This month I have some good news and some not so good news.
Let’s start with the good news first. We have two new providers joining our network; Karen Morrow, FNP is a nurse practitioner, who specializes in family and pediatric medicine. She joins us from Crescent City where she has an established practice.
Greg Tjossem, MD is a Family Practice doctor joining us from Iowa. Both will start in January and provide much needed capacity in Brookings.
The month of June brings with it the official beginning of summer, Father’s Day (mark your calendars – it’s the 19th this year!), as well as Men’s Health Month! The purpose of celebrating Men’s Health Month is to “heighten the awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of diseases” that affect our fathers, husbands, sons, and brothers.
December 2011
This month I have some good news and some not so good news. Let’s start with
the good news first. We have two new providers joining our network; Karen
Morrow, FNP is a nurse practitioner, who specializes in family and pediatric
medicine. She joins us from Crescent City where she has an established practice.
Greg Tjossem, MD is a Family Practice doctor joining us from Iowa. Both will
start in January and provide much needed capacity in Brookings. Additionally, we
have re-established cardiology services in conjunction with Southern Oregon
Cardiology. It’s a full scope of service with office-based cardiology
consultations, nuclear medicine and echocardiography. Southern Oregon Cardiology
schedules their own patients; for an appointment call 541-282-6606.
Now the not so good news; we are having a poor financial year; the economy is
terrible, inpatient volumes are down and losses are mounting. This week we
reduced our work force by some 20 full time equivalent positions. This should
save over $1 million annually. We will be focusing on our revenue cycle in the
new year to reduce the number of claim denials, re-billings, and optimize our
pricing in relationship with our two major competitors; Bay Area Hospital and
Sutter Coast Hospital. Most of the staffing reductions are coming from
non-patient care areas so as to maintain patient safety and service levels. We
honor those who have lost their jobs and hope and pray for their welfare.
Bill McMillan, MBA FACHE
Chief Executive Officer
Curry Health Network
See November's Note here