Williston, ND Active Issues

Lonewolf · Senior Member

RE: Mercy Medical Center...potential Critical Access

rwaitman · Senior Member

Here's an off the wall thought that was brought up over coffee....sell the sucker (Mercy) to Trinity. They have enough medical specialists close enough to serve the community and possibly deeper pockets for local coffers....i don't take credit for the idea, but it has some merit to it?

Steve Powell · Guru

HEY!! WHAT'S WRONG WITH DRAGING MAIN!?

Actually, that was funny.

Dr. Shahin purchased the Wellness Center so that's a done deal. From what I understand he'll be keeping the programs going that Mercy started.

Mica · Veteran Member

Shawna you still drag main? hehe

Shawna · Veteran Member

Is there anything new with the possible buyer for the Wellness Center sight? Does anyone know who it is?

It seems a shame to have that building empty on main street. It's always nice to drive down main when I go home and the town looks prosperous!

One thing I thought about this whole issue when I first read it is how coming home now and driving up and down the streets all there is is retirement "villas". The Baby Boomers are filling up these places and will there be accessibility for these people down the road when hospital space is needed. And is the Old Folks Home we're talking about is that Bethel Home? Is that place capable of the influx should the need arise.

Steve Powell · Guru

Mica, this shouldn't affect any current services. I think a part of the problem with the current services is that people have sort of turned a blind eye to them. It's a "grass is greener" situation. I've talked to people who go to Olmsted Clinic in Rochester, MN instead of Mayo because they feel they get faster service. But people in smaller communities, including Williston, look at a Mayo Clinic and say..."OOOOHHHHH, that's the best hospital in the world!!!" Or something like that... biggrin

So people end up going to bigger cities because the care is supposed to be better there.

At least this is my perception.

Steve Powell · Guru

Oncology doesn't house any overnight patients. Anyone that needs to be admitted, other than OB patients, will be put in Med/Surg. The swingbed unit will now house physical therapy which is being moved over from the Wellness Center.

I don't believe any of the behavioral health facilities will be affected by the move. I know there are overnight patients there but I think they are considered a seperate entity. Good question though. Anyone else know if those facilities are included?

The clinic is definitly seperate. They don't keep overnight patients either. The main thing Mercy needs to focus on is getting down to 25 or fewer overnight patients. That's apparently part of what defines a "Critical Access" hospital.

This is the dialogue I was hoping for. Thanks you guys!!!

Mica · Veteran Member

I dont really know what to think of the Critical Access switch. The first thing that came to my mind when you were talking about health care in Williston is that it seems that any time my family members need any extensive health care (other than just annual exams, checkups, etc) they have to go elsewhere (Minot, Bismarck, Billings). How would this change affect them?

rwaitman · Senior Member

uhhh....well after an extended conversation with my wife who works in the health care, I have to re-evaluate....

Simply put, she said the primary goal is to NOT have people in the hospital, and that you will still need the Doctors to make sure that is what happens.

I guess I kind of had it backwards...

She tends to side with Steve's perspective.

;o)

SKM · Senior Member

Steve, are they planning to get rid of MRC and MHU? And will the clinic still be open? Just wondering. smile

rwaitman · Senior Member

I know I sound like a Doubting Thomas, but then we have 25 total beds for pediatric, med/surg, and oncology, and whatever else they might offer up there? What about Day Surgery? How does that factor in....just seems like too few beds to justify baby docs, surgeons, orthopeds, etc....Heck, that seems like a 1:1 ratio in just about everything...

I dunno....I'm open-minded, but....

;0)

Steve Powell · Guru

Thanks Randy. Your feedback is much appreciated. I am going to assume that a large portion of the folks feel the same way you do.

The average number of used beds daily at MMC is somewhere around 35 including swingbed. They are relocating the swingbed patients now to the old folks home which should bring that average down below 25. This is going to be what makes this move possible. I don't believe the switch will "downsize" the number of services. In fact, it will make working towards adding services more affordable.

The hospital will be afforded more luxuries that will help attract new docs, nurses, etc...
But...one thing everyone HAS TO KNOW about critical access is that it isn't permanent. Once the hospital starts seeing the numbers rise, the services rise, etc..they can go back to the old way.

So, really, going CA is simply to help get the books back in the black.

Hopefully this tiny bit of info will ease a few peoples minds about this.

rwaitman · Senior Member

I don't know the answer to the problem, but I think that reducing the number of available beds and the inevitable shortfall of services that would undoubtedly follow, is not the way to go.

I think that we should be "growing" Williston, not downsizing it. We are in the middle of a pretty good economy.

The city is taking steps to do what we can to encourage that growth and meet the needs of new citizens and generally being proactive. This would be a serious step backwards.

CHI (parent of Mercy Hospital) is a very large organization, and on the face of it, it would seem that they would have specialized staff who have faced these issues before, and dealt with them. I cannot imagine they would leave Mercy hanging in the wind, and could find a way in the larger picture to increase not decrease...services, particularly in a booming economy.

But that is just my 2 cents worth.

;o)

Steve Powell · Guru

I'm making this topic a STICKY because I think it is important to Williston right now. Our hospital is in dire straights and is potentially going to be making some drastic changes soon.

So let me know....are you opposed to or for a Critical Access Hospital. If you don't know what this means, basically it means dropping from 80+ beds down to 25 beds. That's the main thing from a patient standpoint. But, it also means more funding.

Please, feedback is important on message boards. We can't all be silent "check in once in awhile and read other's posts" members. There's gotta be some opinions out there. idea

Steve Powell · Guru

I was hoping for more thoughts on this subject from people that hadn't heard it from Dennis yet. I'm curious how our community feels about the potential for this to happen.

I was at West River Health Center in Hettinger before coming to Williston when they went critical access. I'll provide a link that should give you some idea of how they feel about being critical access now. Keep in mind they service an area of about 30000 people so it's not like they are small time compared to us.
Anyways, I'm still going to hold out a bit for more thoughts.

http://www.wrhs.com/Building_Project_Photos.asp

rwaitman · Senior Member

Steve:

You want to educate us illiterates on the subject? I imagine this involves some considerable downsizing of the facilities; how will this affect the quality of services?

On the face of it, I think we should be growing services and facilities in Williston, not downsizing...and not specifically in the health care system, but across the board. We are very fortunate to be on the cusp of an economic boom, while most others have already fallen over the edge, the wrong one...and the slowing economy might be giving us preliminary look at a looming, and disturbing cloud on the horizon....

...but back to the subject. I am interested in the potential up and downsides to the conversion to a Critical Access Facility by Mercy. Please give a short picture

R.

Steve Powell · Guru

I was at the Healthy Williston/Healthy Youth meeting at lunch today and Dennis Goebel the CEO at Mercy talked about Mercy possibly going critical access. I understand the ramifications of the switch but I'm wondering how the rest of you perceive this move. Please feel free to throw your two cents in.