Author: P Hasselbacher

Catholic Health Initiatives Annual Report, FY 2014.

KentuckyOne Health still losing money– But how fast?

CHI riding a wave of acquisitions?

Once again Chris Otts of WDRB is first in our region to report on the release of Catholic Health Initiative’s (CHI’s) annual financial report for FY 2014. Data from the financial report shows continuing losses in CHI’s Kentucky operations of $69 million for the fiscal year ending June 30, amounting to a loss of 3.2% of Kentucky revenues. This compares to a modest profit of $33 million in FY 2013. I do not claim to fully understand such financial reports [help requested!], but Mr. Otts notes that the loss is stated before deducting financial expenses that would make the numbers worse. Continue reading “Catholic Health Initiatives Annual Report, FY 2014.”

Corporate Integrity Agreement in Angioplasty Abuse Case.

What comes after the fines? Which is worse?

Now that the initial round of federal legal proceedings against St. Joseph Hospital London and King’s Daughters Medical Center (KDMC) over false billing, improper financial relationships with physicians, or provision of unnecessary cardiac services has closed, I have largely lost track of where things stand. Civil proceedings by patients against the hospitals and several physicians are ongoing in Boyd and Laurel County courts where plainiff and defense attorneys have been busy.  Surely the federal monetary settlements and ongoing lawsuits have damaged the reputations and finances of the two institutions. The heavily promoted cardiac surgery program in London was closed. Cardiac patient volumes at KDMC have fallen to the point that they are referred to as an issue in its bond ratings. At least one physician working at St. Joseph London was sentenced to prison. Two other physicians from that hospital recently signed settlements of their own with the U.S. Department of Justice paying $360,000 to settle allegations that included payments for illegal referrals and having entered “sham agreements” that concealed their financial relationships with St. Joseph. Other hospitals and physicians that have similar contractual relationships must certainly be scrambling to make repairs. Continue reading “Corporate Integrity Agreement in Angioplasty Abuse Case.”

Ebola in America Exposes Weaknesses Of Healthcare System.

American medicine and public health fail their Ebola stress-tests.

A reader asked me why I was not writing about Ebola. I considered doing so, but I have no special expertise in the disease itself. I had concluded that there are enough experts– self-professed or otherwise– churning the waters. I could have used the opportunity to reinforce my feelings about how badly information about medicine or other science is communicated to the public by some sensationalistic commercial news industries. I was embarrassed at how some public health officials violated one of the first laws of medicine taught to medical students– “never say never or always.” Much credibility was lost when it was inappropriately claimed that “it can never spread here,” as the number of Ebola contacts that needed to be followed rose to triple digits, the number of cases acquired in America went from one to two, and as those with incubating disease or risky exposures walked, flew, or sailed among us. American medicine is infrequently humble and Americans don’t like to be told what to do. Continue reading “Ebola in America Exposes Weaknesses Of Healthcare System.”

UofL Hires New Director for Bone Marrow Transplant Program.

One program or two?

I had not planned on writing quite so soon about bone marrow transplantation, but in doing my background work on U.S. News & World Report’s designation of the James Graham Brown Cancer Center as a regional high-performing cancer program, I learned that the Center has just recruited a new director for their bone marrow transplant program. Dr. William Tse is an experienced clinician and academician, was recruited from West Virginia University, and will begin in Louisville in early November. This was a fast, high-priority recruitment for the University of Louisville and the Brown Cancer Center following the loss of several clinical and research faculty faculty to the University of Kentucky, and a requirement for a minimal number of specifically-trained physicians to retain essential accreditation. Bone marrow transplantation, part of the growing field of cellular or stem-cell therapy, currently plays important part in the treatment of leukemia and other malignant diseases, and of inherited genetic disorders. Cellular therapy comprises a prominent part of the University’s commercial research portfolio.

Things looking up?
I had the opportunity to speak with one of the program’s current physicians who is optimistic about the future of the program. Although I was not given the updated procedure numbers for the two programs, I am told that they are on the way back up, as are are the numbers of clinical research protocols planned. Here is a chart updated with numbers of bone marrow transplants in 2013 as reported to the state. Continue reading “UofL Hires New Director for Bone Marrow Transplant Program.”