ST. MARK’S MEDICAL CENTER TO CUT STAFF, SERVICES
St. Mark’s Medical Center in La Grange is cutting nearly half of its staff and several services amid financial struggles.
The hospital board voted unanimously last Thursday, February 9th to pursue becoming a Rural Emergency Hospital (REH), transitioning from a full-service hospital. Starting Saturday, the hospital will only offer 24/7 emergency medical services, patient observation and select outpatient services.
According to the Fayette County Record, 64 of the hospital’s 144 employees are losing their jobs, including 58 full-time positions and six part-time positions.
Services closing include inpatient services, surgical services, orthopedic care, post-acute rehab, ambulatory care and speech therapy. However, 24/7 emergency services, lab work, X-rays and imaging, mammography, pharmacy services, cardiac rehab, and therapy for physical, occupational and respiratory needs will continue.
A press release from the hospital says the REH model is designed to “maintain access to emergency and critical outpatient services in communities that may not be able to financially support or sustain a community hospital.” The REH designation was adopted by the federal government at the start of the year and by Texas legislators on January 13th.
To qualify for the new designation, 24/7 emergency services must be maintained, but inpatient services cannot be offered. Approved hospitals will receive an increase in reimbursement for relevant outpatient services, as well as a monthly facility payment from Medicare.
St. Mark’s President and CEO Mark Kimball said the hospital board and leadership “have exhausted every other financial avenue.” He said the hospital is “optimistic that with this new REH designation, St. Mark’s can remain a viable, local healthcare facility,” but stressed that it will still need “additional financial support from the community to survive.”
The company hired to administer our hospital has failed us! They should be fired immediately, as well as the “upper” management.
Some of the highest paid CEOs in the USA are employed by the healthcare industry. Some of the largest contribution’s to our politicians come from the healthcare industry. They like to hire green card visa workers and pay them less work them harder cut salaries of longtime Americans and force them out visa workers don’t want to work in these small towns. So close the hospitals except for essential needs and force us to go into the big cities for questionable care by foreign workers. Folks it doesn’t have to be the way these boards say they throw out this cheese hoping everyone will buy it and it’s wrong.
REH is a new designation that is intended to provide struggling hospital communities with access to essential care. This issue is at the forefront of our legislators agenda and the decision to convert to REH status was not made without significant consideration. Rural hospitals are vital to the health and well-being of their communities , but inadequate reimbursements ,increasing healthcare costs, challenges brought on by the pandemic, and limited providers make it difficult for them to sustain operations.
I know the decision was difficult , but I am hopeful that this conversion will allow St.Mark’s to provide basic, essential services to their community.
Unfortunately, this is what happens when the population cannot support the services of the facility. The cost of doing business is rising of course. Malpractice and liability insurance being a major drivers. This is the reason that a very large number of physicians in are local only a couple of days a week and why you have to go to Austin for major issues. It’s just a part of living semi-remote or in the “country.” To the people who are against growth, if’s an ongoing price that we will all pay.
Are the board members of St Marks Hospital receiving a salary? If so, maybe being a board member should be a volunteer position
What a shame and why is this happening to our hospitals? I would like to see issues like this addressed by our State Senator and State Representative way more than sports game day wagering solutions. They did the same thing in all the small hospitals in this area which really makes it harder on the families in need of in patient care or surgery. There is a wait list for surgery in the cities plus cost of hotels really a shame we put profit over people. What has your local politicians done for you lately other than spend your money without accountability?
St. Mark’s Medical Center hasn’t made a profit in years. And not all the hospitals in the area have changed to an 24/7 Rural ER. They were shut down completely. Also this has nothing to do with politics. Not sure where your getting your info but your statement is totally incorrect.
May not be political,but, if the hospital would collect payments from everyone that had a service done there then they wouldn’t be shutting down! I used the hospital a few years back and was struggling to pay but I eventually got my bill paid. Believe me, they hassled me over a few hundred dollars. I guarantee you most people that don’t have insurance don’t pay. Maybe that is the problem! I’ve known many people that used the hospital and never paid their bill.
This is a shame, St Mark’s is the best hospital I have ever been too! I am so disappointed!!