LICH implications for Community?

A report in today's New York Times suggests that a takeover of Long Island College Hospital (LICH) by SUNY Downstate Medical Center might not happen. New York State is reportedly reconsidering its award of HEAL grant funds that were expected to be part of the overall financial transaction.

The Downstate-LICH transaction has some similarities to the proposed acquisition of Community General Hospital by SUNY Upstate Medical University. So a logical question is: does today's report about LICH have implications for Community?

Community recently finished a project involving a HEAL grant. Among other things, the grant funds made possible the Center for Orthopedics. The funds were awarded as part of the Berger Commission's recommendations for Community and Van Duyn Home & Hospital. They were not part of the proposed transaction with Upstate. The funds have mostly been expended (and reimbursed).

The Community-Upstate transaction is far smaller, as I understand it, and not as financially complex as Downstate-LICH.

Yesterday Dr. David Smith, President of Upstate Medical University, addressed the Upstate community on the overall subject of state budget cuts, university finances, and plans with Community General.

Dr. Smith reiterated Upstate plans for its acquisition of Community because doing so will help Upstate build capacity and will help “put the right patient in the right bed.”

Dr. Joe Smith & the Center for Orthopedics

There were many poignant moments at Thursday's ribbon cutting for the new Center for Orthopedics as dignitaries recognized the work of Dr. Joseph Smith, a retired member of the medical staff who was severely injured in an accident in 2008.

Dr. Smith served as chairman of the orthopedics department at Community General Hospital for many years. He helped lay the foundation for the service that was recognized last week for its high quality.

That's Dr. Smith in the operating room photo, taken about 2004. He is second from the left.

Praise for Dr. Smith began with Board chair Steve Infanti, who was at the podium to receive awards recognizing the quality of Community's orthopedics program.

The first award was presented by Dr. Marybeth McCall, regional chief medical officer for Excellus BlueCross BlueShield. Excellus' BlueDistinction designation recognizes the quality of Community's spine surgery, as well as its hip and knee replacement surgery.

Allison Leavey of HealthGrades presented Steve with the overall orthopedics excellence award, earned by Community for the fourth straight year. Ms. Leavey also acknowledged HealthGrades' honors for Community's spine surgery, hip and knee replacements, and hip fracture repair.

In accepting the awards, Steve paid tribute to Dr. Smith for the quality of orthopedics, as well as for the growth of the orthopedics service.

Dr. Rick Zogby, chair of orthopedics, in the photo at left, followed Steve with his own spontaneous and heartfelt tribute to his colleague and friend, Dr. Smith.

This was echoed by another speaker, State Senator John DeFrancisco, in the photo below, who told the audience of his lifelong friendship with Dr. Smith. The Senator and the doctor were students together at Christian Brothers Academy years ago.

Following the ribbon cutting by Chief Nursing Officer Christine Stryker, orthopedic nurse manager Wendy Osgood, and area dignitaries, guests and colleagues toured the 25,000 square-foot Center for Orthopedics, which features 36 private rooms and a spacious gym overlooking downtown Syracuse and Onondaga Lake.

The Center features many improvements, among them:

- A silent nurse call system to reduce noise for patients.

- Decentralized nursing stations so professional staff is close to patients.

- Ergonomic flooring for the nurses who spend so much time on their feet.

- A physical therapy gym to help patients recover faster and more comfortably.

- Wi-fi Internet access for all patients.

- Tempur-Pedic mattresses on beds that can help prevent falls and even weigh patients.

- PVC-free wall covering and vinyl-free flooring.

- LED down lights and other features to conserve power.

- Plumbing that reduces water consumption.

The Center for Orthopedics was funded by $7.6 million from a grant awarded under New York State's Healthcare Efficiency and Affordability Law (HEAL). The HEAL grant was given to Community for its compliance with the decisions of the Commission on Healthcare Facilities for the 21st Century ("Berger Commission").

My thanks, especially to Ken Redmore, Community's Director of Facilities and Construction, who managed the project from start to finish, through design, bidding, build-out, including all state approvals and coordination. He brought the project to completion on time and within budget.

There were many colleagues and friends at the opening ceremonies, and I appreciated the presence, among them, of Dr. Paul Kronenberg, president and CEO of Crouse Hospital -- Community General's prospective merger partner.

As lovely as the new Center is, we all know that facilities alone do not assure excellence. Only people do that. Community's orthopedics service relies upon its excellent people: from the orthopedic surgeons, to the operating room and nursing staff, as supported by physical therapists, other ancillary staff, and the entire support team.

It is great to see our staff recognized and our patients the beneficiaries of an excellent facility. They begin to use the new Center this week.

Our orthopedic growth

Today, I announced the start of construction on a new sixth-floor Center for Orthopedics, funded with $7.6 million from a New York State HEAL grant. The funds come from New York State, as a result of our voluntary compliance with the recommendations of the Berger Commission (Commission on Healthcare Facilities in the 21st Century).

The construction project will generate up to 150 jobs this year, and the finished center will help us respond to the growth in our orthopedics service. See the story in today's Post-Standard.

From 2005 to 2008, our orthopedic inpatient cases have grown by over 50%. Here are the numbers of inpatients, discharged from Community General Hospital over that period [1]:

2005- 1,236
2006 -1,346
2007 -1,777
2008 -1,882

Last year our hospital served orthopedic patients from 19 counties and from out-of-state as well.
As a result of our patient growth, the orthopedic patient care unit moved from 4 West to a larger 4 North three years ago. Next year it will relocate to the brand new Center for Orthopedics on both Six East & West.

The new Center will have:

▪ 36 private rooms that can flex up to 40 patients at high census.

▪ Decentralized nursing stations in three pods.

▪ All new spacious patient rooms with state-of-the-art beds that help prevent falls and facilitate skin care.

▪ An expanded physical therapy area.

▪ Modern electronics for electronic medical records (EMR), Computer Provider Order Entry (CPOE), and wireless service.

▪ A nurse call system with wireless phones to reduce ambient noise and connect patients directly with nurses.

▪ Design by King & King Architects, the same team that designed our award-winning Jim and DeDe Walsh Family Birth Center.

The rending shows a patient room in the new facility. Hueber-Breuer Construction is managing the build-out.

Many thanks go to the operating room orthopedic staff nurses for helping establish our excellent reputation. They are backed by great therapy and support teams.

And my special acknowledgment goes to our orthopedic surgeons whose skill and trust in our hospital and staff have helped build our growing regional reputation for outstanding care:

Spine Care
Thomas R. Haher, MD
Warren Wulff, MD
Richard Zogby, M.D.

Sports, General Orthopedic Services, &Joint Replacement
Todd C. Battaglia, MD
John J. Cambareri, MD
C. Perry Cooke III, MD
P. James Newman, MD
Joseph A. Smith, MD (past department chair, not currently in practice)

Hand & Upper Extremity
John F. Fatti, MD
Walter H. Short, MD

Joint Care & Surgery
Stephen P. Bogosian, MD (department chair)
Michael T. Clarke, MD
Michael Vella, MD

Foot & Ankle
Frederick R. Lemley, M.D.

[1] Sources of data: HANYS Market Expert, 2005-2007; Hospital financial services, 2009