To CHI and Back: A Journey of 85 Hospital Beds in Kitsap County, Washington
One Vision. One Voice. Our Choice.
An Open Letter to the Future Mayor of Bremerton
The single most critical issue facing your tenure will be improving access to healthcare for the population of Bremerton. On May 1, 2017, the state Department of Health granted Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI) a long awaited Certificate of Need to transfer all of the available hospital beds outside of the city and complete a $600 million dollar hospital expansion project in Silverdale, at the expense of healthcare access.
Is the KentuckyOne Health Experience a Road Map for Kitsap County?
The Pacific Northwest hospital group may be considered the “golden child” for now, but what happens if profit margins decline and further cutting costs is not feasible? The Jewish Hospital merger experience should serve as a cautionary tale for Kitsap County. Will our beloved community hospital be sold off five years from now or can we escape the same fate by devising a viable alternative for healthcare in our community?
The Small Giants of Healthcare
My advice for patients everywhere: Whenever possible, find an independent practice, whether a solo doctor or direct primary care clinic, and patronize that physician. Your care will be more personalized, cost less in the long run, and your health will be better for the investment you made in yourself.
What is the Cost of a Single Hospital Bed in Kitsap County? $225 Million
May 1st, the Washington State Department of Health will rule on the Certificate of Need (CON); whether or not CHI closes hospital operations in Bremerton and moves all services to Silverdale. CHI will invest $680 million to expand campus size and build a state-of-the-art facility; they will save $9 million annually in improved efficiency. It will take just 75.5 years to recoup the cost.
Non-Profit Hospitals are a Fairy Tale
An article published in Health Affairs found seven of the nation’s 10 most profitable hospitals were of the non-profit variety, each earning more than $163 million from patient care services. Revoking their property tax-exempt status for not functioning as a charitable entity could return billions in healthcare dollars to local government, communities, and citizens, struggling to afford quality health care.
A Mountain of Evidence Against Hospital Consolidation
As an independent physician in private practice, I care a great deal about our people, our patients, and healthcare delivery in Kitsap County. The fact hospital consolidations do not economically benefit patients is backed by a mountain of scientific evidence. While those in charge may decide merging is ultimately the best course of action, it will be imperative we stand up as a unified community and hold CHI accountable for ensuring the cost savings they have promised materialize.
You’ve Got Facility Fees!
Studies continually show small clinics provide better quality care for lower cost, have fewer hospital admissions, and keep patients healthier than the hospital-based clinics. We must eliminate the onerous facility fee to level the playing field, eliminate the incentive for hospitals to create monopolies, and save Americans 100s of billions of dollars per year.
“Let Obamacare Explode”
Physicians care deeply about our patients and our communities. Physicians must ensure they have input on the next healthcare go-around. Meaningful healthcare reform will require pragmatism, diligence, compromise, and patience. Working across the aisle is vital to developing better health care legislation for the American people.
Dr. Noseworthy and the AHCA: A Tipping Point
The CEO of the Mayo Clinic, Dr. Noseworthy, was last heard recommending patients fire their physicians suffering from burnout. While he does not have truckloads of compassion or empathy for colleagues; he is, at least, honest. Dr. Noseworthy recently confessed “We’re asking…if the patient has commercial insurance, or they’re Medicaid or Medicare patients and they’re equal that we prioritize the commercial insured patients enough so… We can be financially strong at the end of the year to continue to advance our mission.” The ‘ailing’ nonprofit generated a paltry $475 million last year.