From the emails that have been trickling in, it would seem that Paris Imaging is the winner of this contest. Seems like only yesterday that administration was confident that "the boyz" were going to roll over and play dead...that they couldn't survive without the hospital...it might be the other way around.
Fact: This is the time when out-patient services should be loaded up...apparently they're talking about flexing (forced use of vacation time) staff.
Report turn-around time has become ridiculous. Morning radiographs might be read by the following day. (Paris Imaging has what, an hour delay? Definitely by the end of the day.)
Interventional studies are so erratic that they might as well close the suite. From one week to the next, they don't know if the radiologist that magically appears will even perform the studies. Speaking of the magic, seems like the confirmations are a bit slow in coming from the locum groups....
A lot of studies are not able to be done in the off
shifts. Let me take that back, they are able to be done...but not read! VQ scans or anything from Nuclear Medicine that is done from 5PM to 7-8AM just sits...as well as plain films, and sonograms. Now that means that the physician that orders a stat study better be prepared to come into the hospital and read the film himself, and, if it is within the scope of his practice, he's responsible for doing so, since he made the determination that it was stat.
Security of the PACS is a joke, with the ability to look-up a valid password in Meditech! Apparently a tech was suspended for looking at a study that was verbotten...yet was not even on campus!
So, if you want to wait a day for your reading, be treated to an early-garage-sale appointed department, go to the hospital. If you like fast turn-a-round, clean, new and comfortable waiting areas, go to Paris Imaging...most of the docs do...you should, too.
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
And the winner is...9/20
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
9 comments:
I am not sure where you get your information but I never had that good of luck getting a report back on ANY kind of imaging when the Paris Imaging group where in place at the hospital. Don't get me wrong the new plan is not much better. I am just saying that the old plan is not as glorious as you made it out to be. They were not near that efficient.
I didn't say that they were that speedy when they were in the hospital, and based on the contentious nature of their relationship with Essent, there was plenty of reasons why not to.
In their own facility, with all new equipment--they're knocking the socks off the competition....frank
One more thing, administration has tried to cheap out the PACS (server capacity, speed), the dictation system (piecing it together), and the equipment/repairs. It shows.
The only time that they have been relatively quick with support was when the group left, and they responded by opening up overtime and putting on transcriptionists to keep up with the flow. That isn't happening now. In fact, the department is doing less (procedures) and taking more time to result them.
To quote one email: "The newest radiographic room in the department is about 10 years old, ...with the room by emergency a cobbled together mess from a refurber. The CT is at least two generations behind, ...and the north campus unit is even older."
Keep the facts straight, The radiologists, when at the hospital, had hospital transcriptionists. The Paris Imaging center, RRV, has there own transcriptionists, not related to E$$ent. E$$ent administration does not run RRV, This is why the turnaround time is so fast and efficient.
This is why the quality of work surpasses the hospital standards.
Look who the last 2 directors at the hospital were and need I say more.
Yes, Paris Imaging Center wins hands down on getting reports and films to us. Same day delivery with a smile on their face. I know if I HAVE to order something for a patient at the hospital to get it done a week a head of time.
Regardless............the fact is that Essent has failed and is continuing to fail miserably in THIS community when it comes to healthcare. Instead of updating necessary equipment (take a good look at Radiology) they do a "dog and pony" show for the general public. But that too can only fool for so long!
"In their own facility, with all new equipment--they're knocking the socks off the competition...."
Red River has obsolete transcription software. Yes, they are using Powerscribe also but as a back door dictation system. Transcription can't type into it. They must type into a program compatible to WordPerfect (sorry I don't know the exact name). The transcriptionist cannot run two programs at the same time on their computers without being knocked off the net. They cannot use templates, auto correct, expanders or research. They must create everything that is seen on the report, every header etc. stroke by stroke. They try to get reports back within a day but don't always succeed.
"putting on transcriptionists to keep up with the flow."
E$$ent hired a fulltime transcriptionist after the doctors left, and a transcriptionist left to go to Red River. E$$ent gets behind in transcription on the weekends and has a 15 minute turn around during the week. They should spread the hours out and have the weekends covered. The problem for E$$ent is with techs/radiologists. If there is a problem with a test, perhaps a wrong charge, logged charge, or even a cancelled charge being put through; the report stops with transcription. Techs/radiologists must do their job proficiently. These problems happen at both places. If it takes a day and a half for a test to be read and 15 minutes for the transcriptionist to type it after being dictated into Powerscribe. Hmmm, I wonder where the problem is.
"Keep the facts straight, The radiologists, when at the hospital, had hospital transcriptionists. The Paris Imaging center, RRV, has there own transcriptionists, not related to E$$ent. E$$ent administration does not run RRV, This is why the turnaround time is so fast and efficient."
There is no difference between a hospital transcriptionist and a RRV paid transcriptionist. The local transcriptionists (all of E$$ent and a few Red River) came from the same school, PJC. Red River pays slightly more and has obsolete software. These transcriptionists will develop carpal tunnel for sure. E$$ent pays slightly less, and has better software (for them), but it does have tons of bugs.
Lets keep the facts straight. They both have their pros and cons. One thing is certain, E$$ent does keep the transcription jobs in Paris; Red River has them working from home throughout the region. I'm not sure exactly where but I do know there are some that don't live in Paris and work from home.
The transcriptionists aren't the problem here...... They both do an excellent job at both places. Also, when new software was being installed at E$$ent, the transcriptionists weren't asked a single question. E$$ent transcriptionist do more than type. They also maintain the equipment, handle doctors, and fix the techs problems. Oh and don't forget. They were put on a completely different floor from the radiology department. Isn't that efficient.
The debacle that is unfolding in several areas of PRMC is so predictable and so tragic. Radiology, Anesthesiology, GI, and now General surgery have all felt the unbelievable hardball tactics that characterize any dealings that this company has with Physicians. I can understand the idea that permeates the administration "if you are not my friend and agree with me; you are my enemy".
But having said that; a little east Texas common sense that says "Bidness" is always more important than winning should at least occasionally be worth considering. This outfit is about winning every time no matter what it costs. It would be ok with me if Essent went bankrupt and wiped out Hud and all his cronies; but that would be a disaster for the community. So we muddle along watching these fools replace 9 of the best radiologists I’ve ever known with traveling alcoholics and anger management school rejects. The hope is that maybe when they finally realize that they are not going to "turn it around" maybe they will sell us to a larger outfit who knows who their customers really are: the medical staff and the sick folks.
It is the public that will pay heaviest. With their health, their wealth, and possibly their lives. A physician can always make a new start, however hard it might be initially--look at all the ones that have left!
Agreed, the demise of E$$ent would be a blow to the community...recovery would be long. The best thing for both parties would be a graceful retreat through a sale. But unless the new owners came through with a better business model, we would still have the makings of what we have now.
Only an E$$ential yard-sale could give the kind of breakup that is needed for healthcare in Paris: Splitting the facilities and shedding the excess baggage of property....frank
When are the "leaders" in this community going to face the facts.
The economy in and around Paris is horrible. The cities property taxes are in the top 10% for the entire state, and the property values in the bottom 10%. Not to mention the "economy" in South East Oklahoma, that looks to Paris for relief.
I suspect many more businesses in Paris are struggling to keep their doors open... not just E$$ent.
New industry must be brought in... we need a four lane road contected to an interstate. This is not rocket science folks!
It's time to stop whining about everything that's wrong with the community, and proactively seek change.
Challenge your elected officials to start earning their keep!!!!
One of the things that industry looks at is healthcare. A second is the educational system. Since E$$ent refuses to let people contribute to a solution, seems like they are the problem.
It will be interesting to see how PJC ranks on national board scores, both with nursing and radiology.
Post a Comment