Opinion: Barton proactively pursues health of the South Shore
By John Williams
The New Year has always been the perfect time to reflect and look ahead with a fresh perspective. As the primary wellness provider for the South Lake Tahoe area, I would like to address questions you may have about the future of healthcare and what Barton Health has planned for 2012 and beyond.
With healthcare in flux, many of us have questions and are wondering: “How will healthcare reform affect us?” While a great deal of unknowns exists, I’d like to share what we do know and help you make educated, sound health decisions for the future.
John Williams
In March 2010, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care and Health Care Act (PPACA) and the Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (amendment the PPACA Act) were signed by President Obama. This law serves as the primary basis for healthcare reform legislation of the 111th Congress.
Healthcare reform was designed to address three main issues:
• Increase access to healthcare
• Improve patient quality
• Reduce cost.
For hospitals that rely on patient insurance coverage, the reform bill is a double-edged sword. While there will be more insured patients, insurance is expected to pay the hospital at a lower rate for inpatient services. In return, outpatient care will grow as more of the uninsured will have access to more healthcare facilities, rather than being treated in the emergency department, which has guaranteed treatment for patients. These are just a few of the provisions and changes that will take place in the next four years. With this in mind, Barton continues to be proactive in seeking valuable services for the community and visitors. We are looking at 2012 optimistically, while pursuing the health status of our community by addressing wellness education patient access and improving care.
Looking ahead
As a proactive rural community healthcare provider, our priorities lie in addressing healthcare reform, enhancing our medical services and working collectively with community partners to help ensure the success of our economy. Barton Health’s key focuses for 2012 include:
• Implementation of an electronic medical record system
• Conducting a Community Health Needs Assessment
• Securing the designation of a Level III trauma center
• Implementation and expansion of specialty services
• Innovation and recruitment.
Electronic medical records
To meet healthcare reform requirements, Barton will join other facilities across the nation and implement an electronic medical record system. The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) will ensure safe and quality care for patients. The system will provide easy access to health information for caregivers including lab work, medications and X-rays and will enable a seamless transfer of patient medical records from one facility to another.
Quality measures
The success of a hospital is based on the care we provide and I am proud to state the quality-of-care we provide has improved significantly over the past few years. Under healthcare reform, all hospitals will be judged on the quality and the consistency of care they deliver through a program known as Value Based Purchasing.
The hospital value based purchasing program rewards hospitals for improving our patient’s experience of care while reducing medical mistakes. Hospitals will be measured on patient experience and quality of care. With these scores, the federal government will take funds from the poor performing hospitals and reward the outstanding performers.
Hospitals will benefit if they have high scores and show improvement. Barton will continue to focus our efforts in this arena, benefitting our community with exemplary patient experience.
Community Health Needs Assessment
The Community Health Needs Assessment is not only a requirement of healthcare reform, but will identify the health issues that are in the greatest need of support on the South Shore. Barton plans to identify barriers to access for healthcare, preventative healthcare needs, modifiable health risks and quality-of-life issues. The goal is to obtain a quantifiable gauge of the overall health status of our community. We will be requesting input from the public and will work alongside health experts in the area to identify issues and create programs to address the major needs within our community.
Expansion of services
Trauma Center: Barton Memorial Hospital, in conjunction with the region’s emergency medical services response team, is working to establish Barton Memorial Hospital as a Level III trauma center by seeking approval from El Dorado County to begin operations by spring 2012, with official designation by spring 2013. This designation will improve the overall quality-of-care for trauma patients, allowing them to stay in the area for care rather than being transferred to another medical facility outside of the area.
Tahoe Center for Orthopedics: Barton Health is well on its way to creating an orthopedic center of excellence. Tahoe Center for Orthopedics is comprised of the area’s leading orthopedic surgeons, nurses, sports medicine specialists and support staff, all designed to offer a first-rate patient experience like none other in the region. In 2011, we remodeled the private-patient-rooms at Barton Memorial Hospital, added a pre-operative education component, hired a nurse dedicated solely to the care of orthopedic surgical patients and added a home visit rehabilitation program. New for 2012, TCO will expand its orthopedic program, allowing patients to receive surgical and rehabilitation care the same day an injury occurs.
Innovation and recruitment
In 2011, our services expanded throughout the region with growth of specialty services, physicians and technology. We recruited a world-renowned physiatrist from the Mayo Clinic, a talented audiologist and introduced dedicated cardiac services. Telemedicine, a program allowing patients to remotely consult with physicians outside of the area, will expand in 2012.
With grant funding through Access El Dorado, a countywide community collaborative, the program will provide telemedicine equipment to out-patient offices and assist in offering adult endocrinology, psychiatry (adult and child), cardiology, neurology, dermatology and infectious disease consults. Our telemedicine program has minimized the need for patients to leave the area for care while enhancing medical services in our community.
In addition to telemedicine and specialists, Barton continues to increase technology and procedures that rival our “big city” counterparts, such as the single-incision gall bladder surgery, incisionless reflux procedure, the HALO breast exam and colon hydrotherapy.
Meeting the needs of our region
Barton’s mission is simple – to support our residents regardless of their insurance coverage or ability to pay. With the unemployment rate in South Lake Tahoe at a 16.7 percent, Barton is committed to offering free to low-cost wellness programs and services.
Free wellness lectures, discounted flu shots and complimentary health screenings are among some of the vital services we offer.
Additionally, the Barton Community Clinic treats nearly 19,000 uninsured and underinsured patients each year and continues to grow. Helping Hands, our financial assistance program, is designed to relieve some of the burden of medical bills for residents who are eligible. Barton’s Community Advisory Committee has awarded nearly $75,000 in grants since 2009, addressing oral and mental health, obesity, nutrition and physical fitness programs for both children and adults.
Growth and prosperity
Our goals are aggressive as we pursue improving the health status of our community – both economically and medically. Our partnership with Lake Tahoe Basin Prosperity Plan will help create a more resilient economy, while supporting the revitalization of environmental quality and an improved standard of living for our residents.
While we enhance patient care, expand our wellness programs and improve our facilities, we plan on continuing to support the economic wellbeing of South Lake Tahoe. We will accomplish this with contract work, mostly local, to expand our Community Clinic, by continuing to upgrade our patient rooms and by improving other patient care facilities.
In addition, as the largest year-round employer in South Lake Tahoe with more than 900 employees and contracts with groups who employ more than 140 physicians, we continue to support our area’s businesses. We look forward to supporting our community’s health for years to come.
John Williams is president and CEO of Barton Health.
The bottom line is Barton is by far, like by a factor of two, the most expensive facility in the region. A middle income family with a high deductible plan is forced off of the hill to obtain any medical services. I was billed $75 for an ace bandage in the ER as an example. The total bill for four x-rays and an ace bandage was over $2500. Barton is great for the indigent and those with Cadillac plans. Everyone else should run away.
Yep. My husband had to have blood work done. We knew it would be expensive, but we weren’t planning over 2K expensive.
After a summer visit to the ER, I questioned two charges I thought were excessive. Barton worked with me and the issue was resolved in my favor.
Yep, too expensive for the middle class, especially if they are self pays.
Self pays should not pay more than what insurances would reimburse for the same care, otherwise they are gouging their customers. Do what is right, not what you can get away with, you will garner more support in the end.
Too expensive? Yes. But that is only the beginning of their problem. Lets talk about the elephant in the room here… Barton is the only hospital I have ever been in where I actually felt unsafe, as if the people were untrained and really did not have a clue what they are doing. The nurse took 10 minutes to find a usable vain in my arm, no one knew what had already been given to me, my chart was switched out and temporarily misplaced. Barton is a poor excuse for a hospital. These are my personal accounts. I know other people who went in for a cold and ended up much worse… Bottom line, I have told my family, if it is not life threatening (and even if it is…) take me ANYWHERE but Barton. I don’t think it is safe or good care.
Get a real trauma faculty,stop the expensive chopper rides to another place away from home.
As much as Barton might think they are well liked in our area, they know for fact people don’t care for the place.
People do make the trip down the hill for better health care in both direction,Sac,Reno,Carson City.
All it is, is a-write off for charity for the few wealth people living in the area that think they are really doing something.The employees are herded in out just to cut operation cost.
There is one Angel that works there named Heather(IF SHE STILL THERE) who works with home care,WHO is unbelievable in her profession,her,husband travel out the states to help poor people in other country’s that probably never been exposed to the good humanitarian THEY BOTH ARE,They live ,breath good will to under privileged people,this is real dedication ,what it’s all about.
Why the compliants?? They are the largest employer in slt… They offer a great financial assistant program that anyone can apply for. They are advancing each day and you would be very surprised how many patients they have that appreciate their care.
Why does Barton charge 3 times more for rehab services than any other outpatient rehab facility? The thought behind TCO may sound appealing, but who wants to go somewhere with mediocre care, doubled with other patients, and be charged three times as much? Care at Barton is archaic at best, lacks evidence-based practice, and does not have the patient’s best interest at heart. The problem is no local competition for health care, and therefore they can gouge and monopolize the system locally. Barton may be the biggest employer in Tahoe, but so what? Look at Enron, Bank of America, or any other greedy corporation willing to do anything to make a buck. Open your eyes Tahoe, demand better care!
My husband is right there with Skihound. He has told me that if he ever needs to go to the hospital to take him to Carson-Tahoe. Barton is a total ripoff.
I heard that part of the reason for the excessive charges is that Barton is designated as a rural hospital giving it the ability to charge more.
The last time I had a round of bloodwork at Barton I was charged over $650! Never again!
the sad fact is that Barton is consistently moving towards becoming nothing but a renown hospital feeder which means more paients will be sent to reno for care, not kept within their community.
Frank, the only problem with giving them up to Renown is they pass the cash cow on to someone else. I’m guessing they want to keep someone as long as it’s reasonably safe, so they can rack up the charges for themselves.
These are all such good comments. Barton should follow-up. If they look forward to “supporting our health for years to come”, address our concerns.
I have always been pleased with Barton, the services provided, & the staff has always been extremely professional! I have never questioned the competency of the staff & wouldn’t go anywhere else.
I think the staff & services @ Barton are wonderful, and my family & I have always been extremely satisfied! Very professional with superb service.
Fortunately for Barton, they have a lot of very good employees. Unfortunately for Barton, they have at least as many who are less than competent, and Barton charges way too much for imcompetence. They are holding people’s very lives in their hands. They don’t have the option of “good enough.”
When I had cancer I got my regular pre-treatment labs done at Barton. Always within a week of the appointment, but never more than 3 days ahead. Not once did they get my lab work to the doctors without having to be called the day of the appointment to fax the info. My husband also has medical issues, and on the (rare) occasions he has tests done at Barton, the results are almost never forwarded in a timely manner. I DO NOT understand what the problem is. It’s a bad problem for a professional medical facility to have.
Thanks Barton,
Both of my kids where born there,when my son was younger they used to know him on a first name basis in the emergency room.Dr.Rogalski has fixed me up a couple of times when I’ve busted things and Dr. Makris saved my life by correctly diagnosing prostae cancer.
Thanks again.
Thank you Barton, you are the best!!
“Barton” is not the entire problem. The “Healthcare System” is partially responsible. The “Insurance industry” should be overhauled. “Obama-care” has not helped. Then there is the immigration problem…flooding the emergency rooms with sore throats, and snotty noses…better addressed with a primary care physician or urgent care center. The down-trodden economy has also changed the scenario. The payer-mix has changed, and reimbursement is horribly low. “Un” and “Under-insured” patients, along with the “R&D” costs for drugs, medical devices, and equipment, costs a great deal of money to provide. Nothing is really “non-for-profit”. Every person involved in the food chain needs to make a living. Granted, the top of the food chain always benefits, as in any corporation.
As a long time local, I would have agreed with the “go anywhere but Barton” 10 years ago. Now, however, I believe that Barton has worked toward excellence. I have interacted with many of the employees, from Dr.’s to RN’s, to housekeeping staff. Most are top drawer. I have to agree with “Parrot”.
If I were to suggest anything to Barton, I would say this…do not reward mediocrity…in this economic climate, you have a choice in employees…from top to bottom. Stop playing the “old boys network” game.
Barton has healed me and provided urgent care I could not wait to get off the hill. I respect the professionalism and focus on improving quality shown by the organization. I really cannot adequately express my deep personal appreciation to our local hospital and medical personnel. Thank you, Barton.
Sure I could complain about cost. But I am truly grateful for Barton. I believe we are fortunate to have a hospital in our community. I hate to think what our town would be like without Barton.
mb ,I-Guess you loss gamblers!
GOT FEED THE HOGS TO MAKE BACON!
Of the 23 major surgeries I’ve had, 12 were done at Barton going back to 1980. Add the 6 or 7 E.R. visits going back to 1973, and I can can speak with some authority on the quality of care I’ve recieved at Barton.
One the one hand, They have saved my life…literally…and helped me maintain mobility and an active, athletic lifestyle. The care and emotional support provided to me, my family and my mom in her old age were above and beyond expectations. To Barton physicians, nurses, staff and Hospice,
THANK YOU!!!!
This care does come at a cost and I have had some some issues with what I considered outrageous charges, but on balance, Barton always worked with me on finding a workable solution. When I had to give up my private health insurance due to skyrocketing rates and poor payment issues, they bent over backwards to find a solution and a workable payment schedule when surgery was necessary.
On the other hand, I have experienced a few instances of very poorly executed procedures and actually refused to let a certain staffer (now long gone) ever touch my body again….much to the delight of my hospital roomate!
Every organization of that size can have a few duds, but the overwhelming majority are quality, dedicted caregivers.
I think ‘snow’ has correctly assesed the situation with expensive health care as being a macro problem with our entire insurance and health care provider system. Barton is caught in this crunch as they are required to provide care to those who absolutely cannot afford it.
Keep up the good work Barton…..I trust you with my life!