November 9th, 2009
Great way to start a Monday…First email of the day
Comments: I would just like to say that I have never had a better experience with any facility/hospital as the experience that I had with yours. My boyfriend's mom was there - the hospital stay was short n sweet - she had a hip fracture - 87 years old - it was within the rehab facility that our experience was so awesome and words cannot express the feelings that we came away with after her stay was over.
First of all, Becky RN - Brandi PT - Amy PTA - Lana PTA - Rachael OT - just a hand full of employees that I would love to give them endless thanks and praises for their continued effort, kindness, and professionalism - and so much more.
I worked in a hospital for 4 years and would have loved to have had the opportunity to work with a group of individuals as great as these. Everyone, including Samantha, Elisabeth, Kathy (from hospital), and a couple of the other social workers were there for us also. His mom is supposed to get in home PT and OT - and we are so disappointed that they won't even measure up to the group you have working for you.
We really do miss them as they not only helped - but enriched our lives as well.
Thank you for them - please let them know that we really did appreciate...
Way to go team.
Stan
Monday, November 9, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
October 30th, 2009
This says it all !!!! Here's a recent comment I received.
"Dr. Kuentz, the nurses, and nurse aides on 3 east, and the respiratory therapists treated Dad as if the best part of their day was when they were in his room…"
Thanks to our ACH physicians and colleagues for what they do each and every day.
Stan
This says it all !!!! Here's a recent comment I received.
"Dr. Kuentz, the nurses, and nurse aides on 3 east, and the respiratory therapists treated Dad as if the best part of their day was when they were in his room…"
Thanks to our ACH physicians and colleagues for what they do each and every day.
Stan
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Inspiration - - An ICU Wedding at ACH
September 28th, 2009
I haven’t written a blog for quite sometime and have been gathering my thoughts to continue to write about health reform and make the case for why change is so desperately needed.
Somehow after receiving an e-mail from Amy (one of our nursing supervisors) that subject --although important-- needed to take second seat to a more important story.
This past weekend many of our colleagues helped create a beautiful experience for the family and friends of one of our ICU patients. Amy did such a nice job of describing what occurred that I want to share her words with you. She and I both are so very proud of our team, their compassion, and how they choose to go about their work in service to others in such a special way. Here's Amy's summary:
We currently have a patient in our ICU who has been with us (in some capacity) for nearly two months. She is from the Youngstown area and initially came to our facility as a patient of Dr. Hudzik. Unfortunately, her health has continued to decline and her chances for survival.
(Over the time she's been with us ) the nurses in ICU have bonded not only with her, but, also with her family. Her daughter is scheduled to be married sometime near the end of October. As time goes by, it is becoming apparent that she won't be able to attend the wedding, and may not even survive until then. So, the family asked if they could have a ceremony in her room in ICU for their immediate family. (Critical Care Director) Deb Clemens got the go ahead from all the necessary folks and the date was set for 9/26 at 9:00pm.
The nurses in ICU stepped up and began planning an informal celebration for the bride and groom. I can't even begin to list all the things they did, but, some included: cake, many, many decorations, food, balloons, punch, music, and even a dress for her to wear. All the patients in ICU were informed (of our plan to host a wedding) and, if they chose not to participate, their curtains were shut during the activities.
Most of the families visiting other patients participated and one family even bought a second cake! Many of the ICU nurses and secretaries even came in on their day off -- on a Saturday night.
A little after nine, the couple was married in her room with their minister and then had a small celebration in the conference room. I'm not sure how much (the patient) absorbed, as she was getting worse throughout the day, but her family could not have been more appreciative and I could not have been more proud of the ICU staff and our hospital.
This probably isn't listed on any Planetree pamphlet as a service we offer, but it was, without a doubt, a very Planetree effort.
I haven’t written a blog for quite sometime and have been gathering my thoughts to continue to write about health reform and make the case for why change is so desperately needed.
Somehow after receiving an e-mail from Amy (one of our nursing supervisors) that subject --although important-- needed to take second seat to a more important story.
This past weekend many of our colleagues helped create a beautiful experience for the family and friends of one of our ICU patients. Amy did such a nice job of describing what occurred that I want to share her words with you. She and I both are so very proud of our team, their compassion, and how they choose to go about their work in service to others in such a special way. Here's Amy's summary:
We currently have a patient in our ICU who has been with us (in some capacity) for nearly two months. She is from the Youngstown area and initially came to our facility as a patient of Dr. Hudzik. Unfortunately, her health has continued to decline and her chances for survival.
(Over the time she's been with us ) the nurses in ICU have bonded not only with her, but, also with her family. Her daughter is scheduled to be married sometime near the end of October. As time goes by, it is becoming apparent that she won't be able to attend the wedding, and may not even survive until then. So, the family asked if they could have a ceremony in her room in ICU for their immediate family. (Critical Care Director) Deb Clemens got the go ahead from all the necessary folks and the date was set for 9/26 at 9:00pm.
The nurses in ICU stepped up and began planning an informal celebration for the bride and groom. I can't even begin to list all the things they did, but, some included: cake, many, many decorations, food, balloons, punch, music, and even a dress for her to wear. All the patients in ICU were informed (of our plan to host a wedding) and, if they chose not to participate, their curtains were shut during the activities.
Most of the families visiting other patients participated and one family even bought a second cake! Many of the ICU nurses and secretaries even came in on their day off -- on a Saturday night.
A little after nine, the couple was married in her room with their minister and then had a small celebration in the conference room. I'm not sure how much (the patient) absorbed, as she was getting worse throughout the day, but her family could not have been more appreciative and I could not have been more proud of the ICU staff and our hospital.
This probably isn't listed on any Planetree pamphlet as a service we offer, but it was, without a doubt, a very Planetree effort.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
August 12th, 2009 - More on Health Reform
Ever since I came back from the health care forum recently held in Shaker Heights, I have been wishing the momentum begun there would continue and that leadership would step up and work together. Well, obviously that is not the case. We are losing sight of why change is necessary and confusing the general public. Right now, we are witnessing democracy at its worst. We need out leaders to rise to the occasion and stop making this a win/ lose situation. What is missing?
Those of us in health care leadership need to remind our patients and their families what is really broken in the system. We need to explain that the system we have in place now is unsustainable. We need straight talk. As more “Baby Boomers” enter and lose health insurance (from their employers), we are finding that: 1) the current system, if not improved, will implode in about six years, 2) the ranks of the ever-increasing number of unemployed people is exacerbating the situation even more, and 3) doing nothing is not an option.
The government is tackling this mess with the same old political process, with likely the same old political results: someone will win or lose based on votes -- or worse yet, we will get a compromise. Merely tinkering with the system is the worst thing we can do. In this case the end doesn’t justify the means and how we get to where we need be is vital. We didn’t get to the moon or develop the means to perform transplant surgeries through political processes. Where are the best and brightest who understand our health care system and why aren’t they working together under the direction of the current leadership? This issue is too important for all Americans for this overhaul to fail because of stereotypical politicking. And there is a huge difference between keeping a political promise and doing the right thing.
We in health care are forced to ration our services every day in one form or another. We over-utilize in some respects, in order to protect our selves from lawsuits. We compete with each other to make the claim of “full service.” The way we receive monetary reimbursement (which allows us to be able to afford to function) often relates more to negotiation skills rather the basis of our true costs as a health care provider. The public can’t decisions on what is best (even from a price standpoint) because of an unseen “middle man” who negotiates on their behalf. They are not allowed to know rates for health care services in advance of receiving them. They learn their out-of-pocket expenses after the fact. How do the insurance companies really help manage care? Let’s face it, everybody wants the health care we are capable of delivering. It’s just that, more and more over time and due to this broken system, we just can’t afford to offer it. So where is there value added? Where is the waste? With all these supposed and proposed changes, will we have an affordable system? If not, do we redefine the old economic question: “Do we produce more guns or butter?” or to put it another way: “Do we produce health care the same old way or not save our economy and our future?” Sadly, that is our choice at the moment.
Those of us in health care leadership need to remind our patients and their families what is really broken in the system. We need to explain that the system we have in place now is unsustainable. We need straight talk. As more “Baby Boomers” enter and lose health insurance (from their employers), we are finding that: 1) the current system, if not improved, will implode in about six years, 2) the ranks of the ever-increasing number of unemployed people is exacerbating the situation even more, and 3) doing nothing is not an option.
The government is tackling this mess with the same old political process, with likely the same old political results: someone will win or lose based on votes -- or worse yet, we will get a compromise. Merely tinkering with the system is the worst thing we can do. In this case the end doesn’t justify the means and how we get to where we need be is vital. We didn’t get to the moon or develop the means to perform transplant surgeries through political processes. Where are the best and brightest who understand our health care system and why aren’t they working together under the direction of the current leadership? This issue is too important for all Americans for this overhaul to fail because of stereotypical politicking. And there is a huge difference between keeping a political promise and doing the right thing.
We in health care are forced to ration our services every day in one form or another. We over-utilize in some respects, in order to protect our selves from lawsuits. We compete with each other to make the claim of “full service.” The way we receive monetary reimbursement (which allows us to be able to afford to function) often relates more to negotiation skills rather the basis of our true costs as a health care provider. The public can’t decisions on what is best (even from a price standpoint) because of an unseen “middle man” who negotiates on their behalf. They are not allowed to know rates for health care services in advance of receiving them. They learn their out-of-pocket expenses after the fact. How do the insurance companies really help manage care? Let’s face it, everybody wants the health care we are capable of delivering. It’s just that, more and more over time and due to this broken system, we just can’t afford to offer it. So where is there value added? Where is the waste? With all these supposed and proposed changes, will we have an affordable system? If not, do we redefine the old economic question: “Do we produce more guns or butter?” or to put it another way: “Do we produce health care the same old way or not save our economy and our future?” Sadly, that is our choice at the moment.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Health Care Reform
July 27th, 2009
Health Care Reform…
What is Being Said; What is NOT Being Said - and Why We had Better CHANGE
Last week I went to hear President Obama speak while he was visiting Shaker Heights. I came away from his speech inspired and even more focused on looking at our own health care costs in our hospital and our community… and in consideration of what are we doing to change ourselves and our system.
At ACH, we are just a microcosm of what is happening on a national basis. Compared with larger cities in Ohio and to other health care facilities in the region, the cost of care in Stark County is far less than in most places, yet, it is getting more expensive all the time. We are self-funded in terms of health coverage for our hospital employees. If the current trend continues we will drive ourselves out of business because our own health care costs are simply too high.
The most important message I heard President Obama give is this: all of us should be demanding change and the quicker, the better. Health care is hurting the economy big time and just because we haven’t experienced job changes here at ACH yet, it is a fact many Americans have and many more will. I believe the President should keep pushing the issue. I wish he would appoint a group of objective experts (with no political agendas and who are simply inspired by the desire to do the right thing) as the team to take a fair plan to Congress and urge them to get it passed. Now that would be real change.
It wasn’t long ago I heard Tom Daschle and Tommy Thompson’s recorded comments agreeing on almost 80% of the things that should be done to fix health care. Why not start with that list?
What happens when the stimulus dollars for Cobra-assisted health insurance runs out? Many hospitals have already had layoffs.. Fortunately, we have been able to avoid this at ACH to date. Yet, how much will laid-off employees be spending for their Cobra plans? At our hospital, we offer three health plans. For those employees utilizing our highest level of coverage, it would cost $22,000 for family coverage. The least expensive option plan at ACH (which includes an HRA) would still be $9,000 a year. Both plans are extremely costly, particularly if you are receiving only an unemployment salary.
Somehow, we have heard so much about the uninsured that many of us with coverage haven’t really taken a close look at what is actually happening to both us and to the health care system as a whole. What is not being said is that there really isn’t enough money around to make the current system work and that we all are going to have to pay more, expect less, and assume more responsibility for our own health care costs and our own individual health, period.
I can’t change what is happening on the national level but I can begin at home by trying to impact change here at the local level. I want to double check our statistics, but a few years ago the hospital was paying about 70% of the cost of family coverage and 94% of the health care costs for single coverage for full time employees. Today those numbers are 85% and 88%, respectively. Our costs of care have skyrocketed, so our employees are paying more for family coverage even though their share of the costs is actually down from just a few years ago. Similarly, singles are paying more of their costs on a percentage basis and yet, there is less money for wages and needed investments today.
It is clear that we need to redesign our health benefit plan to include incentives for taking better care of individual health (and that of dependent family members). We need to promote transparency so that people can know what their out-of-pocket expenses for health care will be PRIOR to receiving services. We are part of the health care system, so we need to teach ourselves and others how to shop for health care smarter.
At one time in my career, I was in favor of a single payer system that was not necessarily public or private. I was just trying to simplify the paperwork and bureaucracy. But perhaps the most useful single payment system would be one that is not entirely unlike the one I hear the President suggesting. With an ideal single payment system, pricing should be known in advance of service. As it stands, billing and the payment of insurance claims are far too bureaucratic and costly and the buyer is too disconnected to be able to determine the best way to spend their health dollars. Transparency and competition in health care care will benefit all consumers. It will help ensure accountability -- either by forcing us to pay more for health care services services by choice or by forcing us to take better care of ourselves -- or both.
I want to give President Obama 100% of my support for demanding that the system change and I wish that he would not relax his timetable. Hopefully he will find a way to get something done in Congress without having to bargain for it. Let's hope he will be able to encourage his peers (i.e. fellow politicians) to do the right thing.
-Stan
P.S. There is very little with which I could disagree in President Obama’s Shaker Heights presentation, but there were two comments he made which gave me extra consideration. One such statement was a remark about how people in unions are not actually receiving pay increases because their health care costs are going up faster than their salaries. The truth is, this problem is affecting all employees, both union and non-union. Likewise, I agreed with his assertion that the Cleveland Clinic is a world class health center, but I am unconvinced that it is the model of efficiency for our own health system. If you drove down the road an hour (within Stark County), the cost of your open heart procedure could be almost $100,000 less than it might be at the Cleveland Clinic. That is why we need known pricing and transparency. Our health system is ready to compete -- we must change our manner of educating consumers so that our businesses outside of health care can compete globally.
Health Care Reform…
What is Being Said; What is NOT Being Said - and Why We had Better CHANGE
Last week I went to hear President Obama speak while he was visiting Shaker Heights. I came away from his speech inspired and even more focused on looking at our own health care costs in our hospital and our community… and in consideration of what are we doing to change ourselves and our system.
At ACH, we are just a microcosm of what is happening on a national basis. Compared with larger cities in Ohio and to other health care facilities in the region, the cost of care in Stark County is far less than in most places, yet, it is getting more expensive all the time. We are self-funded in terms of health coverage for our hospital employees. If the current trend continues we will drive ourselves out of business because our own health care costs are simply too high.
The most important message I heard President Obama give is this: all of us should be demanding change and the quicker, the better. Health care is hurting the economy big time and just because we haven’t experienced job changes here at ACH yet, it is a fact many Americans have and many more will. I believe the President should keep pushing the issue. I wish he would appoint a group of objective experts (with no political agendas and who are simply inspired by the desire to do the right thing) as the team to take a fair plan to Congress and urge them to get it passed. Now that would be real change.
It wasn’t long ago I heard Tom Daschle and Tommy Thompson’s recorded comments agreeing on almost 80% of the things that should be done to fix health care. Why not start with that list?
What happens when the stimulus dollars for Cobra-assisted health insurance runs out? Many hospitals have already had layoffs.. Fortunately, we have been able to avoid this at ACH to date. Yet, how much will laid-off employees be spending for their Cobra plans? At our hospital, we offer three health plans. For those employees utilizing our highest level of coverage, it would cost $22,000 for family coverage. The least expensive option plan at ACH (which includes an HRA) would still be $9,000 a year. Both plans are extremely costly, particularly if you are receiving only an unemployment salary.
Somehow, we have heard so much about the uninsured that many of us with coverage haven’t really taken a close look at what is actually happening to both us and to the health care system as a whole. What is not being said is that there really isn’t enough money around to make the current system work and that we all are going to have to pay more, expect less, and assume more responsibility for our own health care costs and our own individual health, period.
I can’t change what is happening on the national level but I can begin at home by trying to impact change here at the local level. I want to double check our statistics, but a few years ago the hospital was paying about 70% of the cost of family coverage and 94% of the health care costs for single coverage for full time employees. Today those numbers are 85% and 88%, respectively. Our costs of care have skyrocketed, so our employees are paying more for family coverage even though their share of the costs is actually down from just a few years ago. Similarly, singles are paying more of their costs on a percentage basis and yet, there is less money for wages and needed investments today.
It is clear that we need to redesign our health benefit plan to include incentives for taking better care of individual health (and that of dependent family members). We need to promote transparency so that people can know what their out-of-pocket expenses for health care will be PRIOR to receiving services. We are part of the health care system, so we need to teach ourselves and others how to shop for health care smarter.
At one time in my career, I was in favor of a single payer system that was not necessarily public or private. I was just trying to simplify the paperwork and bureaucracy. But perhaps the most useful single payment system would be one that is not entirely unlike the one I hear the President suggesting. With an ideal single payment system, pricing should be known in advance of service. As it stands, billing and the payment of insurance claims are far too bureaucratic and costly and the buyer is too disconnected to be able to determine the best way to spend their health dollars. Transparency and competition in health care care will benefit all consumers. It will help ensure accountability -- either by forcing us to pay more for health care services services by choice or by forcing us to take better care of ourselves -- or both.
I want to give President Obama 100% of my support for demanding that the system change and I wish that he would not relax his timetable. Hopefully he will find a way to get something done in Congress without having to bargain for it. Let's hope he will be able to encourage his peers (i.e. fellow politicians) to do the right thing.
-Stan
P.S. There is very little with which I could disagree in President Obama’s Shaker Heights presentation, but there were two comments he made which gave me extra consideration. One such statement was a remark about how people in unions are not actually receiving pay increases because their health care costs are going up faster than their salaries. The truth is, this problem is affecting all employees, both union and non-union. Likewise, I agreed with his assertion that the Cleveland Clinic is a world class health center, but I am unconvinced that it is the model of efficiency for our own health system. If you drove down the road an hour (within Stark County), the cost of your open heart procedure could be almost $100,000 less than it might be at the Cleveland Clinic. That is why we need known pricing and transparency. Our health system is ready to compete -- we must change our manner of educating consumers so that our businesses outside of health care can compete globally.
Monday, July 13, 2009
July 8th
Headed off for some vacation, but before taking off, wanted to play some catch up from a few stories from 2009…
From JC: Miracle Workers
Summary from 55 days of ER/ICU/Community Care/Rehab:
I could go on forever…but let me summarize:
~Dr. Catalano and the ER staff were so helpful
~I equate the care I received at CCC to ICU and ICU to the best
~CCC/rehab colleagues are miracle workers. I am confident that my husband would not have walked again without Mike,Amanda,Maggie and Carol
~Outpatient therapy continued to work their magic
From CB:
Three surgeries this past year, the last from Dr. Palutsis, he was excellent. The whole hospital, atmosphere was just unbelievable.
Just wanted to recognize certain people. Bob Mick night shift, the rest of nurses on # East and Lori in Nuclear medicine, she was right there by my side and she was wonderful.
Anonymous: Thank You to my doctors. Dr Kolb, Dr. Byers, Dr. Johnson and Dr. Singh
Headed off for some vacation, but before taking off, wanted to play some catch up from a few stories from 2009…
From JC: Miracle Workers
Summary from 55 days of ER/ICU/Community Care/Rehab:
I could go on forever…but let me summarize:
~Dr. Catalano and the ER staff were so helpful
~I equate the care I received at CCC to ICU and ICU to the best
~CCC/rehab colleagues are miracle workers. I am confident that my husband would not have walked again without Mike,Amanda,Maggie and Carol
~Outpatient therapy continued to work their magic
From CB:
Three surgeries this past year, the last from Dr. Palutsis, he was excellent. The whole hospital, atmosphere was just unbelievable.
Just wanted to recognize certain people. Bob Mick night shift, the rest of nurses on # East and Lori in Nuclear medicine, she was right there by my side and she was wonderful.
Anonymous: Thank You to my doctors. Dr Kolb, Dr. Byers, Dr. Johnson and Dr. Singh
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
It Has Been A While
July7th
It has been awhile… but my inspiration to Blog was triggered by a card received from a patient. It made my day and I am sure it will make others'. It was that simple reminder why we are all here. In the midst of all the distractions and interruptions that divert our focus, a reminder that the patient should be at the center of all we do was and is a good thing.
In her card, M.D. writes:
“I have been to the hospital and to several doctors' offices many times…recently I became very ill and visited the ACH emergency (department)…I was treated with compassion and kindness and felt so comfortable with my care…I never met a doctor who made me feel he had all the time I needed to answer all of my questions and really cared about me, as (did) Dr. Bosch…I will always be grateful…the nurses couldn’t have been more attentive and their kindness will always be appreciated…a special thank you to Rhonda and Debbie…I am so proud to let others know what a great emergency room and hospital we have in our community."
Great work. Glad to be part of the ACH family.
Stan
It has been awhile… but my inspiration to Blog was triggered by a card received from a patient. It made my day and I am sure it will make others'. It was that simple reminder why we are all here. In the midst of all the distractions and interruptions that divert our focus, a reminder that the patient should be at the center of all we do was and is a good thing.
In her card, M.D. writes:
“I have been to the hospital and to several doctors' offices many times…recently I became very ill and visited the ACH emergency (department)…I was treated with compassion and kindness and felt so comfortable with my care…I never met a doctor who made me feel he had all the time I needed to answer all of my questions and really cared about me, as (did) Dr. Bosch…I will always be grateful…the nurses couldn’t have been more attentive and their kindness will always be appreciated…a special thank you to Rhonda and Debbie…I am so proud to let others know what a great emergency room and hospital we have in our community."
Great work. Glad to be part of the ACH family.
Stan
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