of 0
Good Sam plans $65 million investment
KEARNEY - Good Samaritan Hospital officials are hoping a $65 million expansion and technology investment heals relations with physicians as it boosts patient care.
The hospital and its parent, Catholic Health Initiatives, today announced the planned investment of $65 million for more private patient rooms, new operating rooms and enhanced cardiology services facilities.
Good Samaritan's announcement comes just one week after a group of 20-70 physicians said it plans to build a $20 million hospital on 78 acres in southwest Kearney.
Good Samaritan Interim CEO Steve Loveless said the $65 million investment has been discussed for some time, but today's announcement definitely coincides with the physicians' plans for a second hospital.
"In light of their announcement, we felt it is important that we share with the physicians and the community what we have funding to do," Loveless said. "We really feel what we're bringing forward addresses those things that we hear as opportunities from the physicians."
The chairman of the physicians' group and the only investor to go public, cardiologist Sean Denney of Kearney said today he wants to learn more about Good Samaritan's plans before commenting on them.
He said it could be hard to change physicians' minds as they press forward with plans to build Kearney Regional Medical Center. "Anything that's announced at this point, there's going to be a significant degree of skepticism. We'll just have to see."
Loveless said the $65 million investment demonstrates "the desire we have to provide a high level of care for the residents of Kearney and the surrounding communities."
Design work is to begin in January and construction, which starts in 2010, will take more than one year to complete.
For more on this story, see the Wed., Oct. 21 Kearney Hub print edition. Read the complete text of Good Samaritan Hospital's announcement from Wednesday morning below.
e-mail to:
mike.konz@kearneyhub.com
Good Samaritan Hospital to Invest $65 Million in Major Expansion and Technology
Investment is part of long-term planning strategy; Addresses physician concerns
KEARNEY - Good Samaritan Hospital has announced a commitment of $65 million to a major expansion and investment in new technology.
The capital investment would further strengthen the care offered at Good Samaritan and serve as a tremendous asset to the Kearney community. The plans are based on the community's current needs and include:
- Additional private patient rooms;
- New operating rooms;
- Enhanced cardiology services facilities.
This announcement comes in light of the community health care issue posed by the addition of a second, investor-owned hospital.
"Good Samaritan Hospital is dedicated to resolving this serious issue facing the healthcare needs of people in the region," said Steve Loveless, interim CEO of Good Samaritan Hospital. "We have heard the concerns of our physicians. In fact, the master facility plan has been under development for the past year and is focused on areas of opportunity identified by our medical staff."
"We recognize the importance of healthcare to the entire region, and are focused on creating a solution - together with physicians - that preserves medical services for this area. Above all, please know that quality patient care remains our first priority as we go through this process," said Loveless.
"Catholic Health Initiatives is proud that Good Samaritan Hospital has been part of the Kearney community for 85 years. With this investment, Good Samaritan Hospital further enhances the medical services and technology available to residents," said Bob Lanik, senior vice president, Divisional Operations for Catholic Health Initiatives.
Currently, Good Samaritan Hospital is the only provider of Level II trauma services along a 450-mile stretch of I-80 and serves as the regional referral center for central Nebraska and northern Kansas. If these services can no longer be sustained in Kearney, patients in critical care situations would have to bypass Kearney for Denver, Scottsbluff or Lincoln for this level of care.
More Coverage
- Price of care
- Two hospitals divided G.I.
- Room for two hospitals?
- Doctors reassure: Proposed new hospital would take Medicare patients
- ‘Second hospital threatens trauma care’
- Reactions to proposal range from ‘good for competition’ to ‘I can’t imagine why’
- Second hospital has to get OK from the city hall, which will have own research to conduct
- GSH wants to prevent rift with physicians
- 2nd hospital danger to city
- Physicians group unveils plans for second Kearney hospital
- Many will miss helpful, stable Allen
- Allen readies for changes after 40 years in health care
- Good Sam’s John Allen retiring; Loveless named as interim CEO
- Good Samaritan plan doesn’t sway doctors
- Consultant: Second hospital no threat to GSH
- Second hospital divisive
- Consider 2 hospitals’ real cost
- Some Kearney leaders not convinced 2nd hospital best for all
- Hire consultant
- Bias in sources
- Kearney needs second hospital
- Ad reveals physician investors’ identities
Posted in Local on Wednesday, October 21, 2009 12:00 pm Updated: 9:08 am. | Tags: Good Samaritan
Welcome to the discussion.
-
Current users sign in here.
-
If you do not have an account, set one up!
It's easy to do and it's free!
Harolds
ILoveKearney states "To the Kearney City Council- Please do not approve this unneeded hospital.
It is NOT "healthy competition". It is a very serious threat to our
community. I love Kearney, don't let them bring us down".
This is a serious deal. Kearney has lost GSH to
CHI. The city council must be STARTING to understand that, I would think. By short sitedness in denying the approval for a new hospital, would they be dismayed to find this hospital being built south of the river in Kearney County?
A better solution is to pry GSH from CHI and make it again a home grown operation! Where are the results of the Hub opinion poll on 2 hospitals surviving in Kearney???? I missed it?
ILoveKearney
The "mystery" physician group has showed what is really behind their bid
for a new hospital by immediately rejecting CHI's plan. If they are truly
concerned about their ablity to provide better patient care, they should
have jumped at the opportunity to be part of the planning of these
improvements. It would cost them nothing. Unfortunately, greed and power
appear to be the driving forces.
As a Good Sam employee and life long Kearney resident, I truly fear for Good
Sam's survival and the excellent quality of life in Kearney. I am not in
administration. I am an hourly shift-worker with a mortgage.
To the Kearney City Council- Please do not approve this unneeded hospital.
It is NOT "healthy competition". It is a very serious threat to our
community. I love Kearney, don't let them bring us down.
PTracker
As a outsider looking in, it's hard not to support the Doctors and Nurses in this case. When I say outsider, I mean outside the loacl Kearney area. We live 60 miles away from Kearney but, whenever ANY of my Family has needed health care, Kearney is where we go. 21 years ago, they saved my Son's life and My Son and Daughter have had a three of our Grandchildren there. The Doctors and Nurses have never been anything but perfect. So, it reads to me that if the Doctors and Nurse aren't part of the management, then GSH needed a wakeup call.
kearneyfirst
That is a lot of money.
And a demonstration that Good Sam and CHI are committed to solving the issues at hand, and at the same time, this will be a huge contribution to the community.
As for CHI and their contributions to the "poor performing CHI hospitals, I imagine that to be a smart move.... poor performing hospitals, likely amount to unhealthy communities - Let's not be selfish.
Additionally, to say that Good Sam has "deep pockets" let's take a look at their community benefit report...FYI that is how much they financially contribute to benefit the community...
Last year, they reported $38,114,282 including the costs of unpaid Medicare.
That is also a lot of money going right back into OUR community.
A big chunk goes to unpaid costs of Medicaid another to charity care and community health services, followed by educational programs for our youth, our teachers and all of the community! Too, it helps
Think on that for a bit.
If there were two hospitals in this town, the one owned by the docs will take the money-making services out of Good Sam, leaving Good Sam with providing care for Medicare patients with nothing to balance the budget.
I can't stress enough, that another hospital in Kearney, isn't going to have a positive impact!
dundeal
Hmmmmm .... lotsa local control. Anyone else read the public notices changing the name to CHI Nebraska on not one, but three entities of Good Sam???
margaret
I think good sam is trying hard to fix this problem, 65 milllion is a lot of money to come into the community. I hope the doctors will work with the hospital. we dont need a split hospital with less than what we are used too.
Nellie
Could anyone possibly believe the management of GSH? Less than a year ago they were laying off employees left and right, some with 20 to 30 years of service. They tried denying it in the news media for a long time. The total number of layoffs was greater than they would own up to. They layed employees off under the guise that GSH was suffering "hard times". Everyone knows the economy is still poor. Where did GSH come up with 65 million to throw in a desperate attempt at stopping a second hospital being built.If they had that kind of cash sitting around why the lay offs? Competition is good. Maybe GSH management will have to sharpen their pencils and cut some of their fat paychecks to make it work. Looks like they have deep pockets if they can amass 65 million just like that! And where was the board when all these problems were continuing? Did John Allen just have free reign while they sat all smug and clueless in the meetings? How convenient for John to take "instant" retirement just as the news is going to hit the paper of unresolved management issues.
Signed,
Waiting for the other shoe to fall
Amazed
Wow the Hub reports that CHI now has $65 million to throw out in an attempt to buy the situation now posed by Kearney's physicians announcing a new hospital being built. Why doesn’t CHI finish the currently unfinished past building project before beginning a new out of the blue money toss?
Remember just a year ago when GSH was supposedly in such dire straights that cutting back on a few expenses as was suggested just did not save the day. Management then denied layoffs that had already been started. A short time later, a few layoffs were then announced. A much larger number of employees were layed off, or “retired” than GSH indicated. Magically, factual tallying these layoffs dissapeared from earlier published State job Service online records.
What did this significant number of lay offs (under now seemingly questionable financial shortfalls) do to damage the community's then vibrant economic situation. What did this do to disrupt the life’s, hopes, and dreams of those affected families. What did this do to the situations of merchants who now have not received the money that would otherwise have been spent by these, and other families.
What does this reveal regarding the outcome of outside entity CHI taking over what was once a community hospital.
I really don’t think this group of physicans are who will sell Kearney down the river. If GSH can’t find it’s way to continue providing a critcal service, I would imagine that the slack will be gladly picked up by these doctors who actually are the current providers of the services.
Maybe GSH control should go back to the community of Kearney under physician and community ownership , and CHI could then redirect some of the $65 million charitably to the building fund for the new Kearney Public Schools.
jasminejane
Good Samaritan Hospital lays employees off and then comes up with 65 million today. Chi and gshs administration does not have the patients best interest in mind.
I have zero trust in gshs and sadly enough patients are not put first.
It's also interesting that the former ceo retired all of the sudden. Could it be he couldn't handle the heat from the doctors? I hope the doctors see through this and start another hospital as soon as possible.
MellyJ
Well, Sheila, I don't have a subscription to the Hub as I read it online, so it only makes sense that, if I choose to comment, that's how I'm going to do it.
(And, a plug for the Hub and its advertisers, I do read the ads and use them!)
Second of all, whether or not people choose to take me seriously, I really could not care. I only chose to make a comment as others on this site do. If this process gets under your skin, for some reason, that's really your problem, not mine!
Have a great day!
Sheila
Melly J and Paperboy if you really have something to say and you want people to take you seriously then write a letter to the editor and have it published with your real names!
MellyJ
Today's "announcment" really goes to support what many local physicians have known and grown frustrated with... that Good Sam has been a profitable CHI hospital, but instead of re-investing those profits back in Kearney to advance technologies and services here, those funds were used towards poor performing CHI hospitals elsewhere. This was also confirmed by a former Good Sam board member, as well.
As far as the motives physicians have, they probably run the gamut. But, I do believe many of them are doing this for the right reason. I think it must be frustrating for them to not be able to offer the best services and technologies to patients; to have been turned away when they went to Good Sam and asked for the money to be able to provide better for their patients here instead of having to send them somewhere else for medical care.
There are many, big, pros and cons to both sides of this story, and I'm sure that all involved are quite aware of them.
I do really hope that this "investment" from Good Sam is what the doctors were asking for... in the end, all any of should want is what's best for us, as patients, and not a divided medical community!
Paperboy
I'm confused. The hospital over the past 12-18 months has made drastic cuts in staffing, wages and programs, while also putting on hold previously announced expansion plans. Its leadership, including former CEO John Allen, has continually talked publicly about financial shortfalls. Now, it is able to invest $65 million? I'm slowly losing respect for Good Sam. The timing of this announcement obviously was planned, and that's fine. But if the finances are so challenging, how in the heck can Good Sam come up with that kind of money? It's about time for a little honesty, or at least clarification, from Good Sam when it comes to the hospital's finances. Welcome aboard Mr. Loveless. Enjoy the mess you've inherited.