LJWorld.com / Cuts may pinch LMH

Archive for Thursday, February 21, 2008

February 21, 2008

Lawrence Memorial Hospital’s budget will need some pain relief if President Bush’s federal budget is approved, hospital leaders were told Wednesday at their monthly meeting.

Gene Meyer, LMH president and CEO, said the hospital stands to lose $13 million to $14 million in Medicare reimbursements over the next five years if Bush’s budget is approved.

“It is a pretty scary proposition that has been presented,” Meyer said of an analysis conducted for LMH by the Kansas Hospital Association and the American Hospital Association.

The not-for-profit LMH has annual revenues of about $145 million. Bush this month proposed a budget that makes about $200 billion in cuts to Medicare and Medicaid programs. It has been speculated that Congress won’t support the cuts, but there is expected to be pressure to allow the cuts to stand to control a ballooning federal deficit.

Meyer said the hospital industry is not taking any chances. He said the industry is expected to do heavy lobbying efforts to reduce the impacts on hospitals.

In other news from Wednesday’s hospital board meeting:

• Board members were told that a project to build a new radiology center as part of a partnership with a private radiology group has been put on hold.

Karen Shumate, vice president of clinical services for the hospital, said changes in how Medicare reimburses radiology services doomed the proposal.

In late 2006, the hospital confirmed it was working on a joint venture proposal with Lawrence-based Radiologic Professional Services to build a multimillion dollar center that would house a new machine useful in detecting cancerous tumors.

Currently, the hospital uses a mobile unit of the machine — called a PET CT scanner — that is available in Lawrence only one day per week.

Shumate said the hospital is leaving open the possibility of restarting talks on the project if finances improve.

“Our plan right now is to regroup and involve the radiologists in some long-range planning,” Shumate said.

• Meyer announced that David Sostarich, LMH director of radiology, is leaving the hospital this week to accept a director-level position at a hospital in the University of Pittsburgh system.

• Leaders were told work is slowly continuing on building a medical office building in Eudora. A hospital committee is in the process of interviewing four area architecture firms to design the new facility, which would be located near the intersection of Kansas Highway 10 and Church Street. A decision on an architect could be made in April.

Discussion

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21 February 2008 at 1:04 a.m.

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Ragingbear (Anonymous) says…

So the ER might have to take down those 42inch Plasma TV's they use as a white board?
21 February 2008 at 7:28 a.m.

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northtown (Anonymous) says…

And Gene Meyer mede to live in Douglas county,not Johnson Co. and soppurt the hospital that employs him??That is what they say all there employees are to do,why not him???
21 February 2008 at 7:52 a.m.

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its_getting_warmer (Anonymous) says…

Ditto on both points
21 February 2008 at 7:57 a.m.

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Buggie7 (Anonymous) says…

Wow and now that they have the new ER that might do some good. They would raise more money if they had a mental health care unit instead of a bob billings cardiac unit. Not that the unit does not do any good cause they are great but then the numbers come and they complain about not enough Mental health cases to justify a unit the# was still way higher than cardiac that could easily be taken care of on a regular patient floor. I also agree Mr Meyer needs to be living here not JOCO
21 February 2008 at 10:46 a.m.

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akt2 (Anonymous) says…

It is not a 42” plasma TV that is being used. It is a computer system used in hospitals that is called CERNER.
21 February 2008 at 6:29 p.m.

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Ragingbear (Anonymous) says…

I don't care what it's on. It's on a $5000 “monitor” or HDTV. I wrote down the model number and did a check on it when I noticed it a few years ago.
22 February 2008 at 7:11 a.m.

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MacHeath (Anonymous) says…

Ragingbear,
You also must take into consideration, that that plasma tv didnt cost you, or anyother taxpayer, a friggin dime.
22 February 2008 at 9:34 a.m.

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akt2 (Anonymous) says…

It could possibly be a $5000 monitor. It is a multi million dollar computer system. Better known as advanced technology.
22 February 2008 at 10:01 a.m.

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Ragingbear (Anonymous) says…

~~It could possibly be a $5000 monitor. It is a multi million dollar computer system. Better known as advanced technology.~~

Advanced technology that is barely superior to a $20 white board?

~~You also must take into consideration, that that plasma tv didnt cost you, or anyother taxpayer, a friggin dime.~~

Really? Then what are all the city subsidies and grants to LMH paying for? Because it obviously isn't healthcare.
22 February 2008 at 10:23 a.m.

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Kam_Fong_as_Chin_Ho (Anonymous) says…

It could possibly be a $5000 monitor. It is a multi million dollar computer system. Better known as advanced technology.~~

Advanced technology that is barely superior to a $20 white board?
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I agree with Ragingbear. Advanced technology at a hospital is useless. They would save money if they got rid of all the computers and used paper and clip boards instead. The IT department space could then be used for blood-letting and leech therapy.
22 February 2008 at 10:46 a.m.

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toefungus (Anonymous) says…

Medicare needs cut cut cut. Every hospital in the area is building, growing, advertising, and the parking lots are full of Lexus and Mercedes cars. I have no respect for this profession any more. It is just greed that keeps this system going. Hospitals are closing emergency rooms because the fat reduction surguries are far more lucrative.
22 February 2008 at 10:48 a.m.

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guesswho (Anonymous) says…

Wow, I didn't realize everyone here is such an expert on hospital management!

Paper and clip boards really isn't an effective way to track data trends, help avoid medical errors with inappropriate medications, do outcomes monitoring, etc.

Sorry, a mental health unit will not bring in money. I'm not saying the community doesn't need one, we do. But, there is a dwindling supply of psychiatrists, and there isn't enough of a demand.

There is demand, and will continue to grow, given our lifestyles, of cardiac care. That cannot be met on a 'regular floor'.

It always amazes me at all of the 'experts' who can do somebody elses job soooooooooooooo much better.
22 February 2008 at 10:58 a.m.

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Outwest (Anonymous) says…

I agree with Guesswho. If you don't know what you are talking about (aka Ragingbear), don't post. There are no city subsidies or grants going to LMH. None. If you can produce the source of such subsidies and grants, feel free to list them in this forum. If not, speak to only that which you know about.
23 February 2008 at 1:45 p.m.

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Ragingbear (Anonymous) says…

Hmm, no money eh? Well this official Lawrence budget report begs to differ (link goes to pdf file. Get foxit to read it, a lot better than Acrobat Reader).

http://tinyurl.com/ytvfyq
27 February 2008 at 1:23 a.m.

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bambi (Anonymous) says…

Hmm, no money eh? Well this official Lawrence budget report begs to differ (link goes to pdf file. Get foxit to read it, a lot better than Acrobat Reader).

Where in that document (City of Lawrence Budget) does it mention subsidies and grants to LMH?