeted programs to minimize incidents and claims in the most frequent risk areas, the company said on the earnings call.
Whit Mayo, analyst with Stephens Inc., says he expects these changes to take longer than a quarter to have an impact.
LifePoint lowered its earnings guidance following the announcement. It expects to report $21.5 to $2.25 per share for the year on revenue of $2.63 billion to $2.65 billion. The company previously predicted earnings of $2.42 to $2.52 per share on revenue of $2.68 billion to $2.69 billion.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
"Health care panel ready for the job"
Danville Register & Bee
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
DANVILLE - The new Healthcare Leadership Council is now fully manned and ready to tackle its mission to provide communication between Danville Regional Medical Center and the community.
Two members each from Danville, Pittsylvania County and Caswell County, N.C., were appointed, as well as two Danville physicians and a representative from LifePoint Hospitals Inc., which owns the hospital.
Don Nodtvedt and Arlene Creasy will serve from Pittsylvania County, while Al Newman and Harold Williams will serve from Danville. Caswell County representatives are Shirley Deal and Mel Battle. Physician representatives are Drs. Bushan Pandya and Samuel Meadama. Jess Judy will represent LifePoint.
The panel was a recommendation of the Citizens Commission Related to the Danville Regional Medical Center, which gave its final report to City Council on July 3. Danville Mayor Wayne Williams appointed the original panel to look into issues relating to the hospital after LifePoint purchased it two years ago.
“The panel will act as an advisory group,” Mayor Wayne Williams said Monday. “It is a way for citizens to express their concerns and have those expressed to LifePoint.
“It is a group of trusted citizens separate from groups related to the hospital; therefore, they can offer an unbiased evaluation of what is happening at the hospital both good and bad.”
He said the group would serve for an extended duration, perhaps as long as a few years.
Williams selected the physicians who will serve on the board, while the heads of the governing groups of the city and two counties selected their representatives in consultation with the governing boards. Judy volunteered to represent LifePoint.
Creasy retired from the Social Security Administration. She said the panel will open communications between LifePoint management, physicians, staff and the community.
“The perception that is presently being communicated about the hospital … is not always facts - now we should be able to get the facts at the table,” she said.
Creasy said her community involvement will be a key benefit for the panel.
“I know, I see, and I hear from a lot of the people in the city and the county,” she said. “I can be a voice for the people and I am accessible for them. I bring the voice from the northern end of the county. We have medical options (Danville or Lynchburg) and we need to be sure this voice is heard.”
Nodtvedt, who retired last year as plant manager of Nestle, said he was excited to be on the panel.
“I want to make a difference, and if I can in any way be a bridge between the community, the doctors, the staff and the administration of the hospital, count me in,” Nodtvedt said.
“For whatever reason, LifePoint has not been able to have the right kind of relationship with the community. This panel can help establish that relationship such that there is a renewed confidence in the hospital by the community and the hospital can deliver to the needs of the community.”
Newman, a retired businessman with experience working in a medical clinic, said he has never had a bad experience as a patient at Danville Regional.
“I believe LifePoint is trying to get back to a care level that existed before the purchase,” Newman said Monday. “My desire is to help them in any way I can. I go on the board very optimistic. I hope the end will be that the community will once again have confidence in our medical community.”
Battle, a retired educator and former chairman of the Caswell County Board of Commissioners, said he has mixed emotions about care at the hospital.
“I received excellent treatment (at Danville Regional) when I had my heart attack,” Battle said Monday, “but some of my ER visits were not so good.”
Battle said the task force’s mission should be to advise and assist the hospital.
Judy, Gateway Division president for LifePoint, said, “My sense is that this panel will provide an objective group of people who have a goal of ensuring the quality and scope of health care for Danville that is appropriate for the community. It will also bring a sense of reason to the current state of the hospital and be able to clarify the perceptions that exist.
“It is clear the people who evaluate hospitals nationwide are finding the hospital compliant with health care standards, and this panel will serve an objective party to validate that for the citizens of the Dan River Region.”
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
DANVILLE - The new Healthcare Leadership Council is now fully manned and ready to tackle its mission to provide communication between Danville Regional Medical Center and the community.
Two members each from Danville, Pittsylvania County and Caswell County, N.C., were appointed, as well as two Danville physicians and a representative from LifePoint Hospitals Inc., which owns the hospital.
Don Nodtvedt and Arlene Creasy will serve from Pittsylvania County, while Al Newman and Harold Williams will serve from Danville. Caswell County representatives are Shirley Deal and Mel Battle. Physician representatives are Drs. Bushan Pandya and Samuel Meadama. Jess Judy will represent LifePoint.
The panel was a recommendation of the Citizens Commission Related to the Danville Regional Medical Center, which gave its final report to City Council on July 3. Danville Mayor Wayne Williams appointed the original panel to look into issues relating to the hospital after LifePoint purchased it two years ago.
“The panel will act as an advisory group,” Mayor Wayne Williams said Monday. “It is a way for citizens to express their concerns and have those expressed to LifePoint.
“It is a group of trusted citizens separate from groups related to the hospital; therefore, they can offer an unbiased evaluation of what is happening at the hospital both good and bad.”
He said the group would serve for an extended duration, perhaps as long as a few years.
Williams selected the physicians who will serve on the board, while the heads of the governing groups of the city and two counties selected their representatives in consultation with the governing boards. Judy volunteered to represent LifePoint.
Creasy retired from the Social Security Administration. She said the panel will open communications between LifePoint management, physicians, staff and the community.
“The perception that is presently being communicated about the hospital … is not always facts - now we should be able to get the facts at the table,” she said.
Creasy said her community involvement will be a key benefit for the panel.
“I know, I see, and I hear from a lot of the people in the city and the county,” she said. “I can be a voice for the people and I am accessible for them. I bring the voice from the northern end of the county. We have medical options (Danville or Lynchburg) and we need to be sure this voice is heard.”
Nodtvedt, who retired last year as plant manager of Nestle, said he was excited to be on the panel.
“I want to make a difference, and if I can in any way be a bridge between the community, the doctors, the staff and the administration of the hospital, count me in,” Nodtvedt said.
“For whatever reason, LifePoint has not been able to have the right kind of relationship with the community. This panel can help establish that relationship such that there is a renewed confidence in the hospital by the community and the hospital can deliver to the needs of the community.”
Newman, a retired businessman with experience working in a medical clinic, said he has never had a bad experience as a patient at Danville Regional.
“I believe LifePoint is trying to get back to a care level that existed before the purchase,” Newman said Monday. “My desire is to help them in any way I can. I go on the board very optimistic. I hope the end will be that the community will once again have confidence in our medical community.”
Battle, a retired educator and former chairman of the Caswell County Board of Commissioners, said he has mixed emotions about care at the hospital.
“I received excellent treatment (at Danville Regional) when I had my heart attack,” Battle said Monday, “but some of my ER visits were not so good.”
Battle said the task force’s mission should be to advise and assist the hospital.
Judy, Gateway Division president for LifePoint, said, “My sense is that this panel will provide an objective group of people who have a goal of ensuring the quality and scope of health care for Danville that is appropriate for the community. It will also bring a sense of reason to the current state of the hospital and be able to clarify the perceptions that exist.
“It is clear the people who evaluate hospitals nationwide are finding the hospital compliant with health care standards, and this panel will serve an objective party to validate that for the citizens of the Dan River Region.”
Monday, August 27, 2007
"Regional foundation begins health assessment"
Star Tribune
Friday, August 24, 2007 8:10 AM EDT
DANVILLE - Danville Regional Foundation is conducting a formal assessment of the health of Danville, Pittsylvania and Caswell counties to use as a guide in developing strategies to improve the overall health of the community."One of our four areas of focus is health and wellness," said Karl Stauber, chief executive officer of the foundation. "We want to contribute to producing healthy people in healthy communities.
"To accomplish that goal, we begin by identifying the key health issues and learn where we stand as a community," said Stauber. "When we have collected the data and when we have the benefit of the opinions of the community, then the Foundation can consider long-term strategic action to address health issues."The foundation needs "to have an accurate and comprehensive picture of the community's health status, as well as ideas on how we can best utilize our resources," said Stauber."We take the snapshot by reaching out to the community to collect and analyze information, and that is what we expect to have from this assessment," he continued.The assessment is also intended to identify individuals and organizations interested in addressing health issues and trends.
A team from the Office of Rural and Community Health of East Tennessee State University will conduct the assessment, which will include interviews with individuals, discussions with health-related organizations and meetings with groups that represent a cross-section of the community.The health assessment will be completed in approximately 90 days.The foundation also will be conducting two additional assessments, one on education and workforce development capacity and the second on economic and community development.Danville Regional Foundation was established following the sale of Danville Regional Medical Center to LifePoint Hospitals Inc. for $210 million in 2005.In its two years, the foundation has announced grants of approximately $17.5 million to five not-for-profit organizations and governing agencies in Danville, Pittsylvania and Caswell counties.The new community center under construction on Main Street in Chatham was funded with a $3 million grant from the foundation.
Friday, August 24, 2007 8:10 AM EDT
DANVILLE - Danville Regional Foundation is conducting a formal assessment of the health of Danville, Pittsylvania and Caswell counties to use as a guide in developing strategies to improve the overall health of the community."One of our four areas of focus is health and wellness," said Karl Stauber, chief executive officer of the foundation. "We want to contribute to producing healthy people in healthy communities.
"To accomplish that goal, we begin by identifying the key health issues and learn where we stand as a community," said Stauber. "When we have collected the data and when we have the benefit of the opinions of the community, then the Foundation can consider long-term strategic action to address health issues."The foundation needs "to have an accurate and comprehensive picture of the community's health status, as well as ideas on how we can best utilize our resources," said Stauber."We take the snapshot by reaching out to the community to collect and analyze information, and that is what we expect to have from this assessment," he continued.The assessment is also intended to identify individuals and organizations interested in addressing health issues and trends.
A team from the Office of Rural and Community Health of East Tennessee State University will conduct the assessment, which will include interviews with individuals, discussions with health-related organizations and meetings with groups that represent a cross-section of the community.The health assessment will be completed in approximately 90 days.The foundation also will be conducting two additional assessments, one on education and workforce development capacity and the second on economic and community development.Danville Regional Foundation was established following the sale of Danville Regional Medical Center to LifePoint Hospitals Inc. for $210 million in 2005.In its two years, the foundation has announced grants of approximately $17.5 million to five not-for-profit organizations and governing agencies in Danville, Pittsylvania and Caswell counties.The new community center under construction on Main Street in Chatham was funded with a $3 million grant from the foundation.
Saturday, August 25, 2007
"Moving on"
Danville Register and Bee
August 26, 2007
Danville Regional Medical Center remains a fully accredited hospital. After a bruising several months that seemed to validate critics of the hospital and its corporate parent, LifePoint Hospitals Inc., the hospital has emerged from the Joint Commission’s “preliminary denial of accreditation.”
Thursday’s news followed last month’s announcement from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services that Danville Regional “remains in compliance” with Medicare standards.
The two announcements mean Danville Regional has proven itself to outside, independent agencies that look at thousands of health care facilities all over the country. It means that Danville Regional has fixed many, if not most, of its problems. It means the hospital deserves a second chance from its toughest critics.
That’s not a politically correct thing to say in some circles. Some people believe LifePoint is a spoiler of hospitals and that the Tennessee-based company destroyed our local hospital. But we’d like to think that the Joint Commission and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services know a thing or two about how a hospital is supposed to be run.
What does the future hold? If local residents don’t now support Danville Regional Medical Center, it will be difficult, if not impossible, for the hospital to remain a viable health care facility.
Consider the case of Dr. Lee McCann, who is leaving Danville Regional - where he serves as medical director of cardiovascular surgery - to take a position in Utah.
McCann’s practice has suffered, he claims, because fewer patients want to be treated at Danville Regional. It wouldn’t be surprising to hear a lot of local doctors say the same thing.
“Things have gotten so bad at Danville Regional that when we got another offer, we had to look at it,” McCann said. “… My office is now in the red, and I can’t keep losing money. Duke has probably lost money as well, and they are getting scared.”
Getting a man like Lee McCann educated and ready to practice medicine is a long, expensive process. Doctors need to be able to have financially viable practices. If McCann couldn’t attract enough patients to make enough money because local residents didn’t want to be treated at Danville Regional, what does that mean for the community?
Over time, fewer patients using the hospital would force the hospital to offer fewer services, which would decrease the number of patients, which would lead to future service cuts.
If that cycle continues, eventually everyone would be forced to go out of town for hospital care. That would have a profound, negative effect on everything from the quality of life to economic and community development in the Dan River Region.
It would be wrong to tell people to go to Danville Regional if the hospital wasn’t making real progress. People need more motivation that just a boilerplate call to support a local business.
But with the hospital showing demonstrative, positive and verified progress, shunning Danville Regional becomes an act of community suicide.
Danville needs a good, strong hospital, and this week’s news is a good step on the hospital’s part to rebuild its relationship with the community. It’s time for the community to take the next step - while it still can.
August 26, 2007
Danville Regional Medical Center remains a fully accredited hospital. After a bruising several months that seemed to validate critics of the hospital and its corporate parent, LifePoint Hospitals Inc., the hospital has emerged from the Joint Commission’s “preliminary denial of accreditation.”
Thursday’s news followed last month’s announcement from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services that Danville Regional “remains in compliance” with Medicare standards.
The two announcements mean Danville Regional has proven itself to outside, independent agencies that look at thousands of health care facilities all over the country. It means that Danville Regional has fixed many, if not most, of its problems. It means the hospital deserves a second chance from its toughest critics.
That’s not a politically correct thing to say in some circles. Some people believe LifePoint is a spoiler of hospitals and that the Tennessee-based company destroyed our local hospital. But we’d like to think that the Joint Commission and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services know a thing or two about how a hospital is supposed to be run.
What does the future hold? If local residents don’t now support Danville Regional Medical Center, it will be difficult, if not impossible, for the hospital to remain a viable health care facility.
Consider the case of Dr. Lee McCann, who is leaving Danville Regional - where he serves as medical director of cardiovascular surgery - to take a position in Utah.
McCann’s practice has suffered, he claims, because fewer patients want to be treated at Danville Regional. It wouldn’t be surprising to hear a lot of local doctors say the same thing.
“Things have gotten so bad at Danville Regional that when we got another offer, we had to look at it,” McCann said. “… My office is now in the red, and I can’t keep losing money. Duke has probably lost money as well, and they are getting scared.”
Getting a man like Lee McCann educated and ready to practice medicine is a long, expensive process. Doctors need to be able to have financially viable practices. If McCann couldn’t attract enough patients to make enough money because local residents didn’t want to be treated at Danville Regional, what does that mean for the community?
Over time, fewer patients using the hospital would force the hospital to offer fewer services, which would decrease the number of patients, which would lead to future service cuts.
If that cycle continues, eventually everyone would be forced to go out of town for hospital care. That would have a profound, negative effect on everything from the quality of life to economic and community development in the Dan River Region.
It would be wrong to tell people to go to Danville Regional if the hospital wasn’t making real progress. People need more motivation that just a boilerplate call to support a local business.
But with the hospital showing demonstrative, positive and verified progress, shunning Danville Regional becomes an act of community suicide.
Danville needs a good, strong hospital, and this week’s news is a good step on the hospital’s part to rebuild its relationship with the community. It’s time for the community to take the next step - while it still can.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
"Danville Regional Medical Center retains its accreditation"
Danville Register and Bee
Thursday, August 23, 2007
DANVILLE – The Joint Commission has notified Danville Regional Medical Center that it remains an accredited organization and that the Joint Commission has removed a preliminary denial of accreditation. Read the full story in Friday’s Register & Bee.
Read the report here:
http://media.gatewayva.com/registerbee/specials/Report.pdf
Thursday, August 23, 2007
DANVILLE – The Joint Commission has notified Danville Regional Medical Center that it remains an accredited organization and that the Joint Commission has removed a preliminary denial of accreditation. Read the full story in Friday’s Register & Bee.
Read the report here:
http://media.gatewayva.com/registerbee/specials/Report.pdf
Saturday, August 18, 2007
"Surgeon cites finances in departure"
Danville Register & Bee
Friday, August 17, 2007
DANVILLE - When Dr. Lee McCann moved to Danville two years ago, he thought his family would stay here until his children graduated from high school. His youngest of five children is 2.
Offers from other hospitals have come and gone throughout the two years McCann has been the medical director of cardiovascular surgery at Danville Regional Medical Center and on the staff at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C.
The doctor didn’t consider any of the offers, however, until about six months ago when his patient load decreased because, he believes, patients no longer wanted to be treated at DanvilleRegional.
“Things have gotten so bad at Danville Regional that when we got another offer, we had to look at it,” McCann said Monday. “You get offers all the time. We have gotten multiple offers over the last two years, and we haven’t even looked at them because we love it here and wanted to stay.”
His situation, however, has changed considerably since he came to Danville, accepting his first full-time job after 17 years of medicaleducation.“My office is now in the red, and I can’t keep losing money,” McCann said. “Duke has probably lost money as well, and they are getting scared.”When he got the offer from Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo, Utah, McCann told Dr. Peter Smith, chief of cardiovascular and thoracic surgery at Duke, he would have to consider it.
The hospital responds
Danville Regional spokesman John Van Mol said the hospital or its parent company, LifePoint Hospitals Inc., shouldn’t shoulder the blame for McCann’s departure.
“When there is an insufficient number of patients in a particular service line, there are almost always a variety of factors that cause it. A variety of reasons, too, no doubt caused the previous open heart surgeon at the hospital to make a decision to leave, well in advance of LifePoint’s purchase of the hospital,” Van Mol said Friday in a written statement. “Therefore, it is inaccurate to say low patient volume is ‘LifePoint’s fault,’ just as it is inaccurate to say it is ‘the surgeon’s fault’ or ‘Danville Regional’s fault,’ or ‘referring physicians’ fault.’”
A news release from the hospital issued Monday announced not only the departure of McCann, but also that Duke would work together with Danville Regional to conduct a “service line assessment” to “determine how (Danville Regional) and Duke will work together to improve cardiovascular care” at the hospital.
“(Duke) can’t keep pouring resources into the hospital,” McCann said. “Duke is afraid, and anything they put their name on has to succeed. Duke agreed to look at it, but by no means agreed to anything.
“They agreed to look at this mess and see if they can help fix it,” he added. “They might agree that it’s too bad, and they won’t go down in flames with the hospital. Or they could fix it, and it would cost Danville Regional a boatload of money.
“There are no guarantees from Duke. But, for all I know, they could turn around in a year and say they could do it. They’re not ruling any possibilities out.”
McCann said he and his wife have agonized over this for six months and have done everything they could to avoid it, but in the end he left because “I couldn’t pay my practice’s bills.”
Van Mol said, “It is true that the revenue from the practice has failed to cover its costs, but all the costs including full pay and benefits for Dr. McCann have been covered by Danville Regional and LifePoint.”
In his own announcement sent to his physician colleagues, McCann wrote, “The situation here has deteriorated to the point that the future of my fairly young career and that of my family are very insecure. Changes in the hospital ownership and administration, and, importantly, public perception of these changes have significantly altered our practice, both in terms of quality and volume.
“Frankly, patients no longer want to come to this hospital for cardiac surgical care despite my best efforts to establish a good program and a respectable reputation ... It will take time for the hospital to gain enough trust back so that patients will return.”During Monday’s interview, he said, “I would like to see the hospital survive and succeed, but in order to do that, there has to be open, honest dialogue. LifePoint needs to do that.”
‘a battle’
“What Dr. McCann says is true,” Dr. Gary Miller, a cardiologist and the hospital’s former chief of staff, said Tuesday. “He did like the community.”Miller called the heart program at Danville Regional a “best-kept secret.”“It was working,” he said. “The infection and mortality rates were extremely low, but people probably didn’t know that.“ But we do catheterizations and recommend surgery, but people say they have heard about the hospital and assume the heart program is not doing well, which it was. One section of the hospital is rubbing off on the other.”
Miller said the heart doctors have been seeing people with a relatively low risk for heart surgery, but the patients are refusing to have it done at Danville Regional and doctors have to send them elsewhere.“
It’s been a battle,” he said. “We’ve always had an agreement with Duke that we would send them the high-risk patients - those that have a 10 to 15 percent chance of dying - but when we have to give up people that will do well, that’s hard.”Miller said that the patient census has been very heavy the last few days, and he did seven angioplasties in seven days because of the effect the hot weather has had on people. “But I have known the surgery numbers have been down for some time because people are opting to go elsewhere because of the things that have gone on in the hospital,” Miller said. “There is always a small minority who have gone out of town (for care), but what has really hurt is that now the average Joe citizen who could stay here is leaving.”
Miller is hopeful, however, that the situation at the hospital will improve soon.“We’ve been working with LifePoint, and I think the interim people here are now much more responsive to the physicians and patients,” he said. “We are being listened to.”Miller said he is confident the hospital will retain its Joint Commission accreditation, but called the effect of McCann’s leaving “demoralizing.”
“The people who work there are proud of the heart program,” he said. “The whole team knew they were doing a good job, and it is very demoralizing to those who worked hard to bring the program here.
“If a program fails because they’re not doing a good job, that’s one thing, but it was not failing. It failed for other reasons.
“It’s a downward spiral, and it feeds on itself.”Miller said he thinks the doctors and nurses are gradually regaining the confidence of the patients.
“We’ve hired enough nurses,” he said. “Even though they are young nurses, we have enough. We have episodic shortages, but it’s not every day.
“But LifePoint has to continue to do what they said they would do. They have to provide enough staff and not worry about the bottom line. If we give good service and people are happy, then business will be good.“We still have a long way to go. We haven’t given up on the heart center. We are going to look at it.”
‘support the hospital’
Cardiologist Dr. Bosh Zakhary said the community deserves part of the blame for the low-patient census at the hospital. “I think the whole community is blaming the hospital, but part of the responsibility lies with the community,” he said Thursday. “The physicians haven’t changed, the programs haven’t changed and LifePoint has realized they have made mistakes and they are rectifying those.”
He took issue with a study that came out recently that reported higher mortality rates among heart patients at Danville Regional. In the study published in June, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, a division of the Health and Human Services, ranked Danville as one of the seven worst hospitals nationwide for heart attack mortality rates.
Although that study did not concern the cardiovascular surgery program McCann headed, Zakhary said the community was influenced by it. “The outcomes published recently on heart care were erroneous, and we are looking at this,” he said. “Other studies show better outcomes.”
Zakhary said people in the community were not happy with the sale of the hospital, so any time a problem is reported with the hospital, the community’s perception is blown out of proportion. “When people see the problems, they do not come to the hospital,” he said, “and that led to Dr. McCann leaving.”
Changes in the hospital, such as the flow in the emergency department and how heart patients are handled, are occurring, which will result in equal or better care than before the sale, Zakhary said.
“The rest will be up to the community,” he said. “They need to stay in town and support the hospital. We can only do what we can do.”
Friday, August 17, 2007
DANVILLE - When Dr. Lee McCann moved to Danville two years ago, he thought his family would stay here until his children graduated from high school. His youngest of five children is 2.
Offers from other hospitals have come and gone throughout the two years McCann has been the medical director of cardiovascular surgery at Danville Regional Medical Center and on the staff at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C.
The doctor didn’t consider any of the offers, however, until about six months ago when his patient load decreased because, he believes, patients no longer wanted to be treated at DanvilleRegional.
“Things have gotten so bad at Danville Regional that when we got another offer, we had to look at it,” McCann said Monday. “You get offers all the time. We have gotten multiple offers over the last two years, and we haven’t even looked at them because we love it here and wanted to stay.”
His situation, however, has changed considerably since he came to Danville, accepting his first full-time job after 17 years of medicaleducation.“My office is now in the red, and I can’t keep losing money,” McCann said. “Duke has probably lost money as well, and they are getting scared.”When he got the offer from Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo, Utah, McCann told Dr. Peter Smith, chief of cardiovascular and thoracic surgery at Duke, he would have to consider it.
The hospital responds
Danville Regional spokesman John Van Mol said the hospital or its parent company, LifePoint Hospitals Inc., shouldn’t shoulder the blame for McCann’s departure.
“When there is an insufficient number of patients in a particular service line, there are almost always a variety of factors that cause it. A variety of reasons, too, no doubt caused the previous open heart surgeon at the hospital to make a decision to leave, well in advance of LifePoint’s purchase of the hospital,” Van Mol said Friday in a written statement. “Therefore, it is inaccurate to say low patient volume is ‘LifePoint’s fault,’ just as it is inaccurate to say it is ‘the surgeon’s fault’ or ‘Danville Regional’s fault,’ or ‘referring physicians’ fault.’”
A news release from the hospital issued Monday announced not only the departure of McCann, but also that Duke would work together with Danville Regional to conduct a “service line assessment” to “determine how (Danville Regional) and Duke will work together to improve cardiovascular care” at the hospital.
“(Duke) can’t keep pouring resources into the hospital,” McCann said. “Duke is afraid, and anything they put their name on has to succeed. Duke agreed to look at it, but by no means agreed to anything.
“They agreed to look at this mess and see if they can help fix it,” he added. “They might agree that it’s too bad, and they won’t go down in flames with the hospital. Or they could fix it, and it would cost Danville Regional a boatload of money.
“There are no guarantees from Duke. But, for all I know, they could turn around in a year and say they could do it. They’re not ruling any possibilities out.”
McCann said he and his wife have agonized over this for six months and have done everything they could to avoid it, but in the end he left because “I couldn’t pay my practice’s bills.”
Van Mol said, “It is true that the revenue from the practice has failed to cover its costs, but all the costs including full pay and benefits for Dr. McCann have been covered by Danville Regional and LifePoint.”
In his own announcement sent to his physician colleagues, McCann wrote, “The situation here has deteriorated to the point that the future of my fairly young career and that of my family are very insecure. Changes in the hospital ownership and administration, and, importantly, public perception of these changes have significantly altered our practice, both in terms of quality and volume.
“Frankly, patients no longer want to come to this hospital for cardiac surgical care despite my best efforts to establish a good program and a respectable reputation ... It will take time for the hospital to gain enough trust back so that patients will return.”During Monday’s interview, he said, “I would like to see the hospital survive and succeed, but in order to do that, there has to be open, honest dialogue. LifePoint needs to do that.”
‘a battle’
“What Dr. McCann says is true,” Dr. Gary Miller, a cardiologist and the hospital’s former chief of staff, said Tuesday. “He did like the community.”Miller called the heart program at Danville Regional a “best-kept secret.”“It was working,” he said. “The infection and mortality rates were extremely low, but people probably didn’t know that.“ But we do catheterizations and recommend surgery, but people say they have heard about the hospital and assume the heart program is not doing well, which it was. One section of the hospital is rubbing off on the other.”
Miller said the heart doctors have been seeing people with a relatively low risk for heart surgery, but the patients are refusing to have it done at Danville Regional and doctors have to send them elsewhere.“
It’s been a battle,” he said. “We’ve always had an agreement with Duke that we would send them the high-risk patients - those that have a 10 to 15 percent chance of dying - but when we have to give up people that will do well, that’s hard.”Miller said that the patient census has been very heavy the last few days, and he did seven angioplasties in seven days because of the effect the hot weather has had on people. “But I have known the surgery numbers have been down for some time because people are opting to go elsewhere because of the things that have gone on in the hospital,” Miller said. “There is always a small minority who have gone out of town (for care), but what has really hurt is that now the average Joe citizen who could stay here is leaving.”
Miller is hopeful, however, that the situation at the hospital will improve soon.“We’ve been working with LifePoint, and I think the interim people here are now much more responsive to the physicians and patients,” he said. “We are being listened to.”Miller said he is confident the hospital will retain its Joint Commission accreditation, but called the effect of McCann’s leaving “demoralizing.”
“The people who work there are proud of the heart program,” he said. “The whole team knew they were doing a good job, and it is very demoralizing to those who worked hard to bring the program here.
“If a program fails because they’re not doing a good job, that’s one thing, but it was not failing. It failed for other reasons.
“It’s a downward spiral, and it feeds on itself.”Miller said he thinks the doctors and nurses are gradually regaining the confidence of the patients.
“We’ve hired enough nurses,” he said. “Even though they are young nurses, we have enough. We have episodic shortages, but it’s not every day.
“But LifePoint has to continue to do what they said they would do. They have to provide enough staff and not worry about the bottom line. If we give good service and people are happy, then business will be good.“We still have a long way to go. We haven’t given up on the heart center. We are going to look at it.”
‘support the hospital’
Cardiologist Dr. Bosh Zakhary said the community deserves part of the blame for the low-patient census at the hospital. “I think the whole community is blaming the hospital, but part of the responsibility lies with the community,” he said Thursday. “The physicians haven’t changed, the programs haven’t changed and LifePoint has realized they have made mistakes and they are rectifying those.”
He took issue with a study that came out recently that reported higher mortality rates among heart patients at Danville Regional. In the study published in June, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, a division of the Health and Human Services, ranked Danville as one of the seven worst hospitals nationwide for heart attack mortality rates.
Although that study did not concern the cardiovascular surgery program McCann headed, Zakhary said the community was influenced by it. “The outcomes published recently on heart care were erroneous, and we are looking at this,” he said. “Other studies show better outcomes.”
Zakhary said people in the community were not happy with the sale of the hospital, so any time a problem is reported with the hospital, the community’s perception is blown out of proportion. “When people see the problems, they do not come to the hospital,” he said, “and that led to Dr. McCann leaving.”
Changes in the hospital, such as the flow in the emergency department and how heart patients are handled, are occurring, which will result in equal or better care than before the sale, Zakhary said.
“The rest will be up to the community,” he said. “They need to stay in town and support the hospital. We can only do what we can do.”
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Draw your own conclusions...
Thanks to one of our regular contributors, I received a copy of the email letter from Jess to members of the medical staff. Here you go...from mid-July...
"Dear All,
Sorry I cannot be with you tonight. I would appreciate you all discussing how to deal with members of the Medical Staff who continue to misrepresent issues about the hospital and its future. For example, there are continued statements about the hospital being sold and even who is buying it. This is only serving to create more uncertainty among the staff and community causing much more damage locally than it is Lifepoint. It might be a good reminder for folks that we are a $2.4B company that can survive and actually do quite well even if a few of our hospitals do not. Lifepoint has no plans to sell DRMC.
Establishing competing businesses such as an ambulatory surgery center would be a lengthy COPN process and even if successful would further erode the economics of the hospital leading any owner with little choice but to reduce services. This might benefit the owners of the competing business while those who depend on the hospital for their practices would lose out.
While some might want something different the choices we have are to work together and collectively move DRMC in a positive direction or allow divisiveness and untruths to create a no win situation for us all. I trust you will take the cooperative approach and try to convince your colleagues to do the same.
We are committed to working with you and the Medical Staff and expect the DRMC executive team to fulfill that commitment. Thanks for taking time to serve on Medical Staff Action Committee. I know we can accomplish much with a shared vision of making DRMC the hospital of choice for the citizens of the Dan River Region. Take care and please let me know how I can help.
Jess"
"Dear All,
Sorry I cannot be with you tonight. I would appreciate you all discussing how to deal with members of the Medical Staff who continue to misrepresent issues about the hospital and its future. For example, there are continued statements about the hospital being sold and even who is buying it. This is only serving to create more uncertainty among the staff and community causing much more damage locally than it is Lifepoint. It might be a good reminder for folks that we are a $2.4B company that can survive and actually do quite well even if a few of our hospitals do not. Lifepoint has no plans to sell DRMC.
Establishing competing businesses such as an ambulatory surgery center would be a lengthy COPN process and even if successful would further erode the economics of the hospital leading any owner with little choice but to reduce services. This might benefit the owners of the competing business while those who depend on the hospital for their practices would lose out.
While some might want something different the choices we have are to work together and collectively move DRMC in a positive direction or allow divisiveness and untruths to create a no win situation for us all. I trust you will take the cooperative approach and try to convince your colleagues to do the same.
We are committed to working with you and the Medical Staff and expect the DRMC executive team to fulfill that commitment. Thanks for taking time to serve on Medical Staff Action Committee. I know we can accomplish much with a shared vision of making DRMC the hospital of choice for the citizens of the Dan River Region. Take care and please let me know how I can help.
Jess"
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
"Medical director of Heart Center to leave for Utah position"
Danville Register & Bee
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
DANVILLE - Danville Regional Medical Center announced Monday that Dr. Lee McCann, medical director of the hospital’s Heart Center of the Piedmont, will be leaving to take a position at Utah Valley Regional Hospital in Provo, Utah.
With that announcement, the hospital also announced that it will be doing a “service line assessment” in collaboration with the clinical staff of the Duke Heart Center and local cardiologists to improve the cardiovascular care at Danville Regional.
The assessment will take approximately five months.
A hospital spokesman said he did not know if Danville Regional would be actively seeking a replacement for McCann while the assessment is being conducted.
McCann has been with Danville Regional for two years.
The Heart Center of the Piedmont was opened in 2003 and was affiliated with Duke Medical Center until December 2005 when Duke withdrew its affiliation. However, McCann continued to be part of the Duke staff and worked principally at Danville Regional.
McCann will leave for Utah in approximately six months.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
DANVILLE - Danville Regional Medical Center announced Monday that Dr. Lee McCann, medical director of the hospital’s Heart Center of the Piedmont, will be leaving to take a position at Utah Valley Regional Hospital in Provo, Utah.
With that announcement, the hospital also announced that it will be doing a “service line assessment” in collaboration with the clinical staff of the Duke Heart Center and local cardiologists to improve the cardiovascular care at Danville Regional.
The assessment will take approximately five months.
A hospital spokesman said he did not know if Danville Regional would be actively seeking a replacement for McCann while the assessment is being conducted.
McCann has been with Danville Regional for two years.
The Heart Center of the Piedmont was opened in 2003 and was affiliated with Duke Medical Center until December 2005 when Duke withdrew its affiliation. However, McCann continued to be part of the Duke staff and worked principally at Danville Regional.
McCann will leave for Utah in approximately six months.
Friday, August 10, 2007
Responses on DRMC's "News & Views" website
DRMC is responding to questions from visitors to their "News & Views" site, so I thought I'd post them here for your reference. Regardless of your opinion about the answers given, kudos to DRMC for starting the site and answering questions in a very timely manner.
What “expansion” plans were actually planned by DRMC prior to LifePoint’s purchase? Was LifePoint following through on previously initiated projects? Is LifePoint taking credit for these projects?
Obviously, there is a big difference financially in planning an expansion and actually paying for it after the planning is completed. LifePoint is following through, as you put it, on certain projects that had been in the planning stages before the acquisition, thus far to the tune of approximately $29 million by the end of 2007. And yes, funding certain projects was part of the asset purchase agreement under which the hospital was acquired. “Taking credit” is probably in the eyes of the beholder. It seems likely those previously responsible for DRMC should “take credit” for planning the expansions and getting them put into the asset purchase agreement, and it’s equally logical that LifePoint should “take credit” for spending corporate funds to complete the work. No matter who gets or takes the credit, by the end of the year, the community is scheduled to have $29 million more in needed health care assets than it did before the acquisition took place.
Does LifePoint have a seat at the leadership council table and what will it do with the findings?
We will have a seat at the table with Mr. Jess Judy’s involvement on the leadership council as well as our new CEO when he or she is hired. Danville Regional Medical Center is committed to being a high-quality medical center that meets this community’s health care needs. We welcome the suggestions of the leadership council toward meeting that goal.
http://danvillenewsandviews.com/index.php/site/homepage/
What “expansion” plans were actually planned by DRMC prior to LifePoint’s purchase? Was LifePoint following through on previously initiated projects? Is LifePoint taking credit for these projects?
Obviously, there is a big difference financially in planning an expansion and actually paying for it after the planning is completed. LifePoint is following through, as you put it, on certain projects that had been in the planning stages before the acquisition, thus far to the tune of approximately $29 million by the end of 2007. And yes, funding certain projects was part of the asset purchase agreement under which the hospital was acquired. “Taking credit” is probably in the eyes of the beholder. It seems likely those previously responsible for DRMC should “take credit” for planning the expansions and getting them put into the asset purchase agreement, and it’s equally logical that LifePoint should “take credit” for spending corporate funds to complete the work. No matter who gets or takes the credit, by the end of the year, the community is scheduled to have $29 million more in needed health care assets than it did before the acquisition took place.
Does LifePoint have a seat at the leadership council table and what will it do with the findings?
We will have a seat at the table with Mr. Jess Judy’s involvement on the leadership council as well as our new CEO when he or she is hired. Danville Regional Medical Center is committed to being a high-quality medical center that meets this community’s health care needs. We welcome the suggestions of the leadership council toward meeting that goal.
http://danvillenewsandviews.com/index.php/site/homepage/
"Leaders discuss hospital panel"
Danville Register & Bee
Thursday, August 9, 2007
DANVILLE - A new Health Leadership Council will be formed to communicate concerns between the public and Danville Regional Medical Center, which is owned by LifePoint Hospitals Inc.
The Citizens’ Commission, which explored what is good and bad about services at the hospital through public forums, recommended the formation of a permanent council.
Mayor Wayne Williams; George Ward, chairman of the Caswell County (N.C.) Board of Commissioners; Caswell County Manager Kevin B. Howard; and Coy Harville, chairman of the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors, met with representatives from Danville Regional and concerned citizens Wednesday to discuss the new council.
No decisions were made on who would sit on the council, but nine people - two each from Danville, Pittsylvania County and Caswell County, as well as two physicians and one LifePoint executive - will be appointed to two-year terms.
The purpose of the council will be communicating the public’s concerns to the hospital and making sure the public is kept informed of what Danville Regional is doing in response to their concerns.
Williams said he hoped the council could operate autonomously, create their own bylaws and work at regaining trust in the hospital.
The panel will meet again in about two weeks to discuss their candidates for the Health Leadership Council.
Thursday, August 9, 2007
DANVILLE - A new Health Leadership Council will be formed to communicate concerns between the public and Danville Regional Medical Center, which is owned by LifePoint Hospitals Inc.
The Citizens’ Commission, which explored what is good and bad about services at the hospital through public forums, recommended the formation of a permanent council.
Mayor Wayne Williams; George Ward, chairman of the Caswell County (N.C.) Board of Commissioners; Caswell County Manager Kevin B. Howard; and Coy Harville, chairman of the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors, met with representatives from Danville Regional and concerned citizens Wednesday to discuss the new council.
No decisions were made on who would sit on the council, but nine people - two each from Danville, Pittsylvania County and Caswell County, as well as two physicians and one LifePoint executive - will be appointed to two-year terms.
The purpose of the council will be communicating the public’s concerns to the hospital and making sure the public is kept informed of what Danville Regional is doing in response to their concerns.
Williams said he hoped the council could operate autonomously, create their own bylaws and work at regaining trust in the hospital.
The panel will meet again in about two weeks to discuss their candidates for the Health Leadership Council.
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
"County names representatives"
Star Tribune -- August 7, 2007
Westover District Supervisor Coy Harville said Monday night he would appoint Don Nodtvedt and Arlene Creasy to represent the county on a leadership group to work with Danville Regional Medical Center and its parent company, Tennessee-based LifePoint Hospitals.A citizens commission that spent four months hearing concerns about the hospital had recommended the panel. Making its report to Danville City Council last month, the commission said the new panel should have members from the region, including physicians and community leaders.
Harville, who chairs the Board of Supervisors, said Danville and Caswell County, N.C., would also have two members. He said officials would meet Wednesday about the panel.Harville said he wants the group to gather community input about the hospital and provide it to LifePoint.
Westover District Supervisor Coy Harville said Monday night he would appoint Don Nodtvedt and Arlene Creasy to represent the county on a leadership group to work with Danville Regional Medical Center and its parent company, Tennessee-based LifePoint Hospitals.A citizens commission that spent four months hearing concerns about the hospital had recommended the panel. Making its report to Danville City Council last month, the commission said the new panel should have members from the region, including physicians and community leaders.
Harville, who chairs the Board of Supervisors, said Danville and Caswell County, N.C., would also have two members. He said officials would meet Wednesday about the panel.Harville said he wants the group to gather community input about the hospital and provide it to LifePoint.
Monday, August 6, 2007
Something to ponder...
Today's editorial got me to thinking....from a PR perspective, at what point can an organization's reputation in its community (either neutral or negative) impact the idea of charity or community service in the public's mind?
http://www.registerbee.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=DRB%2FMGArticle%2FDRB_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1173352276754&path=%21news%21opinion
Your thoughts?
http://www.registerbee.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=DRB%2FMGArticle%2FDRB_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1173352276754&path=%21news%21opinion
Your thoughts?
DRMC open line...part deux
This post was in a couple of threads, so I thought I'd bring it to the front page...it's a question posted on the "News & Views" website. (http://danvillenewsandviews.com/)
"Why was the Danville Regional executive team in Nashville last week? To discuss downsizing at DRMC?
The Danville Regional Medical Center leadership team was in Tennessee, along with their counterparts from all of the company’s hospitals, to attend the annual operations meeting. There are no plans to downsize DRMC. Rather, there are plans to continue to increase services at DRMC with the expansion on the sixth floor, the purchase of a linear accelerator and additional diagnostic equipment."
"Why was the Danville Regional executive team in Nashville last week? To discuss downsizing at DRMC?
The Danville Regional Medical Center leadership team was in Tennessee, along with their counterparts from all of the company’s hospitals, to attend the annual operations meeting. There are no plans to downsize DRMC. Rather, there are plans to continue to increase services at DRMC with the expansion on the sixth floor, the purchase of a linear accelerator and additional diagnostic equipment."
Saturday, August 4, 2007
"What can money do?"
Danville Register and Bee editorial
Sunday, August 5, 2007
One of Danville’s newest residents, Karl Stauber, started his new job as president and CEO of the Danville Regional Foundation this week wondering how the catastrophic collapse of an Interstate highway bridge in his old hometown is affecting life there.
Stauber is in the process of moving from Minneapolis, where a mammoth bridge over the Mississippi River collapsed during rush hour this week. Stauber’s wife is still living in the Twin Cities, but she wasn’t harmed in the incident.
Unexpected catastrophic events challenge communities. Some of them are able to shake off tragedy and loss, while others have a tougher time coming to grips with what has happened to them.
In many ways, that describes Danville today. The city has a lot of assets, but it has also lost a lot of its former identity. Complicating matters for Stauber is the controversial founding of the Danville Regional Foundation.
The foundation was formed with $200 million LifePoint Hospitals Inc. paid for Danville Regional Medical Center two years ago. The board of directors that sold the hospital became the founding board members of the foundation. That ignited a controversy that continues to this day.
To his advantage, Stauber is aware of the situation he has come into. To his credit, he appears willing to work hard to help the foundation use its assets - estimated to be approximately $10 million per year - to advance the health, education and welfare of the people of Danville, Pittsylvania County and Caswell County, N.C.
In all likelihood, the way the Danville Regional Foundation started - and the problems experienced at Danville Regional Medical Center over the past two years - will continue to follow Dr. Bob Ashby, James A. Motley, Richard Barkhouser, Ben Davenport and Charles Majors. It’s a problem between those five men and what is, in all likelihood, a fairly large segment of the community.
But the Danville Regional Foundation has the kind of community-changing resources that can easily outlive the controversy over the foundation’s birth. A year ago, the foundation gave $2 million to build a senior community center in Yanceyville, N.C.; $3 million to Chatham Cares Inc. to build a community center in Chatham; $9.7 million to Danville Community College to build a health sciences center; and $1.7 million to the Danville-Pittsylvania Regional Industrial Facility Authority for a research building in the Cyber Park.
Those grants, totaling $16.4 million, were made to settle a dispute with the IRS. Once the Danville Regional Foundation starts making annual grants, it’s expected to spend $10 million per year - a staggering $100 million over the course of a decade.
How will the projects funded with that money - over time - change this community? Many local people have longed for positive change. The Danville Regional Foundation is one way to bring about those positive changes.
“I’m excited about the opportunities here,” Stauber said this week. “I think right now Danville is an undiscovered secret.”
Stauber’s extensive background should help the Danville Regional Foundation find and support vital community-changing projects.
Sunday, August 5, 2007
One of Danville’s newest residents, Karl Stauber, started his new job as president and CEO of the Danville Regional Foundation this week wondering how the catastrophic collapse of an Interstate highway bridge in his old hometown is affecting life there.
Stauber is in the process of moving from Minneapolis, where a mammoth bridge over the Mississippi River collapsed during rush hour this week. Stauber’s wife is still living in the Twin Cities, but she wasn’t harmed in the incident.
Unexpected catastrophic events challenge communities. Some of them are able to shake off tragedy and loss, while others have a tougher time coming to grips with what has happened to them.
In many ways, that describes Danville today. The city has a lot of assets, but it has also lost a lot of its former identity. Complicating matters for Stauber is the controversial founding of the Danville Regional Foundation.
The foundation was formed with $200 million LifePoint Hospitals Inc. paid for Danville Regional Medical Center two years ago. The board of directors that sold the hospital became the founding board members of the foundation. That ignited a controversy that continues to this day.
To his advantage, Stauber is aware of the situation he has come into. To his credit, he appears willing to work hard to help the foundation use its assets - estimated to be approximately $10 million per year - to advance the health, education and welfare of the people of Danville, Pittsylvania County and Caswell County, N.C.
In all likelihood, the way the Danville Regional Foundation started - and the problems experienced at Danville Regional Medical Center over the past two years - will continue to follow Dr. Bob Ashby, James A. Motley, Richard Barkhouser, Ben Davenport and Charles Majors. It’s a problem between those five men and what is, in all likelihood, a fairly large segment of the community.
But the Danville Regional Foundation has the kind of community-changing resources that can easily outlive the controversy over the foundation’s birth. A year ago, the foundation gave $2 million to build a senior community center in Yanceyville, N.C.; $3 million to Chatham Cares Inc. to build a community center in Chatham; $9.7 million to Danville Community College to build a health sciences center; and $1.7 million to the Danville-Pittsylvania Regional Industrial Facility Authority for a research building in the Cyber Park.
Those grants, totaling $16.4 million, were made to settle a dispute with the IRS. Once the Danville Regional Foundation starts making annual grants, it’s expected to spend $10 million per year - a staggering $100 million over the course of a decade.
How will the projects funded with that money - over time - change this community? Many local people have longed for positive change. The Danville Regional Foundation is one way to bring about those positive changes.
“I’m excited about the opportunities here,” Stauber said this week. “I think right now Danville is an undiscovered secret.”
Stauber’s extensive background should help the Danville Regional Foundation find and support vital community-changing projects.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
"Leaders to form hospital panel"
Danville Register & Bee
Monday, July 30, 2007
DANVILLE - City leaders are moving forward with plans to establish a hospital panel devoted to improving care at Danville Regional Medical Center.
A meeting will be held at 4:30 p.m. Aug. 8 in the city manager’s conference room beside City Council chambers to discuss the formation of a Hospital Healthcare Panel, according to Danville Mayor Wayne Williams.
The meeting is open to the public.
The panel was a recommendation of the Citizens Commission Related to the Danville Regional Medical Center, which gave its final report to City Council on July 3.
“The commission recommended the formation of a panel to continue the dialogue with the hospital and to serve as a route for people to express their concerns,” Williams said, “as well as help guide LifePoint and assure the continuation of quality improvement.
“It will also help ensure that LifePoint will follow through on the commission’s recommendations.”
The mayor said he plans on the panel consisting of a citizen from Danville, Pittsylvania County and Caswell County, N.C., and two doctors, as well as a representative from LifePoint Hospitals Inc.
Williams also has invited Coy Harville, chairman of the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors, and George Ward, chairman of the Caswell County Board of Commissioners, who will recommend a citizen from their area.
Williams, who is a doctor, said he is taking recommendations on the doctor slots from other medical professionals.
He also invited Delegates Robert Hurt, R-Chatham, and Danny Marshall, R-Danville, to the meeting and told Ward to invite the appropriate Caswell County delegates.
Williams said, however, that he believed Marshall would be out of town next week and that the North Carolina delegates are is session and would be unable to attend.
Jess Judy, LifePoint’s Gateway Division president, volunteered at the July 3 meeting to be the hospital representative, Williams said.
“I feel that it is a positive sign that such a high-level person with LifePoint would be appointed,” he said.
Williams said the panel will be long-standing and ongoing as long as it is necessary.
“We will be looking at term limits and how to structure the panel,” he said. “We want it to be two way. When the hospital does something good, the panel will help disseminate that information, but it will also take problems to LifePoint that are based on public concern.”
Monday, July 30, 2007
DANVILLE - City leaders are moving forward with plans to establish a hospital panel devoted to improving care at Danville Regional Medical Center.
A meeting will be held at 4:30 p.m. Aug. 8 in the city manager’s conference room beside City Council chambers to discuss the formation of a Hospital Healthcare Panel, according to Danville Mayor Wayne Williams.
The meeting is open to the public.
The panel was a recommendation of the Citizens Commission Related to the Danville Regional Medical Center, which gave its final report to City Council on July 3.
“The commission recommended the formation of a panel to continue the dialogue with the hospital and to serve as a route for people to express their concerns,” Williams said, “as well as help guide LifePoint and assure the continuation of quality improvement.
“It will also help ensure that LifePoint will follow through on the commission’s recommendations.”
The mayor said he plans on the panel consisting of a citizen from Danville, Pittsylvania County and Caswell County, N.C., and two doctors, as well as a representative from LifePoint Hospitals Inc.
Williams also has invited Coy Harville, chairman of the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors, and George Ward, chairman of the Caswell County Board of Commissioners, who will recommend a citizen from their area.
Williams, who is a doctor, said he is taking recommendations on the doctor slots from other medical professionals.
He also invited Delegates Robert Hurt, R-Chatham, and Danny Marshall, R-Danville, to the meeting and told Ward to invite the appropriate Caswell County delegates.
Williams said, however, that he believed Marshall would be out of town next week and that the North Carolina delegates are is session and would be unable to attend.
Jess Judy, LifePoint’s Gateway Division president, volunteered at the July 3 meeting to be the hospital representative, Williams said.
“I feel that it is a positive sign that such a high-level person with LifePoint would be appointed,” he said.
Williams said the panel will be long-standing and ongoing as long as it is necessary.
“We will be looking at term limits and how to structure the panel,” he said. “We want it to be two way. When the hospital does something good, the panel will help disseminate that information, but it will also take problems to LifePoint that are based on public concern.”
Monday, July 30, 2007
Hospital Healthcare Panel to be formed
From WAKG's website:
"The top recommendation of the Citizen's Commission that examined Lifepoint’s operation at the local hospital is about to become a reality. City leaders have announced a meeting next week to organize what will be called the Hospital Healthcare Panel. Danville mayor Wayne Williams promised earlier this month to meet with leaders from Pittsylvania and Caswell Counties to begin forming the new leadership commission. Their goal is to start and maintain a dialogue with Lifepoint over issues at Danville Regional Medical Center. No word yet on the exact composition of the new panel. "
"The top recommendation of the Citizen's Commission that examined Lifepoint’s operation at the local hospital is about to become a reality. City leaders have announced a meeting next week to organize what will be called the Hospital Healthcare Panel. Danville mayor Wayne Williams promised earlier this month to meet with leaders from Pittsylvania and Caswell Counties to begin forming the new leadership commission. Their goal is to start and maintain a dialogue with Lifepoint over issues at Danville Regional Medical Center. No word yet on the exact composition of the new panel. "
Thursday, July 26, 2007
DRMC opens line of communication
Check it out...give them a chance.
http://www.danvillenewsandviews.com/
True, some are going to say it's all PR spin. Maybe, maybe not. But you'll have to admit that one of our concerns about DRMC over the past couple of years is a lack of accessibility. Is this a step to answer that criticism? I hope so.
I figure if everyone who visits and uses the "Ask DRMC" button to ask rational, educated and mature questions, we will soon find out how serious they are. If DRMC will use this site to answer some of the hard questions, then this could present a helpful forum.
UPDATE: Technical problems are now fixed...their site should be receiving questions.
http://www.danvillenewsandviews.com/
True, some are going to say it's all PR spin. Maybe, maybe not. But you'll have to admit that one of our concerns about DRMC over the past couple of years is a lack of accessibility. Is this a step to answer that criticism? I hope so.
I figure if everyone who visits and uses the "Ask DRMC" button to ask rational, educated and mature questions, we will soon find out how serious they are. If DRMC will use this site to answer some of the hard questions, then this could present a helpful forum.
UPDATE: Technical problems are now fixed...their site should be receiving questions.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Dead End?
Went to read through the Citizens Commission report...when you click the link on the Commission website, you get a "page not found" error message.
Anybody have any idea why this is no longer available? Can you still get a hard copy from the clerk's office?
http://www.danville-va.gov/upload/images/City-TV%2020/Citizens%20Commission%20Report.pdf
Anybody have any idea why this is no longer available? Can you still get a hard copy from the clerk's office?
http://www.danville-va.gov/upload/images/City-TV%2020/Citizens%20Commission%20Report.pdf
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
"LifePoint misses in Q2"
Nashville Business Journal - 11:16 AM CDT Monday, July 23, 2007
Earnings for LifePoint Hospitals Inc. fell 62 percent in the second quarter compared to the same time last year, missing analysts' estimates by about 38 cents per share.
The Brentwood-based hospital operator had net income of $13.4 million, or 23 cents per diluted share, in the quarter ended June 30. In the prior year's quarter, LifePoint earned $34.8 million, or 62 cents per diluted share.
The company attributed the drop to bad debt, contract labor costs and professional fees and medical malpractice insurance expense.
Also injuring earnings were impairment charges for discontinued operations - $8.5 million and $16.4 million - related to the disposal plans of Coastal Carolina Medical Center in South Carolina and Colorado River Medical Center in California, respectively.
An average of analysts' estimates predicted the company would earn 61 cents per share in the quarter on $656 million in revenue.
Revenue for the quarter was up 16.8 percent to $654.3 million.
LifePoint (NASDAQ: LPNT) lowered its earnings guidance along with its second quarter results. It now expects to earn between $2.15 and $2.25 per share for the 2007 year on revenues of $2.63 billion to $2.65 billion. It previously predicted earnings of $2.42 to $2.52 per share on revenue of $2.68 billion to $2.69 billion.
LifePoint Hospitals provides health care services in non-urban communities in 18 states. It has 49 hospitals.
The company's stock price fell about 13 percent to $34.01 per share at 10 a.m. The stock's 52-week range is $30.89 per share to $40.80 per share.
http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/stories/2007/07/23/daily4.html?from_rss=1
Earnings for LifePoint Hospitals Inc. fell 62 percent in the second quarter compared to the same time last year, missing analysts' estimates by about 38 cents per share.
The Brentwood-based hospital operator had net income of $13.4 million, or 23 cents per diluted share, in the quarter ended June 30. In the prior year's quarter, LifePoint earned $34.8 million, or 62 cents per diluted share.
The company attributed the drop to bad debt, contract labor costs and professional fees and medical malpractice insurance expense.
Also injuring earnings were impairment charges for discontinued operations - $8.5 million and $16.4 million - related to the disposal plans of Coastal Carolina Medical Center in South Carolina and Colorado River Medical Center in California, respectively.
An average of analysts' estimates predicted the company would earn 61 cents per share in the quarter on $656 million in revenue.
Revenue for the quarter was up 16.8 percent to $654.3 million.
LifePoint (NASDAQ: LPNT) lowered its earnings guidance along with its second quarter results. It now expects to earn between $2.15 and $2.25 per share for the 2007 year on revenues of $2.63 billion to $2.65 billion. It previously predicted earnings of $2.42 to $2.52 per share on revenue of $2.68 billion to $2.69 billion.
LifePoint Hospitals provides health care services in non-urban communities in 18 states. It has 49 hospitals.
The company's stock price fell about 13 percent to $34.01 per share at 10 a.m. The stock's 52-week range is $30.89 per share to $40.80 per share.
http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/stories/2007/07/23/daily4.html?from_rss=1
Monday, July 23, 2007
Updates on the McKenna sale (not to LPNT)
A few articles out of the New Braunfels newspaper that you might find interesting about the sale of McKenna Memorial Hospital....many of the same issues and debates, so it will be interesting to read how this plays out...
"McKenna Sells to Christus"
http://herald-zeitung.com/story.lasso?ewcd=c7ae9e3c5dfc593c
"McKenna Won't Subsidize Hospitals"
http://herald-zeitung.com/story.lasso?ewcd=a5d99630550f5937
"Hospital CEO Says Board 'Not Deceitful'"
http://herald-zeitung.com/story.lasso?ewcd=04262a05039d628e
"McKenna sale is good for community" (opinion)
http://herald-zeitung.com/story.lasso?ewcd=5b727921e0e709c7
One quote that stood out..."the group’s questions for McKenna’s leadership seek “transparency in an organization that was developed with public dollars.”"
"McKenna Sells to Christus"
http://herald-zeitung.com/story.lasso?ewcd=c7ae9e3c5dfc593c
"McKenna Won't Subsidize Hospitals"
http://herald-zeitung.com/story.lasso?ewcd=a5d99630550f5937
"Hospital CEO Says Board 'Not Deceitful'"
http://herald-zeitung.com/story.lasso?ewcd=04262a05039d628e
"McKenna sale is good for community" (opinion)
http://herald-zeitung.com/story.lasso?ewcd=5b727921e0e709c7
One quote that stood out..."the group’s questions for McKenna’s leadership seek “transparency in an organization that was developed with public dollars.”"
Sunday, July 22, 2007
"County may get critical care center"
Danville Register & Bee
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
CHATHAM - A new trauma center may be coming to northern Pittsylvania County.
The Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday night to approve a resolution approving the placement of a “critical care center” north of Chatham.
Staunton River Supervisor Michael Irby stipulated that the center be north of Chatham so it would serve the northern part of the county.
“Anything south of Chatham is typically served by Danville Regional,” he said.
Coy Harville, chairman of the Board of Supervisors, said he believed the board would easily pass the resolution, but asked how the board could get the word out.
“How can we make this thing fruitful?” Harville asked.
County Administrator Dan Sleeper told Harville that Irby was making a recommendation he had suggested.
“If you’ll pass the resolution, I believe we’ll get some information fairly quickly - by the next meeting,” Sleeper told Harville.
Neither Sleeper nor the board offered much more information about the center, including its cost or size.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
CHATHAM - A new trauma center may be coming to northern Pittsylvania County.
The Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday night to approve a resolution approving the placement of a “critical care center” north of Chatham.
Staunton River Supervisor Michael Irby stipulated that the center be north of Chatham so it would serve the northern part of the county.
“Anything south of Chatham is typically served by Danville Regional,” he said.
Coy Harville, chairman of the Board of Supervisors, said he believed the board would easily pass the resolution, but asked how the board could get the word out.
“How can we make this thing fruitful?” Harville asked.
County Administrator Dan Sleeper told Harville that Irby was making a recommendation he had suggested.
“If you’ll pass the resolution, I believe we’ll get some information fairly quickly - by the next meeting,” Sleeper told Harville.
Neither Sleeper nor the board offered much more information about the center, including its cost or size.
"Hospital names new CFO"
Danville Register & Bee
Friday, July 20, 2007
DANVILLE - Danville Regional Medical Center has a new chief financial officer.
Mark T. Anderson has been CFO of the hospital since July 2. For the past five years, he has held that same office at the LifePoint Hospitals Inc.-owned Memorial Hospital of Martinsville and Henry County.
Anderson is a Martinsville city councilman and will resign from that post to relocate to Danville.
He said in a news release that he and his family - wife Lisa and children Jordan, Brian and Melissa - are looking forward to moving to Danville.
“We have a contract on a house here, and we are putting our house on the market in Martinsville,” Anderson said Thursday. “We are planning on having our children attend Danville schools in the fall.”
Anderson said he does not know yet if he will seek political office in Danville.
“I enjoy politics, but my focus will be to work with the physicians, my administrative peers and associates to provide quality health care services in Danville,” Anderson said.
“We look forward to the expertise and nearly 20 years of experience that Mark brings to this position,” Ruth McDaniel, interim CEO for the hospital, said in the release. “He has a proven track record and our associates are already benefiting from his leadership.”
Friday, July 20, 2007
DANVILLE - Danville Regional Medical Center has a new chief financial officer.
Mark T. Anderson has been CFO of the hospital since July 2. For the past five years, he has held that same office at the LifePoint Hospitals Inc.-owned Memorial Hospital of Martinsville and Henry County.
Anderson is a Martinsville city councilman and will resign from that post to relocate to Danville.
He said in a news release that he and his family - wife Lisa and children Jordan, Brian and Melissa - are looking forward to moving to Danville.
“We have a contract on a house here, and we are putting our house on the market in Martinsville,” Anderson said Thursday. “We are planning on having our children attend Danville schools in the fall.”
Anderson said he does not know yet if he will seek political office in Danville.
“I enjoy politics, but my focus will be to work with the physicians, my administrative peers and associates to provide quality health care services in Danville,” Anderson said.
“We look forward to the expertise and nearly 20 years of experience that Mark brings to this position,” Ruth McDaniel, interim CEO for the hospital, said in the release. “He has a proven track record and our associates are already benefiting from his leadership.”
"Hospital passes surprise survey"
Danville Register and Bee
Friday, July 20, 2007
Friday, July 20, 2007
DANVILLE - Danville Regional Medical Center got word Friday that it is in compliance with Medicare participation.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services made the announcement after an unannounced survey conducted for a week during April.
“We’re obviously pleased that in an unannounced survey, every key area of the medical center that was reviewed was demonstrated to be in compliance with Medicare Conditions of Participation,” said Ruth McDaniel, interim CEO of Danville Regional.
A medical facility inspector from the Virginia Department of Health conducted the survey from April 17-25.
The report stated that the hospital “demonstrated compliance” in nursing services, emergency services, physical environment, patient rights, and quality assessment and performance.
“Meeting the high quality standards of the Medicare and Medicaid programs is important to both the community and to Danville Regional,” McDaniel said. “It indicates to participants in those programs that the hospital has met the CMS standards, and it allows the hospital to be reimbursed by Medicare and Medicaid for providing those services.”
Nearly two-thirds of the hospital’s patients get health care from Medicare or Medicaid programs, McDaniel said. “So, I am tremendously proud of our associates for the outcome of this survey,” she said.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services made the announcement after an unannounced survey conducted for a week during April.
“We’re obviously pleased that in an unannounced survey, every key area of the medical center that was reviewed was demonstrated to be in compliance with Medicare Conditions of Participation,” said Ruth McDaniel, interim CEO of Danville Regional.
A medical facility inspector from the Virginia Department of Health conducted the survey from April 17-25.
The report stated that the hospital “demonstrated compliance” in nursing services, emergency services, physical environment, patient rights, and quality assessment and performance.
“Meeting the high quality standards of the Medicare and Medicaid programs is important to both the community and to Danville Regional,” McDaniel said. “It indicates to participants in those programs that the hospital has met the CMS standards, and it allows the hospital to be reimbursed by Medicare and Medicaid for providing those services.”
Nearly two-thirds of the hospital’s patients get health care from Medicare or Medicaid programs, McDaniel said. “So, I am tremendously proud of our associates for the outcome of this survey,” she said.
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Good news alert
Danville Regional labs earn full accreditation
Danville Register & Bee
Friday, July 13, 2007
DANVILLE - All four clinical laboratories of Danville Regional Medical Center have earned full accreditation from the College of American Pathologists.
“This means we meet the standards that have been set by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid,” Dr. Thomas Hardy, medical director of the labs, said Thursday. “We need to be accredited by an agency that has standards equal to or greater than those.”
The labs are inspected every two years by a team of up to 10 people, Hardy said, noting that the labs have always earned the accreditation.
“They come and look at our procedures, quality control and manuals, as well as the instruments, facilities and employee qualifications,” he said. “They have a checklist of thousands of standards.”
The four clinical labs, including the main laboratory, open heart, respiratory therapy and point-of-care labs, conduct approximately 1 million tests per year, according to a hospital news release.
“The fact that we earn accreditation means that we met or exceeded the standards and patients can be confident that their lab results are accurate and dependable,” Hardy said.
All of the laboratory technicians have a degree in clinical lab science and are certified by the American Society of Clinical Pathologists, the news release stated.
“The people we have working in the lab are very dedicated, professional individuals who care deeply about patients and patient care,” Hardy said. “Many of them have been here for a long time and they all take great pride in their work.”
The labs are accredited through peer review by other accredited labs. Technologists from Danville Regional will evaluate other labs to determine their compliance with the College of American Pathologists’ standards.
The College of American Pathologists is a medical society that serves almost 16,000 physician members and laboratories throughout the world.
Danville Register & Bee
Friday, July 13, 2007
DANVILLE - All four clinical laboratories of Danville Regional Medical Center have earned full accreditation from the College of American Pathologists.
“This means we meet the standards that have been set by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid,” Dr. Thomas Hardy, medical director of the labs, said Thursday. “We need to be accredited by an agency that has standards equal to or greater than those.”
The labs are inspected every two years by a team of up to 10 people, Hardy said, noting that the labs have always earned the accreditation.
“They come and look at our procedures, quality control and manuals, as well as the instruments, facilities and employee qualifications,” he said. “They have a checklist of thousands of standards.”
The four clinical labs, including the main laboratory, open heart, respiratory therapy and point-of-care labs, conduct approximately 1 million tests per year, according to a hospital news release.
“The fact that we earn accreditation means that we met or exceeded the standards and patients can be confident that their lab results are accurate and dependable,” Hardy said.
All of the laboratory technicians have a degree in clinical lab science and are certified by the American Society of Clinical Pathologists, the news release stated.
“The people we have working in the lab are very dedicated, professional individuals who care deeply about patients and patient care,” Hardy said. “Many of them have been here for a long time and they all take great pride in their work.”
The labs are accredited through peer review by other accredited labs. Technologists from Danville Regional will evaluate other labs to determine their compliance with the College of American Pathologists’ standards.
The College of American Pathologists is a medical society that serves almost 16,000 physician members and laboratories throughout the world.
"Final Report" from Citizens Commission available online
The Commission's final report is available at the link below:
http://www.danville-va.gov/upload/images/City-TV%2020/Commission%20Report.pdf
Note that this document does not include the approximately 50-page transcript of comments made at a public hearing. That transcript is available, however, in the printed copy of the final report that can be obtained through the city clerk's office.
http://www.danville-va.gov/upload/images/City-TV%2020/Commission%20Report.pdf
Note that this document does not include the approximately 50-page transcript of comments made at a public hearing. That transcript is available, however, in the printed copy of the final report that can be obtained through the city clerk's office.
Citizens Commission report to City Council - July 3
From City Council minutes (http://www.danville-va.gov/upload/contents/385/07-03-07.pdf)
Mayor Williams called for a report from the Citizens Commission and introduced Commission Co-chairman Jim Houser. Mr. Houser recognized and acknowledged the presence of Co-chairman Clarissa Knight and Members Arlene Creasy, Dr. David Caldwell, Rev. Samuel Griffith, and Attorney Bob Whitt. Member Linda Green had a prior commitment and was unable to attend.
Mr. Houser reported as follows:
"This is a brief summary of the findings from the three public forums and the survey forms distributed to the citizens of this community. In an attempt to categorize the findings, a simple form of statistical analysis was used. Initially, the findings were placed into three separate categories: staff members, physicians and patients, along with family members. All findings under the hearing of staff included nurses, individual departmental staff and administration. Findings under patients included all other areas, but excluding physicians. These findings are based on my own interpretation as to what was given at the forums as well as what was written in the surveys and what has been said to me personally by others in the community.
The number of responses received was as follows: 27.7% from staff, 25.5% from physicians, and 46.8% from patients/family members/others.
The following is the top five areas of concern for each individual category and final count for all categories collectively.
Staff:
1. Understaffing of experienced nurses on the floors and other departments
2. Low morale among employees
3. Outdated computers and other equipment in bad condition
4. Intimidation from middle and upper management
5. Two areas tied –- poor patient care and poor management.
Physicians:
1. Understaffing of experienced nurses
2. Poor patient care on floors
3. Problems with administration
4. Low morale among employees
5. Two areas tied -- poor management and outdated computers/equipment.
Patients/Family Members/Other:
1. Poor patient care
2. Understaffing of nurses
3. Long waits and poor care in the emergency room
4. Poor housekeeping
5. Bad staff etiquette.
Combined Stats for all Three Categories:
1. Understaffing of nurses and other personnel
2. Poor patient care on floors
3. Issues with the emergency room, i.e., wait times, poor care
4. Poor morale among employees
5. Problems with administration: lack of trust, intimidation, not listening to physician concerns.
Not all responses were negative. Several comments were made by all three categories concerning good patient care and quality of nurses. Areas noted were the cleanliness of the hospital was getting better, good care in the operating room, one-day surgery, outpatient surgery, the open-heart program and the maternity ward.
continued in comments section...
Mayor Williams called for a report from the Citizens Commission and introduced Commission Co-chairman Jim Houser. Mr. Houser recognized and acknowledged the presence of Co-chairman Clarissa Knight and Members Arlene Creasy, Dr. David Caldwell, Rev. Samuel Griffith, and Attorney Bob Whitt. Member Linda Green had a prior commitment and was unable to attend.
Mr. Houser reported as follows:
"This is a brief summary of the findings from the three public forums and the survey forms distributed to the citizens of this community. In an attempt to categorize the findings, a simple form of statistical analysis was used. Initially, the findings were placed into three separate categories: staff members, physicians and patients, along with family members. All findings under the hearing of staff included nurses, individual departmental staff and administration. Findings under patients included all other areas, but excluding physicians. These findings are based on my own interpretation as to what was given at the forums as well as what was written in the surveys and what has been said to me personally by others in the community.
The number of responses received was as follows: 27.7% from staff, 25.5% from physicians, and 46.8% from patients/family members/others.
The following is the top five areas of concern for each individual category and final count for all categories collectively.
Staff:
1. Understaffing of experienced nurses on the floors and other departments
2. Low morale among employees
3. Outdated computers and other equipment in bad condition
4. Intimidation from middle and upper management
5. Two areas tied –- poor patient care and poor management.
Physicians:
1. Understaffing of experienced nurses
2. Poor patient care on floors
3. Problems with administration
4. Low morale among employees
5. Two areas tied -- poor management and outdated computers/equipment.
Patients/Family Members/Other:
1. Poor patient care
2. Understaffing of nurses
3. Long waits and poor care in the emergency room
4. Poor housekeeping
5. Bad staff etiquette.
Combined Stats for all Three Categories:
1. Understaffing of nurses and other personnel
2. Poor patient care on floors
3. Issues with the emergency room, i.e., wait times, poor care
4. Poor morale among employees
5. Problems with administration: lack of trust, intimidation, not listening to physician concerns.
Not all responses were negative. Several comments were made by all three categories concerning good patient care and quality of nurses. Areas noted were the cleanliness of the hospital was getting better, good care in the operating room, one-day surgery, outpatient surgery, the open-heart program and the maternity ward.
continued in comments section...
Saturday, July 7, 2007
"Get it done"
Danville Register and Bee
Sunday, July 8, 2007
Jess Judy got it wrong Tuesday night when he told Danville City Council, “We look at tonight as a new beginning.”
Every patient receiving treatment at Danville Regional Medical Center represents a new beginning for LifePoint Hospitals Inc., the Tennessee company that bought the hospital two years ago this month.
Danvillians didn’t want their nonprofit hospital sold, but that wasn’t LifePoint’s fault. However, everything that has happened at the hospital since the July 2005 sale has been LifePoint’s responsibility - including the preliminary denial of accreditation that now hangs over Danville Regional.
Some positive things have happened over the past two years, such as building out the top two floors in the Landon Wyatt tower and buying new diagnostic imaging equipment. But those projects were part of the original sale agreement.
Judy, a Clarksville native and LifePoint’s Gateway Division president, knows the history. He’s heard the complaints and he probably knows what the controversies - there have been more than one - have done to the hospital’s bottom line.
But if he knows all of that, he also has to know that the people of this community have heard promises before. Judy himself was quoted on the pages of this newspaper in March 2006, after LifePoint’s first local CEO left, as saying: “The future of this hospital and our ability to provide quality care kind of rests with our physicians and our associates and us working collectively with them to make sure that they have the resources and the tools and the technology to do that.”
Judy was at the Danville City Council meeting this week to hear the final recommendations of the Citizen’s Commission, the group formed by Danville Mayor Wayne Williams to investigate problems at Danville Regional.
Jim Houser, co-chairman of the Citizen’s Commission, said Danville Regional must earn full accreditation from the Joint Commission, add more people, work with its current employees, enforce its quality service standards and review its current management practices and culture.
“These are the most important problems that need the quickest attention,” Houser said. “If these problems are solved, others will be also.”
Will they?
One of LifePoint’s biggest problems - besides the preliminary denial of accreditation - is that its customers have other choices. It’s not a case of the sharks circling, it’s a case of the free market kicking in and people taking their health care dollars elsewhere.
“Over the last year-plus, Annie Penn and Moses Cone have received increased interest from physicians, patients and employees from the Danville area,” said Susan Fitzgibbons, president of Annie Penn Hospital in Reidsville, N.C. “Our goal is not to be predatory, but to increase the awareness in the Danville area that there is an excellent facility 25 minutes down the road.”
That’s what some letter writers have said on these pages - Danvillians have the choice of other hospitals in the region if they’re not happy with Danville Regional.
For the Dan River Region, though, the best outcome would be for Danville Regional to fix its problems and regain the public’s trust and confidence. For a lot of reasons, Danvillians need a high quality local hospital they and their families can rely on.
Keeping the hospital fully accredited - and keeping the promises that have been made over the past two years - represents LifePoint Hospitals’ best and possibly last chance here.
Sunday, July 8, 2007
Jess Judy got it wrong Tuesday night when he told Danville City Council, “We look at tonight as a new beginning.”
Every patient receiving treatment at Danville Regional Medical Center represents a new beginning for LifePoint Hospitals Inc., the Tennessee company that bought the hospital two years ago this month.
Danvillians didn’t want their nonprofit hospital sold, but that wasn’t LifePoint’s fault. However, everything that has happened at the hospital since the July 2005 sale has been LifePoint’s responsibility - including the preliminary denial of accreditation that now hangs over Danville Regional.
Some positive things have happened over the past two years, such as building out the top two floors in the Landon Wyatt tower and buying new diagnostic imaging equipment. But those projects were part of the original sale agreement.
Judy, a Clarksville native and LifePoint’s Gateway Division president, knows the history. He’s heard the complaints and he probably knows what the controversies - there have been more than one - have done to the hospital’s bottom line.
But if he knows all of that, he also has to know that the people of this community have heard promises before. Judy himself was quoted on the pages of this newspaper in March 2006, after LifePoint’s first local CEO left, as saying: “The future of this hospital and our ability to provide quality care kind of rests with our physicians and our associates and us working collectively with them to make sure that they have the resources and the tools and the technology to do that.”
Judy was at the Danville City Council meeting this week to hear the final recommendations of the Citizen’s Commission, the group formed by Danville Mayor Wayne Williams to investigate problems at Danville Regional.
Jim Houser, co-chairman of the Citizen’s Commission, said Danville Regional must earn full accreditation from the Joint Commission, add more people, work with its current employees, enforce its quality service standards and review its current management practices and culture.
“These are the most important problems that need the quickest attention,” Houser said. “If these problems are solved, others will be also.”
Will they?
One of LifePoint’s biggest problems - besides the preliminary denial of accreditation - is that its customers have other choices. It’s not a case of the sharks circling, it’s a case of the free market kicking in and people taking their health care dollars elsewhere.
“Over the last year-plus, Annie Penn and Moses Cone have received increased interest from physicians, patients and employees from the Danville area,” said Susan Fitzgibbons, president of Annie Penn Hospital in Reidsville, N.C. “Our goal is not to be predatory, but to increase the awareness in the Danville area that there is an excellent facility 25 minutes down the road.”
That’s what some letter writers have said on these pages - Danvillians have the choice of other hospitals in the region if they’re not happy with Danville Regional.
For the Dan River Region, though, the best outcome would be for Danville Regional to fix its problems and regain the public’s trust and confidence. For a lot of reasons, Danvillians need a high quality local hospital they and their families can rely on.
Keeping the hospital fully accredited - and keeping the promises that have been made over the past two years - represents LifePoint Hospitals’ best and possibly last chance here.
Friday, July 6, 2007
And in a related story...
McKenna finalist under new scrutiny
The Herald-Zeitung (New Braunfels, Texas)
Published July 6, 2007
At least one of the three finalists in the race to purchase McKenna Memorial Hospital in New Braunfels is having to answer tough questions about how it is running a recently-acquired community hospital in Virginia.
Tennessee-based LifePoint Hospitals bought Danville Regional Medical Center, in Danville, Va., two years ago. However, only last month the chief executive officer running the healthcare facility resigned. Art Doloresco was the third CEO of the LifePoint-run hospital since July 2005.
DRMC is licensed for 350 beds, has a 24-hour emergency department and employs a medical staff of about 140, according to the LifePoint Web site. Danville, in south central Virginia has a population of about 48,000, which is similar to the estimated 50,000 in Comal County.
In February, DRMC also received a preliminary denial of accreditation status from The Joint Commission, which is a nonprofit agency that has accredited hospitals nationwide for more than 50 years.
A preliminary denial of accreditation results when there is justification to deny accreditation to the organization. Usually, this is shown by a count of the number of non-compliant standards at the time of survey, according to Elizabeth Zhani, spokewoman for The Joint Commission.
Danville Regional Medical Center failed three points on its home care section, and 21 points on its hospital accreditation checklist, according to public records.
“The decision is subject to appeal prior to the determination to deny accreditation, and I’m not aware that any appeal has been made,” Zhani said Thursday. “However, I don’t see why they wouldn’t, but the process can take several months before being heard by a special board.”
The level of concern in Danville apparently had grown so much that about four months ago, Mayor Wayne Williams — who also is a practicing surgeon — decided to form a special “Citizens Commission.”
He formed the commission to “seek information from members of the community ... to discuss what is both good and bad about the care and services offered at DRMC,” according to information from the Danville city Web site.
The seven-person commission also was “charged with developing a list of key problems from public input, provide progress reports to Danville City Council and work with LifePoint and an outside expert to determine solutions to these concerns.”
On Tuesday, the commission presented its findings to the city council. Afterward, a LifePoint executive told council members the healthcare corporation was committed to fixing the problem at DRMC, according to information from the Danville Register & Bee, the city’s daily newspaper.
In May, officials at the 132-bed McKenna Memorial Hospital announced that LifePoint Hospitals, Christus Health and The Methodist Health Care System of San Antonio had been selected for “extended due diligence with the purpose of selecting one finalist to enter into a formal letter of intent to purchase McKenna Memorial Hospital.”
When asked about the situation in Danville — and its possible bearing on LifePoint’s bid — McKenna’s chief development officer said she was unaware of the case.
“But part of the due diligence process would include looking into something like this,” Jennifer Malatek said Thursday. “And all aspects of each applicant will be looked at. We want to make sure we have the most correct and accurate information.”
Calls to LifePoint were not immediately returned Thursday afternoon.
http://herald-zeitung.com/story.lasso?ewcd=0c1f96a4b9f3565d
The Herald-Zeitung (New Braunfels, Texas)
Published July 6, 2007
At least one of the three finalists in the race to purchase McKenna Memorial Hospital in New Braunfels is having to answer tough questions about how it is running a recently-acquired community hospital in Virginia.
Tennessee-based LifePoint Hospitals bought Danville Regional Medical Center, in Danville, Va., two years ago. However, only last month the chief executive officer running the healthcare facility resigned. Art Doloresco was the third CEO of the LifePoint-run hospital since July 2005.
DRMC is licensed for 350 beds, has a 24-hour emergency department and employs a medical staff of about 140, according to the LifePoint Web site. Danville, in south central Virginia has a population of about 48,000, which is similar to the estimated 50,000 in Comal County.
In February, DRMC also received a preliminary denial of accreditation status from The Joint Commission, which is a nonprofit agency that has accredited hospitals nationwide for more than 50 years.
A preliminary denial of accreditation results when there is justification to deny accreditation to the organization. Usually, this is shown by a count of the number of non-compliant standards at the time of survey, according to Elizabeth Zhani, spokewoman for The Joint Commission.
Danville Regional Medical Center failed three points on its home care section, and 21 points on its hospital accreditation checklist, according to public records.
“The decision is subject to appeal prior to the determination to deny accreditation, and I’m not aware that any appeal has been made,” Zhani said Thursday. “However, I don’t see why they wouldn’t, but the process can take several months before being heard by a special board.”
The level of concern in Danville apparently had grown so much that about four months ago, Mayor Wayne Williams — who also is a practicing surgeon — decided to form a special “Citizens Commission.”
He formed the commission to “seek information from members of the community ... to discuss what is both good and bad about the care and services offered at DRMC,” according to information from the Danville city Web site.
The seven-person commission also was “charged with developing a list of key problems from public input, provide progress reports to Danville City Council and work with LifePoint and an outside expert to determine solutions to these concerns.”
On Tuesday, the commission presented its findings to the city council. Afterward, a LifePoint executive told council members the healthcare corporation was committed to fixing the problem at DRMC, according to information from the Danville Register & Bee, the city’s daily newspaper.
In May, officials at the 132-bed McKenna Memorial Hospital announced that LifePoint Hospitals, Christus Health and The Methodist Health Care System of San Antonio had been selected for “extended due diligence with the purpose of selecting one finalist to enter into a formal letter of intent to purchase McKenna Memorial Hospital.”
When asked about the situation in Danville — and its possible bearing on LifePoint’s bid — McKenna’s chief development officer said she was unaware of the case.
“But part of the due diligence process would include looking into something like this,” Jennifer Malatek said Thursday. “And all aspects of each applicant will be looked at. We want to make sure we have the most correct and accurate information.”
Calls to LifePoint were not immediately returned Thursday afternoon.
http://herald-zeitung.com/story.lasso?ewcd=0c1f96a4b9f3565d
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
"LifePoint says it will fix problems"
Danville Register & Bee
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
DANVILLE - LifePoint Hospitals Inc. is committed to fixing the problems at Danville Regional Medical Center, a company executive told Danville City Council on Tuesday.“We look at tonight as a newbeginning,” said LifePoint’s Gateway Division President Jess Judy, who claimed his company and the community had a “mutual objective” in restoring the community’s trust concerning Danville Regional and its quality of care.
Judy’s promise came just minutes after Jim Houser, co-chairman of the Citizen’s Commission Related to the Danville Regional Medical Center, presented council with a report detailing the group’s findings. Houser said the hospital’s most pressing issues are its need to regain full accreditation status from the Joint Commission, improve its staffing levels, enhance its collaboration with staff, enforce its quality service standards, and review its management practices and culture.
“These are the most important problems that need the quickest attention,” Houser said, adding these problems had to be addressed within the next 90 days. “If these problems are solved, others will be also.”
Houser and the commission have spent the past four months gathering feedback concerning Danville Regional’s operations and quality of care by passing out surveys and holding three public hearings.
Houser suggested the city form a full-time hospital panel devoted to fixing problems at Danville Regional that would be comprised of LifePoint executives, civic leaders and other members of the community. Judy said he was willing to work with the panel and offered to represent LifePoint among the group. Judy also said his company was in the process of finding a new CEO for Danville Regional who was committed to working with the community.
Art Doloresco resigned in June as the third chief executive to work at Danville Regional since LifePoint Hospitals purchased the hospital in July 2005.
“Trust is done by delivering on the commitments that we make,” Judy said, adding the new CEO would be required to move his or her family to the area and establish residency as soon as possible.
Mayor Wayne Williams and other members of council thanked the hospital commission for its work identifying the problems at LifePoint and seemed excited about Judy’s willingness to take part in the process.
“We want a better hospital,” Williams said, adding he would start working with elected officials in Pittsylvania County and Caswell County, N.C., to form the panel. “LifePoint wants a better hospital.”
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
DANVILLE - LifePoint Hospitals Inc. is committed to fixing the problems at Danville Regional Medical Center, a company executive told Danville City Council on Tuesday.“We look at tonight as a newbeginning,” said LifePoint’s Gateway Division President Jess Judy, who claimed his company and the community had a “mutual objective” in restoring the community’s trust concerning Danville Regional and its quality of care.
Judy’s promise came just minutes after Jim Houser, co-chairman of the Citizen’s Commission Related to the Danville Regional Medical Center, presented council with a report detailing the group’s findings. Houser said the hospital’s most pressing issues are its need to regain full accreditation status from the Joint Commission, improve its staffing levels, enhance its collaboration with staff, enforce its quality service standards, and review its management practices and culture.
“These are the most important problems that need the quickest attention,” Houser said, adding these problems had to be addressed within the next 90 days. “If these problems are solved, others will be also.”
Houser and the commission have spent the past four months gathering feedback concerning Danville Regional’s operations and quality of care by passing out surveys and holding three public hearings.
Houser suggested the city form a full-time hospital panel devoted to fixing problems at Danville Regional that would be comprised of LifePoint executives, civic leaders and other members of the community. Judy said he was willing to work with the panel and offered to represent LifePoint among the group. Judy also said his company was in the process of finding a new CEO for Danville Regional who was committed to working with the community.
Art Doloresco resigned in June as the third chief executive to work at Danville Regional since LifePoint Hospitals purchased the hospital in July 2005.
“Trust is done by delivering on the commitments that we make,” Judy said, adding the new CEO would be required to move his or her family to the area and establish residency as soon as possible.
Mayor Wayne Williams and other members of council thanked the hospital commission for its work identifying the problems at LifePoint and seemed excited about Judy’s willingness to take part in the process.
“We want a better hospital,” Williams said, adding he would start working with elected officials in Pittsylvania County and Caswell County, N.C., to form the panel. “LifePoint wants a better hospital.”
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
"Citizens group to present recommendations on hospital"
Chatham Star-Tribune
Tuesday, July 3, 2007 9:52 AM EDT
A citizens commission looking into concerns about Danville Regional Medical Center will issue a handful of recommendations this week, including that the hospital get its accreditation issue worked out as quickly as possible, the group's co-chair said."
Everybody is real concerned we get the accreditation through The Joint Commission," Jim Houser said Friday. "That's a biggie."
Danville Regional, bought by Tennessee-based LifePoint Hospitals Inc. in 2005, has a preliminary denial of accreditation status from The Joint Commission, the largest non-profit health care accrediting group responsible for evaluating the quality of care at hospitals in the United States. That status was first announced in March.
The citizens group, appointed this spring by Danville Mayor Wayne Williams, will make its final report of five or six recommendations to City Council Tuesday night, starting at 7.
Besides the recommendation on accreditation, Houser said another one will call for a panel of people from the region be developed to work with LifePoint. That recommendation seems to follow a suggestion from consultant Keith Pryor, who said leadership involving physicians, the community and LifePoint, was needed.
Pryor wrote in his June report that it was time for leadership in the community and hospital corporation "to move forward. In fact, there is no other way."Williams said he expects council to talk about how to form the regional group.
He said LifePoint representatives are supposed to be at the council meeting. He hopes they will respond about what action the company will take related to the recommendations. Houser said staff needs, better wait times in the emergency room, better care on the floors and staff morale emerged as key areas from community forums and written surveys.
The commission held three forums, including one at Chatham High School. At that meeting, speakers told the commission about a lack of care, slow response, dirty conditions, old equipment and staff shortages.
Pryor, in his report, sounded a positive note. He said it seems the community and LifePoint both want a high-quality, successful hospital. He said trust between the community and hospital needs repairing. He suggested ongoing dialogue and leadership were needed to rebuild the trust.
Tuesday, July 3, 2007 9:52 AM EDT
A citizens commission looking into concerns about Danville Regional Medical Center will issue a handful of recommendations this week, including that the hospital get its accreditation issue worked out as quickly as possible, the group's co-chair said."
Everybody is real concerned we get the accreditation through The Joint Commission," Jim Houser said Friday. "That's a biggie."
Danville Regional, bought by Tennessee-based LifePoint Hospitals Inc. in 2005, has a preliminary denial of accreditation status from The Joint Commission, the largest non-profit health care accrediting group responsible for evaluating the quality of care at hospitals in the United States. That status was first announced in March.
The citizens group, appointed this spring by Danville Mayor Wayne Williams, will make its final report of five or six recommendations to City Council Tuesday night, starting at 7.
Besides the recommendation on accreditation, Houser said another one will call for a panel of people from the region be developed to work with LifePoint. That recommendation seems to follow a suggestion from consultant Keith Pryor, who said leadership involving physicians, the community and LifePoint, was needed.
Pryor wrote in his June report that it was time for leadership in the community and hospital corporation "to move forward. In fact, there is no other way."Williams said he expects council to talk about how to form the regional group.
He said LifePoint representatives are supposed to be at the council meeting. He hopes they will respond about what action the company will take related to the recommendations. Houser said staff needs, better wait times in the emergency room, better care on the floors and staff morale emerged as key areas from community forums and written surveys.
The commission held three forums, including one at Chatham High School. At that meeting, speakers told the commission about a lack of care, slow response, dirty conditions, old equipment and staff shortages.
Pryor, in his report, sounded a positive note. He said it seems the community and LifePoint both want a high-quality, successful hospital. He said trust between the community and hospital needs repairing. He suggested ongoing dialogue and leadership were needed to rebuild the trust.
Monday, July 2, 2007
A little speculation about Doloresco's replacement...
I've been following the news of LPNT's sale of Coastal Carolina Medical Center to Tenet. The sale closed on Sunday, July 1.
http://www.islandpacket.com/news/local/story/6570164p-5848559c.html
The highlights of the sale are that Tenet is CCMC's third owner since 2004 (Province > LPNT > Tenet) and the facility is expecting $7 million in pre-tax losses.
One quote in the article caught my eye....
"Newcomer Teresa Urquhart will serve as interim CEO at Coastal Carolina until a full-time replacement is found. Urquhart is the chief operating officer of a 351-bed Tenet-owned hospital in El Paso, Texas. She will replace Eric Deaton, who will leave to work at another LifePoint medical center in Virginia. It's unclear what his new role will be or the name of the hospital where he'll work."
Think Mr. Deaton is headed to southside Virginia?
http://www.islandpacket.com/news/local/story/6570164p-5848559c.html
The highlights of the sale are that Tenet is CCMC's third owner since 2004 (Province > LPNT > Tenet) and the facility is expecting $7 million in pre-tax losses.
One quote in the article caught my eye....
"Newcomer Teresa Urquhart will serve as interim CEO at Coastal Carolina until a full-time replacement is found. Urquhart is the chief operating officer of a 351-bed Tenet-owned hospital in El Paso, Texas. She will replace Eric Deaton, who will leave to work at another LifePoint medical center in Virginia. It's unclear what his new role will be or the name of the hospital where he'll work."
Think Mr. Deaton is headed to southside Virginia?
"City Council to discuss commission's report"
Danville Register and Bee
Monday, July 2, 2007
DANVILLE – Danville City Council will discuss the hospital commission report at its Tuesday night meeting.
The Citizen’s Commission Related to the Danville Regional Medical Center was tasked by Mayor Wayne Williams to look into the issues and complaints about the hospital since its purchase by LifePoint two years ago.
The report Tuesday night will include comments from consultant Keith Pryor, a budget detailing where the commission’s money went and data collected from the commission’s surveys and public hearings.
Monday, July 2, 2007
DANVILLE – Danville City Council will discuss the hospital commission report at its Tuesday night meeting.
The Citizen’s Commission Related to the Danville Regional Medical Center was tasked by Mayor Wayne Williams to look into the issues and complaints about the hospital since its purchase by LifePoint two years ago.
The report Tuesday night will include comments from consultant Keith Pryor, a budget detailing where the commission’s money went and data collected from the commission’s surveys and public hearings.
"Annie Penn looks across state line"
Reidsville Review
Sunday, July 1, 2007
Local hospitals are increasing their presence in Danville as they compete for new patients across the state line.
Greensboro-based Moses Cone Health System is promoting its Reidsville property, Annie Penn Hospital, to Danville area residents in an effort to lure patients who might normally choose Danville Regional Medical Center.
Moses Cone began an advertising campaign earlier this year promoting Annie Penn's services and the short drive to Reidsville. The campaign has so far consisted of newspaper ads and postcards to 5,000 people.
"At this point our goal is to increase awareness in that area about the services at Annie Penn," Annie Penn President Susan Fitzgibbon said Friday. Doctors reported seeing an increase in patients from the Danville and Pittsylvania County areas, Fitzgibbon said. "Over the last year there seems to be a fair amount of interest in the community about the hospital there."
Danville Regional Medical Center has been in flux over the past three years. The hospital changed from public to private ownership two years ago when it was bought by LifePoint Inc.
Hospital leadership has also had some instability with the loss of the third hospital president in the past two years. The most recent president, Art Doloresco, announced his resignation last week after serving in the job for 11 months.
During his brief tenure, the Danville City Council addressed complaints from the community about emergency-room wait times.
Fitzgibbon said Moses Cone is aware of some of the concerns about the Danville hospital but, she said, Annie Penn is not trying to prey on those.
"We've tried not to be aggressive, but that community needs a hospital," she said.
Eden's Morehead Memorial Hospital is also pursuing patients from the Danville area.
"We have been doing some marketing," Morehead Memorial spokesman Kerry Faunce said. "We've been marketing specific services in that area from time to time."
Morehead Memorial is about 40 minutes south of Danville. Faunce said residents of the rural area between the two towns have long opted for care at Morehead.
"Traditionally, hospitals have marketed to areas, specifically rural areas, where there isn't a large hospital presence," he said. "This is not something that's new, it's something all hospitals do."
Morehead Memorial also targets areas of Stokes, Caswell and Henry counties.
Regardless of marketing, Fitzgibbon said, it's important that people understand they have options regarding their medical needs.
Officials for Danville Regional Medical Center did not return phone calls Friday.
Sunday, July 1, 2007
Local hospitals are increasing their presence in Danville as they compete for new patients across the state line.
Greensboro-based Moses Cone Health System is promoting its Reidsville property, Annie Penn Hospital, to Danville area residents in an effort to lure patients who might normally choose Danville Regional Medical Center.
Moses Cone began an advertising campaign earlier this year promoting Annie Penn's services and the short drive to Reidsville. The campaign has so far consisted of newspaper ads and postcards to 5,000 people.
"At this point our goal is to increase awareness in that area about the services at Annie Penn," Annie Penn President Susan Fitzgibbon said Friday. Doctors reported seeing an increase in patients from the Danville and Pittsylvania County areas, Fitzgibbon said. "Over the last year there seems to be a fair amount of interest in the community about the hospital there."
Danville Regional Medical Center has been in flux over the past three years. The hospital changed from public to private ownership two years ago when it was bought by LifePoint Inc.
Hospital leadership has also had some instability with the loss of the third hospital president in the past two years. The most recent president, Art Doloresco, announced his resignation last week after serving in the job for 11 months.
During his brief tenure, the Danville City Council addressed complaints from the community about emergency-room wait times.
Fitzgibbon said Moses Cone is aware of some of the concerns about the Danville hospital but, she said, Annie Penn is not trying to prey on those.
"We've tried not to be aggressive, but that community needs a hospital," she said.
Eden's Morehead Memorial Hospital is also pursuing patients from the Danville area.
"We have been doing some marketing," Morehead Memorial spokesman Kerry Faunce said. "We've been marketing specific services in that area from time to time."
Morehead Memorial is about 40 minutes south of Danville. Faunce said residents of the rural area between the two towns have long opted for care at Morehead.
"Traditionally, hospitals have marketed to areas, specifically rural areas, where there isn't a large hospital presence," he said. "This is not something that's new, it's something all hospitals do."
Morehead Memorial also targets areas of Stokes, Caswell and Henry counties.
Regardless of marketing, Fitzgibbon said, it's important that people understand they have options regarding their medical needs.
Officials for Danville Regional Medical Center did not return phone calls Friday.
Saturday, June 30, 2007
"Reidsville a cure for Danville patients?"
Danville Register & Bee
Saturday, June 30, 2007
DANVILLE - Annie Penn Hospital in Reidsville, N.C., is pulling out all the stops to convince Danville patients to travel down the road “just a few miles” for their health care.
Once an infrequent advertiser with the Danville Register & Bee, the hospital began an advertising campaign near the first of June with the intent to advertise two or three times a month.
Now area residents also are receiving oversized postcards informing people that the hospital is “ready to serve the people of Danville and Caswell County.”
Annie Penn is part of the Moses Cone Health System in Greensboro, N.C., whose marketing department is handling the campaign.
“Over the last year-plus, Annie Penn and Moses Cone have received increased interest from physicians, patients and employees from the Danville area,” Susan Fitzgibbons, president of the hospital, said Friday.
The advertising campaign kicks off amidst community concerns and an ongoing Citizen’s Commission investigation related to the quality of care at Danville Regional Medical Center.
“Our goal is not to be predatory, but to increase the awareness in the Danville area that there is an excellent facility 25 minutes down the road,” Fitzgibbons said.
She said the postcards were sent out to 5,000 people in the area.
“The postcards are the first mailing,” she said, “and ads have started recently.”
Fitzgibbons said Annie Penn has been aware of the changes that Danville Regional has been going through since its purchase by LifePoint Hospitals Inc. two years ago.
Danville Regional CEO Art Doloresco resigned last week after less than a year on the job. He was the third chief executive to lead Danville Regional since LifePoint purchased the hospital in July 2005.
There also appears to be several former employees of Danville Regional moving on to other area hospitals.
Fitzgibbons attends the new employee orientations at her hospital every two weeks and said she always asks new employees where they are from. Lately, there have been a lot from Danville.
“We have seen an upward trend in both Greensboro and Reidsville in employees from Danville,” she said. “We have advertised in Danville, but we do advertising everywhere.”
Even though the situation at Danville Regional has helped with what staffing problems Annie Penn had, Fitzgibbons said they were in excellent shape two years ago.
“We have a few vacancies,” she said, “and, of course, every hospital has a turnover.”
Sharon Troxler, director of marketing and volunteer services at Annie Penn, said Thursday that hospital officials “just want folks in Danville to know about our services.”
“We wish Danville Regional the best, and we hope they get back on their feet,” she said. “Every community needs it owns hospital, but we want the citizens of Danville to realize we would welcome them as patients.”
Saturday, June 30, 2007
DANVILLE - Annie Penn Hospital in Reidsville, N.C., is pulling out all the stops to convince Danville patients to travel down the road “just a few miles” for their health care.
Once an infrequent advertiser with the Danville Register & Bee, the hospital began an advertising campaign near the first of June with the intent to advertise two or three times a month.
Now area residents also are receiving oversized postcards informing people that the hospital is “ready to serve the people of Danville and Caswell County.”
Annie Penn is part of the Moses Cone Health System in Greensboro, N.C., whose marketing department is handling the campaign.
“Over the last year-plus, Annie Penn and Moses Cone have received increased interest from physicians, patients and employees from the Danville area,” Susan Fitzgibbons, president of the hospital, said Friday.
The advertising campaign kicks off amidst community concerns and an ongoing Citizen’s Commission investigation related to the quality of care at Danville Regional Medical Center.
“Our goal is not to be predatory, but to increase the awareness in the Danville area that there is an excellent facility 25 minutes down the road,” Fitzgibbons said.
She said the postcards were sent out to 5,000 people in the area.
“The postcards are the first mailing,” she said, “and ads have started recently.”
Fitzgibbons said Annie Penn has been aware of the changes that Danville Regional has been going through since its purchase by LifePoint Hospitals Inc. two years ago.
Danville Regional CEO Art Doloresco resigned last week after less than a year on the job. He was the third chief executive to lead Danville Regional since LifePoint purchased the hospital in July 2005.
There also appears to be several former employees of Danville Regional moving on to other area hospitals.
Fitzgibbons attends the new employee orientations at her hospital every two weeks and said she always asks new employees where they are from. Lately, there have been a lot from Danville.
“We have seen an upward trend in both Greensboro and Reidsville in employees from Danville,” she said. “We have advertised in Danville, but we do advertising everywhere.”
Even though the situation at Danville Regional has helped with what staffing problems Annie Penn had, Fitzgibbons said they were in excellent shape two years ago.
“We have a few vacancies,” she said, “and, of course, every hospital has a turnover.”
Sharon Troxler, director of marketing and volunteer services at Annie Penn, said Thursday that hospital officials “just want folks in Danville to know about our services.”
“We wish Danville Regional the best, and we hope they get back on their feet,” she said. “Every community needs it owns hospital, but we want the citizens of Danville to realize we would welcome them as patients.”
Friday, June 29, 2007
Competition is good
Stay tuned...
"Annie Penn Who?"
Danville Register and Bee
Friday, June 29, 2007
DANVILLE -- A marketing campaign at Annie Penn Hospital in Reidsville is targeting Danville patients dissatisfied with Danville Regional Medical Center.
Read what the president of Annie Penn had to say about it in Saturday's Register & Bee.
"Annie Penn Who?"
Danville Register and Bee
Friday, June 29, 2007
DANVILLE -- A marketing campaign at Annie Penn Hospital in Reidsville is targeting Danville patients dissatisfied with Danville Regional Medical Center.
Read what the president of Annie Penn had to say about it in Saturday's Register & Bee.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
More LPNT news
"Coastal Carolina losses could top $7M"
(Note: CCMC is a LPNT facility)
islandpacket.com June 27, 2007
Coastal Carolina Medical Center is projected to lose more than $7 million over the two-year period from the beginning of 2007 to the end of 2008, a far bleaker financial outlook than previously disclosed.
Despite the Hardeeville hospital's financial situation, Tenet Healthcare Corp. moved a step closer Friday to acquiring the 41-bed facility, according to state documents released Tuesday.
The deal would consolidate all major health care facilities in southern Beaufort and Jasper counties.
All that stands in the way of the transaction that would unite the 93-bed Hilton Head Regional Medical Center and Coastal Carolina Medical Center is state approval and other minor conditions, several sources confirmed this week.
"The transaction will close once the parties obtain the necessary regulatory approvals and certain other conditions to closing as set forth in the Purchase Agreement," according the document, which was submitted to the state Bureau of Health Facilities & Service Department on Friday.
The documents, filed with the state by Tenet, showed that Coastal Carolina is projected to lose about $5.2 million pre-tax in 2007. Those numbers are forecast to improve in 2008, but the hospital still is projected to lose $2.4 million before taxes.
Internal documents obtained in March indicated the hospital was profitable last year, with a pre-tax operating surplus of about $2 million, but those documents didn't include depreciation, interest expense and other capital expenses.
If acquired by Tenet, the hospital is projected to have gross revenues in 2007 of $72.5 million and in 2008 of $82.4 million.
Teresa Wolke, a Tenet spokeswoman, declined Tuesday to comment on specifics of the deal.
"We're not going to talk about internal discussions at this point," she said.
Officials from Coastal Carolina and its Brentwood, Tenn.-based parent company Lifepoint Hospitals, declined to comment Monday and Tuesday.
Eric Deaton, Coastal Carolina's CEO, did not return several calls to his office and cell phone this week.
Penny Brake, vice president of finance for Lifepoint, is handling all media inquiries regarding the deal. She did not return several messages left with her office Monday and Tuesday.
For the purchase to move forward, it must receive approval from the state. In its filing Friday, Tenet asked the state to waive traditional certification requirements, a request that if granted would expedite the transaction, said Joel C. Grice, director of the Bureau of Health Facilities. He said last week that approval could come in a matter of weeks.
The terms of the acquisition remain uncertain, but the transaction will be made in a stock purchase agreement.
Much larger hospitals that Dallas-based Tenet has sold in the last two years fetched anywhere from $16.5 million for a 190-bed hospital in Pennsylvania to $90 million for a 303-bed hospital in Florida, according to the company's filings with the federal Securities and Exchange Commission.
(Note: CCMC is a LPNT facility)
islandpacket.com June 27, 2007
Coastal Carolina Medical Center is projected to lose more than $7 million over the two-year period from the beginning of 2007 to the end of 2008, a far bleaker financial outlook than previously disclosed.
Despite the Hardeeville hospital's financial situation, Tenet Healthcare Corp. moved a step closer Friday to acquiring the 41-bed facility, according to state documents released Tuesday.
The deal would consolidate all major health care facilities in southern Beaufort and Jasper counties.
All that stands in the way of the transaction that would unite the 93-bed Hilton Head Regional Medical Center and Coastal Carolina Medical Center is state approval and other minor conditions, several sources confirmed this week.
"The transaction will close once the parties obtain the necessary regulatory approvals and certain other conditions to closing as set forth in the Purchase Agreement," according the document, which was submitted to the state Bureau of Health Facilities & Service Department on Friday.
The documents, filed with the state by Tenet, showed that Coastal Carolina is projected to lose about $5.2 million pre-tax in 2007. Those numbers are forecast to improve in 2008, but the hospital still is projected to lose $2.4 million before taxes.
Internal documents obtained in March indicated the hospital was profitable last year, with a pre-tax operating surplus of about $2 million, but those documents didn't include depreciation, interest expense and other capital expenses.
If acquired by Tenet, the hospital is projected to have gross revenues in 2007 of $72.5 million and in 2008 of $82.4 million.
Teresa Wolke, a Tenet spokeswoman, declined Tuesday to comment on specifics of the deal.
"We're not going to talk about internal discussions at this point," she said.
Officials from Coastal Carolina and its Brentwood, Tenn.-based parent company Lifepoint Hospitals, declined to comment Monday and Tuesday.
Eric Deaton, Coastal Carolina's CEO, did not return several calls to his office and cell phone this week.
Penny Brake, vice president of finance for Lifepoint, is handling all media inquiries regarding the deal. She did not return several messages left with her office Monday and Tuesday.
For the purchase to move forward, it must receive approval from the state. In its filing Friday, Tenet asked the state to waive traditional certification requirements, a request that if granted would expedite the transaction, said Joel C. Grice, director of the Bureau of Health Facilities. He said last week that approval could come in a matter of weeks.
The terms of the acquisition remain uncertain, but the transaction will be made in a stock purchase agreement.
Much larger hospitals that Dallas-based Tenet has sold in the last two years fetched anywhere from $16.5 million for a 190-bed hospital in Pennsylvania to $90 million for a 303-bed hospital in Florida, according to the company's filings with the federal Securities and Exchange Commission.
So...how many hours are you going to lose?
Did all of you DRMC employees receive your letter about the change to the PTO policy?
How did it make you feel? How many hours are you going to lose on Sunday?
Reduction in max hours....PTO cash-in at 75 cents on the dollar....
Nice...
How did it make you feel? How many hours are you going to lose on Sunday?
Reduction in max hours....PTO cash-in at 75 cents on the dollar....
Nice...
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Final Citizens Commission report to be delivered July 3
From City Council minutes (June 19):
"Mayor Williams said the report that had been distributed from the Citizens’ Commission consultant was a work in progress and there would be additional information to follow. He announced there would be a Citizens Commission meeting on Thursday and issues and recommendations would be further addressed at that time.
Dr. Williams advised the final report would be presented to City Council during the July 3 Regular Council Meeting."
(Note that there is no longer a 'comment' feature on the Citizens Commission website. Keep comments flowing to the Commission through the emails on this page:
http://www.danville-va.gov/page.asp?menuid=2816&sub1menuid=2841&sub2menuid=10761)
"Mayor Williams said the report that had been distributed from the Citizens’ Commission consultant was a work in progress and there would be additional information to follow. He announced there would be a Citizens Commission meeting on Thursday and issues and recommendations would be further addressed at that time.
Dr. Williams advised the final report would be presented to City Council during the July 3 Regular Council Meeting."
(Note that there is no longer a 'comment' feature on the Citizens Commission website. Keep comments flowing to the Commission through the emails on this page:
http://www.danville-va.gov/page.asp?menuid=2816&sub1menuid=2841&sub2menuid=10761)
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
News from Nashville.....
Despite profits, Virginia troubles batter LifePoint’s reputation
By Amy Griffith, agriffith@nashvillecitypaper.comJune 26, 2007
Troubles experienced by a Virginia hospital owned by Nashville-based LifePoint Hospitals Inc. have escalated into a public relations nightmare, catching the attention of analysts and raising questions about corporate acquisition of community hospitals.
LifePoint acquired the 350-bed Danville Regional Medical Center in 2005, shortly after LifePoint’s purchase of Providence Healthcare Co. The following two years saw a number of changes at the management level, including last week’s announced departure of the hospital’s fourth CEO since 2005. And in February, DRMC was Virginia’s only hospital to receive a preliminary withdrawal of accreditation status by the Joint Commission.
Though LifePoint’s performance has remained strong, the troubles in Danville have gained the attention of analysts. John Ransom, an analyst with Raymond James & Associates who follows LifePoint, said hospital ownership “could have done better” in terms of handling the hospital’s accreditation, staff turnover and CEO changes. The situation is not, however, a lost cause. Despite relatively high expense levels, especially in terms of man-hours, Ransom said the Danville hospital still has positive EBITDA — earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization — and commands more than 90 percent of the area’s market share. “It’s not critical for them to blow the doors out in Danville to meet the expectations Wall Street has set,” Ransom said. He added that LifePoint’s Danville woes are not unusual in the hospital industry.
“There’s nothing structurally wrong with LifePoint as far as they can run a hospital,” Ransom said. “It’s always touchy when you buy a big, local not-for-profit hospital. Almost everybody has had problems somewhere. It’s a hard business.”
Changes at the hospital have been one of Danville’s biggest local issues in the last two years, according to Arnold Hendrix, editor-in-chief of local newspaper The Danville Register & Bee. Danville has a population of 90,000, and the DRMC is one of the city’s top employers.
“Whatever happens to the hospital is going to have a ripple effect throughout the community,” Hendrix said. “I think everyone here recognizes that a hospital is crucial to a community, whether it be in health care or economic development efforts, just like a school system is critical. We all need LifePoint to succeed here.”
The mayor of Danville formed a citizen’s committee to investigate care at the hospital through public hearings, with the help of an outside consultant. The results of the investigation will be announced at a city council meeting next week. In the meantime, Hendrix said, there is a good deal of public pressure on the hospital’s board of directors to find a way to buy back the hospital.
Ransom said he believes LifePoint can move forward by establishing a CEO, then rebuilding local credibility and hospital structure.
LifePoint owns Tennessee hospitals in Athens, Lawrenceburg, Livingston, Pulaski and Winchester. LifePoint officials did not return repeated calls from The City Paper, and a spokesperson for the DRMC was unavailable for comment.
By Amy Griffith, agriffith@nashvillecitypaper.comJune 26, 2007
Troubles experienced by a Virginia hospital owned by Nashville-based LifePoint Hospitals Inc. have escalated into a public relations nightmare, catching the attention of analysts and raising questions about corporate acquisition of community hospitals.
LifePoint acquired the 350-bed Danville Regional Medical Center in 2005, shortly after LifePoint’s purchase of Providence Healthcare Co. The following two years saw a number of changes at the management level, including last week’s announced departure of the hospital’s fourth CEO since 2005. And in February, DRMC was Virginia’s only hospital to receive a preliminary withdrawal of accreditation status by the Joint Commission.
Though LifePoint’s performance has remained strong, the troubles in Danville have gained the attention of analysts. John Ransom, an analyst with Raymond James & Associates who follows LifePoint, said hospital ownership “could have done better” in terms of handling the hospital’s accreditation, staff turnover and CEO changes. The situation is not, however, a lost cause. Despite relatively high expense levels, especially in terms of man-hours, Ransom said the Danville hospital still has positive EBITDA — earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization — and commands more than 90 percent of the area’s market share. “It’s not critical for them to blow the doors out in Danville to meet the expectations Wall Street has set,” Ransom said. He added that LifePoint’s Danville woes are not unusual in the hospital industry.
“There’s nothing structurally wrong with LifePoint as far as they can run a hospital,” Ransom said. “It’s always touchy when you buy a big, local not-for-profit hospital. Almost everybody has had problems somewhere. It’s a hard business.”
Changes at the hospital have been one of Danville’s biggest local issues in the last two years, according to Arnold Hendrix, editor-in-chief of local newspaper The Danville Register & Bee. Danville has a population of 90,000, and the DRMC is one of the city’s top employers.
“Whatever happens to the hospital is going to have a ripple effect throughout the community,” Hendrix said. “I think everyone here recognizes that a hospital is crucial to a community, whether it be in health care or economic development efforts, just like a school system is critical. We all need LifePoint to succeed here.”
The mayor of Danville formed a citizen’s committee to investigate care at the hospital through public hearings, with the help of an outside consultant. The results of the investigation will be announced at a city council meeting next week. In the meantime, Hendrix said, there is a good deal of public pressure on the hospital’s board of directors to find a way to buy back the hospital.
Ransom said he believes LifePoint can move forward by establishing a CEO, then rebuilding local credibility and hospital structure.
LifePoint owns Tennessee hospitals in Athens, Lawrenceburg, Livingston, Pulaski and Winchester. LifePoint officials did not return repeated calls from The City Paper, and a spokesperson for the DRMC was unavailable for comment.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Another great day at DRMC...
"Police investigating object found at hospital"
Danville Register and Bee
Monday, June 25, 2007
DANVILLE -- The Danville Police are investigating the report of a suspicious metal object at Danville Regional Medical Center. A hospital worker found the object in the basement area...this morning at approximately 10:23 a.m.
Danville Regional Medical Center is making accommodations for seriously ill patients, however they should not say what that is. Danville Police did not get a report of a bomb threat, however
South Main St. is blocked off. ATF and State Police have arrived.
Certain areas of the hospital have been evacuated as a precautionary measure. The Bureau of Alcohol,Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Virginia State Police are assisting with the investigation of the object.
From WAKG:
DANVILLE POLICE SAY A "SUSPICIOUS METAL OBJECT" HAS BEEN FOUND AT DANVILLE REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER. LT-MIKE MONDUL SAYS A HOSPITAL WORKER MADE THE DISCOVERY AT AROUND 10-23 THIS MORNING. THE ITEM WAS FOUND IN THE HOSPITAL'S BASEMENT AREA, IN THE WYATT TOWER. PEOPLE IN CERTAIN PARTS OF THE HOSPITAL WERE EVACUATED, AND NO ONE IS BEING ALLOWED INSIDE. A CROWD OF MORE THAN FIFTY PEOPLE HAD GATHERED OUTSIDE OF THE HOSPITAL'S MAIN ENTRANCE AT LAST CHECK. A-T-F AGENTS AND EXPLOSIVES EXPERTS WITH VIRGINIA STATE POLICE ARE BEING CALLED IN. NO ONE HAS BEEN HURT.
MONDUL SAYS THEY'RE LEAVING IT UP TO THE HOSPITAL TO INFORM PATIENTS FAMILIES OF THE LATEST INFORMATION. ONE SOURCE TELLS THE NEWSROOM THAT SURGERIES NOT ALREADY UNDERWAY HAVE BEEN POSTPONED---EXCEPT IN LIFE-THREATENING CASES. SO FAR, NO CONFIRMATION FROM DANVILLE REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER.
Danville Register and Bee
Monday, June 25, 2007
DANVILLE -- The Danville Police are investigating the report of a suspicious metal object at Danville Regional Medical Center. A hospital worker found the object in the basement area...this morning at approximately 10:23 a.m.
Danville Regional Medical Center is making accommodations for seriously ill patients, however they should not say what that is. Danville Police did not get a report of a bomb threat, however
South Main St. is blocked off. ATF and State Police have arrived.
Certain areas of the hospital have been evacuated as a precautionary measure. The Bureau of Alcohol,Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Virginia State Police are assisting with the investigation of the object.
From WAKG:
DANVILLE POLICE SAY A "SUSPICIOUS METAL OBJECT" HAS BEEN FOUND AT DANVILLE REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER. LT-MIKE MONDUL SAYS A HOSPITAL WORKER MADE THE DISCOVERY AT AROUND 10-23 THIS MORNING. THE ITEM WAS FOUND IN THE HOSPITAL'S BASEMENT AREA, IN THE WYATT TOWER. PEOPLE IN CERTAIN PARTS OF THE HOSPITAL WERE EVACUATED, AND NO ONE IS BEING ALLOWED INSIDE. A CROWD OF MORE THAN FIFTY PEOPLE HAD GATHERED OUTSIDE OF THE HOSPITAL'S MAIN ENTRANCE AT LAST CHECK. A-T-F AGENTS AND EXPLOSIVES EXPERTS WITH VIRGINIA STATE POLICE ARE BEING CALLED IN. NO ONE HAS BEEN HURT.
MONDUL SAYS THEY'RE LEAVING IT UP TO THE HOSPITAL TO INFORM PATIENTS FAMILIES OF THE LATEST INFORMATION. ONE SOURCE TELLS THE NEWSROOM THAT SURGERIES NOT ALREADY UNDERWAY HAVE BEEN POSTPONED---EXCEPT IN LIFE-THREATENING CASES. SO FAR, NO CONFIRMATION FROM DANVILLE REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER.
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Joint Commission: Requirements for Improvement
Accreditation Decision: Preliminary Denial of Accreditation
Decision Effective Date: February 17, 2007
This organization is not in full compliance with all applicable standards.
Requirements for Improvement:
Home Care
-An ongoing, proactive program for identifying and reducing unanticipated adverse events and safety risks to patients is defined and implemented.
-The director named on the CLIA certificate establishes policies and procedures that define the context in which waived test results are used in patient care, treatment, and services.
-Measure, assess, and if appropriate, take action to improve the timeliness of reporting, and the timeliness of receipt by the responsible licensed caregiver, of critical test results and values.
Hospital
-The leaders measure and assess the effectiveness of the performance improvement and safety improvement activities.
-Undesirable patterns or trends in performance are analyzed.
-An ongoing, proactive program for identifying and reducing unanticipated adverse events and safety risks to patients is defined and implemented.
-Newly constructed and existing environments are designed and maintained to comply with the Life Safety Code®.
-The hospital maintains fire-safety equipment and building features.
-The hospital develops and implements activities to protect occupants during periods when a building does not meet the applicable provisions of the Life Safety Code®.
-Medical equipment is maintained, tested, and inspected.
-The hospital maintains, tests, and inspects its medical gas and vacuum systems.
-Medications are properly and safely stored.
-Medication orders are written clearly and transcribed accurately.
-The hospital evaluates its medication management system.
-Initial assessments are performed as defined by the hospital.
-The hospital has a complete and accurate medical record for patients assessed, cared for, treated, or served.
-The hospital collects data to monitor its performance.
-Designated qualified staff accept and transcribe verbal or telephone orders from authorized individuals.
-The leaders develop and implement plans to identify and mitigate impediments to efficient patient flow throughout the hospital.
-Standardize a list of abbreviations, acronyms, symbols, and dose designations that are not to be used throughout the organization.
-Measure, assess, and if appropriate, take action to improve the timeliness of reporting, and the timeliness of receipt by the responsible licensed caregiver, of critical test results and values.
-Label all medications, medication containers (for example, syringes, medicine cups, basins), or other solutions on and off the sterile field.
-Mark the operative site as described in the Universal Protocol
-The organized medical staff reviews and analyzes all relevant information regarding each requesting practitioner’s current licensure status, training, experience, current competence, and ability to perform the requested privilege
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