Piece on rural hospitals at risk of closure

[Med Director New England]

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Note the comments (on the record) from pathologists in practice on pathology supply.

Studies by KHN, Navigant, and Others Report That Independent and Rural Hospitals Are Closing at Record Rates, Leaving Patients Without Critical Nearby Healthcare Services

Negative financials, low population growth, and excess inpatient capacity cited as reasons communities—especially rural areas—may lose their independent hospitals, including access to nearby clinical laboratory testing and anatomic pathology services Could America’s independent rural hospitals...

www.darkdaily.com

 

[y2k_free_radical]

Note the comments (on the record) from pathologists in practice on pathology supply.

Studies by KHN, Navigant, and Others Report That Independent and Rural Hospitals Are Closing at Record Rates, Leaving Patients Without Critical Nearby Healthcare Services

Negative financials, low population growth, and excess inpatient capacity cited as reasons communities—especially rural areas—may lose their independent hospitals, including access to nearby clinical laboratory testing and anatomic pathology services Could America’s independent rural hospitals...

www.darkdaily.com

This is the economically challenged environment in which i practice and things ain't very rosy.

 

[WEBB PINKERTON]

Seen lot of this in Kentucky and southern Indiana. Also seeing a lot of hospitals started by physician groups go under. Docs get upset and start their own entity. Not sure why they don't understand that some 30,000 person county in Kentucky doesn't need two hospitals. One struggling one is enough.

 

[rirriri]

what is most disruptive here is to read that over 60% of these hospitals are considered “essential” to their communities. Most of the time the state government swoops up and keeps these alive and afloat but clearly hard times are ahead for smaller less volume driven places. Unfortunate...

I do think some of these will end up affiliating to larger academic centers and hospital systems.

 

[AZpath]

what is most disruptive here is to read that over 60% of these hospitals are considered “essential” to their communities. Most of the time the state government swoops up and keeps these alive and afloat but clearly hard times are ahead for smaller less volume driven places. Unfortunate...

I do think some of these will end up affiliating to larger academic centers and hospital systems.

Ah yes. It is the universal answer join academic center....

When you only have a hammer all the world looks like a nail.

 

[rirriri]

Ah yes. It is the universal answer join academic center....

When you only have a hammer all the world looks like a nail.

Do you have any ideas of your own; or just anger and frustration? Instead of looking for conflict perhaps you should state your own thoughts.

 

[Med Director New England]

I am aware of 2 hospital shuttering in my area, both ~ 100 beds both with ERs, both with a few ICU beds and fairly extensive surgical services. Both cases there was uproar from the surrounding communities but post shut down I don’t think there are major issues. Closest ER might be 5 miles instead of 2, etc.
quality of healthcare hasn’t diminished;

Almost every hospital this size in my area is now affiliated with larger (usually academic) systems. In most cases the path dept has remained functionally independent.

 

[rirriri]

I am aware of 2 hospital shuttering in my area, both ~ 100 beds both with ERs, both with a few ICU beds and fairly extensive surgical services. Both cases there was uproar from the surrounding communities but post shut down I don’t think there are major issues. Closest ER might be 5 miles instead of 2, etc.
quality of healthcare hasn’t diminished;

Almost every hospital this size in my area is now affiliated with larger (usually academic) systems. In most cases the path dept has remained functionally independent.

Have seen this here too (Tri-State). At least 3 different models exist one to consolidate Pathology the main hub (rare). Another is to leave a Path department largely independent with some administrative and strategical oversight as well as possible technical help (most common), and 3rd is to leave the Path totally independent to themselves (rare).

 

[WEBB PINKERTON]

Only model I have seen is gut the place and send to the mothership.

 

[y2k_free_radical]

Only model I have seen is gut the place and send to the mothership.

In our region closure generally means another 30-40 miles to the next acute care facility.Many become glorified ERs or clinics if they aren't shuttered.

 

[WEBB PINKERTON]

I feel bad for community hospitals. They have been hit hard by "entrepreneurial" physicians who start surgery centers etc and take away any chance at the places being profitable. Then the predators swoop in.

At some point each state will just have one or two health systems. They will own everything and even your insurance plan will be with them.

 

[LADoc00]

I feel bad for community hospitals. They have been hit hard by "entrepreneurial" physicians who start surgery centers etc and take away any chance at the places being profitable. Then the predators swoop in.

At some point each state will just have one or two health systems. They will own everything and even your insurance plan will be with them.

Already well underway in California...well underway.

 

[y2k_free_radical]

Already well underway in California...well underway.

LA DOC-what's happening in CALF concerning BCBS reimbursements ?????????

 

[LADoc00]

LA DOC-what's happening in CALF concerning BCBS reimbursements ?????????

aside from me? total ****show. I was informed Stanford just completely dumped them, which is huge.

 

[Med Director New England]

I feel bad for community hospitals. They have been hit hard by "entrepreneurial" physicians who start surgery centers etc and take away any chance at the places being profitable. Then the predators swoop in.

At some point each state will just have one or two health systems. They will own everything and even your insurance plan will be with them.

This is Connecticut - 2 major players now. A handful of unaffiliated lone dogs remain but they won’t last long