And in at least one way, a high level of care is likely to get even better.
That change is prompted by Medicare's upcoming refusal to pay for wounds and injuries that occur once patients are in the hospital. That goes into place in October, and hospitals such as Community Medical Center are getting ready by implementing a program that should result in fewer hospital-related wounds and injuries.
Overwhelmingly, the most common wound is bedsores. Hospitals already have protocols in place to make sure that immobile patients don't get bedsores, but Olson said closer attention can be paid to the problem.
“We have a routine in place already, but hospitals are busy places with lots of patients, and things happen,” he said. “Now we're going to have staff dedicated to dealing with this issue specifically, so I think we'll do an even better job of dealing with it now.”
Although patients certainly develop bedsores during extended hospital stays, they also sometimes arrive at the hospital well into the process of developing sores, which are caused when tissue dies because of a lack of movement. Some bedsores can even reach the bone.
“Let's say someone comes in who's been in a nursing home for a long time, or maybe have just been ill at home,” Olson said. “Sores take a long time to develop, and often they are on the verge of appearing when the person arrives at the hospital.”
Part of dealing with the Medicare issue, then, is identifying those at-risk patients and dealing with problem before it arrives, Olson said.
To that end, the hospital has already hired people whose jobs will deal specifically with sores and other wound-care issues.
“I've got a wound nurse and a wound therapist, and they will be working with the rest of the staff to make sure this is something that we're on top of,” Olson said.
Because of the increased vigilance regarding wounds, Olson said the hospital will have a better system of tracking bedsores, providing information that should make it possible to provide even better care.
“If we see someone with some redness developing, we are going to be monitoring that person very closely, making sure they're moved systematically so that we don't have the pressures that result in sores,” Olson said.
The new employees will cost the hospital some money, Olson said, but the cost of dealing with bedsores is also high.
“The cost of treatment for just one bedsore can be $40,000, so it doesn't take many of those to cover the cost of the new people we have,” Olson said.
Olson said the state's bigger hospitals will have an easier time dealing with the new Medicare guidelines, but noted that smaller, rural hospitals may struggle to deal with the costs.
“We're able to absorb that cost, where smaller hospitals that are struggling to get by may have more trouble,” he said.
That said, Olson is pleased the regulatory change will result in better care for patients.
“We've had a high standard of care, and now that standard is going to be even higher, so that's a good thing,” Olson said.
Reporter Michael Moore can be reached at 523-5252 or at mmoore@missoulian.com
|
 |
 |
Add your comment now! Write your comment in the form below.
(Email address is for verification only. If you'd like to email a story, look for the link above)