Monday, July 31, 2006

Here They Go Again...9/8

Muskogee Regional Medical Center is Hud's next target (gets old, doesn't it, Hud?) Not terribly newsworthy except for the quotes:

    1. "Anna Gene O’Neal, Essent’s vice president of Hospital Operations/Clinical Quality, said affiliation with schools and creating a good reputation has helped recruit nurses." Recruiting seems to be what they do--retention, or keeping staff, is what they don't.
    2. "Founded in 1999, Essent is based in Nashville. They have purchased five hospitals in Texas, Missouri, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. Connery said the company’s management style is based on good relationships with local hospital leadership." Not entirely accurate--they purchased six, and had to sell one--their first, or close it within two months. That accounts for Missouri. As for good relations, I guess that's in the eyes of the beholder....
    3. "Connery said Essent would recruit physicians by doing a needs assessment and cooperating with existing hospital physicians. " Like with Red River, and a cardiology group which didn't make it, elsewhere.
    4. Lastly, and the one I just take to heart: “We’re going to want to grow your reach to markets that you have considered secondary,” he (Hud) said. “Not just stopping the out-migration from your primary area, but redefining your primary area.” Wonder what our primary area is? It certainly isn't what it was before E$$ent got here, and out-migration...your name is Essent.

I had wondered why I had so many hits from Franklin, TN. Now I know. And, guess what, CHS is back as a competitor. This actually could get interesting.

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well, at least the equivalent of East Texas Support Services will stay busy...those are the busses that transport patients to other facilities....

Doesn't Muscogee have a VA? If Essent get the bid, oh to be a vet!

Anonymous said...

I can see the close affiliation with schools--only the inexperienced would be recruited--and then, only until they had some time to figure out the situation, or get enough experience to go somewhere else!


Temps are the only new ones that have experience, and they don't typically renew...unless there is another external reason for coming here....

Anonymous said...

Muscogee? Hmm, perhaps Oklahoma Medicaid pays more than I thought!

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
"fac_p,
In case you haven't noticed, it's CHS that goes through hospitals like water. They SELL more hospitals than anybody in the business ... more than eight in the last year, including one in Lubbock, TX.

And, CHS has been sued by communities (Coatesville, PA.) for breaking promises. The behemoth company had to write a check for more than $2.5 million to local health charities in the area to try and make up for the abrupt closing of a trauma center-- one they promised they'd keep open.

How do you make that up to a community?"

'The last neurosurgeon in Chester County was Sam Lyness, a world-class neurosurgeon,' [Robert] Surrick said, but Lyness left Pennsylvania when his malpractice premiums reached $383,000. With no neurosurgeons, Brandywine shut down its trauma center in 2002. ...from Overlawyered--Frank

8:06 PM

fac_p said...

It's not unusual for physicians to be paying $80,000 per year for malpractice in PA. One case I ran into the rates jumped 249% in a year--despite no malpractice claims in over 13 years....

Anonymous said...

The bottom line is CHS broke their promise to the community. (They had a similar suit filed against them in Pottstown, PA.)

Even more alarming, check out this article on fac_p's favorite hospital company CHS: http://www.houstonpress.com/Issues/2003-04-10/news/news3.html.

Patient deaths because of "corporate influence" and "reckless administrative policies" are a hell of a lot worse than pissing off a bunch of greedy radiologists.

You mean like hiring an unstable temp radiologist to do mammograms and breast biopsies--one that showed up two hours late for a biopsy, and was caught drinking (building up courage for the procedure???) And then not having the previous films re-read?--Frank

fac_p said...

One of the issues that were stated in the link was the inability to do post-op care on bariatric patients. If that's so, how would they care for any abdominal surgery cases? The only difference might be from the obesity issue and associated risks.

The hospital was short a vent, but it sounds like the 17 former patient/plaintiffs were because of professional competence, as determined by the mandatory supervising surgeon that was made a stipulation for continued practice.

"Short a vent" might have been the only way to change follow-up care....

fac_p said...

Heard that Austin Craun might be looking for a new spot.... Is it time for a new turnover??

Anonymous said...

Who is Austin Craun?

fac_p said...

Austin Craun is, or was, Director of Development, Essent Healthcare. Pop back in the archives to November 2005. "Essent, on the prowl for hospitals, hires two hunters". He was one of them.

Oh how quickly they forget....

Anonymous said...

Additionally, he was a Vandy grad from their grad program...in 2005. That's what I would call aggressive placement!

Anonymous said...

fac_p,

Actually, I can see the relationship between the 12:36 post and the 6:59.

Now that you mention it...I was up past my bedtime....Frank

Anonymous said...

You mean that drunk temp was in Paris!!!??!!!

Anonymous said...

Couldn't testify that she was drunk, but she was consuming.

Anonymous said...

For the record: I know the folks at Essent in Nashville. I can assure you (and all of your contributors from CHS) that the rumor CHS would like to start about Austin Craun is completely incorrect. Sorry.

fac_p said...

Sorry, the lead I had came from the East Coast, not Franklin. As for money, I should have put in ads, or sold popcorn, cuz this is better than the movies.

Don't worry, I won't put in rumors about you leaving. But that email you received was choice.

Anonymous said...

Short a vent, c'mon! A woman died. CHS is the largest rural hospital chain in the country. They can’t afford to buy a vent!!??
It sure seems like you are eerily familiar with the inner workings of this dispute and in PA., fac_p.
CHS is working like wildfire to cover their tracks on this one, prohibiting physicians from talking, stonewalling the media.
As for Austin Craun ... who cares about a jr development person two years out of college.
You are desperate.

First, I don't have to be privy to all the particulars, surfing can get the outline, experience in a surgical environment can tell me the rest--obviously unlike you.

As I said, short a vent was probably an excuse...to get the patient out of the care of a surgeon that now has to use training wheels.

And, in a Code in ICU here a while back, two vents failed. Explain that to the relatives. How many LCD TVs does it take to make up for that?

As to Austin, you named him "Director of Development". So the VP of Development and the Director of Development...boss themselves?

Seems more desperate to upscale "junior" people without experience. He lists in the placements for class of 2005.

Obviously you don't, but it's usually good to respect your own staff....Frank

fac_p said...

Thought you might want the reference on Craun.... See what you think of the build-up....

fac_p said...

In logging to Hey, Martha, and following the Phoenix link to their blog, it would seem that the folks there are magnificently indifferent to the headlines. Two posts on the blog (since April?) and none in the Hey, Martha. Either they don't care, don't have computers, or still have party-lines.

Anonymous said...

Muskogee would seem to be outside the Essent business model, and we know what happens when they change up!

There are other hospitals in the immediate area, so that gives the employees choices, unlike what we have here.

Watch out Hud, you might have another Crossroads on your hands....frank

Anonymous said...

Other hospitals? Yep, Wagoner up the road, Tulsa not far away on the Muskogee Turnpike (Hillcrest, St. John, St. Francis, Tulsa Regional, et al) and Ft. Smith the other way (Sparks, St. Edward's- both great facilities). Or one could be fortunate enough to hire on with VA and get a position at the facility in Muskogee- if there is one.

I would hope that the good folks of that community don't buy the bullstuff coming from Nashville...