Martin Memorial Update
Aug. 21, 2009
Like many hospitals across the United States, Martin Memorial is looking for ways to improve efficiencies that can result in reduced costs for patients while at the same time, seeking to work with them on preventative health measures that could help diminish their need for more expensive care.
We are doing that in a number of different ways by constantly seeking best practices that are taking place throughout the country to prevent things such as medication errors, improving patient safety and reducing readmissions to the hospital.
We’ve implemented systems such as a bedside medication verification program designed to ensure patients get the right medication at the right time, reducing the opportunity for mistakes. We also recently implemented a robotic system in our pharmacy that greatly improves the efficiency and accuracy of dispensing medication – reducing the potential for medication errors and allowing clinical staff to focus on patient care. We have also begun implementation of electronic medical records for physicians in the Martin Memorial Medical Group (approximately 80 physicians employed by Martin Memorial Health Systems in offices from Hobe Sound to St. Lucie West). Our pilot program began in Palm City in June, but we will continue to roll the system out to our other physician offices as well. Eventually, electronic medical records will be available throughout both of our hospitals and our entire health system. Electronic medical records are an important component of President Obama’s plan to reduce health care costs.
We also recently began a performance excellence program that allows us to identify areas throughout the health system that can be more efficient. It has allowed us to cut wait times in places like the emergency departments and our wound care center. It also has helped us reduce costs by improving our supply chain processes and cutting back on waste in departments throughout the health system.
All of these efforts – and others like them – help lower the costs of doing business, which can be translated to reduced costs to patients for their care.
But we also work closely with our community on preventative measures that can assist residents with their health and possibly diminish their need for further health care services.
The Martin Memorial Center for Health and Healing offers several programs designed to improve people’s health and supplement their existing medical coverage. That includes weight-management programs, nutrition counseling, smoking cessation programs and diabetes education. Martin Memorial also has five health and fitness centers in Martin and St. Lucie counties, which feature classes and highly trained staff who can provide programs specifically targeted to your health goals. The health and fitness centers also provide monthly cholesterol testing at affordable rates – tests that can be an important indicator of your risk for heart disease or stroke.
While most of these programs do have costs associated, they are generally affordable and can be significantly more cost-effective than the need for emergent care that can result from smoking, obesity and unchecked diabetes. Those are three of the highest contributors to illnesses such as heart disease (the No. 1 killer of Americans), cancer (No. 2) and stroke (No. 3). Taking part in these or similar programs can have a profoundly positive impact on your overall health.
Martin Memorial also holds screenings during the year that are focused on determining specific health conditions. That includes screenings for heart and stroke that can provide early detection for these diseases, which can be critical to successfully treating them. Martin Memorial also provides discounted mammograms for women who meet specific financial criteria, in an effort to detect breast cancer earlier when it is more susceptible to treatment.
Martin Memorial participates throughout the year in community health fairs, where we provide information on health topics, as well as free screenings such as cholesterol and blood glucose testing, blood pressure checks and more. Additionally, we provide free skin and prostate cancer screenings in the spring that can provide early detection of disease.
In Fiscal Year 2008, Martin Memorial provided $26.5 million in community benefit, which includes the costs of non-qualified charity care, qualifying charity care and community programs. And last year Martin Memorial provided $2.5 million in donated services to the Volunteers in Medicine Clinic, which delivers care to patients who are uninsured or underinsured in Martin County.
Martin Memorial was founded 70 years ago by local residents who recognized a need for care in the community. Today our mission remains the same – to provide access to health care for the people who live and work in the community we serve.