Submitted by Grays Harbor Community Hospital
As health care costs rise and legislation continues to be uncertain, it has become imperative that Grays Harbor Community Hospital (GHCH) make changes to the organization for its long-term viability. We are well aware that Grays Harbor County’s primary care needs are not being fully met and take seriously our responsibility to assist in meeting the community’s primary care needs.
Like many rural communities with high Medicaid and Medicare, we have a primary care provider shortage. In order to address these needs, GHCH is moving toward a 49-bed Sole Community Hospital status. The 49-bed status will allow us increased reimbursement for primary care clinics and will provide a sustainable model by which to recruit and retain primary care providers.
In short, becoming a 49-bed Sole Community Hospital allows us to build primary care and increase health care access for those in our community.
The following is a list of questions you may have:
- What does this change mean to the providers?
- Providers will continue to deliver the highest quality of care to their patients.
- Admitting patients to hospital inpatient care will require that the provider work more closely with house supervisors.
- What does this change mean to the staff members?
- Those involved in registration, nursing, billing, house supervisors and HIM will have new protocols.
- Does this mean we are a Critical Access Hospital like Summit Pacific?
No, we will remain a Sole Community Hospital as designated by state and federal guidelines.
- What can I say to those who don’t work at GHCH or HMG about this process?
- We are still providing the same, high-level, quality of care to our patients but adapting our model for optimal federal and state reimbursement benefits.
- This will not affect our ability to provide inpatient acute care.
- What does this mean for HarborCrest?
- We will still provide detox service but may move from an inpatient program to a residency program like other hospitals of our size. We are working closely with providers to solidify these details.
- What if we go over our 49-bed allowance?
- GHCH West Campus averages daily inpatient census for 2016 was 31. This is well under the limit of 49 beds.
- Observation patients do NOT count toward the 49-bed allowance.
- We will divert to other area hospitals if we were ever to reach the 49-bed limit.
- When will this take place?
- As of Oct. 1, 2017, we will be operating as a 49-bed Sole Community Hospital.
As we work together to make these exciting changes possible, we look forward to the amazing benefits that are ahead. Thank you for your continued support of Grays Harbor Community Hospital.
