Salem Health Embraces Regional Approach to Care
health, health care, hospitals, patricia harger, salem hospital regional, woodburn,
In many cities across the country, regional health care means residents from throughout the region make regular pilgrimages to their nearest large hospital – sometimes more than an hour away.
Not so in the Salem area.
“We’re taking a look at how we can bring more services to that region so people can stay closer to home,” says Patricia Harger, vice president for strategy and business development for Salem Health. The hospital network now offers health care in Dallas, Independence, Monmouth and – most recently – Woodburn.
“More and more care can be done on an outpatient basis or in physicians’ offices, so trying to bring more of those specialists to the people versus making the people come to the specialists is kind of the goal,” Harger says.
Making local health care available with the support and resources of a large health system in the background is what creates a successful regional health-care system. Ultimately, the push toward health-care regionalization is born out of Salem Health’s focus on the people rather than cases.
“If you’re a cancer patient, it isn’t just that we did the right surgery on you, it’s how was that whole experience,” Harger says. “It’s paying attention to the whole person, not just to a specific medical procedure.”
In keeping with the idea of putting patients’ needs first, the Salem Hospital is currently undergoing a $300 million renovation that will include a new patient tower, a new emergency department and new operating and recovery rooms. The project is expected to be complete by January 2009.
Salem Hospital currently operates the busiest emergency department in the state. In addition to trauma care, the hospital also focuses heavily on heart care, cancer services and spine triage. There will be an entire floor in the new tower dedicated to heart care, and another to neurosurgery.
Women’s and children’s health are also an expertise, with one of the largest delivery units in the country delivering about 3,700 babies every year in the hospital.
The bottom line, though, is not new buildings or flashy investment figures. Salem Health exists for people, Harger says. In the last several years, Salem Health has recruited more than 60 doctors to the area, many of whom have gone into private practice in the communities surrounding Salem.
“Our mission statement is to try to improve the health and wellbeing of the people and communities we serve,” she says. “What we want to do is get to know the community and find out more about their needs and then build on that to bring the services that are needed.”
Story by Michaela Jackson
Photo by Jeff Adkins
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