IN THIS ISSUE
What's New at Guardian Nurses?
Academic Medical Center or Community Hospital?
What's the Difference?
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What's New at
Guardian Nurses
Boy, do we like throwing axes!
Late last month, many of the nurses on the Mobile Care Coordinator team challenged our clients and friends to a competition of axe throwing at Urban Axes in Philadelphia.
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| Some happy axe throwers!! |
This is not our first time at Urban Axes and it won't be our last. We all had a great time with lots of 'axe throwing trash talking' (remember, that is WITH axes!) and laughs.
I think I even heard someone saying "Guardian Nurses needs to form an axe throwing team for our league!"
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Welcome
Marian!
Guardian Nurses' Mobile Care Coordinator Program has grown to include Local 338's Allied Welfare Fund, a group representing the employees of Duane Reade pharmacies in the five boroughs of New York City.
Marian Morla, RN, is our newest MCC RN who will be assigned to the group.
Marian joins us after a twelve year nursing career in women's health, insurance case management, and hospice.
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Through case after case, in small towns, sprawling suburbs and inner cities, we work with patients in all sorts of acute care facilities. Many of those facilities are either community hospitals or academic (teaching) medical centers.
Our nurses routinely visit patients when they are hospitalized and provide support and counsel to patients who are receiving services as out-patients. Many of our patients express strong opinions on where they want to go for their treatment ("I am not going into the city."), but sometimes it can make a big difference. We try to explain that to them and this month, we'd like to explain it to you!
This month's issue of
The Flame
tries to explain the significant differences between the two types of facilities so that you can become a more informed health care consumer!
 Happy Halloween!! Betty Betty Long, RN, MHA President/CEO Guardian Nurses Healthcare Advocates |
Community Hospital or
Academic Medical Center.
There are 120 top academic medical centers (AMCs) in the U.S., places like Memorial Sloan-Kettering or the Cleveland Clinic, that perform the most advanced scientific research, employ the most well-known researchers, and offer the most complex medical treatments in the world. But what if you just need your gall bladder removed? Must you travel all the way to Cleveland to have a good outcome?
According to the American Hospital Association, there are 5,534 hospitals in the U.S. and only 400 of those are AMCs so clearly the majority of inpatient treatment is rendered in community hospitals.
As the old adage reminds us, "Let the buyer (patient) beware." The table below offers a few pros and cons of both facilities.
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Community Hospital
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Academic Medical Center
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May be easier to navigate both physically & logistically. "Close to home" so easier for travel.
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May be a sprawling, confusing physical campus that is imposing to new patients.
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Doctors in the hospital rounding on patients may be 'hospitalists' and not your own doctor. Can get awfully quiet at night.
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Lots of doctors! Lots of specialists! And maybe lots of medical students, too. Seems like there's a lot going on at all hours.
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May not offer clinical trials for treatment or have anyone doing research.
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Physicians and researchers alike doing studies; possibly able to offer clinical trials or newly approved treatments.
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Depending on what unit you are admitted to, you'll want to know the ratio of nurses to patients. The more patients a nurse has may impact the care you receive.
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Depending on what unit you are admitted to, you'll want to know the ratio of nurses to patients. The more patients a nurse has may impact the care you receive.
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*Pathologists & radiologists may read multiple types of studies, i.e. CT scans of abdomens, ultrasounds of kidneys.
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Disease specific pathologists & radiologists reading 'only' mammograms or 'only' specific tissue biopsies. More expertise in certain circumstances.
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Costs for services may be less (benefits payor as patients typically have defined copays or out of pocket costs).
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Costs are higher for the payors. Again, patients with insurance typically have defined copays and out of pocket costs.
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ER may not have specialists like neurology or neurosurgery on-site 24/7 or appropriate diagnostic equipment to adequately diagnose.
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ER has specialists available on-site as well as diagnostic machines and tests available 24/7
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Typically one central location.
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Satellite locations may be available to see specialists. Diagnostic testing can be done there as well.
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*Because radiology encompasses so many sub-specialties, it can be difficult for a hospital to develop a staff that can cost-effectively address all their potential patient needs.The Journal of the American College of Radiology estimates that a practice of at least 20 radiologists would be required to cover all the fields of radiology with adequate sub-specialty expertise. This sort of scale is out of reach for many community hospitals, which means that most imaging studies end up being read by general radiologists.
There is no clear, "hands down" advantage proving that one type of hospital is better. As we coach our patients, your goal whenever you seek diagnosis and treatment is to maximize your chances of having a good outcome. As you can see, there are a multitude of factors that should be considered when making a decision---the choice of physician is only one.
When your healthcare issue is not urgent or critical, you have time to make an informed decision. In an urgent or emergency situation, please do not delay. Go to the closest healthcare facility!
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