Keith Hovan | CEO and president, Southcoast Health System Inc.
1. What measures are being taken by Southcoast Health to address the COVID-19 pandemic? The scale of this challenge is unprecedented, and so, too, is our response. Our world-class team of providers, nurses and clinical support staff are on the front lines every day working with courage and dedication. Coordinating efforts across the communities we serve also involves staff from human resources, interpreter services, graphic design, food service, facilities, [information technology], and other departments.
2. When do you expect St. Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford to earn certification as a Level II trauma center, and when will its new intensive care unit open? We expect to welcome patients in early May at St. Luke’s Hospital’s new, $14 million ICU. The timing could not be more significant, as the new ICU could be put to immediate use in caring for patients with COVID-19. We anticipate formally beginning the certification process this summer with the American College of Surgeons and expect that St. Luke’s will be designated a Level II Trauma Center in summer 2021.
3. Southcoast already has a presence in Rhode Island with primary care physicians and some specialists; do you envision opening any larger facilities here? We’re always reviewing opportunities to expand Southcoast’s presence if it makes sense for patients. Nearly 800 of our employees call Rhode Island home. Many Rhode Islanders come to us for exceptional care in cardiology, cancer care, breast health, orthopedics, vascular services, brain and spine, and bariatrics.
4. Was the July 2019 launch of a Southcoast app that connects patients with doctors 24 hours a day designed to decrease emergency department visits? We offer two telehealth features for Southcoast Health patients and others who are not patients. These e-visits – through a patient’s MyChart portal and Southcoast Health On Call – have taken on even greater importance with the COVID-19 pandemic. Video visits protect patients and providers from unnecessary exposure while providing timely clinical expertise.
5. How important is creativity when it comes to helping people access appropriate levels of health care? At Southcoast, we think of each person and each community individually, uniquely. We don’t take a one-size-fits-all approach, and we don’t ask patients to conform to what’s most convenient for us. We admit, this is challenging in health care … . But, at Southcoast, we’re creatively redefining and reinventing the health care experience for our patients.
