Changing times focus of Samaritan board discussion

MOSES LAKE - Complex cases and the impact of growth led to a higher-than-normal rate of patient transfers from Samaritan Healthcare to other facilities in June. Patient transfers were part of a wide-ranging discussion of hospital operation and its future direction at the July 24 meeting of the hospital board.

Dr. Jim Irwin, chief of the medical staff, said the hospital has been treating more patients, and nurses have been transferring from one department to another. That led to a shortage of nurses on the medical-surgical unit and in intensive care. Hospital officials are addressing it by hiring more nurses, Irwin said, with five currently participating in the hospital's orientation program.

Irwin estimated about 65 percent of the people transferred in May and June had illnesses that were too complex to be treated at Samaritan. He recommended there should be extra support for the doctors who work only at the hospital, called hospitalists.

Some of the transfers were mental health patients, Irwin said, and in answer to a question from board member Tom Frick, he said most mental health patients admitted to the hospital are transferred due to the complexity of the cases. Chief executive officer Tom Thompson said mental health treatment is a challenge and will continue to be, and that hospital officials will have to work on addressing it.

One mid-level provider has been hired for the emergency room, Irwin said, and will start work in October.

Hospital officials are reviewing the services offered at Samaritan, with the goal of expanding the options, chief financial officer Tom Legel said. That could be expansion of already existing services or something new, Legel said. Thompson said he wants to encourage employees to make their own suggestions for what's needed, and how to promote existing and new services in the community.

Hospital officials are planning to evaluate the current facility and determine if the current layout is working for patient needs, Thompson said. Part of that will be an analysis of future needs, he said.