171 Ashley Ave.
Charleston, SC 29425
843-792-1414
800-424-MUSC
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November 2008
It appears that we are facing tough times financially at the hospital again. Expenses are up with the opening of Ashley River Tower, revenue is flat with a weak economy, and fewer elective procedures are taking place. State support has been slashed yet again and the overall bottom line doesn't look good. Fortunately, the Children's Hospital has held its own, but we operate as a unit of all of MUHA and MUSC so we are all in this together.
As physicians, I think it is easy to say "it's the hospitals' problem and we can't do anything about it". But the truth is that we can be helpful in a variety of ways.
First and foremost, we must be aware of and supportive of the steps that the administration takes to remedy the fiscal imbalance. We are all better off with a satisfied staff who stay in their jobs, deliver quality care and engender high patient satisfaction. So when we hear from nurses and other staff concerns about their positions and the viability of MUHA, be positive about getting through this rough patch and coming out stronger on the other end.
Second, we should focus on delivering cost effective care while still maintaining quality. Obviously, this should always be our goal, but even more so now we need to consider the necessity of choosing the most expensive options for our patients versus other equally effective ones. For instance, this is a good time to weigh our preferences for certain supplies or equipment versus the savings of using the same items as our colleagues. Delivering efficient care by no means has to mean reduced quality care.
Third, we should support the hospitals policy of limiting unfunded care to those patients with high levels of medical necessity. We are fortunate in the Children's Hospital to have relatively few unfunded patients and as pediatric care providers, we never want to say no to a child. However, there may be select cases where scheduling an elective procedure should be delayed until the financial status of the hospital improves.
Finally, I and the hospital administration are delighted to have your suggestions and thoughts about ways to reduce costs and increase revenue. So be on the lookout for opportunities and let me know!
In closing, I will say that I am confident MUHA will not only weather this storm, but come out much stronger in the end. I am quite sure that the Children's Hospital, which has entered this phase on solid footing, will get everything it needs when the dust settles.
Thanks to everyone for your support during these tough times.
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J. Philip Saul, MD
Medical Director
Director, Pediatric Cardiology |
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