requests for more support. Medicare is not sustainable. We’re in this very tumultu- ous time of increasing utilization, trying to reduce taxes to control our debt, and that’s not sustainable. Just look at Spain and Greece.” Te millions CRHS is losing from
sequestration has already resulted in the loss of 47 positions in May. It’s one impe- tus behind an aggressive renegotiation of contracts with vendors, which will save hundreds of thousands of dollars that Stark hopes the system can “reinvest in our facility, reinvest in our community and, hopefully, in our employees. We’re doing whatever we can do to be smarter and bet- ter,” he adds. But part of the CRHS’ funding crunch
isn’t federal at all. Te Georgia Department of Community Health’s decision to allow St. Francis’ obstetrical program is going to hit the Medical Center and Doctors Hos- pital hard. Granger predicts “well over 50 percent” of babies born in Columbus will be born in St. Francis. Tat’s probably going to lead to expensive duplication of services, Stark says, pointing out that the Medical Center still has the only neonatal intensive care unit: “It will still be the safest place for the sickest children.” In addition, he’s not sure the St. Francis “Mayo Clinic” model of bringing doctors on staff will be a viable one. “Doctors are independent. Tey didn’t
go into medicine to be employees,” he says. “Tey should be as supported and enabled as possible.” CRHS’ small business assistance program helps private practi- tioners manage their costs through group purchases and collection of data and elec- tronic medical records for self-analysis. But Stark says none of the negative
financial factors has influenced the sys- tem’s mission: to become nationally known as a source of world-class care. Its many branches include the prestigious John B. Amos Cancer Center and Hughston Hos- pital. And it also has to continue its long- time role as the community’s “safety net.” Stark says pointedly: “You’ve got to man- age the expenses that you have. Te differ- ence is not brick and mortar or how many new towers. We have a culture of service to the community.”
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Columbus and the Valley
AUGUST 2013
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