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Google"Myself, my board of trustees and the corporation (Community Health Systems) have been debating this decision for many months and the official decision was made, frankly, today," Buckner said. "Our decision (to close the OB) was a tough decision for the hospital, and for me personally, but the OB wasn't in demand."
Since moving to its new location on U.S. 231 North, the facility has continued to experience "insufficient obstetrics volume" necessary to keep the department open, according to a press release hand delivered to the Times-Gazette by Buckner Wednesday.
"Virtually every other department in the hospital has seen increased utilization in recent years, but our OB volumes continue to stagnate," Buckner said in the release. "It is regrettable that we have come to this, but our Board of Trustees and management feel that as stewards of the hospital, this decision has to be made to ensure the continued growth and vitality of Heritage."
When asked if there were plans to close the department when the hospital moved to its new location in July, Buckner said, "The relocation of the hospital, with or without the OB (department) was not a consideration of moving the hospital."
Buckner and hospital officials have begun the process of filing a Certificate of Need, to receive approval to close the department, with the state. Buckner said he anticipates it taking several months before the process is complete.
Local doctor Lana Beavers, who Buckner said was delivering 95 percent of the hospital's babies, gave the hospital notice in June of her decision to stop delivering babies. In a previous Times-Gazette interview, Beavers said her decision came about due to her age and the location of the new building.
Dr. Jan Crean and Dr. Dennis Wieck, the two OB/GYNs formerly employed by the hospital, told the Times-Gazette in August that their contracts with the hospital's OB department were being terminated.
According to the press release, "The number of babies born at Heritage (and its former location) averaged only 16 births per month in 2007, down from 20 per month in 2005."
Buckner, who called the insufficient OB volume an "industry-wide issue," said they were projecting even fewer births to take place at Heritage in 2008. He also said that more than 70 percent of Bedford County women are currently choosing to have their babies in other counties.
"In 2007, 43 (women had babies) and we averaged 16," he said. "Most elected to go elsewhere."
Since there are no OB doctors working at Heritage Medical Center, Buckner said the hospital has "established a transfer care agreement with Middle Tennessee Medical Center in Murfreesboro."
Anyone who comes to Heritage Medical Center will be seen by emergency room physicians, and in circumstances outside of emergencies, patients will be transferred to Murfreesboro for deliveries.
Heritage Medical Center will continue to offer both inpatient and outpatient gynecological surgery services through Dr. Beavers.
"Dr. Beavers is a fantastic physician and I am happy to be associated with her," Buckner said.
Buckner said labor and delivery employees at Heritage Medical Center will be given the opportunity to transfer to other positions in the hospital.
"With the state's approval of the Certificate of Need application, the hospital will determine how to best reallocate the financial resources and the associated square footage within the facility, for service lines more appropriate to the demographics and needs of the community," the release stated.
Heritage Medical Center recently announced that the Frist Cardiology group is planning to set up in Heritage's Medical Arts building.
Buckner also said the hospital is in the process of opening an outpatient center for X-rays and extremity MRIs, a top-of-the-line bariatric center, and plans to add more specialists to the staff and additional services.
"We are bringing in services that are in demand," Buckner said, adding that patient satisfaction at the new hospital as been outstanding.
"And I am proud to support the community in that way," he said.
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The ER will become the new OB department
If you had more than one OB in town, maybe more people would have babies here. When I first moved to town I was very disheartened to see the lack of selection in terms of OB/GYN services (well, at least those that were preferred providers for my insurance which is NOT TennCare). I ended up going with a doctor in Tullahoma. That doctor ended up moving to Shelbyville in hopes of delivering babies at Heritage, but now she's moving back to Tullahoma because they are closing the OB unit. It's all rather sad and pathetic. Here we have this fantastic new facility and can't use it to it's full potential.
Does this mean if they don't have the number of ICU patients they feel is fair, the ICU unit will close also?
Seems the hospital will end up being a glorified urgent care.
It's all about the money and nothing about the healthcare.
Shouldn't they expect that they'd lure back more obstetric patients by providing excellent care?
Was there a contract to provide specific services for a given period?
Maybe,our low population growth is due to our trying to go for quality instead of quantity in the babies we produce.
I don't think they gave Beford County people a chance to try out the facility. You have to earn business it is a choice for people to choose your services most of the time. Your not earning it by closing down certain departments. OB is an important part to any hospital. One mistake was locating the hospital half way to Ruthford County.
This is what happens when a for-profit organization buys from counties. The county owned hospital was truely there for the people, these other people with their new facility are in it for the money they (owners) do not give a hoot about the people of Bedford County. Bedford County Medidcal Center, when owned by the county, would never turn anyone away, but the new owners will with no remorse. They have gotten rid of a lot of the employees that had been at Bedford County Medical for years and bringing in there own people. It does not matter what we the people need. Go to the courthouse on Tuesdays and see how many law suits they have, I understand that sometimes there are as many as 100 on one given day. I have been told by one person that was a patient that they forced her to sign a contract stating that she had to pay no less than $100 per month. That lady does well to pay $100 per month for food and she does not receive food stamps.
The citizens of Bedford County were given the option of retaining ownership of the hospital by supporting a tax increase to support the failing hospital or to sell it? The choice was made. Of course the citizens of Bedford County did not want to pay for all the hundreds of thousands of dollars of free care given at Bedford County Hospital. The hospital could not remain open without the a hugh tax increase because it is a business. The hospital does not receive free money to operate. They have to earn it just like any other business or private citizen. They have to pay for a building, utilities, equipment, supplies and salaries. Yes it is about the money! Because any business that does not make money, eventually has to close.
Robin Hood,
I will not let you sit there and pratically blame this on the people of Bedford Co. "We" may have voted to sell the hospital, but "we" had no say in the closing of the OB unit. Even though "we" made our preferences very clear to keep the unit open, "we" were over looked.
About the part "it's about the money," whats wrong with turning off the lights and equipement, and sending your OB nurses to a different area until a woman comes in to give birth? I don't see whats wrong with flipping a light switch on and off and putting the extra help where it is needed until they need to be pulled back out to do their original job. That's just pratical common sense. In the end, everyone wins; we get our OB unit, and they get their savings.
For once I wish the owners of the hospital would look at the best interest of the people rather than the best interest of their pockets.
GRAVEL,
You'll like Dr. Jones if you haven't seen her before. =)
She was my OB with my last son, and also, for this little one that is due in Feb.
Tenneesee is the third state in the Country for having the most Obese people. I am glad they got rid of the OB dept.
I think the lap band operation is a great replacement for a non money making OB dept.
As far as the statementthat was said " They got rid of employees to get their own". Is so wrong. The County employees were asked if they wanted to transfer to the new hospital or stay at the nursing home.It was their choice.
The new hospital has the right idea to replace new depts to the hospital,rather then keeping a loosing battle of delivering babies.Its no longer a non profit owned hospital. So they have to have the right depts in there that will bring in the money.Grant you the pay rate is not top dollar wages for their employees.But its new and cleaner and they are tring to bring new doctors and depts that are really needed to the hospital.
So you have one of two choices.
( 1 ) support the new hospital and what they are doing , so they can provide you with the best care you can get. Or
( 2 ) sit back and complain and go to another hospital. If thats what makes you happy.Because if thats what you want go for it.
There more people with heart problems and being Obese then delivering babies. (just take a look around while you are out and about)
But one thing is for sure. If you or a family member has a heart attack or dies from being obese. You will be glad these new depts. are being offered in Bedford County.......
To Mary,
You need to take a look around. And see how many people have heart problems and are obese.
Much more then the babies being born.
I think 2 out of 3 of these depts. are being thought about. And the hospital is doing the right thing.
If the doctors from Nashville are willing to come to Bedford County and work here to start a new cardiac and obese depts.I say way to go.And this is what Heritage needs.
And about the money making thing, Do you or any of your family members work for nothing??
These doctors are specialists. They are where they are today from their education and thats not free.In case you haven't noticed, The economy isn't at its best.And the hospital can't grow on free bes.
You have the right to use the hospital or go else where..The choice is yours.......
the main problem why there is not as many babies born at this hospital is because of the poor management and the sorry operating procedures they use. It's pretty bad when you cant get an MRI done that they refuse to do because of finances. In the process of waiting without eating for 18 hours before being told they wer'nt going to do it. Its no wonder no-one wants to go there. I will never go back. I would rather die in the car or ambulance going to nashville as go here.
Maybe our children can be born in barns like you were Wheelbillie. :p
I look around and see plenty of pregnant women, and I see plenty of obese people, too, but what I also see is that once a baby is concieved, it HAS to come out of the mother eventually. If the hospital gave women more time than, hmmm...lets say...4 months, to make a baby, then they would see a huge turn around in their deliveries. Delivering babies is a reliable job since there will always be a baby being born. They just didn't give BC a chance to make those babies.
I also see that the economy is bad and that the lap band surgery is VERY expensive and only covered by a fraction of the insurances. The only people that can afford it right now are the richer part of the county, and I haven't seen very many of them overweight. I have a friend that is trying to get TennCare to pay for her lap band, which they do. I'm not sure what the hospital was thinking there, since the lap band is something that is not a nessesity since diet and exercise are free.
A good manager will rotate help to where it is needed instead of closing a viable part of a factory, or business. They could even use the rooms for other medical purposes until they are needed for a laboring woman and her infant. An ER is not a safe place to deliver a baby if there is no time to make it to MTMC. You will not see me there delivering this baby.
As far as the cardiac thing goes...what makes them think that the people of Shelbyville will stay and get their heart care here, when they have been leaving the town for so long to seek better care? It's a fact that people stay with a Dr. they have become comfortable and familiar with. Just because we have these new services, does not mean everyone is going to flock to take advantage of them.
The cardiac services is the only service the economy will have a positive effect on. People may choose to be treated here to save gas, and hopefully the doctors are good and desent enough to win over the patients.
It will take time for these new doctors to build up patients because they will have to overcome the hospitals bad rep. What happens if they have been open for a few months and only have seen a small amount of people? Will they be closed down, too? Probably, if they are not making enough money to satisfy the owner of the hospital.
While I understand the viewpoint of "rotating staff around" when the census is lower, it's not quite that easy when it comes to nursing. Nurses today are just about as specialized as MD's are when it comes to which departments they work in. A nurse that works in OB can not transfer his/her skills to ER that easily for several reasons, the first being not many pregnant moms show up in ER and most OB nurses are not familiar with heart attacks and the care expected. A second reason would simply be the difference in equipment used, and just knowing where the supplies are.
While I think the hospital should have given the OB department a little longer to see if the "numbers" would increase, I also understand the reasons behind the closure.
I was also turned down by the new hospital for an MRI for past due money even though I am making payments on those and have excellent insurance. I was told I needed to bring in $750.00 in full before they would do it. I told them that if I had $750.00 to pay up front my bill would already be paid in full but they refused. So screw em. I went to Murfreesboro and had it done no problem. Neither me nor my family members will ever step foot in that greedy privately owned hospital that no one can seem to afford. So let them keep pushing the county residents away and they will soon find a wasted investment.
My personal experience with the closing of the OB department has been very discouraging. My daughter was expecting her baby around the same time the contracts of Drs. Weick & Crean were to be terminated, and she was informed she needed to make a "back up plan" for delivery in the event she did not deliver by Sept. 30. She had a "plan B" which was to go to Tullahoma. Whe she went into labor on Sept. 28th and proceeded to Heritage for her MD to deliver her baby, we were unexpectedly sent through the ER, and seen by the ER physician. Dr Rone informed us that there was no OB staff on duty to take care of her, even though her physician was still around for a few more days. He further informed us that he had contacted MTMC and she had been accepted by the MD on call in OB. He stated that was the arrangment made by the CEO, and an ambulance had been called to transfer her right away. When I stated that 1) was not our wishes, as she wanted to go to Tullahoma, and 2) Since it was Sunday, they would not have her medical records of the care she had received. A nurse on duty informed us that she would take care of the records and go to OB and send them with her. As I saw my daughter becoming more and more upset by the situation, I did not argue with them and let the process continue. I REALLY THOUOGHT THIS WAS AMERICA, LAND OF THE FREE, PEOPLE HAVE CHOICES IN HEALTH CARE, BUT WAS I MISTAKEN! The whole time she was at MTMC, every nurse and doctor she encountered had the same statement to make....You didn't have ANY prenatal care? She had to repeat the story of the transfer over & over, and it seems no one really believed her, because they never called for her records. To Mr. Buckner, CEO and Mrs. Sweeton, CNO I hope you both experience the humilliation she did and loose your rights to choose your health care options.
The fact is that the hospital is now owned and operated by a group of money-oriented people. The CEO of Community Health (which owns Heritage Medical Center) was the 4th highest paid CEO in the state of Tennessee. But ask any employees if they are adequately compensated, rewarded or are even given the supplies they need to do their job and they will tell a very scary story. The nurse-to-patient ratio continues to rise, more responsibility is demanded of each employee without any increase in compensation and we are constantly threatened that if we don't sing the "Heritage Anthem" we will be thrown out like garbage. It is a very unstable environment. Everyone seems very afraid of this Mr. Buckner and his constant threats. Can you say "hostile work environment"? As far as closing OB, they actually decided to close OB several months before the hospital move...this was confirmed by several doctors that were present in meetings. So there was never any intention of trying to increase the numbers of babies delivered. As a Heritage employee, I am very disappointed in my CEO and CNO for turning this hospital into a horrible place to work. We all dread going to work every day in such a depressing and hostile place and working for people who don't care about employees or patients...only money. They will reap what they sow.
Nathan.evans,
I guess you knew I was born in a barn because you were born on the hay bale beside me.A many of kids were born in a barn.:p
As an employee of Heritage; I love my job. I love helping any and everyone I can in any possible way. It really does not matter how much we as employees do we are always the bad guys. We never do enough to satisfy our CEO. He never lets us forget that this is "his" hospital and he will run it the way he sees fit. If that means getting rid of long time employees; so be it. You are walking on eggshells with him. If he ever takes a dislike to you or your attitude-look out-you'll be the next out the door. I don't know about you other employees but I need my job. However low paying it is. Have you looked at the unemployment rate for Tennessee? It is the highest since 1986. Does this mean we have to suck up and kiss butt to keep our jobs? I think that is what our chief indian wants us to do.
As someone who had both my babies in less than 30 minutes with no warning ahead of time. Murfreesboro is a long drive for people like me. and Tullahoma isn't much closer. I think there will be lots of babies being born in the back of ambulances with the hospital no longer offering that service.