Becker's Hospital Review

Save the date! CEO Roundtable + CFO/CIO Roundtable — November 18-19, 2015 — Chicago. Please call 800-417-2035 to register. 13 "A community hospital is a very attractive partner to be in a network of care, even without acquisi- tion by a big system," Mr. Lupica says. Indeed, larger organizations are starting to recog- nize that hospitals with deep roots in a small town are valuable partners in helping expand their foot- print for primary care and population health man- agement, but also that acquisition isn't a necessity. "[Larger hospitals and systems] can provide capi- tal to help the smaller hospital be a better partici- pant in the network…but they don't have to take the keys or own it," says Mr. Lupica. Economic boost Another important aspect that makes a hospital a community hospital is the economic role it plays in the town it serves. Or, as Ms. Matthews puts it, community hospitals "very much tend to be part of the economic engine of the community." For instance, she says true community hospitals tend to be the second or third largest employer in town, usually right behind the school district in terms of employee pool size. "[Community hospitals] are very important in terms of the economic lifeline of the community," says Ms. Matthews, playing a unique role that usually tertiary care or academic medical centers in larger cities do not. And that role should not be understated — some- times a community hospital will be the only thing keeping a town that used to thrive on railroad traffic and manufacturing going. That example rings true in several towns throughout the U.S., like in Beatrice, Kan., which has "yet to lose its economic pulse," as the New York Times phrased it, because the Beatrice Community Hospital and Health Center is still going strong. Care access provided Perhaps most importantly, community hospitals tend to not only play a huge role in the communi- ty as an employer, but also provide an important service in that they are the only acute care pro- vider in the area. Their presence is what prevents community members from leaving town for care. "A community hospital is a place where care can come to a patient, as instead of forcing a patient driving far away for care," Mr. Lupica says. That could mean that the hospital provides routine care to people in the community and then refers the sickest of the sick to tertiary care centers in larger cities nearby. But it could also mean that the hospital provides a telemedicine service, connect- ing community members with far-away physicians while letting patients stay physically close to home. The intangibles Even though community hospitals can look very different from one another, ranging in bed size from dozens to hundreds, one thing truly con- nects them — the feeling they give to patients and visitors and how members of the community feel about their hospital. Ms. Matthews says there is a "sense of commu- nity" that makes community hospitals stand out from their academic medical center peers. "Are people not exhausted by going around the parking garage? Do people say hello? That's a community hospital," Mr. Lupica says. The future Whether the community hospital falls into the more rigid definitions set by organizations like the AHA or Truven, or if they fall into the more nuanced defi- nitions discussed by experts, these hospitals have a future in the developing healthcare landscape. Ashley Thompson, vice president and deputy direc- tor of policy development for the AHA, says that if these hospitals evolve with the times, they have a role to play. "As healthcare continues to evolve, com- munity hospitals must too transform to achieve the goal of the triple aim," she says. "Carefully planned changes in the way healthcare is delivered can pre- serve patient access to needed services and provide continued support to the community." Mr. Lupica put it more simply, concluding: "They are part of the solution of providing appropriate care in a low-cost, convenient setting." n Stop the spread of cross contamination! Protect yourself 1. Gloves 2. Shield or Eyewear 3. Gown 4. Infection Control bags 5. Asepsis Soap or Hand Sanitizing Wipes Request a free sample http://www.palmerohealth.com/requestSamples Please mention Beckers when requesting a sample Please visit our new Video Palmero Health Care DisCide Ultra Protect Patient 1. Disinfect! 2. Disinfect! 3. Disinfect! 4. Disinfect! 5. With DisCide Ultra! Conclusion: Protection you can count on Kills over 21 deadly pathogens! Kills in 1 minute or less! If you've got a minute you've got clean! 800-344-6424

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