1. As the new leader of Westerly Hospital and Lawrence + Memorial Hospital in Connecticut, what are your top priorities, specifically as it pertains to Westerly?
My top priority is to continue delivering patient-centered, high-quality, safe, world-class care to our patients and the communities we serve. My focus will be on elevating our culture of excellence and emphasizing 200% accountability for our actions. To achieve this, we must evaluate what our communities need from Westerly Hospital and how can we best provide that need.
2. It’s no secret hospitals have had their share of financial issues in recent years for a variety of reasons. How would you assess Westerly Hospital’s situation right now?
To meet the needs of our patients, hospitals must make a small profit margin to invest in new technology, attract world-class providers and employ the best staff. Our hospitals started with philanthropic gifts and that support remains an essential component of our financial health. Philanthropy and support from our communities is going to play a vital role going forward.
3. How has the COVID-19 pandemic changed the way hospitals operate?
Telehealth is now a big part of access to care. Not only do we use telehealth for routine visits, but we also use it to connect with physicians in other locations. When a stroke patient in Westerly needs a higher level of care, we can often keep them in Westerly by connecting with our telestroke team in New Haven who “treat” the patient alongside the doctors in the room in Westerly.
4. We often hear complaints from health care providers about Medicaid reimbursement rates in Rhode Island and the low rates paid by private insurers. What’s your perspective of this, being the president of hospitals both in Rhode Island and Connecticut?
We agree – Medicaid rates do not cover the actual costs of care. Medicaid pays us 40 cents on the dollar of cost, which is harming the financial stability of health systems around the country.
5. Labor shortages have hit every sector in recent years, health care included. How is Westerly weathering that?
Over the past year, we’ve made progress in filling vacancies across all areas of the hospital, but we still have a need for qualified candidates. We’ve established partnerships with colleges and universities in Connecticut to build a pipeline of nurses. We continue to maximize different options, including internships and recruiting student interns after graduation.
